How the City got its mojo back September 6, 2015 A decade is a long time, and a decade in the City feels like a lifetime. You only need to look out the window to see how much things have changed. New cathedrals of glass and steel climb over the horizon – to the chagrin of traditionalists – while others are quietly and efficiently razed [...]
London travel delays and Southeastern train chaos: A false start for the City’s DLR commuters? September 1, 2015 Commuters were launched back into work head first yesterday morning when workers trying to get into London on the DLR faced pretty heavy delays. Southeastern services were already having problems, as operators announced that all lines between Deptford and Charlton were “blocked”, resulting in services either being delayed or diverted through Lewisham. As if that [...]
Third shareholder gets into bed with Qataris over Canary Wharf deal December 10, 2014 The Qatari sovereign wealth fund has persuaded yet another shareholder to back its 350p-a-share offer for Songbird Estates, the owner of Canary Wharf. The offer, from a joint venture between the Qatar Investment Authority and Brookfield Property Partners, has already had backing from Madison International Realty and Third Avenue Management. The latest expression of support, [...]
Qataris buy HSBC Canary Wharf headquarters in £1bn-plus deal December 15, 2014 THE QATARI sovereign wealth fund attempting a takeover of Canary Wharf Group owner Songbird Estates yesterday snapped up HSBC’s headquarters in the east London financial district. The Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) said it had completed its purchase of 8 Canada Square from the National Pension Service of Korea. Both parties declined to comment on the [...]
Majority Songbird shareholders Glick, China Investment Corporation and Morgan Stanley back £2.6bn Canary Wharf bid by Qataris January 28, 2015 Three major shareholders of Canary Wharf owner Songbird intend to accept a takeover offer from the Qatari sovereign wealth fund. Songbird has said it understands its three largest shareholders, not including the Qatari group which already holds a 28.6 per cent stake in the firm, intend to accept the offer of 350p per share made [...]
Working Lunch: One Sixty City September 30, 2015 Melissa York on the best places to eat during office hours in the City and Canary Wharf One Sixty City 9 Stoney lane, E1 WHAT? A slick American smokehouse for suits who love to eat meat. And we mean a lot of meat. Ribs, beef brisket, pulled pork and steak is the order [...]
Qatar ups its offer for Canary Wharf owner Songbird Estates December 4, 2014 The Qatari sovereign wealth fund has upped its bid for Canary Wharf to 350p per share, after its earlier £2.2bn bid for Songbird Estates, its parent company, was rejected. A joint venture between the Qatar Investment Authority and Brookfield Property Partners originally tabled a bid of 295p per share for Songbird in November, valuing it [...]
Never mind classical music, here’s the CEO July 23, 2015 WHEN you think of top City bosses, you might associate them with the high-brow things in life. Fine wines, theatre and Radio 3. Well, according to a study published by tech site Plos One, that’s all a farce. Establishment bosses love nothing more than moshing out to the Sex Pistols and Guns n’ Roses. Researchers [...]
London turns to Rugby World Cup 2015 to beat the blues September 16, 2015 Judging by the weather, summer is well and truly behind us. Now, Londoners are itching to start talking scrummages; as the Rugby World Cup is due to begin on Friday, the City is kicking things off with a whole host of rugger-centric events and deals. First, TfL announced yesterday that it will be teaming [...]
Non-conformity should be banned, say tattoed British workers September 3, 2015 Just one month after Barclays chief John McFarlane banned flip-flops and jeans at Barclays HQ in Canary Wharf, Britain's businesses are now taking rather a dystopian stance on individuality…. A survey by CV-Library has found over a third of Brits believe that people shouldn't "express personal style" at work, despite half of them having tattoos, [...]