Adam Crozier still has serious problems to sort March 3, 2010 ITV was in a bullish mood yesterday, reporting a return to the black and predicting a revival in the advertising market. Hot shot chief executive-elect Adam Crozier will join from Royal Mail at the end of April, when he will launch a strategic review that will solve the free-to-air broadcaster’s troubles. The worst is over. [...]
How to be as healthy as Barack March 3, 2010 EARLIER this week, the White House released the results of President Obama’s first medical report since he took office. For a 46-year-old man in a stressful job, they were pretty good. The only area of concern was indicated by the reference to continuing “smoking cessation efforts” – oh, and some borderline cholesterol issues. Obama’s otherwise [...]
DEBATING SOCIETY March 2, 2010 THERE will be three live face-to-face debates between Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg on Wednesday evenings in the run up to the election, the BBC, ITV and Sky News confirmed yesterday. The public will be given a chance to put their questions to the leaders.
The comeback cad trying his luck in the Med March 2, 2010 JAMES Hewitt – former lover of Princess Diana, ex-solider, comeback cad – throws his head back and laughs at what I have just said. “Yes, I suppose this is like Rick’s in Casablanca,” he says when he recovers. “And everyone comes to Rick’s.” We are having dinner in a corner of Polo House, his bar [...]
Hiscox profits surge as storm claims fall March 1, 2010 HISCOX yesterday reported a surge in pre-tax profits after the insurance group saw its figures sky rocket to £320.6m, quadrupling last year’s outcome. The Bermuda based insurer said profits climbed after the company made a series of investments during the year. The diminished number of global catastrophes also affected its figures. “Our catastrophe reinsurance underwriting [...]
Troubled Virgin Media turns the corner at last February 25, 2010 VIRGIN Media is a company with a troubled past. Having posted a full-year loss of £94.4m, it obviously still bears the scars. After 25 years of pain, however, the firm is finally turning a corner. The most impressive detail in yesterday’s results was the 28,600 net subscribers the firm signed up to its cable TV [...]
NO KILLER HEELS FOR ME February 25, 2010 SKY-high heels were everywhere at Fashion Week, elongating the models even more for the catwalk. But what about the rest of us? I’ve been trying to walk around in some of these vertiginous shoes sold on the high street. Many of them look gorgeous in your hand, elegant and exciting with lovely bright colours, patents [...]
Telecoms giants welcome cross-party findings that a phone line tax is unfair… February 23, 2010 Telecoms heavyweights have thrown their support behind select committee findings that a phone line tax would be unfair for consumers. The cross party business innovation and skills committee said yesterday the plans would tax the majority to provide super fast broadband to the few. The £6 annual tax has been expanded from its initial focus [...]
CRISIS IN THE SKY FOR VETERAN BROKER February 22, 2010 SIGHS of relief all round yesterday as a veteran of the City broking community emerged unscathed from a terrifying near-death experience. Brewin Dolphin divisional director Stephen Williams – a former head of small company research at Williams de Broë – was one of 231 passengers aboard a Thomas Cook Boeing 757 jet which had to [...]
Sky to broadcast from the City February 21, 2010 Broadcaster Sky News is today due to move into its new studio in the iconic Gherkin tower building at 30 St Mary Axe, in the heart of the City of London. The studio will host the weeknight business news programme Jeff Randall Live and will begin broadcasting from tonight, when Conservative leader David Cameron is [...]