WPP appoints Mel Edwards as Wunderman boss following Mark Read’s promotion to top job September 13, 2018 One of WPP's biggest ad agencies Wunderman today announced it had appointed a new chief executive to replace Mark Read. Following Read taking the top job earlier this month, WPP said Mel Edwards had been hired as the agency's chief executive, effective immediately. Edwards will oversee 9,200 people in 200 offices and 70 markets in the [...]
Calls for Brexit deal to protect UK asset management industry September 13, 2018 Analysts have called for the final Brexit deal to protect the asset management industry as it emerged that the value of investments managed in the UK for European clients increased by 30 per cent last year. A total of £3.2 trillion is managed in the UK for overseas clients, of which £1.8 trillion is assets from European [...]
FTSE 100 bookie GVC gambles on ‘aggressive’ expansion as profits rise in first half September 13, 2018 The boss of FTSE 100 betting company GVC, which owns brands like Ladbrokes, Coral and Bwin, today said the firm was ready to "aggressively" expand and take the fight to its competitors after posting decent interim results. GVC proforma revenues rose eight per cent to £1.7bn, while gross profit jumped six per cent to £1.2bn. The firm was helped [...]
Debenhams share price falls as House of Fraser merger talk is dampened September 13, 2018 Shares in Debenhams fell by five per cent this morning, wiping out most of the gains made yesterday amid speculation that Sports Direct could merge the struggling retailer with House of Fraser. Read more: Sports Direct board 'mulled Debenhams and House of Fraser merger' The comments were made by an outgoing board member at the [...]
Mike Ashley must end the Sports Direct clowning if he is to be the high street’s hero September 13, 2018 Emptying his pockets of wads of £50 notes at a security check, telling a select committee about vomiting in a fireplace at board meetings – Sports Direct boss Mike Ashley is clearly not afraid of theatre. Against type, he has now chosen to play the part of white knight of the high street, but yesterday’s [...]
Lloyds Banking Group closes another 15 branches September 12, 2018 Lloyds Banking Group today announced the closure of another 15 branches as the steady whittling down of the British bank network continues. Britain's biggest retail bank said 23 jobs will be at risk, with the closures taking place between January and March 2019. The bank is aiming for none of the job losses to be [...]
Spirits in the sky: JD Wetherspoon axes Jägermeister and French brandy in post-Brexit plan September 12, 2018 JD Wetherspoon is ditching European spirits such as Jägermeister for non-EU equivalents in a bid to lower prices across its 880 UK pubs. Replacing the ousted continental brands, which also include French brandies Courvoisier VS and Hennessy Fine de Cognac, will be US drink E&J Brandy, Australia’s Black Bottle and Strika, a herbal liqueur produced [...]
Sorrell lays out expansion plans for new advertising venture S4 Capital ahead of market comeback September 12, 2018 Ad guru Sir Martin Sorrell today laid out ambitious plans to expand new venture S4 Capital after it starts trading shares later this month, in a move which could step on the toes of his former employer WPP. The founder of the advertising goliath is using a shell company, Derriston Capital, to launch his new business [...]
John Laing environmental fund to raise up to £100m through share issue September 12, 2018 Infrastructure investment group John Laing is raising up to £100m for its environmental assets fund in order to target further diversification. Recent acquisitions of three anaerobic digestion projects, which now represent 17 per cent of the fund's portfolio, were made using the company's revolving credit facility which is now "substantially drawn down." Read more: John [...]
How the UK’s regulatory framework protects P2P investors December 7, 2017 | Sponsored The peer-to-peer (P2P) lending market was established in 2005, when Zopa became the first platform to connect individual lenders directly with borrowers. Since then, the market has evolved rapidly, as have the regulations underpinning investor protection – and this looks set to continue. In the UK, the sector has been overseen by the [...]