Sorrell’s S4 Capital beefs up analytics division with double acquisition October 28, 2019 Sir Martin Sorrell’s S4 Capital today said it has beefed up its data analytics capabilities, unveiling the acquisition of two data companies. The digital marketing firm said it has bought London data firm Conversion Works and South Korean consultancy Datalicious Korea for an undisclosed sum. Read more: Sorrell’s S4 Capital buys Silicon Valley agency Firewood [...]
AT&T strikes deal with activist investor as TV challenges hit revenue October 28, 2019 US telecoms giant AT&T has unveiled a three-year plan to revamp its strategy as it bowed to pressure from an activist investor amid tough conditions in its TV business. Elliott Management, which holds a $3.2bn (£2.5bn) stake in AT&T, has been pressuring the board to overhaul senior management, cut costs and scale back expansion plans. [...]
Samira Ahmed faces BBC in court over ‘600 per cent’ pay gap October 28, 2019 BBC presenter Samira Ahmed has today kicked off her legal challenge against the broadcaster over claims she was paid just “a sixth” of Jeremy Vine’s salary. The Newswatch presenter has said she was paid just £440 per programme, while Vine received as much as £3,000 per episode for his work on Points of View. Read [...]
Spotify finance boss behind streaming giant’s direct listing steps down October 28, 2019 The Spotify finance director who masterminded the streaming giant’s unorthodox stock market float is stepping down from the company. Chief financial officer Barry McCarthy will retire in January and will be replaced by Paul Vogel, who is currently the firm’s head of investor relations. Read more: Spotify fails to hit the right note as subscriber [...]
Softbank ramps up investment in finance firm Greensill as it swoops on payday lending October 28, 2019 Softbank has injected a further $655m (£511m) into Greensill as the online finance firm announced a fresh acquisition that could kill off payday lenders. Greensill, which was set up by former Morgan Stanley banker Lex Grensill, has acquired Freeup, a London tech startup designed to offer employees early payment of their salaries. Read more: Softbank [...]
UK art exports surge to £6.8bn as weak sterling boosts US demand October 28, 2019 The value of art exports from the UK surged by almost a quarter in the last year thanks to increased appetite from US collectors. Sales of art and antiques hit £6.8bn in the year to the end of August, up 24 per cent on the previous 12 months, according to figures compiled by private wealth [...]
Zamna raises $5m as it secures deal with IAG for airport security tech October 28, 2019 UK startup Zamna, which develops software to automate airport security checks, has bagged $5m (£3.9m) in funding and confirmed International Airlines Group (IAG) as its first client. The seed funding round was led by venture capital firms Localglobe and Oxford Capital, alongside Seedcamp, the London Co-Investment Fund and O2 parent company Telefonica. Read more: Tory [...]
Government ‘should overhaul’ stamp duty to boost housing market October 27, 2019 The government should slash stamp duty to help boost housebuilding and encourage people to buy their own homes, a new report has stated. Stamp duty is the second most unpopular UK levy behind inheritance tax, and a gradual rise in rates has meant the average buyer in England pays £2,300 when they buy a property. [...]
Telegraph managers prepare bid as media group goes up for sale October 27, 2019 Suitors will be starting to line up bids for the Telegraph this week as the billionaire Barclay brothers prepare to sell the newspaper group. A group of former senior managers at the Telegraph are among City figures circling, and are looking for backers to bid for the media group, the Sunday Times reported. Read more: [...]
Three warns of 5G threat after £2bn mobile mast merger makes new ‘monopoly’ October 27, 2019 Mobile operator Three has issued a stark warning over a £2bn mobile masts mega-merger, warning the deal could pose a threat to the UK’s 5G rollout. Earlier this month Spanish infrastructure giant Cellnex struck an agreement to buy the telecoms division of British firm Arqiva, making it the largest mast operator in the UK. Read [...]
