Around 1,000 jobs lost as Jamie Oliver’s restaurant business collapses May 21, 2019 Around 1,000 workers have been made redundant after celebrity chef Jamie Oliver's restaurant chain collapsed into administration following failed attempts to secure additional investment. Jamie's Italian has appointed KPMG as administrators, the company confirmed today, and 23 of the brand's 25 sites have closed. Read more: Shell's kitchen: Jamie Oliver launches petrol station food range HSBC, which is the company's main [...]
Goldman Sachs taps Mazars for European audit in blow for Big Four May 20, 2019 Goldman Sachs has appointed Mazars to audit its London-based European operations, making it the first large bank in the UK to shun the Big Four. Read more: Big Four could force judicial review into proposed audit reforms The US investment bank has selected the Paris-headquartered auditor, which is the eighth-largest in the UK by fee [...]
KPMG UK introduces new audit structure but falls short of full separation May 16, 2019 Big Four firm KPMG said today it was introducing a new structure to move its audit arm away from the rest of its UK business, but falling short of a full separation. The move follows a report from the Competition and Markets Authority which called for a separation of audit from consulting services after a [...]
One in three female lawyers sexually harassed at work, comprehensive survey shows May 15, 2019 A comprehensive report launched today by the International Bar Association has unveiled the scale of sexual harassment and bullying within the legal sector. The survey of nearly 7,000 lawyers worldwide, found one third of female lawyers had been sexually harassed and one-in-two had been bullied. Read more: Lloyd's of London will ban drunk staff from [...]
Brexit stockpiling helps UK economy bounce back in first quarter of 2019 May 10, 2019 Experts hailed the UK economy’s “resilience” today as it rebounded in the first quarter of 2019 with growth of 0.5 per cent, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Read more: The City powers the UK economy – it must not fall into Labour's hands That is more than double the low 0.2 per [...]
Watchdog hits accountancy firm with £825,000 fine over failings in Laura Ashley audit May 9, 2019 Accountancy watchdog the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has fined Moore Stephens successor firm MSR Partners for failings in its audit of Laura Ashley. MSR Partners is a successor business of Moore Stephens – which merged with BDO in February. Read more: KPMG stung with £5m fine for Co-op Bank audit failures The FRC fined MSR [...]
Insurer RSA’s profits up after mild weather in the first quarter May 9, 2019 RSA said milder weather in the UK and Ireland helped boost its profit in the first quarter, sending its shares higher. On a constant currency basis, operating profit rose in the first quarter, staying flat on a reported basis. Shares rose 2.2 per cent today to close at 546p. RSA said that milder weather in [...]
Creditors approve Debenhams store closure plan May 9, 2019 Creditors have given Debenhams their approval for a controversial new insolvency plan this afternoon, paving the way for store closures and rent reductions. The beleaguered department store chain said that it had acquired “significantly above the required threshold of 75 per cent” on its proposals, setting in motion the group's Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA). Terry Duddy, [...]
London sees sharpest fall in permanent jobs in almost three years in April, survey shows May 9, 2019 The number of people starting permanent jobs in London fell at its sharpest rate for almost three years in April, new analysis has revealed, in a sign that the capital’s jobs boom may be slowing. Read more: UK employment hits record high as wages grow again Starting salary inflation for permanent positions cooled to a [...]
KPMG stung with £5m fine for Co-op Bank audit failures as breakup talks roll on May 8, 2019 KPMG has been hit with a £5m fine for misconduct relating to an audit of Co-op Bank. Audit partner Andrew Walker was also fined £125,000, with both “severely reprimanded” by the Financial Reporting Council (FRC). Read more: Watchdog slaps KPMG with £6m fine over insurance audit The Big Four audit giant and Walker admitted their [...]