M&S signs up Conran March 24, 2011 Marks & Spencer yesterday unveiled a partnership with the founder of household furnisher Habitat as part of a move to modernise its Home department. British designer Sir Terence Conran will oversee the design of furniture, bedding, lighting and kitchenware in the “contemporary” section. M&S chief executive Marc Bolland is overseeing the revamp which is part [...]
Retailers and mining stocks power rebound in the FTSE March 24, 2011 RETAILERS were among the top performers in a rally in Britain’s top share index yesterday that took the FTSE 100 back to levels last seen just before the earthquake in Japan. Results from Kingfisher and Next showed how some retailers can overcome tough trading conditions in the UK. Kingfisher, which hiked its dividend and reported [...]
BEST OF THE BROKERS March 16, 2011 G4S Citi rates the security services company “buy / medium risk” with a target price of 270p. The broker expects later cycle recovery in G4S’s markets through the year, with its European business starting to accelerate in 2011. Citi applauds the firm’s focus on smaller firms in its acquisition strategy, given its track record with [...]
Why filling in the census improves your life March 9, 2011 SO, how old are you? Have you ever been married? Who do you live with? Do you have a mortgage? How many bedrooms do you have? What religion are you? Yes, it might feel like Big Brother plopped on our doormats this week. The 2011 census asks questions that probably many of us would find [...]
M&S hires overseas retail chief February 24, 2011 MARKS & Spencer (M&S) has poached Jan Heere from Spanish fashion group Inditex to lead its drive for business overseas. The clothing, homewares and food retailer yesterday named Heere as its new director of international, reporting to chief executive Marc Bolland. It said Heere, fluent in English, Spanish, French, Dutch and Russian, has worked for [...]
Legal eagle: how London’s top law firm retained its grip on the City February 20, 2011 The head of law firm Slaughter and May is two minutes late for his interview with City A.M., for which he immediately apologies. The first thing is surprising; the second is not. The partners in this blueblooded City institution have spent a lifetime doing things correctly. Even among other Magic Circle outfits, this firm manages [...]
ONLINE SME MARKETING SEMINAR February 17, 2011 British Library Business & IP Centre is holding a seminar on online selling and marketing to help small businesses communicate clearly online. Cate Trotter, the founder of Insider Trends, whose marketing and consultancy work has included brands such as Marks and Spencer, Clarks and Nokia. She will pinpoint key trends in online businesses and outline [...]
FTSE shrugs off bank levy tax as it surges to 32-month high February 8, 2011 BRITAIN’S leading share index jumped higher yesterday, ending at levels not seen since May 2008, supported by rallies from banks and miners, and by gains in energy issues following results from BG Group. At the close, the FTSE 100 index was up 40.30 points, or 0.7 per cent at 6,091.33, its fifth gain in the [...]
FTSE dips as banks come under pressure February 8, 2011 The FTSE 100 dipped this morning despite strong results from Xstrata and BG Group. The index has gained in four out of the last five trading sessions – regularly surpassing the 6,000 barrier, but banking stocks were among the poorest performers today. Commodities dipped as the price of copper came down after a record high [...]
M&S POACHES NEW ONLINE BOSS FROM TESCO February 7, 2011 MARKS & Spencer has poached Laura Wade-Gery from supermarket group Tesco to head its internet business, underscoring new boss Marc Bolland’s commitment to growing sales online. Wade-Gery will join as executive director of multi-channel and e-commerce as the retailer aims to double online sales by 2013-14.