Tesla delivers first electric cars made in China December 30, 2019 Electric car firm Tesla has delivered its first vehicles made in China as its billionaire founder Elon Musk targets a bigger share of the country’s car market. Fifteen Model 3 cars were handed over to employees at the firm’s Gigafactory near Shanghai, meaning deliveries have started just over a year after construction of the factory [...]
Steel industry urges government not to shelve HS2 December 29, 2019 The UK’s steelmakers have urged the government to complete HS2 to boost the struggling sector. The rail project – which would link London, the Midlands and the north – is expected to use 2m tonnes of steel if it goes ahead. Read more: Election 2019: Boris Johnson raises red flag over Heathrow expansion and HS2 [...]
Northern Rail ‘could be split up’ amid nationalisation plans December 26, 2019 The government is said to be plotting a break-up of Northern Rail as part of a radical plan to renationalise train services in northern England. Northern Rail, which is run by German operator Arriva, would be split into two franchises – North West and North East – under plans drawn up by Whitehall officials, the [...]
Top Nissan boss steps down in blow to scandal-hit car firm December 26, 2019 A senior Nissan executive has resigned from the company just weeks after taking up the job, marking a blow to the embattled car manufacturer’s turnaround plan. Jun Seki, vice chief operating officer and the firm’s third highest-ranking executive, said he was leaving to become president of Kyoto-based car parts manufacturer Nidec. Read more: Nissan faces [...]
Travis Kalanick to leave Uber’s board in December December 24, 2019 Travis Kalanick has resigned from the board of Uber, the ride-hailing service that he founded and helped make a global phenomenon. In a statement, Uber said that the entrepreneur would step down on 31 December to concentrate on other business endeavours. Read more: Uber co-founder takes stock sale to over $700m In a statement, Kalanick [...]
Tim Clark to step down after thirty years as Emirates Airlines president December 24, 2019 Sir Tim Clark will step down as the president of Emirates Airline in June next year, bringing to an end more than 30 years at the company. Under Clark’s leadership the state-owned business became the world’s largest airline and helped transform Dubai into a global transport hub. Read more: Emirates orders $9bn worth of Boeing [...]
Boeing fires chief executive Dennis Muilenburg over 737 Max crisis December 23, 2019 Boeing has fired its chief executive Dennis Muilenburg, nine months after the second of two deadly crashes involving his planes that killed a total of 346 people. Muilenburg, a Boeing employee of more than three decades, has been under intense pressure since a 737 Max went down in Ethiopia in March, killing everyone on board. [...]
Ryanair fails to block operation chief’s move to Easyjet December 23, 2019 Budget airline Ryanair has failed to delay its former operation chief’s move to rival company Easyjet after a court rejected its claim. The Irish High Court has rejected Ryanair’s attempt to stop Peter Bellow from joining Easyjet until 2021, saying a 12-month non-compete clause was not enforceable. Ryanair has instructed its lawyers to immediately appeal, [...]
Four London infrastructure projects that unravelled in 2019 December 23, 2019 Boris Johnson “loves infrastructure”. At least, that’s what the Prime Minister said when he was asked about the High Speed Two rail project on the campaign trail earlier this month. And it is just as well. Because some of London’s biggest infrastructure problems are creaking at the seams. If the PM were not so keen on [...]
UK approves £4bn sale of defence firm Cobham December 21, 2019 The government has agreed to allow US private equity firm Advent International to takeover the UK’s defence and aerospace company. Advent made a £4bn offer to buy Cobham earlier this year and the deal was accepted by shareholders last month. However the government held a consultation on the sale after the founding family raised possible [...]