Aviva chief executive Mark Wilson steps down after almost six years in charge October 9, 2018 Aviva chief executive Mark Wilson stepped down today, with the insurer looking for new leadership for what it called its next stage of development. Wilson, who was brought in to enact a business turnaround in 2013, claimed he succeeded in this goal, with its latest financial results showing it should deliver earnings per share growth [...]
Court gears up to hear Morrisons’ appeal against landmark data breach ruling October 8, 2018 Supermarket giant Morrisons will launch an appeal tomorrow against the High Court's decision to find it vicariously liable for a data breach that hit over 100,000 employees. In December last year the supermarket chain was found to be legally responsible for the breach, which was carried out by former employee Andrew Skelton. Skelton, a former senior [...]
Legal & General completes £2.4bn buy-out of folded telco’s pension scheme October 8, 2018 Insurer Legal & General has today finalised a £2.4bn buyout of the Nortel Networks UK Pension Plan, nearly a decade after its telecommunications sponsor collapsed, forcing it into the lifeboat. The deal will see the benefits of 15,500 pensioner members and 7,200 deferred members protected. It is the UK's joint second largest ever pensions buyout, matched [...]
Insurer Lancashire sounds losses warning after natural catastrophes October 8, 2018 Lancashire Holdings has warned it is exposed to net losses of up to $75m (£57.41m) after damaging events within its marine portfolio, and damage from a series of natural catastrophes. The insurer expects net losses of $30m from marine events, and of $25m to $45m from exposure to several recent weather events, including hurricane Florence, [...]
Lloyds to put £13bn wealth unit into joint venture with Schroders October 7, 2018 Lloyds, Britain’s biggest high street lender, plans to merge its £13bn wealth-management wing into a a new joint venture with investment giant Schroders, according to a report. Details of the arrangement – which would transform the UK’s wealth-management sector by bringing Schroders’ services closer to a more wider group than its current, affluent cliente – [...]
Lloyd’s of London boss hints at ‘acceleration’ of Brussels operation as no-deal Brexit fears mount October 7, 2018 Outgoing Lloyd’s of London boss Dame Inga Beale has said the insurance business is speeding up plans to bolster its Brussels subsidiary unit amid fears that Britain and the EU might not reach a post-Brexit trade deal. Beale told the BBC that she was “accelerating” preparations to transfer contracts from the London insurance market to Brussels on the [...]
Sports Direct’s Mike Ashley tees off in bidding war for American Golf October 5, 2018 Sports Direct owner and retail tycoon Mike Ashley is set to expand his business empire further, as it suggested he has tabled a bid for Britain's largest golf retailer American Golf. Ashley is among a number of interested parties in the American Golf takeover, including JD Sports Fashion, sources told Sky News. Deloitte, who is advising [...]
EU regulator calls for access to UK deal insurers in event of hard Brexit October 4, 2018 The chair of the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has called for measures which would allow EU firms to access clearing houses based in the UK in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Clearing houses (CCPs), which have becoming an increasingly integral part of dealmaking, are insurers which balance risk between the sellers and [...]
Watchdog slaps Lloyds with legal demands over PPI failures October 4, 2018 The UK’s competition watchdog has handed Lloyds legal directions after the lender failed to meet its obligations around managing accounts with payment protection insurance (PPI), the policy at the centre of a huge mis-selling scandal. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has called on the lender to “put effective systems and procedures in place” after it [...]
Greg Clark’s flawed and feeble remedy will fail to stamp out the late payment problem October 4, 2018 Brexit confusion, in-fighting, and leadership peacocking have marred both the Labour and Conservative Party conferences this year, but business secretary Greg Clark provided a glimmer of hope for SMEs this week. Large companies could be forced to nominate a board member to ensure that invoices are paid properly as part of a planned crackdown on [...]