When the going’s tough, the City goes shopping June 28, 2009 SIR Stuart Rose has recently waived more than £1m worth of Marks & Spencers share options, and could come under more pressure at this week’s annual meeting. Discount retailers like Aldi and Lidl have just announced a slowdown in growth, while on TV Mary Portas has moved from advising high street stores to charity shops. [...]
SLICE OF OLD-BOY STYLE HITS CITY FINE WINING AND DINING CIRCUIT July 8, 2009 NOT so long ago, City types were busy bemoaning the lack of decent restaurants on their patch. But now, just weeks after the Galvin brothers announced they were opening a new pad near Spitalfields market, I hear there’s a new eatery coming to town, courtesy of Simon Parker Bowles, former brother-in-law to Camilla, Duchess of [...]
A SIGH OF RELIEF FOR FUND GURU DUFFIELD August 4, 2009 AFTER months of being down on his luck, perhaps the tide is starting to turn for veteran fund management guru John Duffield and his newest business venture, Brompton Asset Management. Duffield, who also previously set up Jupiter and New Star, originally named the firm Hyde Park Asset Management, before hedge fund marketing firm Hyde Park [...]
Britain’s transport policy in deep crisis July 1, 2009 BRITAIN’S transport policy is in chaos. This is hardly news, you might say, but the issue is once again at the fore. It is clear that there is a big problem with the way the rail franchises have been allocated. Firms have an incentive to bid too much for a franchise because they know that [...]
SALTY OLD SEADOG OF PROPERTY TAKES TO HIGH SEAS ONCE AGAIN June 21, 2009 PROPERTY guru Mike Slade’s firm Helical Bar might have crashed further into the red over the past year as its annual losses tripled, but it hasn’t stopped the salty old seadog getting up to his usual tricks. Outside of the property world, the 61-year-old is best known for his passion for sailing, having racked up [...]
M&S set for dividend cut as slump bites May 17, 2009 STUART Rose, executive chairman of Marks and Spencer, will today meet with the rest of the board to discuss an expected dividend cut, a decision that could propel the group into a battle with its investors. Analysts expect M&S’ total dividend payout to be slashed to just 17.4p, a reduction of 23 per cent, just 12 months [...]
M&S set for dividend cut as slump bites May 17, 2009 STUART Rose, executive chairman of Marks and Spencer, will today meet with the rest of the board to discuss an expected dividend cut, a decision that could propel the group into a battle with its investors. Analysts expect M&S’ total dividend payout to be slashed to just 17.4p, a reduction of 23 per cent, just 12 months [...]
Rose hints at early retreat May 25, 2009 MARKS & SPENCER’S executive chairman Sir Stuart Rose has said publicly for the first time he hopes to stand down before July 2011, his previously announced departure date. Rose, who has faced months of speculation about his future, said: “It’s quite clear. I said I would extend my tenure at the least until 2011. What [...]
Rose under fire after M&S profits plunge May 19, 2009 SHARES in Marks & Spencer plummeted yesterday after the retailer’s boss Sir Stuart Rose unveiled a 40 per cent collapse in profit and slashed the final dividend by 33.1 per cent. Any hopes of a quick recovery in the sector were quashed after the M&S executive chairman said he was “was not in green-shoots mode [...]
Rose under fire after M&S profits plunge May 19, 2009 SHARES in Marks & Spencer plummeted yesterday after the retailer’s boss Sir Stuart Rose unveiled a 40 per cent collapse in profit and slashed the final dividend by 33.1 per cent. Any hopes of a quick recovery in the sector were quashed after the M&S executive chairman said he was “was not in green-shoots mode [...]