ROCHE BEEFS UP BOARD December 13, 2010 ROCHE, the Swiss pharma giant, has beefed up its board by appointing a trio of heavyweight non-executive directors. It said Nestle chief executive Paul Bulcke (top) would join its board, alongside Shell chief executive Peter Voser (bottom left) and Christoph Franz (bottom right), the chief executive-designate of Germany’s national airline Lufthansa.
Reckitt looks to India with £460m deal December 13, 2010 RECKITT Benckiser has gained a foothold in the Indian healthcare market with a £460m deal for Paras Pharmaceuticals. The company, which was majority owned by private equity firm Actis, is a major Indian manufacturer of ointments and flu remedies. The deal puts Reckitt, whose household products include Cillit Bang and Finish dishwasher detergent, on the [...]
IS RECKITT’S LATEST DEAL A WINNER FOR INVESTORS? December 13, 2010 KEITH BOWMAN| HARGREAVES LANSDOWN Reckitt is continuing its move into the healthcare arena. Along with the cost synergies which Reckitt will gain, the deal pushes open wide the door to the emerging markets. Investors are happy to give the company the benefit of the doubt. In all, market consensus opinion continues to denote a buy. [...]
Park strife as Arsenal falter December 13, 2010 MANCHESTER UTD 1 vs ARSENAL 1 ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger believes his team are still capable of sustaining a challenge for the Premier League title despite seeing Manchester United ominously climb back to the summit, with a game in hand, following last night’s defeat at Old Trafford. Ji-Sung Park’s splendidly improvised header four minutes before [...]
AssetCo sees dip in profits December 13, 2010 ASSETCO, the outsourced fire and rescue services provider, said first half pre-tax profit fell by £200,000 to £3.4m, compared to six months earlier. But it said it expected its contract with the United Arab Emirates to contribute to improve revenues in the second half of the year. Sales grew by four per cent to £17.1m [...]
Brown aide to join BHP board December 13, 2010 BHP Billiton has appointed a former government minister and one of the architects of the 2008 banking bailout to its board. Baroness Shriti Vadera will join the miner as a non-executive director from 1 January. Vadera held a variety of roles in government, as minister for Africa, economic competitiveness, and enterprise. She left government in [...]
HEDGIES FORK OUT FOR CHARITY AS LORD ARCHER HOSTS THE AUCTION December 13, 2010 HEDGE fund philanthropists had one of their biggest galas of the year this past weekend, thanks to a fundraiser by Hedge Fund Care, a fund chaired by Robert Mirsky that makes grants to charities fighting child abuse and neglect. 400 or so of the industry’s finest donned their finest blacktie and arrived for a three-course [...]
Flower admits to Anderson gamble December 13, 2010 ENGLAND coach Andy Flower admits he will be taking a gamble on the fitness of James Anderson as the fast bowler prepares to spearhead his side’s attack in the third Ashes Test, having undertaken two long-haul flights in the space of four days. Anderson, who has taken eight wickets in the series so far, flew [...]
De La Rue hire is bid veteran December 13, 2010 DE La Rue, the UK money printer and takeover target, has appointed a new chief executive known for the successful sale of his last firm, Chloride. Tim Cobbold will take over the helm of the embattled manufacturer in January at a time when many are suggesting that it could soon become the object of a [...]
West Ham linked to Allardyce sacking December 13, 2010 BLACKBURN captain Ryan Nelsen last night expressed his dismay at the shock sacking of manager Sam Allardyce, saying he was “devastated” by the actions of the club’s new Indian owners. Allardyce was shown the door despite Rovers being five points above the Premier League relegation zone in 13th place, amid rumours of conflict with the [...]