Caterham woes prompt rethink from Ecclestone November 17, 2014 FORMULA One chief Bernie Ecclestone has revealed talks are underway about the sport’s future direction after the Caterham and Marussia teams collapsed into administration last month. Ecclestone says his aims for the coming year are preventing more teams from hitting the wall and taking over media accreditation to curb a proliferation of online media in [...]
Ed Miliband re-launches PM campaign with new battle against zero-hour contracts November 17, 2014 Businesses and unions are digging in for an election-year battle over zero-hour contracts and what they mean for workers Ed Miliband re-launched his campaign to be the next Prime Minister last week, with a new attack on zero-hour contracts and the treatment of workers. Businesses hit back immediately, arguing the contracts give workers flexibility, allow [...]
Sports Direct kicks back at Ed Miliband for zero-hours contract criticism November 15, 2014 Sports Direct has dismissed negative comments made by Labour leader Ed Miliband about its employment contracts. Miliband said the use of zero-hours contracts – where the retailer does not have to guarantee regular work to its employees – meant it was a “terrible place to work”, and added that he intends to “ban the [...]
2014 City A.M. awards: Legal & General CEO Nigel Wilson is the insurance boss with big ideas November 13, 2014 The Legal & General chief exec, City A.M.’s Business Personality of the Year. His hero is Aneurin Bevan, the firebrand post-war Labour minister and architect of the NHS. His career was inspired by a quotation from political theorist Sir Isaiah Berlin on the importance of searching after the common good. And when I meet [...]
Omnishambles as Fifa’s corruption report is branded “erroneous” by lawyer Michael Garcia – the man who conducted the investigation November 13, 2014 If you were spitting feathers this morning over the Fifa report which exonerated Qatar and Russia but put England in the spotlight, you weren't the only one. Lawyer Michael Garcia, who actually conducted the investigation, has issued a statement slamming the report summary published this morning. He claimed the report, written by Fifa ethics judge [...]
Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct gives up naming rights to Rangers Ibrox Stadium and loans club an extra £1m November 12, 2014 Mike Ashley has given up his rights to rename Rangers football club’s Ibrox stadium and loaned the struggling club an additional £1m. The Sports Direct owner, who also owns a stake in the Scottish club, bought the naming rights two years ago for just £1, but the deal was only revealed in September. The miniscule [...]
Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct to launch bargain fitness chain November 11, 2014 BILLIONAIRE Mike Ashley is making a trip to the gym after his sportswear empire unveiled plans yesterday to open 200 budget fitness chains across the UK. Sports Direct said it would open its first purpose-built gym next month in Aintree on Merseyside next to its new superstore in the area, followed by a second soon [...]
Vodafone and Sainsbury push FTSE 100 slightly up – London Report November 11, 2014 The FTSE 100 yesterday advanced to its highest level in more than a month, as a rise in mobile operator Vodafone and supermarket retailer Sainsbury offset a slump in energy stocks. The blue chip index closed up by 0.2 per cent, or 16.15 points, at 6,627.40 points – its best closing level since late September. [...]
RateSetter founders Peter Behrens and Rhydian Lewis talk banks, Australia and dwarves November 9, 2014 Ask the founders of a business if they’ve got a good setback story, and they’ll usually give you something fairly typecast. Not in the case of RateSetter. “Pete the painter,” answers Peter Behrens firmly, looking over to co-founder Rhydian Lewis. It seems completely off piste, but it actually shows that rumbling the status quo, [...]
Sports Direct owner Ashley puts money on Debenhams success November 6, 2014 THE FOUNDER of Sports Direct, Mike Ashley, has sold his 4.6 per cent stake in Debenhams and entered into a put option worth 6.1 per cent. The deal was conducted through Sports Direct, and required the business to dispose of the Debenhams stake that it built upon last month, adding a further £33m worth of [...]