Trainline buys Captain Train in bid for European expansion March 14, 2016 Rail ticket provider Trainline has bought Paris-based rival Captain Train. The value of the deal has not been disclosed, however City A.M. understands that it was paid for via a recent fundraising in which Trainline raised just over €100m (£78m). The combined business will allow passengers to book tickets across Europe, providing access to 22 [...]
Know your audience: Quantcast CEO Konrad Feldman talks starting out in Silicon Valley and IPO March 14, 2016 Over the last decade, the marketing industry has laid down its scatter-gun and embraced big data, creating a virtuous circle which promises to make the ecosystem more efficient. Extant viewability issues aside, marketers can reach those likely to buy their products, publishers can monetise better, and consumers, in theory, are served ads they are likely [...]
Why don’t Manchester United have a women’s team? It’s a business no-brainer for Ed Woodward and the Glazers March 11, 2016 An Official Digital Transformation Partner, an Official Paint Provider, an Official Global Noodle Partner… the list goes on. Manchester United’s commercial team are experts at milking cash from the club’s global reach and appeal. It seems that everything and anything that can be sponsored at Old Trafford already is, yet still United continue to unveil [...]
Ex-United Spirits boss Vijay Mallya might well be one of the world’s most indebted men after he travelled out of India with $1.4bn of debt March 11, 2016 Is the UK accidentally harbouring one of the world's most indebted men? Indian drinks boss Vijay Mallya has had to vigorously himself from claims he has become one of the world's most impressive absconders, after it was suggested in the country's Supreme Court that he flew out of India to London on 2 March, leaving some $1.4bn (£980m) in debts. [...]
The UK is the sport industry capital of the world – its businesses must lead the way with corporate responsibility March 11, 2016 In case you hadn’t noticed, the UK is sport mad. We watch, discuss, engage and play sport with great passion. So it’s not surprising that we are pretty damn good at the business of sport as well. Led by the Barclays Premier League we have an industry worth an estimated £24bn per year. But more [...]
Palatinate’s shareholder Frankie Dettori races to meet travel industry elite ahead of Cheltenham Festival March 10, 2016 To Sexy Fish, where luxury holiday maker Palatinate Group held its 10th anniversary celebrations ahead of next week's Cheltenham Festival. The great and good of luxury travel came out to toast Palatinate’s 10th birthday, from execs at lastminute.com to three-time champion jockey Frankie Dettori, who has just bought a stake in the company. The firm’s founder [...]
The best off the beaten track art shows in London March 10, 2016 Harmony Korine: Fazors Gagosian Davies St Harmony Korine may be best known for his lurid, colour-drenched films such as Spring Breakers and Gummo, but he’s also an established artist. This exhibition, “Fazor”, refers to “a musical swirl of oscillating sound that summons the hypno-psychedelic effects”. The result is a collection of jarring, hypnotic pieces based [...]
Forgotten Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn accounts: Now’s the time to clear your social media cobwebs March 9, 2016 Online social networks now connect 2bn people and millions of businesses across the world. Email, by comparison, cannot keep up. But while we tend to feel comfortable sending sensitive content via email, most social networks are designed to be broadcasting platforms for sharing as much information as you like with friends, acquaintances or just about anyone. [...]
In this crazy season, don’t rule out West Ham of top-four race March 8, 2016 West Ham have proven they can cling to the coattails of the leading pack and in this crazily unpredictable Premier League season I wouldn’t rule out a top-four finish. Three successive wins have propelled the Hammers to fifth, just a point behind Manchester City and three adrift of Arsenal. I don’t really see them finishing [...]
Ch-ch-changes… Bizarre photo of former Powa Technologies boss Dan Wagner dressed up as David Bowie causes a stir March 8, 2016 There have been a lot of ch-ch-changes at Powa Technologies recently (sorry…) – the one-time tech darling, which had a valuation of more than $2.5bn, has fallen into administration and is now in the capable hands of Deloitte. Did its former boss Dan Wagner see the collapse coming, just weeks before it emerged? If so, he [...]