London’s top tech advocate October 27, 2014 Universities are not producing the graduates needed for London’s booming tech sector. While that’s not a new problem, it is the number one issue affecting businesses in the capital, according to a private sector-led group of 1,000 so-called Tech London Advocates – including BT boss Gavin Patterson, Facebook’s EMEA vice president Nicola Mendelsohn and Lastminute.com [...]
Banks to report as BT is likely to reveal growth – London Report October 26, 2014 THIS WEEK sees a number of banks reporting, with four of the UK’s five biggest lenders due to reveal third-quarter results. Lloyds and Standard Chartered report tomorrow. With Lloyds the focus is expected to be on 9,000 job cuts and a string of branch closures. Standard Chartered’s execs have been under pressure this year. After [...]
City Moves for 10 October 2014 | Who’s switching jobs October 22, 2014 Innesco John Heawood has been appointed non-executive chairman of the marketing communications agency. Heawood is former group executive director for UK property at Segro, partner at DTZ Debenham Tie Leung and managing director of the Ashtenne Industrial Fund. KPMG The professional services firm has appointed Neill Thomas as head of corporate finance and Andrew Nicholson [...]
City Moves for 21 October 2014 | Who’s switching jobs October 20, 2014 Page Group Jonathan Wiles has been appointed managing director of Page Executive by the recruitment specialist. Wiles, who joined the firm in 1992, will be transferring from the role of managing director of Michael Page Human Resources. Cantor Fitzgerald Europe Jonathan Richards has been appointed equity research analyst in the financial services firm’s Financial Institutions [...]
Analyst Views: What did you make of BSkyb’s first quarter financial results? October 16, 2014 STEVE LIECHTI | INVESTEC First quarter figures are good, with better profit growth than we expected and confident overall trading comment. We remain neutral/mildly negative given competitive pressures in UK pay TV and some uncertainty over how the new Sky Europe plays out, particularly in Italy. PAUL RICHARDS | NUMIS The operational highlight was the [...]
City Moves for 17 October 2014 | Who’s switching jobs October 16, 2014 Savills The real estate advisory firm has appointed Jim Wickens as a director in its London-based building and project consultancy team. He has more than 20 years’ experience, and joins from Cluttons. Wickens has also previously held roles at Broadgate Estates, Drivers Jonas and Bucknall Austin. Aviva Investors The asset manager has announced two appointments [...]
BSkyB sees off BT with profit and revenue rise in first quarter October 16, 2014 BSkyB has reported a good start to its financial year after ear-marking £5.3bn for Sky Deutschland and Sky Italia with a rise in revenue, profit and subscribers in the first quarter, slightly ahead of expectations. The British broadcaster increased revenue by six per cent to £1.9bn for the three months to September 30, with operating [...]
Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales to lead global push for ethical phone group TPO as it lists in London October 13, 2014 Ethical mobile phone company The People's Operator (TPO) is looking to list on London as it seeks capital to help fund global expansion using a similar model to Wikipedia. The London-based company, which allows users to donate 10 per cent of their monthly bill to charity, is planning to launch onto Aim in November. [...]
EE’s Olaf Swantee: In Britain’s super-competitive mobile space growth can be the hardest game October 12, 2014 As chief executive he’s overseen two re-brandings, launched 4G in the UK and now plans to take on rivals in the living room with EE TV – but Olaf Swantee’s greatest challenges may still lie ahead Jogging through Richmond Park most mornings couldn’t be further from Olaf Swantee’s day job. The boss of Britain’s [...]
Ordinary investors are losing out in the rush for cut-price flotations October 9, 2014 THE MASS market British Gas and BT privatisations of the 1980s created a whole new generation of investors and, 30 years on, the next generation is waiting in the wings. With many companies – including high profile public brands – keen to save flotation costs, however, retail investors are being ignored and denied the opportunity [...]