Esure and Directline founder Sir Peter Wood leads insurance start-up funding round May 28, 2019 Esure and Directline founder Sir Peter Wood has led a £2.5m funding round in insurance start-up Pikl. Wood received £360m when he sold his stake in Esure to private equity firm Bain Capital last year. The serial entrepreneur also founded Directline in the 1980s, allowing customers to buy insurance over the phone, later selling his [...]
Marks & Spencer pension scheme transfers £1.4bn to two insurers May 23, 2019 Troubled retailer Marks & Spencer (M&S) has transferred £1.4bn in pension scheme liabilities to two insurance companies, bringing the total insurance coverage to two thirds. Phoenix Group has insured £460m of liabilities, covering 5,000 pensioners, while Pension Insurance Corporation (PIC) has insured £900m of the £10bn pension scheme. Read more: M&S braced for fresh decline [...]
Challenger bank TSB unveils raft of leadership appointments as CYBG’s Debbie Crosbie begins her reign May 22, 2019 Challenger bank TSB has further bolstered its leadership team following the arrival of new chief executive Debbie Crosbie. The former CYBG chief operating officer took charge earlier this month, replacing Paul Pester who stepped down last year in the aftermath of a major IT meltdown. Read more: TSB launches fraud guarantee for customers after last [...]
BT’s brand value drops as new boss prepares image overhaul May 21, 2019 The value of telecoms giant BT’s brand slumped this year as new chief executive Philip Jansen prepares to overhaul the company’s image. BT dropped two rankings to 10th place this year as its brand value, which is calculated as the net economic benefit its owner would receive if it licensed the brand in the open [...]
Why your CEO got fired: Ethical lapses cost bosses their jobs in 2018 May 15, 2019 The turnover rate of CEOs soared to 17.5 per cent last year as ethical lapses became the biggest factor behind sacking bosses. Read more: Revealed: The CEOs who oversaw tech's 10 biggest share price rises While the 20 per cent rate of “forced turnovers” among departures at the top remained the same in PwC’s 2018 [...]
City Moves for 14 May – Who’s switching jobs at Aviva Investors, Freedom Finance and Amundi? May 14, 2019 Today's City Moves includes Aviva Investors, Freedom Finance and Amundi. Aviva Investors Aviva Investors, the global asset management business of Aviva, has announced the addition of Stephanie Niven as a named manager to the Global Equity Endurance Fund. She will work alongside Giles Parkinson, who has been manager of the fund since its launch in [...]
Insurance giant Allianz posts first quarter profit boost to beat expectations May 14, 2019 German insurer Allianz said today its net profit for the first quarter rose slightly, ahead of market expectations. Its results were boosted by lower claims for natural disasters but it said high expenses due to investments had led to a decline in operating profit in its asset management business. Operating profit increased 7.5 per cent [...]
Insurer RSA’s profits up after mild weather in the first quarter May 9, 2019 RSA said milder weather in the UK and Ireland helped boost its profit in the first quarter, sending its shares higher. On a constant currency basis, operating profit rose in the first quarter, staying flat on a reported basis. Shares rose 2.2 per cent today to close at 546p. RSA said that milder weather in [...]
Harry, Meghan and the case for shared parental leave May 8, 2019 While the parents of the new royal baby might be exempt from a traditional nine to five job, it’s no surprise that their first-born child will still have a massive impact on their ability to fulfil royal duties. A member of the royal family is in a better position than others to spend time with [...]
RPC Group clears another hurdle to selling company to Berry Global as EU regulators approve £3.3bn deal April 25, 2019 Packaging giant RPC Group has taken a step closer to tying up its sale to US counterpart Berry Global, after the European Commission cleared the acquisition yesterday. Read more: Berry Global snatches RPC buyout from private equity firm Apollo Regulators ruled that the £3.3bn takeover “would raise no competition concerns given the limited horizontal overlaps [...]