What’s On July 2025 June 30, 2025 As London fully embraces the summer weather, July offers a captivating calendar of activities for every occasion. Full of lively markets and outdoor live screens along with captivating exhibitions and immersive experiences. It’s the perfect time to enjoy world-class performances and recitals or play some sports near iconic London locations. With the sun setting later [...]
Vodafone and Virgin Media O2 strike £343m deal June 30, 2025 Vodafone has received a boots worth £343m from Virgin Media O2 just a few weeks after its mega merger with Three was finally approved. Virgin Media O2 has agreed to pay £343m for a tranche of mobile spectrum from Vodafone UK in a deal which is hoped will help shore up its network capacity amid [...]
City watchdog takes on advice gap to unlock growth June 30, 2025 The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has launched a new form of financial help dubbed ‘targeted support’ in a bid to encourage greater consumer participation in financial markets and unlock more investment-led growth. The City regulator will target consumers with common financial characteristics, such as unsustainable pension drawdown, inadequate retirement savings and excess cash not being [...]
Starling Bank sets sights on US expansion June 26, 2025 Starling Bank has set its sights across the Atlantic for future growth prospects as the UK fintech eyes a US banking licence or entering the market through an acquisition. The neobank took a £223m hit to profit in 2024, down from £301m in the previous year and has since scouted endeavours overseas to boost its [...]
City minister opens door to weakening banks ombudsman June 26, 2025 City minister Emma Reynolds has suggested the government could remove powers from the banks ombudsman as part of efforts to ease regulatory burdens faces by financial services. Reynolds told an audience of bankers and investors that the end of a review on the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS), which acts to settle complaints made by consumers [...]
Private equity circles the legal market, but not all firms are viable for investment boost June 26, 2025 It is no surprise that law firms have become a new target of interest for private equity firms as the legal sector is a big moneymaker
UK’s competition watchdog sets its sights on Google search June 24, 2025 The UK’s competition watchdog has proposed designating Google with ‘strategic market status’ after an investigation earlier this year revealed market issues. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it had “heard concerns” that Google’s search advertising costs are higher “than would be expected” in a “more competitive market”. It will also look into the transparency [...]
Cannes Lions: Ad agencies are subsidising their own AI displacement June 24, 2025 It may have been all smiles at Cannes, but behind closed doors the future of AI poses a huge threat to ad agencies, writes Paul Armstrong.
One twist left in the PHP and KKR bidding war for Assura June 23, 2025 The Assura bidding war between KKR and PHP looked to be sealing its final chapter on Monday – but analysts warn there could be one more twist in the saga. Assura said on Monday it had recommended its board to accept a fresh cash offer from PHP, which valued the firm at £1.79bn. The deal [...]
Direct Line bosses out ahead of £3.7bn Aviva deal after bumper bonus revolt June 23, 2025 The chief executive and chief financial officer of Direct Line are to step down when its £3.7bn sale to Aviva is complete, it has been announced. CEO Adam Winslow and CFO Jane Poole will leave their roles when the deal is finalised next month. In a statement, the company said a leadership team for Direct [...]