EE’s Olaf Swantee: In Britain’s super-competitive mobile space growth can be the hardest game October 12, 2014 As chief executive he’s overseen two re-brandings, launched 4G in the UK and now plans to take on rivals in the living room with EE TV – but Olaf Swantee’s greatest challenges may still lie ahead Jogging through Richmond Park most mornings couldn’t be further from Olaf Swantee’s day job. The boss of Britain’s [...]
Fintech kings talk starting from scratch, old clients and handing businesses a lifeline October 12, 2014 In Holborn last week, a three year-old London-based company held a party to celebrate reaching £250m of business since its inception. If that doesn’t sound impressive, by the time the event was held, MarketInvoice was already nearing £270m. “We seriously underestimated repeat usage,” says co-founder and chief executive Anil Stocker. “Companies see how the platform [...]
Odds for Ukip win in Rochester and Strood improve after Clacton victory October 10, 2014 The chances of Ukip winning the Rochester and Strood by-election have been boosted by today's big win in Clacton and the party's rise to become a serious challenger at Heywood and Middleton, according to bookmakers. The constituency is set for a by-election on November 6, after Conservative MP Mark Reckless defected to Ukip the [...]
Blood moon 2014: Pictures of the October lunar eclipse as UK misses out on sky spectacle October 9, 2014 A lunar eclipse wowed skywatchers yesterday as it turned the moon dramatic shades of red and orange. The so-called “blood moon” appeared in the skies across North America, western parts of South America, Australia, and parts of South East Asia, The spectacular event was the second lunar eclipse of the year, but the UK missed [...]
Blood moon eclipse 2014: What is a blood moon? Last night’s total eclipse was part of a lunar tetrad October 9, 2014 Yesterday, the moon turned a reddish-orange colour as the Earth passed in front of it and blocked rays of sunlight from giving it its usual silver glow. While this “blood moon” phenomenon was not visible from the UK or anywhere else in Europe, it brightened up American, Asian and Australian skies for a few hours. [...]
EE hopes TV will spur broadband sign up growth October 8, 2014 The chief executive of Britain’s biggest mobile operator is hoping TV will unlock a new growth story for EE. Yesterday, the telecoms giant unveiled a TV offering in a move that would send a warning shot across the bows of rivals BT, Sky, TalkTalk and Virgin Media which have fought between themselves over who has [...]
Dixons Carphone expects to hit £80m cost savings faster October 8, 2014 High Street giant Dixons Carphone said yesterday it expected to reach its cost savings target earlier than previously forecast, following the £4bn merger of Dixons Retail and Carphone Warehouse two months ago. The FTSE 100 retailer said at the time of the merger it would save around £80m in annual costs from 2016–17. Speaking to [...]
HSS tools up for future deal October 8, 2014 TOOLS company HSS Hire Group is weighing plans to list on the stock market next year after boosting sales by a third this year due a boom in corporate outsourcing. The company’s owner, Exponent Private Equity, is exploring options for the company, such as an initial public offering or a trade sale, after turnover rose [...]
Vince Cable puts pressure on companies over all-male boards October 8, 2014 Vince Cable is taking aim at some at a host of British companies that have no women on their boards. Cable is planning to write to the chairman of close to 30 FTSE 350 firms that have all male boards voicing his concern that they have failed to embrace diversity, Sky News reports. Companies that [...]
HSBC boss Alan Thomson quits and bankers mutiny over jail threat October 7, 2014 Top bankers are quitting the industry in protest at new rules which mean senior staff in failed banks could face jail unless they prove themselves innocent, with one HSBC boss leaving and another threatening to go yesterday. Their actions prompted a swathe of bankers and lawyers to warn that plans to reverse the burden of [...]