Optimal Payments share price rockets on optimism over Skrill takeover July 3, 2015 Shares in online payments provider Optimal Payments rocketed by more than 11 per cent this morning, after it told investors the long-awaited reverse takeover of rival Skrill would be complete by the end of the month. Read more: Optimal Payments aims for the main market after Skrill buyout In a trading update issued to the London [...]
Barclays cheque scanning tech leaves other banks in the past July 2, 2015 Barclays customers are ahead of the curve when it comes to financial technology, as the bank’s secure cheque-scanning service was made available to all smartphone customers yesterday. Cheque imaging, which iPhone-owning Barclays clients have been able to use since last year, allows anyone using their banking app to pay a cheque into an account [...]
George Osborne under pressure to tweak bank levy in July Budget July 1, 2015 Self-fulfilling prophecy, wishful thinking, fantasy economics: call it what you will, but the prospect of George Osborne fulfilling the desires of Britain’s banks in next week’s Budget is, to say the least, remote. Misplaced expectations that the chancellor would announce a review – or even the abolition – of the bank levy in his [...]
City Moves for 2 July 2015 | Who’s switching jobs July 1, 2015 Baker Tilly The professional services firm has appointed Diane Gwilliam as head of capital markets. She has been at Baker Tilly for 14 years, and a corporate finance partner since 2008. Gwilliam takes over from Chilton Taylor, who is standing down but remaining as corporate finance partner with the firm. Lloyds Banking Group Simon Davies [...]
John Vickers says ringfencing rules are still necessary June 30, 2015 Despite some bankers calling for an end to ringfencing, John Vickers says the case for separating the retail banking and investment banking arms of banks is still necessary. The architect behind ringfencing plans has said British banks still need to protect domestic retail customers from riskier parts of their operations, and the case for this [...]
Greece will default on its €1.6bn repayment to the IMF today June 30, 2015 Greece will not pay the €1.6bn (£1.14bn) it owes to the IMF today, Athens has confirmed Read more: How Twitter became Alexis Tsipras’ secret weapon in Greek negotiations The beleaguered country is required to make the repayment to its creditor by 11pm on 30 June, after saying it would bundle all its payments for the month [...]
City Moves for 30 June 2015 | Who’s switching jobs June 29, 2015 Baker & McKenzie The law firm has appointed Kate Alexander as principal tax adviser in its London tax practice. She joins from EY, where she has been a partner and head of markets for its international tax services group. Alexander has also worked as head of UK patent box at EY. Savills Investment Management Peter [...]
Barclaycard’s bpay wearable band and contactless devices let you pay with just a swipe of your wrist, key or phone June 29, 2015 Shoppers heading to the tills and travellers passing through ticket gates will soon be able to pay with just a simple swipe of the wrist using Barclaycard's new wearable technology. The new bpay band, due to launch next month, will bring an end to rummaging through bags for contactless cards and is one of three [...]
The Banker’s top 1,000 world banks 2015: UK lenders slide down rankings as Chinese institutions move up June 29, 2015 UK banks continue to lose their global position as Chinese banks power ahead, according to The Banker’s latest ranking of the Top 1,000 banks. HSBC fell from fifth place to ninth, Barclays from 12th to 13th and Royal Bank of Scotland from 15th to 18th as they restructured and slimmed down in the wake [...]
City Moves for 29 June 2015 | Who’s switching jobs June 28, 2015 Deloitte Richard Wood has been appointed senior adviser in the professional services firm’s private client and family office team. He was most recently head of real estate within UBS’s wealth management division. Wood has also held roles at Knight Frank, Cazenove and Arbuthnot Securities. Berenberg The private bank has appointed Dr Manfred Schlumberger as chief [...]