Simon Cawkwell

Cawkell was involved in exposing the fraud of Robert Maxwell's accounts, specifically those of Maxwell's company British Printing & Communication Corporation PLC later renamed Maxwell Communication Corporation PLC and subsequently dissolved on 20 February 2018.[6][7]

Cawkwell did his first share trade in 1967 at the age of 21 and his first short position taken was M.F.I. in 1973 that collapsed from 150p to 10p.[8] He also made £1 million on short-selling shares in Northern Rock, Polly Peck International and Amber Day before the bank, Amber Day and Pollypeck went into administration.[9][10] His short selling activities were thought to have been curtailed somewhat by new 'Short-Selling Prohibition' disclosure rules in 2008 requiring notification if the short position covered more than 0.25% of a company's shares:[11] This short selling ban expired in May 2020.[12] Further short selling notification thresholds were announced in January 2021.[13]

Simon Cawkwell used his analytical skills and called gold stocks well in the early 2000's. His reasoned analyses proved correct.[14]

Cawkwell was listed amongst the 'World's Top Ten Most Famous Traders of All-time' in 2019 by IG.com[15]

In March 2001, Cawkwell caused controversy by launching a $1 million legal claim against former Russian Deputy Prime Minister Boris Fedorov. Cawkwell's efforts were in response to moves to take control of the Russian oil and gas giant Gazprom.[16] He was Managing Director of Tranquillo, a major shareholder in Gazprom, when he was reported to be going to canvass fellow shareholders.[17]

Simon Cawkwell started his own accountancy firm in Jermyn Street, Mayfair. Founded 'Company Communications Centre' with two former directors of Oyez Group in 1978. Cawkwell became a director of Virgin Atlantic Airways and Chairman of 'WineBank'. His efforts to save the wine trading group were not successful.[18] He was forced to resign as a company director after he was found to have broken the rules of the AIM stock exchange by buying shares during a prohibited period. He bought shares in AIM Market quoted Kryso Resources where he had been Deputy Chairman since 2004.[19] Kryso Resources was renamed China Nonferrous Gold Limited in 2013.[20]

Cawkwell has previously been a director of Greasemeter Limited, Fisher Harrison Limited, In case Solutions Limited, Custom Products Limited and Kryso Resources Limited.[21]

Cawkwell is known to trade on the betting exchange Betfair, and prompted a long-running dispute with the firm when his wager that Niall Quinn would not become permanent manager of Sunderland AFC was lost, despite Quinn's stating that he was taking the job only temporarily. Roy Keane took over the role a few weeks later in August 2006, after Betfair had settled the market.[22][23] Betfair suspended Cawkwell's account in January 2020.[24] He was in dispute with Sportingbet regarding the ball crossing the goal-line without a goal being given in the 2018 soccer World Cup competition.[25] In 2014 he was reported to have made £150,000 in one week sports betting.[26]

• Profit of the Plunge: How to Win Short Selling - Author Simon Cawkwell, Publisher Rushmere Wynne 1 January 1995[27][28]

• Bear Essentials: The Secret of Forensic Accounting and Profitable Trading - Author Simon Cawkwell, Publisher T1ps.com Limited 15 September 2003

• Evils Good: Book of Boasts and Other Investments - Author Simon Cawkwell, Edited by Thomas John Zacchaeus Winnifrith (Tom Winnifrith), Publisher T1ps.com Limited 27 April 2012