Marks & Spencer shares fall as profits decimated amid restructuring efforts May 22, 2019 Profit before tax at retailer Marks & Spencer fell nearly ten per cent in the last financial year, it said today as it announced plans to close 85 stores. The figures M&S said profit before tax for the year to 31 March was £532.2m, down 9.9 per cent from £580.9m the previous year. Revenue fell [...]
Raising the standard: The male business chiefs helping the drive for gender equality May 20, 2019 Not all business leaders are joining the battle for gender equality. As more women are being pushed up the corporate ladder and trained for senior roles, some male chief executive officers (CEOs) privately admit to feeling belittled, excluded and minimised. They complain that “you can’t say what you think anymore” and it’s “PC gone mad.” [...]
M&S braced for fresh decline in profits as store closures continue May 19, 2019 Marks & Spencer is set to report a sharp decline in profits for the full year as it looks to beef up its online offering amid a raft of store closures. The high street stalwart is expected to post pre-tax profits of roughly £520m in its full-year results of Wednesday, a fall of 10 per cent on [...]
Waitrose sets out £1bn online shopping plan as it prepares for life without Ocado May 16, 2019 Waitrose has revealed a £1bn plan to bolster its online operations today as it prepares for life without Ocado. The upmarket grocer has signed a deal with Today Development Partners (TDP) in a bid to treble the size of its online business over the next three years, as its 20-year relationship with delivery giant Ocado nears its [...]
Botanical drinks startup with top City backers set for crowdfunding May 14, 2019 A botanical drinks startup which counts high-profile City veterans and celebrities among its backers is set to launch a £1m crowdfunding in its latest expansion drive. David Spencer-Percival, the serial entrepreneur who runs No.1 Rosemary Water, told City A.M. he is looking to lure in fresh capital amid a global product drive and the launch of [...]
The lessons from the military that business leaders need to learn May 14, 2019 In today's business climate, you either embrace technology and establish it into the DNA of your company, or fall behind. However, investing in technology alone is not enough. Companies need to have the right talent to make everything sing. Effective, sustained technology skill development is key to ensuring that businesses not only keep up but [...]
Joules lures in top Asda director as new chief executive May 8, 2019 Fashion group Joules has poached retail veteran Nick Jones to take over as chief executive, it announced this morning. A former top director at Marks & Spencer and Asda, Jones has spent 25 years working within the retail industry. Read more: Prime retail rents slip for embattled high street landlords After 15 years with M&S, latterly [...]
Marks and Spencer will shut seven stores for the final time as part of a wider restructuring May 4, 2019 Marks and Spencer will shut down seven more stores today as part of its long-term plan to close 100 by 2022. It will bring the total number of stores closed to 47 as the high street retailer adapts to consumer's changing habits. The department store chain is ending its association with town centres across the UK and [...]
Horse Racing Betting Tips: Turner has the Power to land opening race with Darkness May 2, 2019 MARCUS Tregoning has trained some very good horses over the years with the likes of Sir Percy, Nayef and Mubtaker. In truth, the last few years have been a bit quiet for the Hampshire-based trainer, but Mohaather’s win in last month’s Greenham Stakes at Newbury had him dreaming about a first 2000 Guineas success. Sadly, [...]
Marks & Spencer provokes Twitter storm with move to make Percy Pig sweets vegetarian-friendly May 1, 2019 Marks & Spencer customers have reacted with outrage to the British retailer's decision to remove gelatine from the longstanding recipe for its Percy Pig sweets. Although now suitable for vegetarians, the new recipe – introduced this month – has provoked a Twitter storm of anger, with the supermarket being condemned for altering the sweets, which it has sold since [...]