How Veronique Laury plans to create the Apple of DIY – Bottom Line March 31, 2015 If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses”. Kingfisher’s new chief executive Veronique Laury dusted off her dictionary of quotations yesterday, picking this one from Henry Ford to make the tenuous link that just as Ford gave middle-class Americans a car, the DIY chain will give consumers “what they [...]
City Moves for 01 April 2015 | Who’s switching jobs March 31, 2015 Investec Jane Warren has been appointed head of digital in the UK in Investec’s wealth management and investment services business. She started her career in financial services in 1987, and joined the Investec Group (then Carr Sheppards Crosthwaite) in 1994. Warren has subsequently served as head of CSC’s third party administration business, and head of [...]
Wilkinson: Ford needs time to make mistakes March 29, 2015 ICONIC England fly-half Jonny Wilkinson has backed modern day successor George Ford to cope under the escalating level of pressure being heaped on his shoulders in World Cup year. The 22-year-old Bath No10 has been a revelation since ousting Owen Farrell and making his full Test debut against Samoa in November. He now looks set [...]
Losing run bites as Bath defeat condemns London Welsh to drop March 29, 2015 LONDON Welsh coach Rowland Phillips insists the club will bounce back after defeat against Bath yesterday – their 18th consecutive loss – confirmed their relegation from the Premiership. The Exiles, who came straight back up last season after being demoted to the Championship in 2013, mustered two tries but could not prevent Bath from prevailing [...]
London’s new low emission black cabs will be made in Coventry with £250m Chinese investment from owner Geely March 26, 2015 The new generation of London's iconic black cabs will be made in a new factory in the Midlands being built by a Chinese company, creating 1,000 new jobs. Geely, the Chinese firm which took over the 100-year-old British cab manufacturer Manganese Bronze in 2013, will invest £250m in building a new factory and research and [...]
Germanwings flight 4U9525 plane crash poses more airline safety questions March 25, 2015 The crash of Germanwings flight 9525 and the loss of 150 passengers and crew on Tuesday has put aviation safety under renewed scrutiny. Despite robust figures showing rising safety standards in the aviation industry – 2014 was the safest year on record so far, according to the International Air Transport Association – such tragedies spark [...]
Pensions: How you can find the right adviser March 24, 2015 Don’t be put off by the maze of reforms – pay someone to help PENSIONS are undergoing the most significant reforms in a generation, but don’t squander your savings – seek professional help. The new rules are intended to give savers more freedom, as the requirement to buy an annuity at retirement has been scrapped. [...]
Lancaster’s side lead way in top player election March 23, 2015 ENGLAND’S ultimately forlorn Six Nations title bid has not prevented Stuart Lancaster’s side snagging the largest representation on a 12-strong shortlist for player of the tournament. The Red Rose finished runners-up for the fourth year in succession after falling agonisingly short of holders Ireland on points difference, despite dispatching France 55-35 on a frantic final [...]
England have shown World Cup winning potential, insists Carling March 22, 2015 FORMER captain Will Carling insists England’s ultimately forlorn Six Nations title bid showcased snapshots of the quality needed to dismantle any opponent during this autumn’s World Cup. Stuart Lancaster’s side finished as championship runners-up for the fourth successive year after falling tantalisingly short of holders Ireland on points difference, despite dispatching France 55-35 on a [...]
Theatre review: The Broken Heart ensnares gut and mind March 20, 2015 Sam Wanamaker Playhouse | ★★★☆☆ What a piece of work the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse is. In little over a year, it has become a priceless gem in London’s theatre crown. While the Globe deftly cycles through crowd-pleasing Shakespeare, the Playhouse breathes life into his relatively neglected contemporaries and successors, writers who often vocalise present day concerns [...]