Amazon executive in conflict of interest row over UK space role April 20, 2021 A senior Amazon executive is said to be in the running for a role as government space adviser despite concerns over serious conflicts of interest. Peter Marquez, head of space policy at Amazon, has been put forward to serve as a temporary, unpaid adviser to the government. He would take up the position alongside his [...]
Cyber firm Avast lifts guidance as revenue growth continues April 20, 2021 Cybersecurity firm Avast today hiked its forecasts for the full year after posting a strong rise in profit for the first quarter. The London-listed company booked revenue of $237m (£170m) in the first three months of the year, up 10.5 per cent on last year. Adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation also rose [...]
European Super League: Boris Johnson to meet officials amid football row April 20, 2021 Prime Minister Boris Johnson will today host a meeting of football officials and fan representatives to discuss England’s response to the planned European Super League. Furious fans held demonstrations yesterday following the announcement that the Premier League’s six biggest clubs will join the new breakaway competition. The plans have also sparked a backlash among rival [...]
Music Magpie secures new funding ahead of £208m stock market float April 20, 2021 Tech resale site Music Magpie today said it has secured £20m in fresh funding, just days after confirming plans for an initial public offering in London. The online retailer, which allows consumers to exchange old devices such as phones and game consoles to cash, has inked the deal with Silicon Valley Bank’s (SVB) UK branch. [...]
Former BT boss Gavin Patterson approached over Super League top job April 19, 2021 The former chief executive of BT is said to have been approached about heading up a controversial new football competition dubbed the European Super League (ESL). Organisers made an informal overture to Gavin Patterson, who left the telecoms giant in 2019, over becoming the inaugural boss of the venture, Sky News reported. His name is [...]
Zoom looks to future-proof with $100m productivity app fund April 19, 2021 Zoom today unveiled plans to launch a $100m (£72m) venture fund to invest in productivity apps, marking the video calling platform’s efforts to maintain momentum following the pandemic. The company said its Zoom Apps Fund will help to generate growth for its portfolio of apps as it looks to integrate other technology into its own [...]
Australia opens travel bubble with New Zealand April 19, 2021 Thousands of passengers have descended on Australian airports today as the country reopened quarantine-free travel with New Zealand for the first time in more than a year. The new travel bubble means travellers no longer need to self-isolate for two weeks when moving between the countries. While most Australian states had allowed quarantine-free visits from [...]
UK launches national security review into Nvidia’s $40bn Arm takeover April 19, 2021 The UK has launched a review into Nvidia’s planned $40bn (£30bn) takeover of British chipmaker Arm amid concerns it could harm national security. Digital secretary Oliver Dowden today issued a public interest intervention notice (PIIN) relating to the proposed deal. Cambridge-based Arm is one of the world’s leading semiconductor companies. Chips are key to technologies [...]
Huawei and Dutch telecoms firm hit back over spying report April 19, 2021 Huawei and Dutch telecoms firm KPN have hit back at claims that the Chinese tech giant was able to eavesdrop on mobile users following a media report that has reignited the row over telecoms security. A story published in Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant this weekend cited a 2010 report by consultancy Capgemini for KPN, which [...]
Kantar ‘closes in’ on $1.5bn deal for US data rival Numerator April 19, 2021 Kantar is said to be nearing a $1.5bn (£1bn) deal to buy US rival Numerator from buyout fund Vista Equity Partners. The deal, which is expected to be announced imminently, will see Kantar take full control over the Chicago-based market intelligence provider, Reuters reported. Numerator, which was taken over by Vista in 2017, provides market [...]
