The unlikely bedfellows driving a cab revolution November 24, 2013 Annabel Palmer talks taxis with Russell Hall and Ron Zeghibe, two of the founders behind Hailo IN 1639, a licence was granted to the Corporation of Coachmen, allowing its members to compete with the then-dominant licensed sedan chairs. Today, there are over 23,000 licensed taxi drivers in London. They’ve become a British institution – described [...]
Discovering the entrepreneurial spirit behind Argentine wine November 24, 2013 Laura Ivill travels to Mendoza in Argentina to experience the wine-making journey from humble grape to fine-dining staple DRAW a line on the map from the bustling streets of Buenos Aires west across Argentina’s interior and you reach the soaring 6,000-metre peaks of the Andes. In the foothills, the low-rise sprawling city of Mendoza lends [...]
Morrisons sets date for online grocery service November 21, 2013 MORRISONS is to begin delivering groceries to online customers in Warwickshire from January before eventually reaching Londoners’ doorsteps this summer, as the supermarket plays catch-up with rivals. Speaking to investors yesterday at a salmon-packing factory in Stratford, chief executive Dalton Philips unveiled how it plans to lure customers away from competitors’ long established online businesses. [...]
Inside Track: The Royal Mail outcome has not disappointed at all November 21, 2013 AS JOHN Major’s supposedly favourite think tank, the Bow Group, yesterday urged an independent investigation into the sale of Royal Mail Group, it seems that a growing number of people believe the bankers on the deal performed a bad job and should all be sent to the Tower of London or some such place to [...]
Investis brings former Reuters chief on board November 17, 2013 FORMER Thomson Reuters finance chief David Grigson has been appointed chairman of digital communications firm Investis. Investis, which develops digital media, websites and mobile apps for over 1,700 listed businesses including 70 per cent of the FTSE 100, was bought last year by Gresham Private Equity for £25m. Grigson also currently serves as chairman of [...]
Morrisons boss insists sales will return to growth November 7, 2013 MORRISONS’ boss Dalton Philips has insisted that like-for-like sales will move back into the black over Christmas despite the supermarket chain suffering a further deterioration in trading in the third quarter. Sales at stores open more than a year fell 2.4 per cent in the 13 weeks to 3 November, at the bottom of analysts’ [...]
Poundland hires retail analyst Dorgan as it eyes 2014 flotation November 4, 2013 PHILIP Dorgan, one of the retail sector’s top analysts, has joined Poundland, fuelling further speculation that the bargain chain is heading for flotation next year. Dorgan, who has worked over three decades as an analyst, was most recently at broker Panmure Gordon, but was made redundant from the firm in July. One of the most [...]
APR Energy to buy GE rental unit for £194m October 23, 2013 TEMPORARY power provider APR Energy yesterday said it has agreed to buy General Electric’s power rental business for $314m (£194m), in a deal which its chief executive called “transformational” for the company. John Campion told City A.M. that the acquisition of GE Power & Water in Houston, which rents mobile gas turbines to provide temporary [...]
Tough Australian job market sparks Page warning October 14, 2013 RECRUITER Michael Page yesterday said third-quarter profits in its Australia and New Zealand business fell by 20 per cent, hit by a slowdown in the region’s mining sector. The FTSE 250-listed firm also announced that its finance chief would be leaving after just 18 months in the role. No reason was given for the surprise [...]
Sainsbury’s to open dark store to meet online demand October 13, 2013 J SAINSBURY is to open its first dark store to support fast-growing demand for its online grocery service in London and the south east. The dark store – so-called because it is not open to the public and only fulfils online orders – will open in Bromley-By-Bow, east London, within the next few years, the [...]