WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING
FINANCIAL TIMES
EDF JOB CREATES A HEADACHE FOR VEOLIA
The board of Veolia Environnement was meeting yesterday evening to weigh up the consequence of the nomination of Henri Proglio, long-time boss of the world’s largest water and waste group as the head of EDF, the French state controlled nuclear operator. Directors have been asked not only to consider his successor at Veolia but also to vote on a board restructuring that could allow Proglio tor retain his grip on the company.
BOMBARDIER ENTERS FAST TRAIN RACE
The growing world market for very high-speed trains is to gain a new competitor after Canada’s Bombardier Transportation announced the first successful sale of its own version of the technology.
Bombardier, the world’s largest trainmaker, said its Chinese joint venture, Bombardier Sifang (Qingdao) Transportation, had won a tender from China’s Ministry of Railways to supply 80 Zefiro 380 very high-speed trains, made up of 1,120 vehicles.
NOKIA BUYS TRAVELLERS SITE DOPPLR
Nokia has acquired Dopplr, an online community of frequent travellers, giving an early payday for the site’s large group of high-profile backers. The acquisition is part of Nokia’s plan to create a comprehensive set of services for its mobile devices, including maps, music and gaming.
CHINESE SEEK HUGE STAKE IN NIGERIA OIL
A Chinese state-owned oil company is in talks with Nigeria to buy large stakes in some of the world’s richest oil blocks in a deal that would eclipse Beijing’s previous efforts to secure crude overseas.
THE TIMES
JESSOPS RESTRUCTURING PUTS JOBS AHEAD OF SHAREHOLDERS
Jessops, Britain’s largest photographic and camera retailer, will today come under the control of its bank, pension fund and an employee trust under a debt-for-equity swap that will leave investors with less than 5p in the pound.
SHOEMAKERS SEEK PROTECTION AS RETAILERS CALL FOR CHANGE IN BRUSSELS
A trade dispute over tariffs on cheap Chinese shoes is brewing at the European Commission as Italian and Spanish footwear manufacturers prepare to fight for continued European protection against Far Eastern imports. The Commission is considering an extension of anti-dumping duties put in place in 2006 to protect the European Union’s footwear manufacturers from import surges.
The Daily Telegraph
WARREN BUFFETT’S SUPPORT HELPS MAKE WANG CHUANFU CHINA’S RICHEST MAN
Wang Chuanfu, 43, saw his personal wealth reach $5.1bn (£3.2bn) after the share price of his company, BYD, or Build Your Dream, rose by over 800 per cent in the wake of Buffett’s investment. Qang has been feted around the world after BYD beat major manufacturers to build a new generation electric hybrid car.
DAVID ODDSSON, ICELAND’S FORMER PRIME MINISTER AND CENTRAL BANKER, TURNS EDITOR
David Oddsson, was appointed editor of the troubled country’s only broadsheet newspaper over the weekend despite having been forced out as central bank governor after thousands took to the streets of Reyjavik to protest against his tenure earlier this year.
WALL STREET JOURNAL
DIRECTORS LOSE ELECTIONS, BUT NOT SEATS
In a sign of investor discontent, 93 board members at 50 companies have received fewer than 50 per cent of votes cast during annual meetings so far in 2009, according to RiskMetrics – twice as many as any other year since the proxy-advisory firm began tracking the trend in 2003. But none of those directors lost a board seat.
OBAMA TO LOBBY FOR CHICAGO OLYMPIC BID
President Barack Obama will travel to Copenhagen on Thursday to lobby the International Olympic Committee on behalf of Chicago’s bid for the 2016 Olympic Games, Valerie Jarrett, a White House adviser, said yesterday. The IOC is expected to announce the winning host city the same day.