Last month it emerged that Rolls-Royce was co-operating with the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) in investigating allegations of bribery and corruption in connection with the manufacturer's Indonesian and Chinese operations. The internet has been rife with speculation relating to the payment of a $20m (£12.5m) bribe to the son of a former Indonesian president, who then allegedly secured an aircraft engine order for the manufacturer. Rolls-Royce responded quickly, appointing external lawyers to investigate in co-operation with the SFO.
In 2013 Rolls-Royce added further firepower to the internal investigation team by appointing Lord Gold, a conservative peer and former city lawyer, to lead a review of its internal compliance procedures. The SFO has not yet confirmed whether it will launch a formal investigation.
