Public relations firm Kekst CNC appoints Robbie Gibb as adviser October 2, 2019 Public relations firm Kekst CNC has appointed Sir Robbie Gibb, the former communications director to Theresa May, as a senior adviser. Gibb has been tapped to advise the Kekst CNC’s board and management teams both in the US and internationally. The former Downing Street spin doctor previously worked as head of BBC Westminster, overseeing the [...]
Asos to appoint Ocado boss to board as it plots leadership shake-up October 1, 2019 Asos is set to announce a raft of new boardroom appointments as it looks to rebuild investor confidence after a series of profit warnings. The online retailer will tomorrow announce several new non-executive directors, including Luke Jensen, the chief executive of Ocado’s tech solutions arm, Sky News reported. Read more: Asos profit warning: Three factors [...]
Duke and Duchess of Sussex sue Mail on Sunday as they launch attack on Fleet Street October 1, 2019 The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have filed a lawsuit against the Mail on Sunday as they launched a blistering attack on the press over its “ruthless campaign” against them. In a statement posted to the couple’s website, Prince Harry said they were suing the newspaper over alleged misuse of private information, copyright infringement and [...]
Mark Zuckerberg says control over Facebook prevented him being fired October 1, 2019 Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg has admitted he would have been fired on several occasions were it not for his total control over the company. “So one of the things that I’ve been lucky about in building this company is, you know, I kind of have voting control of the company, and that’s something I focused [...]
Vice Media on verge of deal to snap up digital media firm Refinery29 October 1, 2019 Vice Media is said to be in the final stages of discussions with Refinery29 about a takeover of the female-focused digital media company. The two companies have agreed on most of the details for a combined cash and share buyout, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter. Read more: DC Thomson [...]
Airbnb ‘plots direct listing’ instead of traditional IPO for hotly-anticipated float October 1, 2019 Airbnb is said to be shunning a traditional initial public offering (IPO) in favour of a less conventional direct listing when it floats on the public market next year. The San Francisco-based tech giant is currently making preparations for a listing that would not involve creating any new shares, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with [...]
Thomas Cook’s Belgian operations announce bankruptcy October 1, 2019 Thomas Cook’s operations in Belgium have officially been declared bankrupt, putting 500 jobs at risk. A commercial court today ruled that Thomas Cook Retail Belgium – the largest Belgian subsidiary of the collapsed travel giant – had collapsed into administration. Read more: FRC watchdog probes EY audit of Thomas Cook accounts The retail arm had [...]
UK flood alerts issued as Hurricane Lorenzo comes to town October 1, 2019 Torrential downpours are set to wreak havoc in the capital today as the UK braces for the potential arrival of Hurricane Lorenzo. Read more: UK weather forecast: Showers to batter Brits until Sunday after rainfall causes travel chaos The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning after heavy rain and thunder battered south Wales [...]
Gousto to create 700 jobs as recipe box firm turns to tech October 1, 2019 Recipe box specialist Gousto has revealed plans to create more than 700 jobs in the UK as it doubles down on its technology offering. Read more: Recipe box startup Gousto secures £30m funding The London-headquartered firm said most of the hires will be based in its tech team, with new positions created in data science, [...]
UK outbound M&A plunges to lowest level in a decade October 1, 2019 The value of UK outbound merger and acquisition (M&A) activity plunged in the third quarter, sinking to its lowest level in the last decade. M&A deals have totalled $42.9bn (£35bn) so far this year, down 69 per cent on the same time last year, according to data from Refinitiv. Read more: M&A activity targeting UK [...]