Virgin vows to fight on as BA wins BMI December 22, 2011 SIR RICHARD Branson was left fuming yesterday after British Airways parent IAG pipped Virgin Atlantic to a deal to buy BMI for £172.5m. Branson said IAG’s purchase of the loss-making airline “simply cuts consumer choice and screws the travelling public. “BA is already dominant at Heathrow and their removal of BMI just tightens their stranglehold [...]
Veteran cashed in at right time December 22, 2011 WILLIE Walsh aside, you won’t find many men who have spent more of their life involved with airlines than former BMI-owner Sir Michael Bishop. Sir Michael joined what was then Mercury Airlines as a baggage handler in 1963, a year before it was taken over by British Midlands Airways. By 1969 he was general manager [...]
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OPPORTUNITY INTERNATIONAL UK EDWARD FOX December 22, 2011 As I write this final diary column, two of the countries we work in are going through difficult times. While the Democratic Republic of Congo remains tense following presidential elections, Malawi’s economy is under great strain. But despite the tough economic and political outlook in many of the countries we serve, there is every reason [...]
CITY A.M. EDITOR ALLISTER HEATH December 22, 2011 THANKS to you, our readers, we are delighted to be able to announce that our first ever Christmas Appeal has raised £401,116 for a very deserving charity. As you know, the money will go to Opportunity International, our chosen partner for the appeal, and help it in its wonderful job of providing a range of [...]
Thanks to you: £401,116 to help people in Malawi December 22, 2011 IN the last few days there’s been an amazing surge of interest in our charity appeal which has brought the total to more than £400,000. The excitement lasted until the final day as the total stood nearer £385,000. First Boudiwjn Poelmann — the chairman of Novamedia/Postcode Lotteries and City A.M. chairman — and then City [...]
TAXPAYERS PETITION FOR PRIVATISATION OF THATCHER’S FUNERAL December 22, 2011 WHICH investment bank will underwrite the ticket sales at Margaret Thatcher’s privatised funeral? The Capitalist only asks because, as of last night, more than 14,000 people had signed up to the e-petition posted by Scott Morgan declaring that the Iron Lady’s state funeral should be funded and managed by the private sector. After all, Baroness [...]
Investec bags Evo in time for Christmas December 22, 2011 INVESTEC formally closed its deal to buy British investment bank Evolution Group yesterday, following its final decision on lay-offs across both companies. Investec won its bid battle in August when it settled on a price of £233m all in shares, a premium of 28 per cent on Evolution’s share price the day before it disclosed [...]
RBS Hoare Govett faces the loss of another client December 22, 2011 TROUBLED broker Hoare Govett could be about to lose its mandate with Tullow Oil. Hoare Govett and current co-broker Bank of America Merrill Lynch are taking part in a beauty parade which will determine if they continue to work with the Africa-facing oil producer. It comes just days after Hoare Govett lost another key client [...]
Broker Daniel Stewart sinks in the first half December 22, 2011 DANIEL Stewart Securities, one of a clutch of small brokers operating in the City, has posted a first-half loss after the European sovereign debt crisis led to the deals market drying up. The AIM-listed firm made a pre-tax loss of £605,952 for the six months to 30 September, compared to a profit of £190,572 for [...]
US economy growing less than hoped December 22, 2011 US CONSUMER confidence is at its highest in six months, leading indicators point to growth into 2012 and new jobless claims last week were the lowest since 2008, according to a raft of upbeat data out yesterday. But GDP growth for the third quarter was revised down by the Commerce Department, while industrial activity slowed [...]