Aldi to expand into 130 new stores as sales rocket to £10.2bn October 1, 2018 German supermarket giant Aldi today announced major plans to open 130 new stores in the UK on the back of impressive sales growth last year. The expansion will create 5,000 new jobs in the UK, Aldi says, and is a big step on the way to the firm reaching its target of setting up 1,000 stores [...]
Bumper summer and Booker buyout set to boost Tesco profits September 30, 2018 Tesco will be hoping to post strong first-half profits on Wednesday, as a blistering summer heatwave, successful World Cup run and a royal wedding are all likely to have boosted the firm’s performance. Consensus estimates compiled by S&P Global Market Intelligence show that earnings before tax (excluding exceptions) could hit £795m in the first six [...]
IoT security: Your smart home device is a cyber security risk waiting to happen September 28, 2018 In the age of Google Home and Amazon Alexa, many modern households are home to one or more smart devices. While these gadgets can help with day-to-day tasks and generally make life easier – it's also opened up the possibilities of cyber attackers breaching vulnerable devices in the home. A new survey from Open-Xchange found that [...]
We are veering towards a Brexit brain drain – it’s time for brands to shake things up September 26, 2018 There is a lack of innovation among British businesses; this was a problem highlighted in our latest research. It’s also a problem which threatens the future of UK businesses outside of the EU bloc, potentially hindering our ability to attract and retain talent. Fast-growing economies such as China, Indonesia, India, the US, and Germany [...]
Aldi and Lidl continue to attract customers – so what impact will Tesco’s budget chain Jack’s have? September 26, 2018 Recently Tesco unveiled its first Jack’s discount store. With a strong emphasis on Britishness and home-grown products, the brand is seen as a challenger to the German supermarkets, Aldi and Lidl. I have often talked in this column about the growth of both Aldi and Lidl, and YouGov BrandIndex data points to the continued improvements [...]
London coding security startup Snyk lands $22m series B from Accel September 25, 2018 Open source security startup Snyk today closed a $22m (£16.7m) series B funding round, led by Accel with participation from GV. Existing investors such as Boldstart Ventures and Heavybit also joined the round. With big names such as ASOS, Skyscanner and Auth0 among its clients, enterprise developers use Snyk to vet the security of [...]
Tesco Bank to face City watchdog’s largest ever cyber security fine September 24, 2018 The banking arm of supermarket chain Tesco could be facing a fine of more than £30m from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), over its role in a cyber hack on its systems in which numerous customer accounts were compromised. Tesco Bank is thought to be contesting the fine in active negotiations with the regulator, which could be reduced [...]
Serious Fraud Office general counsel leaves regulator for private law firm Kingsley Napley September 24, 2018 The man tipped for the top job at the Serious Fraud Office before former FBI lawyer Lisa Osofsky won the post will leave the regulator for private practice next year. Alun Milford, who served as the SFO's general counsel, has joined Kingsley Napley as a partner in criminal litigation. Milford has been a government prosecutor for 26 years. [...]
French supermarket Carrefour denies making an offer for rival Casino September 24, 2018 French supermarket Casino has claimed it has rejected an offer from rival Carrefour, though Carrefour has denied ever making a bid for the firm. Casino released a statement last night that said its board had unanimously rejected an approach from the retail giant due to potential conflicts over employment and competition. Read more: Tesco reveals budget supermarket chain, Jack's Carrefour, which is [...]
City Moves for 24 September 2018 – who’s switching jobs at RHI Magnesita, Saga and Wiggin? September 24, 2018 Today's City Moves covers industries, insurance and legal eagles. Take a look at these movers and shakers: RHI Magnesita RHI Magnesita has nominated Ian Botha, currently CFO of Anglo American Platinum, has been nominated, as new CFO and finance director for appointment in the 2019 annual meeting. Ian will join the company on 1 [...]