Belle Epoque style enters the 21 century May 27, 2010 AT the turn of the last century a visit to the imposing Mont Pelerine Palace in the Swiss Alps was a favourite pastime among wealthy travellers. They arrived by train to the quiet commune of Chardonne before ascending by funicular to the elegant hotel, enjoying the famous local Charennes wine and mingling with New York [...]
New FSA vetting regime changing life in the City May 25, 2010 LAST week, the FSA secured an undertaking from former senior RBS executive Johnny Cameron that he would not work full-time in the financial services industry again. This weekend it emerged that ex-Morgan Stanley executive John Hyman would not be going through with his planned move to Nomura because the regulator had asked that his FSA [...]
Stylish, affordable new homes for a brave green world May 20, 2010 THE UK is committed to ensuring that all new homes meet an ambitious zero-carbon standard by 2016. And with only a smattering of them in the country to date, there’s a long way to go. Indeed, Barry Morgan, of Morgan Restoration, an ardent eco-developer who has just installed solar panels on The Boatyard development overlooking [...]
Buy into stability with a well-placed Tuscan property May 13, 2010 THERE have been many pretenders to the throne of Italian property gold, but the fact is that Tuscany is still the place everyone wants to be. The downside to any oversubscribed spot is inflated prices, but the upside, in the case of Toscana, is an extremely stable, not to mention lucrative investment – and proximity [...]
Red Knights will not pay over odds May 10, 2010 CITY financiers determined to take control of Manchester United have vowed not to over-pay for the club. A statement released yesterday came after Old Trafford sources ramped up the stakes by claiming the club has already knocked back a £1.5bn bid from a far east consortium. The news has been construed as a plan by [...]
Red Knights will not ‘overpay’ for Man Utd May 10, 2010 THE Red Knights consortium has said that it will not pay over the odds for Manchester United. Businessmen led by Keith Harris have expressed an interest in the Premier league runners-up but have now suggested that they will not pay more than £1bn for the club current. They said in a statement: “We have had [...]
WHAT DOES THE ELECTION MEAN FOR BRITISH BUSINESS? May 7, 2010 DAVID FROST | BRITISH CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE “At this stage, a hung parliament is not the best result for business. The UK needs strong and decisive leadership at this time of global financial turmoil. It is imperative that we see an early resolution as to who is going to be occupying Number 10 and Number [...]
A tranquil heaven far from clubland May 6, 2010 AS any Europhile will tell you, away from the clubs, Ibiza is one of the Mediterranean’s brightest gems: as tranquil and exotic as anywhere in Europe, with crystalline waters, dramatic vegetation, ancient stone architecture, wonderful local cuisines and a true Spanish feel. And with British Airways’s new direct flights from City Airport, Ibiza’s charms as [...]
Xstrata warns on economic risks despite production boost May 5, 2010 MINER Xstrata yesterday warned about short-term economic risks as it posted solid first-quarter production, but was confident about growth in metals demand as carmakers and other industries bounce back. “The current macroeconomic environment remains volatile… nonetheless underlying signs of recovery continue to strengthen,” chairman Willy Strothotte told the group’s shareholders at the annual meeting. He [...]
Cable targets high earners May 3, 2010 POLITICAL EDITOR VINCE Cable is considering plans to publish the names of anyone earning over £200,000 at a publicly listed company. The Liberal Democrats have already unveiled similar proposals for those working in the banking industry, but in an exclusive interview with City A.M. Cable said there was an argument for applying such a regime [...]