Steve Varley: The boss doing the running for EY October 1, 2014 No celebrations for EY Britain’s boss, Steve Varley, despite a 8.6pc rise in turnover. Steve Varley, head of EY’s British arm, laughs nervously. After three years at the helm, the Yorkshireman has clear, almost PR-perfect soundbite answers to any question about the business. The one that has flummoxed him is how he and [...]
City Moves for 2 October 2014 | Who’s switching jobs October 1, 2014 Gibson Dunn & Crutcher The law firm has announced two appointments to its London office. Charlie Geffen (pictured) joins as a partner and chair of its London corporate practice from Ashurst, where he was senior partner. Mark Sperotto also joins as a partner from Ashurst. EY Phil Dunne has been appointed partner to lead the [...]
Sluggish wages expected to weigh down on UK consumer spending September 28, 2014 REAL wages will fail to take off in the next couple of years, a group of economists will warn today in a report that predicts sluggish growth in consumer spending. The EY Item Club expects the UK’s jobs boom to continue, with employment climbing higher. Yet “annual wage growth over the next three years will [...]
Business hub London creates property boom September 25, 2014 PROPERTY FIRM of the year As London prices continue to rise, defying fears that the bubble is about to burst, property companies have seen a period of huge growth. Our shortlist, which was very tough to choose, includes companies such as the Berkeley Group and Workspace, which have seen their profits soar in the past [...]
UK renewables face perfect storm September 16, 2014 THE ATTRACTIVENESS of the UK market for investment in renewable energy has ranked at a five-year low in a new report from professional services firm EY. The UK slipped to seventh place in the latest quarterly Renewable Energy Attractiveness Index produced by EY, the first time the UK has been that low since December 2009. [...]
Contactless Tube payment: Just the latest advance in the UK banking revolution September 15, 2014 You could be forgiven for thinking that London’s trams might be an unlikely place to find cutting edge technology. But from today, this iconic and characterful mode of public transport – along with our more conventional Tube stations and buses – are offering technology that allows you to pay your way with just a flash [...]
Acquisitions and a rise in diversity mark year September 8, 2014 ACCOUNTANCY FIRM of the year IT’S been a tough year for many accountancy firms – making it a very tough decision for our judges to make. However, it has also been a year of opportunity, as the achievements of our nominees prove. These companies have forged ahead, seeking new markets – especially in London’s growing [...]
City Moves for 09 September 2014 | Who’s switching jobs September 8, 2014 Lloyds Bank Madeleine McDougall has been appointed head of origination within Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking’s global corporate real estate business. She joins from Deutsche Pfandbriefbank, where she led its international client team in the UK. McDougall has also held roles at Eurohypo and Westimmo. EY Jason Lester has been appointed UK & Ireland managing partner [...]
Alibaba: Bigger isn’t always better for IPOs – CNBC Comment September 8, 2014 GET OUT your superlatives. The Alibaba IPO is set to be the biggest in history – with an expected $21bn (£12.9bn) offering. The numbers are staggering. The Chinese e-commerce giant could be valued at $163bn, not too far off Facebook’s $200bn valuation. Its profit margins are above 40 per cent, and Alibaba accounts for 80 [...]
City firms pay higher wages as labour market hots up September 7, 2014 City firms are on an employment drive as the economic recovery takes hold, according to recruiters Morgan McKinley. Growing demand for staff means finance businesses are paying higher salaries to attract the best workers. Vacancies were 18 per cent higher in August compared to the same month last year and salaries for new jobs grew [...]