CITY MOVES | WHO’S SWITCHING JOBS April 14, 2010 FSSC The Financial Services Skills Council has appointed Trevor Matthews, the chief executive of Friends Provident, as its new chairman. Matthews joins a number of high-profile City bosses on the FSSC board, including Resolution Group chief executive John Tiner, Standard Life managing director John Gill, KPMG vice chairman Brendan Nelson, and Angela Knight, the chief [...]
High street sales leap in bumper easter April 13, 2010 RETAIL sales growth surged last month after a booming Easter for high street trade. The total value of sales rose by 6.6 per cent in March – the biggest upturn since April 2006 – according to the data from the British Retail Consortium and KPMG. The figures follow positive results from john Lewis and Marks [...]
BBC Worldwide shake-up could see Radio Times sold April 12, 2010 THE BBC may seek a commercial partner for its portfolio of magazines in a major shake-up of its Worldwide division. Its iconic Radio Times magazine, launched in 1923 by Lord Reith, may be sold off completely as part of the radical plans. It will also look at potential tie-ups with a number of rival publishers [...]
High street sales jump April 11, 2010 A RISE in high street sales will add to hopes the economic recovery is on track, with a three per cent like-for-like rise expected for March. The figures, to be released later this week by the British Retail Consortium, and KPMG, will be a boon for a sector that has been decimated by the downturn. [...]
Jobs market shows signs of strong improvements April 7, 2010 The recruitment market is continuing to show clear signs of improvement, with the fastest rise in permanent job placements in over 12 years, according to a report published yesterday. In the Report on Jobs, recruitment trade body the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC) and accountants KPMG indicated stronger increases in permanent, temporary and contract staff [...]
Reed: Demand for new staff fell in March April 6, 2010 DEMAND for new staff dropped off in March, according to the latest Reed Job Index, leading to new fears of increased unemployment before the general election. The index fell three per cent on February’s reading of 105, signalling an end to the rise in job opportunities since the start of the year. Demand for engineering [...]
CITY MOVES | WHO’S SWITCHING JOBS March 28, 2010 Principal Global Investors The asset management firm has appointed Andrea Muller as chief executive of its east Asian operations and managing director for the Asia ex-Japan region, effective from tomorrow. Muller has over 23 years of experience with large multinational firms and was most recently the head of the Fitch ratings agency in the Asia [...]
Mixed reactions to yesterday’s Budget March 25, 2010 THE chancellor’s Budget speech contained many references to entrepreneurs, but what was the substance, and will small businesses actually benefit? The main announcement was a one-off £2.5bn package to help small businesses. However, not all of this money will go directly to helping entrepreneurs. “The package includes all sorts of things including the university regeneration [...]
Green investment bank will invest in renewables March 24, 2010 AMONG the more eye-catching proposals in the Budget was the plan for a £2bn state-backed investment bank to develop infrastructure and renewable energy projects. Chancellor Alistair Darling confirmed the widely-trailed idea, which will be half-funded by the sale of the government’s interest in the Channel tunnel and in half with private cash. The bank will [...]
NEWSPAPER VETERAN APPROACHES GUARDIAN WITH A HEAVY HAND March 24, 2010 HEATED words in the media world yesterday after Carolyn McCall’s abrupt defection from the helm of Guardian Media Group to easyJet. Some say McCall won’t be too sorely missed by her former charges at the Guardian, given the messy state of the group’s finances and her recent controversial decision to sell the Manchester Evening News. [...]