Germany’s biggest lender Deutsche Bank could be next in line for shareholder revolt over pay May 19, 2016 Shareholders at Germany's Deutsche Bank have signalled their distaste for the company's pay plan, with a vote against remuneration proposals at the group's annual meeting in Frankfurt. The bank's pay plan was voted down by 51.9 per cent of its investors, with 48.1 per cent voting in favour. Deutsche has weathered several storms during the [...]
Burberry needs some raw executive talent May 19, 2016 Burberry, the iconic luxury fashion brand, unveiled a three-year turnaround plan yesterday, promising “to drive revenue growth, improve productivity and deliver at least £100m of cost savings.” With the company’s value down by more than 20 per cent over the last couple of months, the stock should have been ripe for a bounce – but [...]
More BHS bidders revealed following deadline for offers May 18, 2016 Hilco Capital has been named as one of the bidders for beleaguered department story chain BHS, following last week's deadline for offers. BHS went into administration last month, and the company had reportedly attracted the interest of five suitors hoping to buy the whole of the high street retailer ahead of last week's bid deadline. Hilco, reported by ITV [...]
EU referendum: Brexit threat doesn’t explain economic woes May 13, 2016 June 24th will be a day of revelation. Depending on your perspective, London will either be freed from the shackles of a sclerotic European Union, or the fog of uncertainty will be lifted by a Remain vote, triggering a flood of welcome investment. Those are the cheery viewpoints, at least. Striking a less positive note, Bank [...]
Standard Life sleepwalks towards a pay revolt May 13, 2016 First Schroders, now Standard Life: it’s turning into a season of grand City institutions firing bullets into their own feet. Fresh from the calamitous handling of Michael Dobson’s elevation to the chair at Schroders, its Scottish-based peer is making an even bigger pig’s ear of a process it should be able to navigate in its [...]
City Moves for 13 May 2016 | Who’s switching jobs May 13, 2016 Currency Cloud Currency Cloud, the international payments engine, has announced the appointment of Fiona Tee as chief financial officer (CFO). Fiona brings over 30 years’ financial and commercial experience within the technology and software industries. Previous CFO roles include Mondex International, a leading early adopter of digital payments, Intelligent Environments Europe, and Anite Telecoms. In [...]
Carney ignites recession row with Brexit warning May 13, 2016 Bank of England governor Mark Carney sparked an intense political row yesterday after he said that a vote to leave the European Union could plunge Britain into recession. Former chancellor Lord Lamont slammed Carney’s “unwise” choice of words, while two Conservative members of the influential Treasury Select Committee – which is appointed by Parliament to [...]
Businesses in London face £7.5bn tax increase May 12, 2016 Industry groups have warned of a London exodus if business rates are not cut, as new research predicts that firms in the capital will face a £7.5bn tax hike after next April’s revaluation. Property consultancy Gerald Eve, who compiled the eye-watering estimates, predicts that businesses solely within the Square Mile will have to pay more than [...]
Volkswagen is preparing to launch its comeback plan in the US hoping to recover from the diesel emissions scandal May 12, 2016 Volkswagen is hoping to close the door on the diesel emissions scandal next month, as it prepares to mount a comeback in the US. A number of VW owners and the US Department of Justice sued the motor company after it admitted in September to cheating on emissions tests for 11m vehicles globally. The scandal hammered the company's share [...]
Sadiq Khan makes one small step in the right direction May 12, 2016 At the start of the week City A.M. asked – "will Sadiq Khan live up to his promise of being London’s most pro-business mayor?" The victorious Labour candidate may have set himself a tough target, but he has at least started on a positive note by dropping City Hall’s objection to expansion plans at City [...]