RSA hoping for better offer as bidders Zurich, Axa and Aviva circle August 2, 2015 Insurer RSA is hoping to attract a better offer than Zurich’s potential bid, revealed last week, with several other companies believed to be interested in entering the race for the troubled British firm. City analysts expect Zurich to make an offer of around 550p per share. That price would provide investors with a premium [...]
Bank of England braced for historic Super Thursday – London Report August 2, 2015 THIS WEEK includes s-called Super Thursday when the Bank of England’s policy announcement, meeting minutes from the monetary policy committee and the latest Inflation Report will – for the first time – all be released simultaneously. HSBC gets the week off with a bang today with interim results, Standard Life tomorrow and Legal & General [...]
Sheffield shows why manufacturing and finance enjoy a glorious synergy August 2, 2015 My title might be “lord mayor of the City of London”, but really that’s quite misleading. It’s my job to represent the whole of the UK’s financial and professional services industry, wherever it’s based. London may well be the largest single financial services centre in the UK, but 1.7m of the 2.1m people employed by [...]
Barclays profits beat expectations as executive chairman John McFarlane sets out new strategy July 29, 2015 Barclays' share price climbed more than 2.3 per cent this morning having beaten expectations for second quarter profits, with net income rising to £1.85bn – ahead of the £1.8bn expected – as chairman John McFarlane set out his three point plan to strengthen the bank. The figures Total income rose to £6.55bn in the three months [...]
David Cameron looks to City for new business advisory group with bosses from BP, EasyJet and Santander July 27, 2015 Prime Minister David Cameron has appointed a new slate of 19 City leaders to his business advisory group, including more than a dozen chief executives of UK blue chips. The chief executives of BP, Legal & General, EasyJet, Land Securities, the London Stock Exchange Group, Persimmon, Asda, ARM, Severn Trent and Rolls Royce all [...]
City Moves for 27 July 2015 | Who’s switching jobs July 26, 2015 Fulcrum Asset Management The asset manager has appointed Matthew Wright as director in its sales and marketing team. He joins from Newsmith Asset Management, where he was partner. Wright has 16 years’ experience, and has also held roles at Fidelity, UBS Global Asset Management and Carmignac. International General Insurance Holdings Stuart Elliot has been appointed [...]
City Moves for 21 July 2015 | Who’s switching jobs July 20, 2015 Legal & General Property Richard Poyser has been appointed leasing manager at Legal & General Investment Management’s real assets division, and will be responsible for its Bracknell Town Centre development. He joins from Argent and has also worked at Hammerson. The Channel Managing Agency The Lloyd’s managing agency responsible for running The Channel Syndicate has [...]
Pensions shortfall: You’re almost certainly not saving enough for retirement July 20, 2015 The majority of people will face a pension shortfall running into thousands of pounds each year because we’re drastically underestimating how much we need to save to live comfortably in old age, as study has shown. The average income people expect after giving up work is £12,590 per year – but savings and investments will [...]
Barclays’ second boss in a week exits bank: Sir Mike Rake follows Antony Jenkins as chairman John “Mack the Knife” McFarlane wields axe July 15, 2015 Barclays deputy chairman Sir Mike Rake has become the second casualty of newly-installed chairman John McFarlane in a week, after he confirmed plans to leave the bank “by the end of 2015” yesterday – which leaves the rest of the Barclays board looking decidedly exposed, analysts have suggested. BT chairman and Confederation of British [...]
Beware, Barclays bankers: John “Mack the Knife” McFarlane is on a roll July 15, 2015 It was exactly a week to the day since John McFarlane, Barclays’ new chairman, claimed his first scalp, chief executive Antony Jenkins. Today his influence was felt again, after the imminent departure of deputy chairman Sir Mike Rake was revealed in rather chaotic fashion this morning. BT chairman and Confederation of British Industry president [...]