DIAMOND TAKES HARD LINE ON BONUS ROW February 16, 2010 AS AN investment banking doyen continually under the cosh these days with regard to bonus payments, it must be tough to keep a calm and unruffled façade at all times. Bob Diamond, the president of Barclays and head of its money-spinning investment bank Barclays Capital – yesterday kept mostly schtum at the group’s annual results [...]
Sports Direct celebrates a double victory February 11, 2010 SPORTS Direct has seen a surge in sales and been cleared by a competition commission investigation. Britain’s largest sports retailer raised its full-year profit guidance yesterday after the sales jump for the 13 weeks to 24 January. Retail sales rose 9.4 per cent to £326m – lifting gross profit to £136m. Sports Direct – which [...]
Sports Direct wins the double February 11, 2010 SPORTS Direct has seen a surge in sales and been cleared by a competition commission investigation. Britain’s largest sports retailer raised its full-year profit guidance after the sales jump for the 13 weeks to 24 January. Retail sales rose 9.4 per cent to £326m – lifting gross profit to £136m. Sports Direct – which is [...]
Products set to boost ITV February 9, 2010 EMBATTLED broadcaster ITV could boost its revenues by £50m a year, after the government lifted a ban on product placement. Culture secretary Ben Bradshaw yesterday said commercial broadcasters would be allowed to accept payment for displaying branded products in most shows. ITV insiders think the firm will earn around £50m-a-year from product placement deals by [...]
Why City folk are finally taking charge of their teeth February 8, 2010 AS a 16-year-old, braces seemed preposterous enough. If I didn’t have shame about my smile before, I certainly did when sporting train-tracks of metal, elastics flashing with every word I spoke. As for adult braces – well, it was commonly accepted that only youth could carry off the indignity of the oral railroad. The few [...]
Real pour scorn on Man City February 3, 2010 REAL Madrid have added to criticism of Manchester City’s transfer dealings by portraying as amateurish the Premier League club’s efforts to sign midfielder Fernando Gago. City revived their interest in Gago late on Monday, shortly before the transfer deadline, after a work permit hearing thwarted a deal for Parma’s McDonald Mariga. But the 11th-hour move [...]
A resort that leaves you feeling brand new January 31, 2010 NESTLING in warm Caribbean waters, sun-kissed Antigua washes over you, covers you in sunshine, and leaves you feeling as laid-back as the locals. The island is a prime wedding and honeymoon destination, but is also perfect as a place to turn over a new leaf. I’m used to spending my time off doing as little [...]
Forget Cadbury, entrepreneurs will save UK January 25, 2010 OCCASIONALLY on a Friday night as I review the remains of the week, I wonder why I put myself through it. Last week, one of my portfolio companies nearly hit a wall, and I had to coach the existing investors through their panic to send through an emergency bridge round. Another one of our companies [...]
Embark on an unforgettable winter journey January 17, 2010 SITTING under a palm tree on an idyllic beach starts to sound almost pedestrian when you consider what adventures lie in store for those willing to embrace snow and ice. It’s cold, but winter brings some of the most beautiful landscapes and thrilling activities on earth – from dog sledding in the Arctic Circle to [...]
Roar POWER January 5, 2010 WHEN I returned home from taking this car for a spin around the local area, I found a post-it note stuck to my front door with a message from a friend who lives locally. “Hi V,” it read. “I realised there’s a major flaw with your job. You’re missing out on some of the best [...]