Phoenix Equity Partners takes majority stake in Riviera Travel December 22, 2014 UK MIDDLE-market private equity firm Phoenix Equity Partners yesterday announced it had taken a majority stake in Riviera Travel, a British provider of escorted tour holidays and river cruises. Although terms were not disclosed, the deal is reported to be worth £130m. Riviera was advised on the transaction by PwC and Wragge Lawrence Graham & [...]
Are Christmas presents a waste of money? Don’t listen to the Scrooge economists December 22, 2014 In recent weeks, millions of us have struggled to buy Christmas gifts for friends and family. In many cases, it’s incredibly difficult to work out what someone you rarely see might want or need. Scarred by memories of that awful Christmas jumper, the ghastly socks, or those rubbish “games” sold in male clothing stores, [...]
Golf Comment: A review of 2014 in golf: European Ryder Cup joy and McIlroy’s ingenuity December 22, 2014 Highlights from a vintage year and predictions for 2015 MOMENT OF THE YEAR MY FAVOURITE golfing moment of 2014 is immortalised in the now-iconic images of Jamie Donaldson surrounded by a throng of photographers and well-wishers after effectively winning the Ryder Cup. As one of Paul McGinley’s vice-captains, I was out on the course at [...]
UK immigration: Theresa May plans to kick out foreign graduates December 22, 2014 New foreign graduates could be booted out of the UK after they finish university, if new measures proposed by the Home Office are passed. Theresa May, the home secretary, said that she would like zero net student migration if the Conservatives remain in power after the 2015 general election. The move may be seen by [...]
Theresa May slammed over anti-migration plot to kick foreign graduates out of UK December 22, 2014 Business groups and politicians expressed dismay yesterday at plans by home secretary Theresa May to force foreign students to leave the UK before re-applying for work visas. May wants the Conservatives to include the measure in their party manifesto ahead of the general election next year. Current coalition partners the Liberal Democrats sought to [...]
Pensions pots to Kristofferson: Hermes Investment chief Saker Nusseibeh’s bid to make the City think differently December 21, 2014 “I do genuinely play guitar still, badly; I refuse to look at Harley Davidson stocks – because to me it’s a religion, not a motorbike company and I’m growing my beard to try and look like Kris Kristofferson,” Saker Nusseibeh, chief executive of Hermes Investment Management tells me. “Does this make me a better or [...]
Hayden lambasts Pietersen’s England exile December 21, 2014 FORMER Australia batsman Matthew Hayden yesterday labelled ex-England skipper Kevin Pietersen’s enforced exile from international duty “ludicrous”. The 34-year-old is England’s highest run-scorer across all formats of the game but saw his central contract terminated in February following last winter’s dismal Ashes tour, before releasing his controversial book KP: The Autobiography in October. Pietersen remains [...]
2015: Bring on the year of empowerment December 19, 2014 It's dangerous territory, some smart-arse proffering a crystal ball projection of the future. From weathermen to economists, the curse of the prediction has floored many a better man and woman than I; but as the headline states, we are wallowing in the age of empowerment. I’m not talking about John Lennon’s “power to [...]
Film review: The Theory of Everything December 19, 2014 Cert 12a | ★★★★☆ Hot on the heels of Benedict Cumberbatch’s turn as Alan Turing in the Imitation Game comes The Theory of Everything, another rendering of a brilliant mind, this time Stephen Hawking. The former felt at home with science and tally-ho patriotism but shied away prudishly from the intimate details that were so [...]
Ecigarettes in review 2014: Health, regulation and advertising wars December 19, 2014 The ecigarette revolution has taken the world of public health by storm. Depending on your point of view these devices are either a critical part of getting people to quit smoking or a new gateway drug that could lure young people back to cigarettes. Either way, it's difficult not to notice the growth of these [...]