Twitter bans ‘non-critical’ business travel over coronavirus fears March 2, 2020 Twitter has rolled out a ban on all “non-critical” business travel and events as the social media firm ramps up its health precautions amid the coronavirus outbreak. In a blog post published yesterday, Twitter’s chief HR officer Jennifer Christie said the company had informed staff of the new measures at the end of last week. [...]
From Russia with kefir: How Biotiful Dairy sold a new drink to the British public March 2, 2020 How do you convince the British public to try a whole new food category, especially when it doesn’t sound very appealing at first glance? That was the challenge facing the Russian-born entrepreneur Natasha Bowes when she decided to try to start selling kefir in the UK. Kefir is a type of fermented milk drink made [...]
Numis Securities remains City’s most popular stockbroker March 2, 2020 Numis Securities remains the City’s most popular stockbroker despite its first large decline in client numbers for over a decade. The stockbroker has lost net six clients since last quarter but retains its top position 221 clients, according to figures from Adviser Rankings. Despite Numis’ popularity, Morgan Stanley has moved into the lead by aggregate [...]
Coronavirus: the investment impact in seven charts February 28, 2020 The spread of coronavirus, COVID-19, beyond China has created fresh uncertainty for the global growth outlook and sparked volatility in financial markets. Outbreaks in South Korea, Iran and Italy have raised concerns that the spread outside of China may be accelerating. We offer key facts on the spread of the virus, interspersed with views from [...]
Burford Capital nominates three new male directors for all-male board February 27, 2020 Burford Capital today nominated three new directors for its all-male board, all of who are men. The litigation funder said it was “sensitive to the fact that its board will remain, with these new appointments, entirely male, which is not our desire and is inconsistent with the significant level of gender diversity in the business”. [...]
Serco grows revenue for first times since 2013 as outsourcer puts past behind it February 26, 2020 Outsourcing giant Serco posted its first year of revenue growth since 2013 and paid its first dividend since 2014 as the firm entered the new decade in style. Shares in the firm rose over three per cent over the day’s trading. The figures Revenue grew 15 per cent in 2019, from £2.8bn in 2018 to [...]
Can an overseas role help your career prospects? February 26, 2020 Even a short posting abroad can have significant, long-term career benefits. It’s never been easier for people all over the world to communicate; international teams can be connected by email, intranet, phone and even video calls. However, there is still no real replacement for face-to-face interaction. Companies post staff overseas for a number of reasons; [...]
Petrofac posts $73m profit as one-off charges bite February 25, 2020 Oilfield services giant Petrofac posted a $73m (£56.4m) profit last year as a number of exceptional charges limited the firm’s growth in 2019. Shares in the firm rose 1.1 per cent as marketts opened. The figures Reported profit was roughly 10 per cent higher year-on-year, increasing from $64m in 2018 to $73m last year. Net [...]
Treasury mulls new laws to delay end of cash February 23, 2020 The Treasury is drawing up plans to protect the availability of cash amid concerns over declining access to dispensers for older people and those from rural communities. Officials are understood to be in detailed discussions about how to combat the decline of cash ahead of the Budget next month, with one possible option the introduction [...]
MI5 officials limit information they give home secretary Priti Patel February 23, 2020 The Home Office turf war between Priti Patel and the civil service has escalated, after claims that Mi5 do not trust the home secretary. It has been claimed that officials from the security service have limited the number of briefings they give Patel and that they “roll their eyes” when she contributes at meetings. A [...]