Sky’s share price rises as James Murdoch named chairman (again) and broadcaster reports highest UK and Ireland growth in 10 years January 29, 2016 Rupert Murdoch's son James is to become chairman of Sky in April, as incumbent Nichols Ferguson steps down after 12 years on the board. Martin Gilbert has been appointed as deputy chairman, with Andrew Sukawaty taking over his former role as Sky's senior independent director. This is not Murdoch's first stint as chairman of the [...]
Racing betting: No Planning required for in-form Sue Smith at Doncaster January 28, 2016 Regular readers of this column will know that we have had a cracking start to 2016 with three consecutive decent price winners all trained by women. Kerry Lee’s pair Mountainous (14/1) and Russe Blanc (20/1) were followed into the winners’ enclosure last week by Sue Smith’s Cloudy Too (7/1). And I’m sticking with another Smith-trained [...]
Watch this brilliant rap against the blight of buzzwords and business jargon January 27, 2016 Everyone hates business buzzwords. You know the ones – ideation, game-changer, blue-sky thinking, we could go on. We've already had a tool to banish them from our pitches, and warnings that they could be killing our career prospects, but now there's a creative plea to banish the buzzwords in the form of a brilliant rap. Created [...]
How to make business travel bearable: If you need a Bloody Mary, it’s the tomato juice you’re after January 27, 2016 From business class to spirits in the sky – few aspects of corporate life are glamorised quite like travel. Frequent fliers are more likely to remember their last business trip because of flight delays, jet-lag, and the inconvenience caused by a dead phone battery. This year, firms worldwide are expected to spend more on travel than [...]
Challenger Metro Bank unveils plans for £1.9bn float as it prepares to reveal reversal of losses January 26, 2016 Metro Bank is set to unveil plans for a massive £1.9bn float, and could be listed by the end of February, according to reports. The bank is also aiming to raise £500m by selling new shares to its existing investors, which will bring the total amount raised since the bank launched in 2010 to £1.1bn. [...]
The best games of 2016 – charting the biggest new releases to look forward to this year January 26, 2016 Adrift ETA: 28 March Available on PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One Designed to be played with a virtual reality headset, Adrift plonks you inside the helmet of an imperiled astronaut who must solve a number of very pressing space-based mysteries. Namely, why has your space station exploded? And while we’re on the topic, is it [...]
Bloomberg innovators 2016 list: These are the most innovative businesses in the UK – From coffee creators to fintech leaders January 26, 2016 More than 50 businesses have been named the most innovative in Britain credited with changing the way we live, work and think. Leading fintech startups, creative coffee makers and bionic hand creators, are just some of those to have been chosen by a group of leading investors and entrepreneurs including Saul Klein and Rohan Silva. [...]
Savills names Nick Ferguson new chairman as Peter Smith steps down January 26, 2016 Savills has named Sky boss Nick Ferguson its future chairman, after Peter Smith steps down from the role in May. Ferguson joins the board as a non-executive director from today (26 January) and will take up the reins when Smith retires after the property group's AGM. Savills chief executive Jeremy Helsby said: "On behalf of everyone at Savills [...]
EU referendum: Virgin Money chief executive Jayne-Anne Gadhia says Brexit would lead to fewer jobs and less prosperity January 24, 2016 Virgin Money chief executive Jayne-Anne Gadhia became the latest big business boss to wade in the European Union debate over the weekend when she came out in favour of the UK remaining in the EU. Gadhia said that while she "could see benefits of not being subject to all the bureaucracy of Europe", remaining in the EU would [...]
Rangers: Blow for Mike Ashley and Sports Direct as club chairman Dave King is cleared of contempt of court January 22, 2016 Rangers chairman Dave King has been cleared of contempt of court at the High Court over his legal dealings with Sports Direct owner Mike Ashley. Mr Justice Peter Smith threw out the charge and said the fact it had been made was an abuse of the process. King had been accused of committing contempt for [...]