Deutsche Bank shares hit record lows as German bank dragged into money laundering scandal November 20, 2018 Shares in Deutsche Bank hit record lows today after the German bank confirmed it was involved in the Danske Bank money-laundering scandal. Danske whistleblower Howard Wilkinson had claimed on Monday that a major European lender was involved in processing up to $150bn (£117bn) in suspicious payments. The former head of Danske Bank’s trading unit in [...]
Clifford Chance elect first non-London senior partner, but Magic Circle glass ceiling remains November 20, 2018 Law firm Clifford Chance today appointed its first senior partner from outside London, but the Magic Circle’s record of never having appointed a woman to a top job remained in place. Partners at the £1.6bn legal giant today elected Amsterdam office managing partner Jeroen Ouwehand as its new senior partner, a role equivalent to the [...]
City skyscraper Twentytwo set to lure in another insurer November 20, 2018 The City's tallest skyscraper is expected to land yet another major insurance tenant in the coming weeks, with news this afternoon that broker THB Group is in talks to rent 35,000 square feet of space. THB Group is set to become the third insurer to move into 22 Bishopsgate, known as Twentytwo, once construction is completed [...]
Saudi Arabia to open £18bn mine as country moves to wean its economy off oil November 20, 2018 The king of Saudi Arabia is set to open a new mining project on Thursday as the country tries to diversify its economy away from a reliance on oil. King Salman bin Abdulaziz will kick off the Waad Al Shamaal project, a new city in the desert based around a phosphate mine. The 85bn riyal [...]
Workers feel they are in the dark on impact of Brexit, says survey November 20, 2018 Only a minority of UK employees have been kept informed about the ramifications of Brexit in the workplace, according to KPMG research. In a survey of 4,000 workers commissioned by the professional services firm, 38 per cent of employees said bosses had explained the implications of Brexit at work, while only 39 per cent said their employer [...]
Manufacturing activity bounces back after poor October showing, but Brexit doubts remain November 20, 2018 Manufacturing activity picked up in the quarter to November, as the industry rallied after a disappointing October report, according to the latest statistics from the Confederation of British Industry (CBI). The organisation's latest monthly Industrial Trends Survey said it expected manufacturers to benefit from ongoing global economic expansion and a low sterling exchange rate. But weak growth [...]
Restaurant Group shareholders voice anger over £600m Wagamama price tag November 20, 2018 Nervous investors have raised concerns over the price of the Restaurant Group’s (TRG) proposed £600m acquisition of Wagamama as a major shareholder announced its intention to vote against the deal. Columbia Threadneedle, which owns 7.7 per cent of TRG, will oppose the proposal at a shareholder vote next week, it announced today. Frankie and Benny’s owner [...]
Toys R Us owners KKR and Bain Capital to pay $20m to laid-off employees November 20, 2018 Two former owners of Toys R Us have agreed to pay $20m (£15.6m) to employees who lost their jobs following its collapse. KKR and Bain Capital have set up a severance fund in the US after the $6.9bn toy store chain filed for bankruptcy last year and confirmed it would close all 800 US stores [...]
Buzzfeed founder hints at media mega-merger as the publisher launches new membership scheme November 20, 2018 Buzzfeed’s chief executive has said he would consider a merger with other media organisations as the publisher launches a shake-up of its business model. Jonah Peretti, who co-founded the website in 2006, said on Monday a series of mergers between online media companies could be the answer to the current challenges faced by news organisations. [...]
Weekly sales slump at John Lewis ahead of crucial Christmas period November 20, 2018 John Lewis Partnership has suffered its second consecutive week of tumbling sales, in a downturn that the retailer will be hoping to reverse as it enters Black Friday and the Christmas shopping season. Britain’s largest department store chain said today that total sales in the week to 17 November had plunged 6.8 per cent year-on-year, [...]