Rise of Texas is a lesson for London February 8, 2010 HERE is an intriguing question which says a lot about modern America but which everybody here in London always gets wrong. Which US state is home to most big companies? New York, surely, host to Goldman Sachs, News Corporation and Pfizer? Or could it be California, home of Apple, Intel and Walt Disney? Wrong, on [...]
Burger King sees sales rise on cheap offers February 4, 2010 FAST-FOOD chain operator Burger King Holdings yesterday posted quarterly results that topped analysts’ views, helped by its $1 double cheeseburger offer, more restaurants, lower taxes and deflated food costs. The home of the Whopper reported net income of $50m, or 37 cents a share, for the second quarter ended 31 December. That was up from [...]
BACK TO THE GREEN HOUSE FOR DE BLONAY February 3, 2010 THE City’s resident “Swiss funds fox”, Guy de Blonay, has barely warmed up his seat after his high-profile return to fund management group Jupiter, but already things are settling comfortably back into their old ways. De Blonay officially took up his new position at the group a week ago, after leaving his first job at [...]
Antigua has a touch of Caribbean class January 31, 2010 GREY London Februaries can be hard to bear, which is why Antigua’s sun, sea, sandy beaches – and direct flights – make it a regular haunt for Brits in search of winter sun. This year there is a real buzz around the island, largely because of the re-launch of Rosewood’s Jumby Bay resort, which has [...]
A resort that leaves you feeling brand new January 31, 2010 NESTLING in warm Caribbean waters, sun-kissed Antigua washes over you, covers you in sunshine, and leaves you feeling as laid-back as the locals. The island is a prime wedding and honeymoon destination, but is also perfect as a place to turn over a new leaf. I’m used to spending my time off doing as little [...]
Paradise complete with tax benefits January 28, 2010 WITH taxes for top earners sure to increase in the coming years, there has been much talk of City types moving abroad. Switzerland has been the country mentioned most often. The lure of Geneva, Zurich and Zug, it is supposed, will prove irresistible to London-based bankers because of the low tax regime. But will it [...]
FOOD & BOOZE NEWS January 25, 2010 MASTER OF MACAROONS COMES TO LONDON Parisian pâtissière to the stars Pierre Hermé is to come to London. Naturally he’ll have a Knightsbridge boutique – but that’s scheduled for summer. In the meantime, his gilded macaroons and bonbons will be on sale at Selfridges, from 5 February. Hermé is credited with creating the modern macaroon, [...]
EX-BANKING HOTSHOTS DON’T HOLD A GRUDGE January 21, 2010 ON the face of it, you’d have thought there would be a good deal of simmering resentment beneath the surface of the outward relationship between Sir James Sassoon – the investment banker-turned-Treasury finance guru-turned-Tory bank adviser – and Financial Service Authority (FSA) chief Hector Sants. Sassoon last year caused a storm when he authored that [...]
Wolseley duo to return with a breakfast pad on city doorstep January 20, 2010 RESTAURATEURS Chris Corbin and Jeremy King, owners of the Wolseley, have managed to keep this extraordinarily quiet, but word reaches The Capitalist that they’re in the early stages of launching another power breakfast hotspot right on the City’s doorstep. Rex Restaurants has long been enjoying the spoils of the Wolseley’s popularity with just about everyone [...]
Ten places to toast the Bard on Monday January 20, 2010 GALVIN AT WINDOWS Basking in the glory of its newly-awarded Michelin star, the Galvin brothers’ stunning restaurant at the top of the Park Lane Hilton is offering a special Burns’ Night cocktail, the Smoke on the Water made with Laphroaig 10 years, and served with smoked salmon, brown bread and lemon, at £15 a go. [...]