KPMG’s Matt Wood has the eye for ING’s art November 11, 2014 Director of operations for KPMG (Restaurant Associates), Matt Wood (right) enjoyed last night’s preview of the 2014 ING Discerning Eye exhibition – and thanks to City A.M.’s competition, he walked away with one of the pieces. Here he is with ING’s chief of commercial banking Gerald Walker and his new piece of art, Wet Morning [...]
Where to spend Christmas: From Sydney to Finland, jet off to your dream winter wonderland November 9, 2014 Can’t face another Christmas trying to please the in-laws? Then make good your escape and book a festive trip far from home. Whether you’re looking for an authentic Scandinavian experience or just some respite from the cold, the ideal winter holiday is waiting for you. Here are some of our favourites: MEET SANTA [...]
London’s diners are some of pickiest in the world November 7, 2014 Restauranteurs beware: London has some the pickiest diners in the world. Based on a study of almost half a million restaurant reviews from seven of the biggest cities in the world, including Delhi, Johannesburg and Auckland, recommendations service Zomato found that Londoners were most likely to vent their spleen at a disappointing dish. [...]
Prezzo gobbled up for £304m by American private equity firm TPG November 6, 2014 Prezzo yesterday agreed to a £303.7m cash bid by American private equity firm TPG, valuing the high street Italian restaurant chain at almost 10 times its operating profit. TPG, which saw off competition from buyout firm Advent to seal the deal, launched the offer via Papa Bidco, a newly incorporated company indirectly owned by the [...]
Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky: “We want to be regulated because to regulate us would be to recognise us” November 4, 2014 Six-year-old spare room rental app Airbnb has enjoyed an almost meteoric rise – along with Uber, it has become the tip of the spear of the so-called "sharing economy". The firm reached a $10bn (£6bn) valuation in April as part of a fundraising round where it received a $450m investment led by TPG Capital. Peter [...]
Burger King share price jumps following rise in sales growth and net income November 4, 2014 In contrast to its catchphrase, Burger King did not have things its own way during its third quarter. The fast food company posted figures today showing a net loss of $23.5m in the three months ended 30 September 2014. However, adjusted net income (which excludes tax and other payments) stood at $96.4m, an [...]
Greene King share price falls after £774m Spirit takeover agreed November 4, 2014 Greene King and Spirit Pubs have finally reached a takeover agreement after negotiations between the two groups went down to the wire. A £773.6m offer from Greene King, valuing Spirit at around 115p per share, has been accepted. Shareholders in Suffolk-based Green King will take a 71.1 per cent stake in the combined company, with [...]
The Stump is dead: Here’s everything we know about The Pinnacle, London’s next skyline-altering tower November 3, 2014 So the Pinnacle, the London skyscraper that never was, looks like it might finally be built. The tower, on Bishopsgate in the City of London, was nicknamed "the Helter Skelter" because of its twisty design at the top, but met an undignified fate when its developer, Brookfield Multiplex, was forced to abandon work on it [...]
Gordon Ramsay selling 50 per cent of his food empire Kavalake November 3, 2014 Gordon Ramsay is looking to sell a 50 per cent stake in Kavalake, the holding company for the celebrity chef’s expansive set of restaurants, which includes Ramsay’s eponymous flagship eatery in Chelsea and Bread Street Kitchen in the City. Ramsay is in discussions with accountancy and business advisory firm BDO in a bid to find [...]
PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel talks quarter-life crises and how to tackle the state November 2, 2014 It's not every day that you get to speak to Silicon Valley royalty. And Peter Thiel, co-founder of PayPal, first outside investor in Facebook, fund manager, and leader of multiple firms, is a dynasty heavyweight. Having just published his new book, Zero to One, he’s keen to talk about some of his latest ideas. [...]