WPP: Ad giant names former BT boss Jansen as new chair to navigate AI challenges July 30, 2024 Advertising giant WPP has appointed the former BT boss Philip Jansen as its new chair after a long search for a steady hand to help it navigate a difficult time. The rise of AI has caused upheaval within the industry, as it must adjust to a new set of tools which can replace many of [...]
Eurozone grows faster than expected but Germany faces recession threat again July 30, 2024 The eurozone grew slightly faster than expected in the second quarter, but Germany slumped back into contraction as Europe’s largest economy faced the threat of recession again. Figures released today by Eurostat showed that the eurozone grew 0.3 per cent in the second quarter, matching the pace of growth in the first quarter and slightly [...]
Selfridges chief quits in surprise move for struggling retailer July 30, 2024 The chief executive of Selfridges has unexpectedly quit, having been in the job since the start of the pandemic. Andrew Keith, who joined in 2020, will leave the company that owns the famous flagship London store to pursue new ventures in Autumn this year. He has been operational as CEO for three-and-a-half years, having been [...]
FRC: Audit regulator’s review flags troubling performance by BDO and Mazars July 30, 2024 The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has published its Annual Review of Audit Quality, highlighting troubling performance from audit firms BDO and Mazars
Royal Mail: Shareholder rebellion threatens Czech Sphinx bid July 30, 2024 A shareholder rebellion has left Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky's £3.6bn bid for Royal Mail up in the air.
Games Workshop: ‘Exciting times’ as Warhammer-maker posts best-ever results July 30, 2024 Warhammer maker Games Workshop has reported its best-ever set of results as revenue grew by 11.1 per cent to £494.7m for the 53 weeks ended June 2.
Loss for talent: What impact does the London housing crisis have on start-ups in the City? July 30, 2024 Britain’s ongoing housing crisis has created a knock-on effect for start-ups, according to new research shared exclusively with City A.M., as small business owners begin to struggle to attract and retain talent. The research, which was conducted by fintech firm iwoca, highlighted that 22 per cent of the 500 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) surveyed [...]
Paragon Bank confirms targets with business running ‘ahead of expectations’ July 30, 2024 FTSE 250-listed Paragon Bank said new business levels were running “ahead of expectations” as the lender remained on track for its full year targets. Paragon, based in Solihull in the West Midlands, is a major provider of loans to professional landlords with at least four properties. It also lends to medium-sized housebuilders seeking loans up to £35m. [...]
BP: Oil giant lifts dividend as it beats expectations in second quarter July 30, 2024 Oil giant BP reported a stronger-than-expected net profit for the second quarter and raised its divided despite earlier warnings of lower refining margins.
Experts react to Reeves: The finances might be worse than expected – but tax hikes are still coming July 30, 2024 While Rachel Reeves laid out a fiscal inheritance that was worse than many had anticipated, tax rises are almost certainly on the way, economists and experts have said in reaction to the Chancellor's speech today.