European consumers turn their noses up at price comparison websites in favour of brokers. And it’s a trend that isn’t changing soon October 4, 2016 Continental Europe is shunning price comparison websites for sales of motor insurance because brokers have managed to adapt better to the needs of the market unlike their British counterparts. Two-thirds of all UK motor insurance policies are sold through price comparison websites – a medium that has only been around since the turn of the millennium. But according to [...]
Bupa giving dentistry chain Oasis a check up as preliminary talks for a bid get underway October 3, 2016 Private healthcare group Bupa is weighing a takeover bid for dentistry chain Oasis. Oasis, currently owned by private equity firm Bridgepoint, could be worth in the region of £500m, though reports of its value vary. Bupa has held preliminary talks with Oasis Healthcare's management and shareholders about a deal, it was first reported by Sky News. Discussions are said to [...]
City Moves for 3 October 2016 | Who’s switching jobs October 3, 2016 Squire Patton Boggs Squire Patton Boggs has appointed Kashif Siddiqui as a partner in its global Corporate practice in London. With previous experience at Allen & Overy, Kashif has significant corporate expertise, with his practice focused on cross-border mergers and acquisitions (both public and private), disposals, joint ventures and reorganisations. He advises investment banks and [...]
Apprenticeships proving popular as over half of parents disagree that a degree is a better guarantee for career success October 3, 2016 Apprenticeships are becoming more popular among parents, with over half now disagreeing a university degree is the best choice for their children's blossoming careers, a study out today has found. According to the research by Prudential, 51 per cent of parents disagree graduates are more likely to climb the career ladder faster than apprentices while the [...]
Cyber attacks can cost UK businesses up to £1m, BAE Systems says October 2, 2016 Falling foul to a cyber attack would cost one in 10 UK businesses up to £1m, according to fresh research by BAE Systems. The poll of 100 business leaders from private sectors firms with more than 1,000 employees also showed that the average cost of a cyber attack was at least £330,000. Read more: Cyber attack [...]
LinkedIn warns of Brexit talent block (and these three sectors could be worst hit) September 30, 2016 LinkedIn has warned that Brexit could stop UK business from accessing the best and the brightest talent from Europe, with professional services, technology and finance likely to be the hardest hit. Leaving the EU could put at risk access to top talent from across the region which accounts for 40 per cent of professional migration to the UK, [...]
“Forces in the market want to weaken us”: John Cryan seeks to reassure Deutsche Bank staff September 30, 2016 Deutsche Bank shares edged back over the €10 mark in mid-morning trading after chief executive sought to reassure staff in a company-wide memo. In the document, Cryan suggested the bank was strong and hit out at "speculators" for causing wild swings in the company's share price. "Our bank has become the object of heavy speculation – renewed rumours [...]
City Moves for 30 September 2016 | Who’s switching jobs September 30, 2016 KPMG KPMG has appointed Paul Martin as UK head of retail. Paul will succeed David McCorquodale who has led KPMG’s retail practice in the UK since November 2012 and will be retiring at the end of April 2017 after 32 years with the firm. Paul is managing director of KPMG Boxwood and was formerly managing director of Planet Retail, [...]
Competition and Markets Authority to investigate price comparison websites September 29, 2016 The UK's competition watchdog is launching a wholesale review into price comparison websites to investigate how they make their money and whether they really do help consumers get the best deals. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced the review this morning – the latest in a long-line of high-profile probes the body has conducted including [...]
From server rooms to boardrooms: Cyber crime issues must become top priority for UK bosses September 29, 2016 Cyber crime is big business. Attacks can come from opportunists, commercial rivals, terrorist groups, bored teenagers, organised crime and nation states. The goal could be anything from online vandalism to data theft or destabilisation. Faced with such threats, a new industry has emerged promising an array of state-of-the-art systems to keep your data and commercial [...]