Any Other Business – 26/07
Alas, the Royal baby was not named Prince Boris. But the Mayor of London did weigh in on the choice of George for the baby boy on the radio yesterday, alluding that a nod to the chancellor George Osborne was unlikely: “I won’t say it's in honour of the economic recovery, which is gathering pace. Although it might be.”
A goodbye at Mayfair’s Berkeley Hotel yesterday, as manufacturing group Halma held its AGM. Outgoing chairman Geoff Unwin was basking in the reflected glory of Halma’s five-fold increase in market cap during his 10 year tenure, and proudly held up a rather cheap but cheerful leaving gift he had received at a retirement dinner the night before. The Stella Artois chalice had been engraved with his name and the words “Halma – reassuringly expensive.” Of course Unwin toasted the assembled shareholders before inviting them to join him for an equally refreshing drink. However, he is not bowing out from the City entirely, Unwin remains chairman of outsourcing firm Xchanging. Let’s hope they give him a better leaving gift.