Why Randgold Resources’ boss can afford to go on a 48-day bike safari May 17, 2009 BIG, burly, loud and infectious: Mark Bristow, the founder and chief executive of Randgold Resources, looks every inch a mining man. The 6’3” South African is in good form as he bounds into the gold miner’s functional London office in the shadow of the Savoy Hotel (it is undergoing a 16-month £100m refit – the [...]
Why Randgold Resources’ boss can afford to go on a 48-day bike safari May 17, 2009 Age: 50 Work: He became chief executive officer at Randgold Resources in 1995. Before that he held senior posts at Randgold Exploration, African Platinum, Harmony Gold Mining Company and DRD Gold Education: Holds a PhD in geology from the University of Natal in Durban Family: Married with two sons aged 18 and 20 Homes: Selling [...]
WHAT’S AVAILABLE? BEST RATES May 14, 2009 First Direct offers a two-year fix of 2.99 per cent with a subsequent rate of 3.69 per cent (all rates are based on a 75 per cent, £150,000 mortgage). The fee is £898. Royal Bank of Scotland has a three-year fix of 3.99 per cent, rising to 4 per cent afterwards, with a £499 fee. [...]
CITY CURRY LOVERS EMPTY THEIR POCKETS FOR UK WAR VETERANS May 14, 2009 NOSHING down on a good curry is one of the best ways to relieve City stress (just ask chancellor Alistair Darling, who famously thrashed out the details of his mammoth £500bn bank bailout plan over an Indian takeaway back in October). So it should come as no surprise that Lord Mayor Ian Luder decided to [...]
Profits posted at Royal Mail despite slump May 14, 2009 ROYAL MAIL’S profits have almost doubled, the postal service said yesterday, as all four sections of the company entered the black for the first time in two decades. The whole group’s operating profit hit £321m for the year to the end of March, up from £162m last year, and showed its letter delivery arm and [...]
No relief for Kesa Electricals as sales continue to decline May 14, 2009 Kesa Electricals, Europe’s third-biggest electrical goods retailer, yesterday reported sales declining faster in the first four months of 2009 than at the end of last year but said annual profit met expectations. Kesa, which owns Comet, said it held a strong cash position but forecast 2009-10 would be another “challenging year.” The group also said [...]
Hays profits up but tough times ahead September 3, 2008 UK recruitment firm Hays posted a 25 per cent increase in annual profits yesterday on the back of international growth, but warned that the market would get tougher this year. The company reported pre-tax profits for the year ending 30 June of £264.4m, up from £211.7m, as it enjoyed a 19 per cent rise in [...]
Bodies of millionaire and wife are found September 1, 2008 Police investigating a fire at the home of millionaire businessman Christopher Foster have announced they are now treating it as a murder inquiry, following confirmation that the two bodies found there are those of Foster, 50, and his wife. A post-mortem examination has revealed that Jillian Foster, 49, from Osbaston House in Maesbrook, Shropshire, died [...]
UBS rings the changes as it reports a loss August 13, 2008 UBS announced wholesale changes to structure and personnel yesterday, including a new chief financial officer, as it posted an interim loss of Sfr358m (£173m), bringing the curtain down on a dire results season for banks. The Swiss bank posted writedowns of $5.1bn on risky investments, mitigated by a tax credit of $2.8bn. It also took [...]
Sage expects to deflect the credit crunch August 5, 2008 Business software maker Sage yesterday said that its second quarter profits were up by 12 per cent, fuelling hopes that it will hold strong in the face of challenging market conditions. Despite increased competition in the small to medium enterprise (SME) market, the company continued to grow ahead of market expectations, posting an increase of [...]