UK financial services face talent crisis over social mobility and “boring” reputation April 21, 2019 The UK’s financial services sector is facing a talent crisis as would-be employees are put off by its reputation for being “boring”, a new survey has revealed. Research carried out by Big Four auditor KPMG showed 65 per cent of the UK population would not consider taking a job in the financial services sector. Read [...]
Reiss gets royal boost as luxury retailer defies high street gloom to post sales rise April 21, 2019 Upmarket fashion retailer Reiss has bucked the downward trend on the high street, posting double-digit sales growth in its full-year results. Read more: Retail sales jump higher than expected in March The figures Like-for-like sales rose 13.2 per cent in the year to the beginning of February. Total sales were up 8.3 per cent to [...]
US owner of healthcare firm The Priory Group eyes £1bn sale amid scandal over quality of care April 21, 2019 The US healthcare firm behind The Priory Group is mulling a £1bn sale of the mental healthcare provider amid a scandal over the quality of care in its hospitals. Acadia Healthcare has appointed a financial adviser to explore a possible sale of the firm, the Mail on Sunday reported, citing City sources. Read more: Only [...]
Millions use 123456 as a password, UK spy study finds April 21, 2019 It’s 2019, but millions of Brits are still using simple passwords that could easily be hacked. A survey carried out by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) revealed more than 22m people across the UK used 123456 as a password, making it the most common password used for breached accounts. Read more: Government urges businesses [...]
Anglo American gears up for takeover fight with mining tycoon Anil Agarwal April 21, 2019 Anglo American has called in the support of three investment banks to help it fend off a hostile takeover bid from mining tycoon Anil Agarwal. The London-listed mining firm has asked its advisers Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs and Centerview to draw up a plan to defend the company against Volcan Investments, Agarwal’s holding company, according [...]
HS2 ‘ignored concerns’ about winning bidder for £1.3bn Old Oak Common contract April 21, 2019 HS2 ignored warnings about a contractor’s ability to build a key station before awarding it the £1.3bn tender, according to a High Court claim. HS2 acknowledged a joint venture between Balfour Beatty and Vinci was “severely under-resourced [and] a real risk to the safe and timely completion and handover” of the crucial Old Oak Common station [...]
Edinburgh Airport owner eyes £2bn sale as aviation infrastructure values soar April 21, 2019 Edinburgh Airport could be sold this year for as much as £2bn as its private equity owner looks to cash in on skyrocketing aviation infrastructure valuations. Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), the airport’s largest shareholder, is eyeing the hefty price tag amid plans to sell its majority stake, the Sunday Telegraph reported, citing City sources. Read [...]
Standard Chartered looks to win over investors with $1bn share buyback April 21, 2019 Standard Chartered is set to launch a $1bn (£770m) share buyback scheme in a bid to win back trust from embattled investors. Analysts have said the London-headquartered bank, which is focused on Asian markets, is preparing to buy back shares for the first time in a generation. Read more: Standard Chartered settles Iran sanctions probe for [...]
Carlsberg sparks speculation of new product launch with Twitter marketing campaign April 11, 2019 Carlsberg has quietly launched a tongue-in-cheek marketing campaign on Twitter, sparking speculation the brewer may be gearing up to launch a new product. The Danish firm has begun promoting tweets in which disgruntled customers complain about the quality of Carlsberg’s beer. Read more: Carlsberg cheers hot summer and Chinese sales despite lower growth outlook Comments [...]
Entertainment One snaps up Killing Eve score producer Audio Network for £178m April 11, 2019 Media firm Entertainment One has acquired film and TV score production firm Audio Network for £178m as it looks to beef up its music division. Entertainment One has secured a deal to buy 100 per cent of the UK-based company, which has produced scores for films and TV shows including Killing Eve, Bodyguard and Straight [...]
