Good jobs: On that key measure, London is the world’s top city November 11, 2013 LONDON is a global city, and together with a handful of other ultra-successful urban centres worldwide, the closest we have today to the ancient Phoenician and Greek city-states. Successful, open-minded, commercial cities have always attracted the best and brightest, something that was just as true in the Mediterranean in 600BC as it was in early [...]
Experian boss defends his drive for expansion November 10, 2013 Don Robert has steered the credit checking firm into fast-growing new businesses AS THE boss of a company best known for its credit checks, Don Robert is at home talking about hazardous spending decisions. “Arguably if every investment we made was brilliant we’d have to ask ourselves the question: are we taking the right amount [...]
Card Factory recruits advisers November 10, 2013 The Card Factory, the high street retailer started by a husband and wife duo in 1997, has appointed UBS and Morgan Stanley to help float the company. The business, which is owned by buyout firm Charterhouse, could be floated in London next year with a price tag of up to £1bn. The company was started [...]
London Report: Carney likely to bear good news about inflation November 10, 2013 GOVERNOR of the Bank of England Mark Carney is likely to be the bearer of good news when he presents his inflation report on Wednesday, with the growth rate heading up and the unemployment rate coming down. Carney pledged in August not to raise rates until unemployment fell to at least seven per cent, a [...]
Tech powerhouse who wants to save our ailing high street November 10, 2013 Annabel Palmer meets Dan Wagner, back in the limelight with latest venture Powa Technologies HE may be one of Britain’s most prominent tech entrepreneurs, but Dan Wagner has had more than his share of career ups and downs and scathing headlines. In the 1980s, he was subject to criticism from the financial community for his [...]
Merlin plumps for 315p price for new shares November 7, 2013 SHARES in the Madame Tussauds owner Merlin Entertainments will start trading today following a sales process that had to be brought forward because it was going so well. Advisers to the float, which include Goldman Sachs, Barclays, Citigroup, Morgan Stanley and Lazard, yesterday agreed a price for the new shares of 315p, valuing the firm [...]
Sharps Pixley sold to Germany’s Degussa November 7, 2013 GERMAN bullion retailer Degussa Goldhandel yesterday bought London-based broker Sharps Pixley, saying it expects the retail market for gold bars and coins to keep growing. Sharps Pixley sells precious metal bars to British retail clients. The company, dating back to 1778, was one of the original members of London’s twice-daily gold price fixing. Degussa started [...]
City Moves for 08 November 2013 | Who’s switching jobs November 7, 2013 Institute of Directors The Institute of Directors has announced the appointment of James Sproule as chief economist and head of policy. Sproule was most recently at Accenture, where for the past seven years he led the firm’s UK and global capital markets research, and its thought leadership programme. Prior to that, Sproule was director of research [...]
How ending the letting free-for-all could save our failing high streets November 7, 2013 THE RECENT purchase of much of the retail property along London’s Queensway by Meyer Bergman and a Brunei family was a keynote deal. As all successful retail property investors know: control the mix of shops, and you control the fortunes of the area. Control the Queensway mix and you can restore a down-at-heel shopping offer [...]
M&S’s new ad campaign will struggle to reverse slumping fashion sales November 5, 2013 YOU CAN visualise the meeting at Marks & Spencer’s headquarters when its new campaign, advertising its make-or-break Autumn collection, was finalised. An ad agency suggests the idea of female empowerment and the boardroom battleground. Any actual brand idea is forgotten, as the rolodex spins and agents are called. Actress Helen Mirren, artist Tracey Emin, author [...]