The most eligible people in the City: Tatler’s Little Black Book for 2012 November 7, 2012 ANNABEL’S private members’ club in Mayfair was where the most eligible people in the land gathered yesterday evening, in order to celebrate the publication of Tatler’s Little Black Book. The Capitalist was pleased to spot some City names on the inaugural most wanted list, and indeed just as many business bachelorettes as bachelors gracing the [...]
London & Stamford in merger talks November 6, 2012 LONDON & STAMFORD, the property firm run by industry veterans Patrick Vaughan and Raymond Mould, is to merge with retail landlord Metric Property Investments. The pair yesterday said talks were “in advanced discussions” which, if successful, will lead to London & Stamford’s shareholders owning a 75 per cent share of the enlarged company and Metric [...]
Royal London balances out mixed results November 6, 2012 ROYAL London Group, the biggest mutual life and pensions group in the UK, yesterday revealed flat new business growth for the year, with slower inflows for its fund managers offset by increased business for its pension and protection arms. The company, comprised of eight separate business, said total new life and pensions business flatlined at [...]
British fashion reaps rewards at industry gongs November 6, 2012 The 2012 Global Fashion Awards was a very British affair this week. The annual event, which celebrates the best in fashion and retail across the world, saw many British companies walk away with several of the big awards. Victoria Beckham was one of the biggest winners of the night, beating stiff competition from the likes [...]
FTSE 100 edges up as investors bide time before US election November 6, 2012 The leading share index was up this morning on a wave of corporate earnings releases, although trading was expected to be subdued as investors bided time before the closely-fought US election today. G4S and Marks & Spencer were risers on the FTSE 100 this morning, as they released positive trading updates. On the FTSE All-Share, [...]
Industry wants coalition to look again at property rates change November 5, 2012 RETAIL and property groups yesterday demanded the government consider axing part of the coalition’s Growth and Infrastructure Bill, which postpones the next property revaluation upon which rates are based. The last ratings revaluation used values from 2008 – at the height of the housing boom – which industry bodies say is penalising firms in the [...]
What the other papers say this Morning November 1, 2012 FINANCIAL TIMES Israel veto ends PotashCorp merger Israel says it will block Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan’s attempt to buy rival fertiliser Israel Chemicals, derailing a $15bn (£9.3bn) deal to create the world’s largest potash producer. The veto is the latest example of growing resource nationalism, in which governments block foreign attempts to buy mining, oil, [...]
OpCapita boss Jackson sees repeat of MFI November 1, 2012 HENRY Jackson, founder of OpCapita, is no stranger to the UK high street but his track record of turning companies around has been far from perfect. His company picked DIY chain MFI as its maiden takeover, snapping it up for £1 in 2006 and securing a £130m dowry before it collapsed into administration with huge [...]
The Restaurant Group boosted as sales surge November 1, 2012 RESTAURANT Group, the owner of the Garfunkel’s and Frankie & Benny’s chains, yesterday said sales bounced back in the third quarter after a quiet summer, driven by an uptick in consumer spending. Reporting a 3.9 per cent rise in like-for-like sales in the first nine months of the year, chief executive Andrew Page said growth [...]
Who’s switching jobs November 1, 2012 Baird Jim Conniff has been appointed managing director in the investment bank’s industrial team. He joins from Goldman Sachs, where he was a senior member of its industrial banking team. Conniff was previously a director at Baird. Baker Tilly David Whitlock has been appointed business development director at the accountancy and advisory firm. He was [...]