HSBC director fears impact of jail threat on bank leadership November 30, 2014 Two top directors at HSBC are concerned that non-executives are being given too much work under new regulations, and face greater punishments – including the threat of jail – if anything goes wrong, a letter from the bank’s chairman showed yesterday. Alan Thomson left the board at the end of October. According to chairman Douglas [...]
Gfinity IPO: eSports mania set to hit London with sector’s debut float November 30, 2014 In a move that surprised many, Amazon forked out just under $1bn in August to acquire online electronic sports (eSports) TV channel Twitch. For the majority in the UK, it was a first introduction to eSports: the world of online competitive video gaming. The industry attracts not only people who compete against each other, but [...]
Software firm Sophos eyes £1bn valuation in 2015 London float November 30, 2014 COMPUTER security company Sophos, owned by private equity giant Apax Partners, is reportedly planning a London listing next year that could achieve a valuation of £1bn for the business. Sophos is close to appointing an independent adviser to run a stock market listing in the first half of 2015, according to The Sunday Times. The [...]
Barclays unwraps video-link service November 30, 2014 BARCLAYS took a leap into the future yesterday by unveiling the UK’s first known face-to-face video banking service. Barclays Premier account holders will get access to the service on 8 December with other customers having to wait until next year to use the service, which lets them talk to Barclays staff over a video link [...]
JP Morgan gets double top in adviser ranking November 30, 2014 JP Morgan Cazenove picked up two top placings this morning as financial data publisher Adviser Rankings unveiled its quarterly corporate advisers rankings guide for the fourth quarter of 2014. The US bank once again was named top stockbroker with 211 stock market listed clients. JP Morgan also topped the financial advisers table – again for [...]
Most companies still unprepared to deal with whistleblower risk November 30, 2014 LESS than one in 10 managers at multinational companies says whistleblowing is currently an important issue for their firm, despite the fact that 12 per cent have blown the whistle and nearly half would consider it. The figures from law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer come in the wake of a spate of high-profile whistleblowers this [...]
Christmas charity: Empowering people in poverty thanks to Opportunity UK November 30, 2014 This Christmas City A.M. is presenting five of our favourite charities to provide our readers with some inspiration for festive charitable giving 2014. We're starting off our Christmas charity drive this year with an old friend. City A.M. has worked with Opportunity International UK for a number of years, with our readers helping over 635,000 [...]
Ex-BP boss Lord John Browne gets a helping hand with Facebook from COO Sheryl Sandberg November 30, 2014 If you're going to get help with your new Facebook page, it doesn't get any better than having Sheryl Sandberg, the COO of the social network giving you a hand. That, of course, is unrealistic for most of us – but not Lord John Browne it seems. The former BP boss-turned-LGBT activist tweeted yesterday, [...]
Offshore Michelin-starred chef Shaun Rankin comes onshore for Mayfair club 12 Hay Hill November 30, 2014 Having an office in Mayfair has always been something of a treat; why else would so many of London’s wealth managers set up camp there? Well, now it’s about to get even better. 12 Hay Hill, the swanky new members club with serviced offices, has announced the name of the Michelin-starred chef drafted in to [...]
Stars enjoy St Andrew’s Day at the Savoy November 30, 2014 IT WAS St Andrew’s Day yesterday and to celebrate for Scots in London, the London Scottish Football Club hosted a charity lunch at The Savoy on Friday – raising £23,000 for the STV Appeal. Presenter Kirsty Gallacher, magician Magic Romil and rugby star Kenny Logan (pictured) were all there along with ex-Tesco chair Sir David [...]