Is the CBI is “finished”? City grandee and AJ Bell chair Baroness Morrissey says so April 25, 2023 The crisis-hit CBI is “finished” after the organisation admitted it failed to sack workers who sexually harassed female colleagues, City boss Baroness Helena Morrissey has said. Firms have deserted the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) in their droves after two rape allegations and a series of claims of a toxic work culture surfaced, reported by [...]
Analysis: Sunak’s cringey love-in reminds us he’s a PM who wants to ‘do business’ April 25, 2023 There was no lectern for Rishi Sunak at the Business Connect conference. Striding across the stage at the glossy King’s Place venue in Islington, the PM was happily, confidently, on home turf; his equivalent of Starmer’s efforts to channel his inner toolmaker. While it was a slick suit and tie, as opposed to shirt sleeves [...]
Sunak pledges £100m ‘world leader’ AI boost as firms wooed at business summit April 24, 2023 Prime minister Rishi Sunak has insisted his government is undertaking “the most transformative changes to financial services regulations since the Big Bang”. Sunak insisted the Financial Services and Markets Bill was a “very significant piece of legislation”. He pledged that once the law was implemented, Solvency II reforms would “unlock tens of billions of pounds [...]
Mulberry lifted by strong China sales as luxury handbag maker shrugs off cost of living crisis April 20, 2023 Despite a challenging macro-economic background, luxury fashion brand Mulberry has announced an “improvement” in retail revenue over the second half of the year in its trading update for the year ending 1 April 2023. The British heritage brand – known for its iconic handbags – reported that revenue was slightly ahead of last year, with [...]
Mondrian and af Kilnt at the Tate Modern: Myriad mystical musings April 20, 2023 What a strange time it must have been to have lived through the discovery of radio waves and x-rays and radiation, to one day be told that an invisible, inscrutable world exists alongside the one you know, hitherto unnoticed, exerting a powerful, unknowable influence. The late 1800s were a time when spirituality and science seemed [...]
The Square Mile and Me: Steve McGill on Boots, negativity and the Four Seasons April 20, 2023 We dig into the memory bank of the City’s great and good: this week, Steve McGill details his life running the fastest-growing speciality broking firm in the world, McGill and Partners. Quick-fire round What’s your favourite…?
London Waterloo: Century-old roof to go glass at capital’s busiest station in two year refurb project April 20, 2023 The century-old roof of the UK’s busiest railway station is being renovated to create a brighter environment for passengers. Network Rail said it has started a two-year project to refurbish London Waterloo’s roof, which was built in 1922. Around 10,000 new glazed panels will be installed across 12,000 square metres of roof – an area nearly twice [...]
Zara chief bags former BBC base in West End April 19, 2023 Spanish billionaire and founder of popular fashion chain Zara Armancio Ortega has closed a deal purchasing luxury residential offices – and former BBC base – in the West End. Ortega’s firm Pontegadea shelled out £82m for the 1920s building, the private firm announced today. Last month Ortega purchased a luxury residential property with 120 apartments [...]
Minister Paul Scully ‘considering’ running for London mayor in 2024 April 18, 2023 Minister for London Paul Scully said today he is “considering” running against Sadiq Khan to be the next London mayor in 2024. Speaking at a Centre for London event today, Scully said: “Let me tackle this head on, am I considering running for London mayor in 2024? Yes, I am considering it. I haven’t made [...]
London economy powers ahead of every other UK region as the capital shrugs off recession fears April 18, 2023 London’s economy is firing on all cylinders and has raced ahead of every other region in the UK as spending in the capital climbs to the highest level in a year, a new survey shows. According to NatWest and S&P Global’s regional purchasing managers’ index (PMI), businesses in London are performing better than in any [...]