The Japanese disease: How its corporate culture turns disasters into catastrophes November 8, 2011 IT HAS not been a good few years for Japan PLC. In 2009, its car industry was plunged into crisis after Toyota was forced to recall 6m vehicles following a series of fatal accidents in the US. Then came the tragic Japanese earthquake, which had a chilling effect on businesses. A few months later, Sony [...]
A Playboy queen in chef’s whites November 8, 2011 IMAGINE, for a moment, the head chef at a Playboy Club. Whatever image just sprang to your mind, I am fairly certain it is not Judy Joo. A Korean-American former Wall Street banker (she was a sales-trader on the fixed income floor of Morgan Stanley; her husband works for a hedge fund in London), Joo [...]
Taskforces to lead tax crackdown November 7, 2011 TASKFORCES are being set up to target different types of tax evasion in different regions, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) revealed yesterday. Businesses are the particular focus in London and the south east, with those failing to submit statutory returns for corporation tax, income self assessment, PAYE and VAT seen as core targets by the [...]
QUAFFER’S CORNER November 7, 2011 HEAD SOMMELIER AND MANAGER OF LUTYENS RESTAURANT With Thanksgiving fast approaching, I’m devoting this week to helping my American readers select a wine to have with their turkey. It’s not a festival that we celebrate in New Zealand but, as my sister-in-law is from New Mexico, I’m familiar with the palate of flavours and the [...]
In the snow in British Columbia November 6, 2011 RUNNING through Vancouver in bright ski gear, carrying boots, boards and skis is an experience in itself. Before hitting the steep and deep slopes of Whistler Blackcomb – British Columbia’s powder playground – we decided to find our ski legs at Vancouver’s nearby family resorts of Cypress, Seymour and Grouse Mountains. The local resorts are [...]
CITY MOVES | WHO’S SWITCHING JOBS November 1, 2011 Marsh The insurance broker and risk adviser has appointed David Batchelor as head of its international division, comprising all operations outside North America. Batchelor, who will relocate to New York from London early next year, will remain chief executive of Marsh’s EMEA region throughout 2011. Batchelor began his career in 1976 at Bowring, which was [...]
Third cleric quits over occupation of St Paul’s October 31, 2011 THE ARCHBISHOP of Canterbury has broken his two-week silence over the St Paul’s occupation after the Dean of the Cathedral became the third cleric to resign yesterday. Dr Rowan Williams said he was “very sad” that the Right Rev Graeme Knowles had resigned and said the protesters had raised “urgent issues”. “The events of the [...]
Private equity takes stake in Be At One bars to drive growth October 30, 2011 PRIVATE equity firm Piper has taken a significant minority stake in Be At One, the cocktail chain that runs 12 bars across London. Piper, which founded the Pitcher & Piano bars and invested in the expansion of Mexican restaurant Las Iguanas, has paid £8m for its stake in Be At One, with the cash destined [...]
Ivell takes on a new exec role at M&B October 27, 2011 BOB IVELL was yesterday confirmed as executive chairman of Mitchells & Butlers as interim chief executive Jeremy Blood stepped down, following a bruising period when largest shareholder Joe Lewis made an aborted takeover attempt. The shake-up brings the number of board-level changes in the last four years to nine, with six chairmen and three chief [...]
Reflections on a positive year October 27, 2011 Q.Are you happy with One New Change a year on? Has it been a commercial success? A.In just 12 months, and despite tough economic conditions, One New Change is playing a leading role in transforming the City of London into a desirable weekday and weekend shopping and eating destination for Londoners and visitors to the [...]