Restaurants aim high by moving into the Shard August 28, 2012 RESTAURATEURS behind the trendy Japanese restaurant chains Zuma and Roka and Hong Kong’s Aqua Restaurant Group have agreed to lease the entire restaurant space at Europe’s tallest building. Sellar Property, the developer behind the Shard, revealed yesterday that Zuma duo Rainer Becker and Arjun Waney are to open a rotisserie and grill as well as [...]
MPs demand an end to easy honours for business leaders August 28, 2012 BRITAIN’S business leaders should only receive honours if they have truly gone beyond the call of duty – not simply for being good at their jobs, for which they are already often handsomely rewarded, an influential committee of backbench MPs declared today. The Public Administration Select Committee (PASC) also hit out at the way in [...]
Firms praise apprentice help pledge August 28, 2012 SMALL FIRMS will get more help from lawyers and accountants to guide them through the complex apprenticeship system, the government announced today. The announcement comes as jewellery entrepreneur Jason Holt publishes his review into the sector, which found few small and medium sized firms (SMEs) understand the current structure or purpose of apprenticeships. SMEs “have [...]
Food with a view: International Restaurateurs look upwards August 28, 2012 FLOORS 31 & 33 RUN BY David Yeo (pictured), Aqua Restaurant Group BACKGROUND Ex-finance lawyer turned restaurateur who runs a host of restaurants, bars and a hotel in Hong Kong and recently expanded to London with the launch of Aqua Kyoto, Nueva and Spirit in Soho. LOOK The restaurant will include an atrium with three-storey high [...]
Investors cheer as Lexmark quits ink August 28, 2012 PRINTER maker Lexmark International said yesterday it will stop making inkjet printers and focus on its more profitable imaging and software businesses, sending its shares up as much as 20 per cent. Lexmark, never a big player in inkjet printers, said it would continue to sell laser printers as it beefs up its print services [...]
ThaiBev hikes stake in F&N in Heineken fight August 28, 2012 THAI Beverage has raised its stake in Fraser and Neave to just below the level that would trigger a mandatory offer for the whole company, showing its commitment to blocking Heineken’s bid for Asia Pacific Breweries. ThaiBev, controlled by billionaire Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi, said yesterday it had bought a 2.6 per cent stake in Fraser and [...]
Paralympics visit Tottenham August 28, 2012 THE Paralympics 2012 officially kick off today, and the Dutch seven-a-side football team were having a warm up game yesterday. Not at the Olympic Park, but on another newly created pitch in Tottenham. The team was playing to mark the launch of Cruyff Court, a state-of-the-art games area at the Ferry Lane Estates that has [...]
Wimbledon Wenlock is top seeded Mascot August 28, 2012 Game, set and £3,000 match to the winner who yesterday snapped up Topiary Wenlock in the Mayor’s Fund for London charity auction. Unlike all the other 2m high sporting bodies, this is a living monument, which may need some replanting next year. Let’s hope the top bidder has green fingers. For more items, go to [...]
Pharma veteran named new CEO of AstraZeneca August 28, 2012 ANGLO-SWEDISH giant AstraZeneca (AZ) yesterday revealed that it has poached Pascal Soriot from rival pharmaceuticals firm Roche. Soriot will become AZ’s new chief executive on 1 October, replacing David Brennan who quit the role abruptly at the end of April this year after announcing a profit warning and weak quarterly results. Shareholders had been agitating for [...]
Olympics fail to deliver UTV advert boost August 28, 2012 UTV Media, owner of talkSport radio, yesterday posted a small rise in pre-tax profits as an expected Olympics advertising boost failed to materialise. The Belfast-based media group said net advertising revenues from its television division had dropped three per cent over the half year, taking total television revenues down two per cent to £16.9m. The [...]
