Chinese banking giant serves firms linked to oligarchs and autocrats to push Beijing’s agenda

I n the heart of London’s financial district, tucked between the Bank of England headquarters and London Bridge, is one of the world’s most influential institutions. The majestic neoclassical building is hard to miss, but few passersby would recognize the ancient coin-inspired logo of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China. This outpost of the biggest bank in the world has grown over three decades to hold tens of billions of dollars in assets, expanding rapidly as China has ascended on the world stage. And yet its daily operations remain highly secretive.