Could City deals bloom with the Chelsea flowers?
ANYONE hoping to see Pfizer boss Ian Read at the notorious deal-making Chelsea Flower Show (CFS) will be disappointed to hear he is back in the US and will not make tonight’s preview evening.
Clearly, with his latest AstraZeneca move already made, Read chooses to bid from the boardroom rather than from amid the bulbs.
But the first night of the horticultural extravaganza is still a big pull for City hotshots and CEOs, and with the M&A market flourishing once more, many will be hoping the deals will bloom just as much as the hedgerows.
The Capitalist hears Centrica’s Roger Carr is heading down to enjoy the sculpted shrubs and Easyjet’s Carolyn McCall will be flying in for a visit.
A number of City firms will also be represented in the flower show.
Royal Bank of Canada is sponsoring a garden for the fourth year in a row and will be looking to replicate last year’s gold medal, while Brewin Dolphin will be hoping to put last week’s IT woes behind it with its garden. M&G Investments and CQS are also exhibitors at this year’s event.
M&S – expecting not-so-sunny annual results – has a garden called Nature’s Helpers. With clothing sales so linked with the weather, could the garden be a plea for some of nature’s help itself?