Doug Atkin, the head of Instinet who stepped down 'by mutual agreement' last week, could always apply for a role in a TV soap opera like EastEnders if he fancies a career change. He is clearly an expert in soaps.

The boyish Atkin told Financial News in a recent interview that talking about trading costs - his personal mission for the past 17 years - is a bit like watching TV soaps. 'The storyline goes on and you can drop out of it, come back in a few years time and pick it up really quickly. It doesn't really change,' he said.