Monzo quietly introduces paid leave for loss of pregnancy May 10, 2021 Online bank Monzo has introduced paid leave for employees who are impacted by the loss of a pregnancy, as one of the first companies in the UK to do so. The pioneering policy forms part of the bank’s new mental health focus, which followed its founder and former chief executive, Tom Blomfield, step down from [...]
HSBC to trial ‘Zoom-free Fridays’ to combat fatigue May 10, 2021 HSBC is planning Zoom-free Fridays for some of its employees in a bid to tackle pandemic fatigue, following in the footsteps of other leading banks. Companies have been forced to reconsider working practices during the pandemic as the lines between home and work have been blurred as a result of lockdowns. A spokesperson confirmed it [...]
Ruth Davidson in for £85,000 payday as she joins Royal London board as non-executive director May 10, 2021 Ruth Davidson, former leader of the Scottish Conservative Party, will join Royal London’s board as a non-executive director from 8 June 2021. Davidson will be paid £75,000 per annum for board work, plus another £10,000 for committee work, though in 2021 her fees will be pro-rata for a partial year’s work. Royal London estimates Davidson [...]
Recruitment drive to launch for next Commissioner of the City of London Police May 10, 2021 The City of London Corporation’s Police Authority Board (PAB) will begin a recruitment drive for the next Commissioner of the City of London Police (City Police) next week. The appointee will replace Commissioner Ian Dyson, who has announced his planned retirement after 38 years of distinguished service in policing. Commissioner Dyson will be leaving the [...]
Showboat: Amazon boss Jeff Bezos revealed as owner of $500m superyacht May 10, 2021 As the richest person on the planet, it’s fair to say money is no object to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. But even by the standards of the super-rich, his latest purchase is likely to make waves. The billionaire businessman has been revealed as the owner of a mammoth superyacht worth a reported $500m (£354m) that [...]
Caterham Super Seven 1600 review: old-fashioned values May 10, 2021 The Super Seven 1600 is a more traditional take on the Caterham sports car, with retro styling and a throaty soundtrack. Tim Pitt drives it.
Rain dampens high street recovery as footfall drops 4.1 per cent May 10, 2021 Footfall in UK retail destinations fell 4.1 per cent last week from the week before, as wind and rain persuaded shoppers to stay home for another week. The number of high street shoppers fell 6.6 per cent last week, according to the latest data from retail insight company Springboard, while footfall in shopping centres and [...]
Inovio confirms its Covid vaccine is safe in mid-stage trials May 10, 2021 Inovio Pharmaceuticals has confirmed its Covid-19 vaccine candidate is safe in a mid-stage clinical trial, as it produces immune responses against the virus in all tested age groups. The trial, which included around 400 participants aged 18 years and older at 16 US sites, used a 2mg dose for the phase three segment of the trial. The [...]
Sterling tops $1.41 for first time in more than two months May 10, 2021 The pound climbed higher than $1.41 today for the first time in more than two months. Sterling was buoyed by economic optimism, a weaker dollar and market relief that a Scottish independence referendum looks unlikely in the near-term. Pro-independence parties won a majority in Scotland’s parliament on Saturday, paving the way for a political battle [...]
Secondary fundraising by retailers nears £2bn as firms eye M&A opportunities May 10, 2021 Listed retail companies have raised nearly £2bn in the past year as they sought to strengthen their balance sheets amid the pandemic. Now, they are starting to eye M&A opportunities. In recent years, listed firms in the UK have relied less on the public markets with private equity firms often considered a more attractive option. [...]
