Marks & Spencer poaches John Lewis finance chief Helen Weir November 17, 2014 MARKS & Spencer has poached Helen Weir from John Lewis to become its news finance director. Weir will succeed Alan Stewart, who quit M&S in July to join Tesco, and was fast-tracked into the job in September, when Tesco discovered a black hole in its accounts. Weir has been CFO at John Lewis since 2012 [...]
Former MPC member and Labour adviser David Blanchflower has launched a searing attack on Labour under Jeremy Corbyn August 2, 2016 Former Monetary Policy Committee member David Blanchflower has launched a searing attack on Labour and party leader Jeremy Corbyn after backing his rival Owen Smith. Blanchflower served on Labour's economic advisory committee, but quit in June over the party's failure to effectively campaign against Brexit. And he has now hit Corbyn with another scathing blast, [...]
M&S poaches John Lewis finance director Helen Weir November 17, 2014 Marks & Spencer has appointed John Lewis finance director Helen Weir as its own chief financial officer. In a statement posted this afternoon, the retailer said Weir has yet to confirm a start date. M&S' previous finance director, Alan Stewart, left suddenly in September to take up his new role at Tesco several months earlier [...]
The John Lewis Monty effect strikes again: Penguin confectionery flies off the shelves at Choc on Choc December 14, 2014 Bath-based, artisan chocolate brand, Choc on Choc has sold £260,000 worth of penguin confectionery in what the brand is calling the “Monty effect” following consumer hype around this year’s John Lewis Christmas advert. Since the debut of the Monty the Penguin advert, Choc On Choc has seen a huge surge in sales of its penguin [...]
Black Friday 2015 UK: Asda’s move to ditch the bargains bonanza on 27 November means the supermarket stays true to its brand November 10, 2015 Black Friday is now an integral part of our shopping calendar in the UK, with the annual event is expected to break the £1bn barrier this year. However, while it enjoys significant hype, the event isn’t right for every retailer. This year Asda – one of the first big retailers to imitate the American tradition, is [...]
Letter: Entrepreneurs urge government to consider access to tech talent after Brexit October 18, 2016 Entrepreneurs at the UK's fastest growing startups have signed an open letter urging government to consider the tech industry's need to access international talent in the wake of Brexit. Dear Editor, Britain’s digital industries are expanding at an extraordinary pace, creating jobs and contributing some £161bn in turnover to the economy. Companies like Just Eat, Mimecast, Shazam, Skyscanner, Mimecast and [...]
Political hiatus will only exacerbate uncertainty and send a negative message to investors, says president of the Institution of Civil Engineers Sir John Armitt July 13, 2016 The political hiatus currently engulfing the country will send a negative message to investors, president of the Institution of Civil Engineers Sir John Armitt has warned, as he said the government must reassert its commitment to infrastructure. Armitt, a former chief executive of Network Rail, said the EU referendum outcome has left a cloud of uncertainty [...]
2014 Christmas advert complaints: McVities’ animal cuties join Sainsbury’s, Halfords and John Lewis December 8, 2014 Never mind which brands are at the top of Christmas lists, the brands on top of the Christmas complaints list is a more interesting prospect – just ask the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). Having taken 727 complaints to date about the Sainsbury’s WW1-themed ad, the latest Christmas short to ruffle festive feathers is McVities’ offering. [...]
Chubby grocer Price leaves Waitrose helm October 20, 2015 Waitrose managing director Mark Price is stepping down from his role at the upmarket supermarket chain amid rumours he is being lined up for the top job at Channel 4. The ebullient 55 year-old, who gave himself the nickname the chubby grocer, will leave in April next year after 33 years at the John Lewis [...]
Black Friday 2015: Amazon US reveals some of its best deals for 27 November – and how to get them even if you’re stuck in the UK November 2, 2015 It's three weeks until Black Friday, but Amazon has just thrown down the gauntlet to all other retailers planning to get in on the sales bonanza, unveiling some of its top deals available for US shoppers ahead of time. There is no word yet on what Amazon UK will be offering – a spokesman told [...]