Promises, Promises at Southwark Playhouse review: a badly dated comedy that’s a gilded celebration of lechery January 20, 2017 I can’t think of a more appropriate start to the Trump era than revisiting Burt Bacharach and Hal David’s 1968 Broadway hit – a breezy chronicle of workplace sexism in which Boys Will Be Boys, whatever the cost, and women are either brutalised angels awaiting Mr Right or mouthy broads lounging in the clutches of [...]
Davos Diary: Prime Minister May’s reception as cold as the weather January 20, 2017 At the very least, this week’s Davos agenda had a weary air of familiarity about it: sustainability, artificial intelligence and income inequality all competing to be hailed the zeitgeistian focus of the world’s power-brokers’ power breakfasts. In that respect, little has changed. But if the Trump presidential machine rolls into town this time next year, I [...]
We’ll see you in court: New senior manager rules could mean fewer bumper fines for City watchdog and more days in court January 19, 2017 New rules to hold top bosses accountable for wrongdoings on their watch may have weakened the City watchdog's negotiating stance if it tries to swoop in for bumper settlements. Speaking at the Practising Law Institute's annual seminar, Mark Steward, director of enforcement and market oversight at the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), revealed the Senior Managers' Regime (SMR) [...]
Aviva chief exec: Turnaround is complete, so let’s get on with post-Brexit business January 19, 2017 Aviva today announced a large organisational shake-up that will enable the insurance giant to capitalise on the significant opportunities present by the Brexit vote. The group's UK operations, previously separated into life, general and health insurance divisions will be brought together under the leadership of current Aviva life chief exec Andy Briggs. Read more: Aviva shares jump 4.5 [...]
Moneysupermarket.com reports 20 per cent revenue growth as it confirms Mark Lewis will replace Peter Plumb as boss January 19, 2017 Moneysupermarket.com said today that its expects to report revenue growth of 12 per cent when it announces its full year results on 28 February – and it has confirmed that Mark Lewis will replace Peter Plumb as chief executive. The figures The group said Moneysupermarket.com's revenue grew 19 per cent year-on-year in the three months [...]
City Moves for 18 January 2017 | Who’s switching jobs January 18, 2017 Boston Consulting Group Paolo Cuomo has joined the Boston Consulting Group as a principal in the firm’s insurance practice. He will work with teams in London and across Western Europe to support (re)insurance clients, including carries, brokers and regulators, on strategy, operational and digital topics. Paolo joins from Charles Taylor, where he was chief operating [...]
May’s plan for Brexit is bold and ambitious January 18, 2017 Critics of the Prime Minister (and of the whole notion of Brexit) had clung for months to the charge that she didn't have a plan and that the government was in chaos. Yesterday, the PM shot their fox. It is, of course, still possible to oppose Brexit, but no longer possible to claim the government doesn't [...]
The nightmarish state of the public finances makes NHS reform even more urgent January 18, 2017 While Westminster was awaiting the first lines of Theresa May’s Brexit speech yesterday morning, the government’s fiscal watchdog issued a devastating judgement on the long-term health of the country’s finances. According to the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), the accelerating cost of the NHS will double the national debt relative to GDP by the middle [...]
How to invest your bonus: If you’re not off to the McLaren dealership, topping up a pension makes good sense January 18, 2017 Industry experts have warned that bonus season in the Square Mile might not be so bumper this year. In December, research by Emolument.com indicated that just 40 per cent of bankers in mergers and acquisitions found their sweetener satisfactory. And this week, the market leader of PwC’s global financial services HR consulting practice has warned that [...]
What entrepreneurs must consider when planning to give employees equity January 17, 2017 Until robots replace workers, entrepreneurs will need to think about how to keep their employees happy. But there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. While some are best inspired by cold, hard cash, others may react better to beanbags and PlayStations. Most entrepreneurs use a variety of incentives. The first step is to work out what’s valuable to [...]