Escape the dizzying heights of Dubai May 22, 2014 Discover wild side of the UAE’s lowest new development THE ENDURING mental image conjured by Dubai is one of sparkling steel towers reaching so far into the sky they’re in danger of bothering a deity. The city’s reputation as a paean to Middle Eastern wealth and excess, a hub of consumerism and hotel franchises, means [...]
Wonga loses second boss in six months as Niall Wass quits May 22, 2014 Niall Wass, chief executive of Wonga, is stepping down. Chief financial officer Tim Weller is taking over as interim boss of the online lender – its third boss in six months. Weller is effectively on short term loan from his position as the firm's CFO, so the company is likely to have its fourth boss [...]
Inside Track: Pfizer flop puts Soriot in tight spot May 21, 2014 IF AT first you don't succeed, walk away and try again in six months: as City epithets go, it’s not exactly compelling. But it sums up where Pfizer finds itself at the end of this week, unexpectedly jilted after a quartet of knockbacks from Astrazeneca. The American drugmaker’s tactics were surprising. Its medicine cabinet was [...]
Thomas fears dream of riding to Tour victory will never come true May 21, 2014 Welsh cycling star tells Josh Richards he’s contemplating a bold move away from Team Sky AS EVER-IMPROVING road racer Geraint Thomas ponders his future with Team Sky, the Welshman insists even next year’s Tour de France will come too soon to follow in the footsteps of Sir Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome. Thomas played a [...]
Energy price comparison site uSwitch sounds out float plans May 20, 2014 ENERGY price comparison website uSwitch is weighing up plans for a stock market float – just six months after it was injected with funds from its private equity backer LDC. The website, which allows consumers to compare prices on energy and electricity, is understood to be speaking with City figures about options for the business, [...]
Sporting Index set to be sold May 20, 2014 SPREAD-BETTING operator Sporting Index is set to be sold later this year, according to Sky News. The timing of the deal is said to coordinate with the World Cup, which begins next month. Sporting Index, the world’s largest sports spread-betting firm, is owned by HG Capital, a London-based private equity firm that has appointed Dean [...]
Carney warns housing is biggest threat to UK recovery May 19, 2014 BRITAIN’S huge shortfall of housing supply is the biggest risk to the UK’s burgeoning economic recovery, Bank of England governor Mark Carney said yesterday. “The biggest risk to financial stability, and therefore to the durability of the expansion, those risks centre in the housing market,” said Carney. He added that the housing market has “deep, [...]
All about insight May 18, 2014 Liam Ward-Proud talks to All Response Media’s Colin Gillespie Founded in 1995, All Response Media is now widely seen as the UK’s leading customer acquisition agency. Colin Gillespie, its chief strategy officer, was one of its co-founders. He talks to City A.M. about digital, and what media agencies will look like in the future. How [...]
Pedalling his wares May 18, 2014 Annabel Palmer talks to Simon Mottram, founder of premium cycle clothing and accessories brand Rapha IT’S A dilemma faced by the 1.9m professionals now cycling to work every day. Wear a suit, and you risk tears, discomfort and heat exhaustion. Wear lycra and you could be sacrificing style for comfort. But as the number of [...]
Wiggins remains doubt for Tour de France despite California win May 18, 2014 OLYMPIC champion Sir Bradley Wiggins blasted away fears his form is not strong enough to race in the Tour de France by closing out victory in the Tour of California last night, though refused to confirm whether he would be prepared to play second fiddle to champion Chris Froome. Wiggins won his first race for [...]