Coty hires former L’Oreal boss as its third chief executive this year July 2, 2020 Beauty firm Coty has hired former L’Oreal boss Sue Nabi to become its third chief executive in just six months, sending shares up almost four per cent in pre-market trading. Nabi will take over the reins from Peter Harf, who was appointed chief executive of Coty just last month. Harf will step down front the [...]
Hipgnosis seeks £200m capital raise in new share placing July 2, 2020 Music royalties investment firm Hipgnosis has announced plans to raise £200m in a share placing as the company looks to expand its catalogue portfolio. The London-listed firm said it hopes to raise the cash in a retail offer of up to 200m new C shares, at a price of 100p per share via London fintech [...]
Government: Firm’s £108m PPE contract issued ‘in error’ July 1, 2020 The government has backtracked on official documents showing that it awarded a family-run firm £108m to procure personal protective equipment (PPE), saying it reported the sum “in error”, City A.M. can reveal. The Department for Health last month published documents that showed it secured a deal worth £108m in April with Crisp Websites Ltd — [...]
Boisdale launches campaign to allow live music in restaurants July 1, 2020 London restaurant group Boisdale has launched a campaign urging the government to overturn a ban on live music in restaurants, as the hospitality sector prepares to reopen after months of lockdown. Boisdale, which owns restaurants in Mayfair, Bishopsgate, Canary Wharf and Belgravia, has said it will continue to host live music performances at one of [...]
Harrods slashes 700 jobs as pandemic weighs on high street July 1, 2020 Luxury department chain Harrods has announced it is slashing 700 jobs, as the British high street continues to feel the weight of the coronavirus crisis. In an email to staff, managing director Michael Ward said Harrods was slashing up to 14 per cent of its 4,800-strong workforce due to the “ongoing impact” of Covid-19. Ward [...]
John Lewis set to announce job cuts and store closures July 1, 2020 Department store giant John Lewis is planning to slash jobs and close some of its stores as the coronavirus crisis continues to weigh on the retail sector. John Lewis has so far reopened 22 of its 50 UK stores as the lockdown begins to ease, but said it is likely that some shops will remain [...]
Wigan Athletic football club enters administration amid ‘significant impact’ of coronavirus pandemic July 1, 2020 Wigan Athletic has entered administration following the “significant impact” of the coronavirus pandemic on the football club’s finances. Paul Stanley, Gerald Krasner and Dean Watson from Begbies Traynor have been appointed as joint administrators, the Championship team said in a statement. Krasner said: “Our immediate objectives are to ensure the club completes all its fixtures [...]
Hong Kong hires London PR firm to improve UK image July 1, 2020 The Hong Kong government has hired a Mayfair-based PR firm in a bid to drown out negative coverage of the territory in the UK media. Consulum has been awarded a lucrative £5m deal to run the city’s “Relaunch Hong Kong” campaign, following a high-profile tender process that involved numerous global PR firms. The London-based PR [...]
Hong Kong police arrest 70 protestors under controversial new security law July 1, 2020 Police in Hong Kong have arrested more than 70 protestors on the first day of a new law handing Beijing sweeping powers over the city. Chinese President Xi Jinping yesterday signed into effect new legislation allowing police to arrest people for subversion, secession and collusion with foreign forces in a law that effectively bans protests. [...]
British public ‘increasingly concerned’ about lockdown lift this weekend June 30, 2020 The British public are increasingly concerned that Boris Johnson’s plans to reopen pubs, restaurants, cinemas, galleries and hairdressers this weekend are premature, according to new research, after scenes of crowded beaches sparked fears that the infection rate in the UK could rise. The Prime Minister’s announcement last week that hospitality businesses in England are set [...]