Pret A Manger dumps US franchise agreement after just two years June 9, 2026 Pret A Manger has dumped the franchise agreement which it had launched to expand in the US after just two years, its latest accounts revealed. The coffee chain formed a joint venture, known as Empire JointStar, with its franchise operator Dallas Holdings in October 2023, in a bid to accelerate its expansion in the US. [...]
Private equity-backed Ryan breaks with billable hour tradition as AI reshapes sector June 9, 2026 Private equity-backed tax specialist Ryan says its value-based pricing is built for the age of AI, unlike competitors that depend on traditional hourly billing. Most of the professional services sector operates under the billable-hour system, in which the specific amount of time spent working on client tasks can be invoiced. But the rise in AI [...]
Clearlake Completes Strategic Acquisition of Pathway Capital Management June 9, 2026 Expands Clearlake’s private markets solutions for institutional and private wealth markets Combined platform represents over $185 billion in assets under management with more than 500 global employees
‘Course correction’: UK economy to contract as ‘energy shock catches up’ June 9, 2026 The UK economy is expected to contract despite a boost at the start of the year, with economists warning that the war in Iran’s energy price shock will now show up in fresh data. Economists believe that the UK economy declined by 0.1 per cent in April. Official figures will be published on Friday. The [...]
Options Expands Middle East Footprint with Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) Feed Onboarding June 9, 2026 Options Technology (Options), the leading provider of IT infrastructure to global financial institutions, today announced the successful onboarding of the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) market data feed into AtlasFeed, further strengthening its presence across the Middle East. ADX ranks among the world’s top 20 exchanges by market capitalization and is the second largest market [...]
Nail your hospitality package this summer with Exact Lifestyle June 9, 2026 A hospitality package can make or break a trip to a summer sporting event. Exact Lifestyle can make sure everything goes according to plan With Exact Lifestyle, I have spent years arranging access to some of the UK’s most sought-after events, from sporting finals to sold out stadium gigs. Over the years, I’ve learnt that the [...]
Britain to offer visa refunds to woo tech scale-ups June 9, 2026 The government will reimburse visa fees for high-growth firms hiring overseas talent as ministers step up efforts to turn Britain’s most promising scale-ups into global tech champions. Business secretary Peter Kyle is set to unveil a package of measures aimed at helping fast-growing companies “start, scale and stay” in the UK, including a new concierge-style [...]
Molten Ventures shares surge as it offloads Revolut stake June 9, 2026 Shares in Molten Ventures surged on Tuesday morning after the startup investor confirmed it had sold down its stake in Revolut. The FTSE 250 firm said it made £63m from the share sale, adding that it still had a stake in the company worth more than £100m following the disposal. Molten was an early investor [...]
Palantir to sue Khan over blocked Met police contract June 9, 2026 Palantir is set to sue Sadiq Khan after the London Mayor blocked a £50m contract with the Metropolitan Police, claiming the tech giant does not reflect the City’s values. In May, Khan vetoed the deal in which Palantir would have supported Scotland Yard with AI technology, over concerns about the Met’s procurement process, claiming they had failed [...]
LMIS wins King’s Award as global expansion drives marine insurance success June 9, 2026 London Marine Insurance Services Ltd (LMIS) has been awarded the prestigious King’s Award for Enterprise in the International Trade category, marking a significant milestone for the specialist marine insurance provider and reinforcing its position as a leading British exporter of financial services. The King’s Award, widely regarded as the highest official accolade for UK businesses, [...]