A quarter of FTSE companies faced shareholder dissent in 2019 February 20, 2020 Investors cranked up the pressure on British companies last year, with a quarter of firms on the FTSE All-Share hit by shareholder dissent, according to new figures. Some 158 of the 641 firms on the index experienced significant investor rebellions in 2019, with executive pay and the re-election of directors among shareholders’ biggest concerns, according [...]
HS2 reveals Old Oak Common station design February 19, 2020 HS2 has unveiled its new designs for its planned passenger super-hub at Old Oak Common in west London, which will serve 250,000 passengers per day. The plans for the new hub, which were submitted for planning approval today, are part of a wider regeneration project for Old Oak and Park Royal, which will see the [...]
Metro Bank hands interim chief executive the top job February 19, 2020 Metro Bank has announced that interim chief executive Dan Frumkin will take the top job at the bank. Frumkin, who will be a paid a £740,000 salary, joined Metro Bank last September as chief transformation officer from The Bank of NT Butterfield & Son, based in Bermuda. He took the interim role when former boss [...]
Vegans must have their own shelf in the office fridge, says new guidance February 19, 2020 Vegans deserve their own shelf in the office fridge, according to new guidelines issued to businesses. Fridge space is a precious commodity in the workplace, but it could be about to get more crowded after the Vegan Society shares its new advice with firms. Vegan menus should be made available at work events while employers [...]
City Moves for 19 February – Who’s switching jobs at TRIG, Colliers International and BennBridge? February 19, 2020 TRIG The Renewables Infrastructure Group (TRIG) has announced the appointment of Tove Feld as a non-executive director. Tove has more than 25 years’ experience in the renewables sector, with a focus on offshore wind. Her previous roles include chief technical officer at Dong Energy Wind Power (now Orsted) where she had a prominent role in [...]
DEBATE: Should we be concerned about rumours of potential Chinese involvement with HS2? February 19, 2020 Should we be concerned about rumours of potential Chinese involvement with building HS2? Sophia Gaston, director of the British Foreign Policy Group, says YES. The government’s decision to permit Huawei to be involved in building our 5G network has exposed the acute lack of an overarching strategy around Britain’s engagement with China. No doubt, this [...]
UK firm tells staff to go meat-free to expense meals February 18, 2020 Employees of one property firm have decided that meat is firmly off the menu when it comes to expenses. For the 30 or so staff at Igloo Regeneration, they must now go vegetarian in order to expense not just lunches and dinners, but corporate entertaining and workshop catering too. Workers voted for the change after [...]
HSBC: Profit plunges as bank plans 35,000 job cuts February 18, 2020 HSBC has outlined plans to offload $100bn (£77bn) of assets and dramatically downsize its investment banking arm in a restructure that will cost 35,000 jobs over the next three years. Profit before tax tumbled by a third to $13.6bn in 2019, HSBC said as it revealed its most radical overhaul since the financial crisis in [...]
Intercontinental Hotels sales in Hong Kong drop on protests February 18, 2020 Intercontinental Hotels has reported a slight dip in revenue per room in 2019, with the Holiday Inn-owner hit by a fall in bookings in Hong Kong due to the unrest in the territory. The hotel group, which operates 443 hotels in Greater China under various brands, said comparable revenue per available room (revpar) dipped 0.3 [...]
City Moves for 18 February – Who’s switching jobs at Dechert, Secure Trust Bank and Hill Dickinson? February 18, 2020 Today’s City Moves includes Dechert, Secure Trust Bank and Hill Dickinson Dechert Dechert has announced the apointment of Alastair Goldrein as a partner in the firm’s London office. Alastair currently advises creditors and debtors, as well as sponsors, in a broad range of complex international restructurings and insolvencies. He also has significant experience advising on [...]