Boris rekindles hope of Brexit breakthrough October 11, 2019 This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning. Then again, it might not be. In the days before Boris Johnson and Leo Varadkar’s meeting yesterday at a Liverpool wedding venue, talk on both sides of the Channel was of the [...]
Barclays execs feared jail over plan to pay hidden fees to Qatar, fraud trial hears October 10, 2019 Senior Barclays bankers discussed their fears of going to jail as they scrambled to create a mechanism to pay extra fees to Qatar during a £2bn fundraising in 2008, a court heard today. Roger Jenkins, Richard Boath and Thomas Kalaris are standing trial at the Old Bailey, accused of conspiracy to commit fraud by false [...]
Brexit: Johnson and Varadkar see ‘pathway to possible deal’ October 10, 2019 Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar have issued a joint statement saying they both see “a pathway to a possible deal”. The two will now consult with their respective negotiating teams, including the EU’s Taskforce 50, ahead of further talks. Sterling climbed 0.5 per cent to $1.2267 on the back of the [...]
Barclay brothers mull £800m sale of The Ritz Hotel October 10, 2019 David and Frederick Barclay, the billionaire brothers that own The Ritz, are reportedly mulling an £800m sale of the five-star Mayfair hotel. The twin brothers, who also own The Telegraph newspaper and Spectator magazine, bought the Grade-II listed building for £75m in 1995. Read more: Profits plunge at Barclay brothers’ Ritz hotel Richard Faber, Frederick [...]
Brexit extension beyond Halloween ‘now priced in’ October 9, 2019 The chances of a Brexit deal appear to have ebbed further yesterday, with one government source telling City A.M. an extension was now “priced in” to their thinking. Neither side is willing to publicly admit defeat, for fear of being blamed, but Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and EU negotiator Michel Barnier both said it would [...]
Ex-Barclays bankers accused of creating ‘smoke-screen’ to hide secret fees paid to Qatar October 9, 2019 Three senior ex-Barclays bankers on trial for fraud were accused today of creating a “smoke-screen” to try and justify millions of pounds surreptitiously paid to Qatar in exchange for a multi-billion pound investment in 2008. Roger Jenkins, Richard Boath and Thomas Kalaris are standing trial at the Old Bailey, accused of conspiracy to commit fraud [...]
Barnier says Brexit deal ‘very difficult’ October 9, 2019 The EU’s chief negotiator has said a Brexit deal is now “very difficult, but possible” following a dramatic day of negative briefing against Brussels. Michel Barnier told reporters this morning that a deal before the 31 October deadline was looking unlikely, echoing comments made by Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and new president of the European [...]
Trio of ex-Barclays bankers accused of lying in Old Bailey fraud trial October 8, 2019 Three senior former Barclays executives were today accused of lying about disguised payments to Qatar to facilitate a massive investment in the bank at the height of the financial crisis. The three senior former executives – Roger Jenkins, Thomas Kalaris and Richard Boath – are standing trial at the Old Bailey on fraud charges. The [...]
City Moves for 8 October – Who’s switching jobs at Oaknorth, Weil and DMH Stallard October 8, 2019 Today’s City Moves includes Oaknorth, Weil and DMH Stallard Oaknorth Next-generation credit platform Oaknorth has announced the appointment of Sunil Chandra as its new chief executive officer (CEO). Sunil has spent the last 12 years at Google’s headquarters in San Francisco, where he served as vice president of the company. At Google, Sunil scaled the [...]
Brexit: Macron says EU could decide on Boris Johnson’s ‘final’ offer by end of this week October 7, 2019 French President Emmanuel Macron has said the EU could make a decision on Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Brexit proposals by the end of the week. Discussions between the two leaders yesterday saw Macron urge Johnson to engage in further discussions with the EU “swiftly” in order for the bloc to decide on the PM’s proposals [...]