Can Ofcom force through Openreach split? BT trustees believe it could bust pension scheme December 13, 2016 A BT Openreach separation could tip the telecoms giant's pension scheme into insolvency leaving a £10bn black hole, its pension trustees fear. Trustees voiced concerns in a redacted note responding to Ofcom’s proposals to legally separate the company that runs Britain’s telecoms infrastructure from the wider BT group. Because, according to the trustees’ note, a [...]
Craft drinks have put a cork in the UK’s pub insolvency problem December 12, 2016 Investment in craft beer, high-quality food and trendy refurbishments is helping save the UK's pubs from insolvency. The number of pubs and bars unable to pay their debts has dropped seven per cent, decreasing from 521 to 480 in just one year, Ortus Secured Finance will today report. Over the last three years, the rate of pub and bar companies [...]
BHS pensions lifeboat fights ballooning bill from administrators Duff & Phelps December 4, 2016 The BHS pensions lifeboat has vetoed an invoice put forward by the collapsed retailer's administrators, Duff & Phelps. Duff & Phelps initially estimated a fee of £3.5m for its work on BHS, but later increased its fee to £4.1m. In a meeting of creditors on 15 November, the Pension Protection Fund (PPF) – BHS' largest creditor [...]
A vote for No in the Italian referendum is unlikely to precipitate “Italeave”, but could worsen the situation facing the country’s beleaguered banks November 29, 2016 Since the European sovereign debt crisis, critics of the euro have asked how long the single currency can continue when the economies which use it are on such divergent trajectories. Now, after a third Greek bailout, a Brexit vote and Donald Trump’s presidential win breathing hope into eurosceptic parties across Europe, their prophesy may be [...]
The European Commission unveils US-style protection for insolvent companies November 22, 2016 A radical cross-border shake-up of insolvency laws was today proposed by the European Commission. An EU draft directive was issued proposing to give companies more breathing space to sort out debts instead of being forced to cease trading. Similar to US-style Chapter 11 proceedings, companies would be shielded from creditors taking action against a company during a four month window. Such a shield [...]
City Moves for 16 November 2016 | Who’s switching jobs November 16, 2016 HSBC HSBC’s Sanjeev Chopra is to join Psigma Investment Management as investment director in January 2017 reporting to John Howard-Smith, CEO. A seasoned investment professional, Sanjeev has worked at HSBC for nearly two decades, his most recent role being client director at HSBC Global Asset Management. IHS Markit IHS Markit has appointed Andrew Aziz as the global [...]
Large numbers of Britain’s care homes expect to go bust in the next three years November 14, 2016 Banks who have lent to care homes could fail to recoup their debts as large numbers are expected to go bust over the next three years. The double-whammy of local government budget cuts and the introduction of the national living wage has put the care home sector under significant pressure in recent years. Read more: Number of [...]
John Lewis Partnership considers further reforms to staff benefits as squeeze on retailers tightens November 4, 2016 High street stalwart the John Lewis Partnership is considering further curbs on staff benefits as it becomes the latest retailer to fight back against soaring costs for the sector. Documents seen by City A.M. suggest the escalating national living wage could cost the John Lewis Partnership an additional £171m in 2020. Between 2015, when the [...]
Could it be? BHS pensions deal to be wrapped up by Christmas November 4, 2016 There could finally be light at the end of the tunnel. Sir Philip Green and pension regulators could reach a deal over the BHS scheme within weeks, according to the BBC. But, don't get too excited just yet: Green could still walk away, which would prompt the beginning of a prolonged legal battle. Newsnight reported [...]
The oil boss who wants to bore you October 31, 2016 Gulf Keystone’s finance chief tells Francesca Washtell of his plan to quietly repair the oil firm. From his relaxed demeanour, it’s hard at first to believe Sami Zouari, Gulf Keystone Petroleum’s chief financial officer, when he says he found it an “exhausting” process bringing the company back from the brink. Earlier this month, the Kurdistanfocused [...]