City Moves for 1 September 2016 | Who’s switching jobs September 1, 2016 Knight Frank Knight Frank residential development has appointed Tom Hawkins as partner in its new homes team. Tom joins the firm from Hamptons International, where he worked for 10 years and latterly ran the new homes sales team. Tom previously led the sales of Portobello Square, W10, Aberfeldy Village, E14, and Rathbone Market, E16 – the [...]
From semiconductors to soccer, foreign takeovers are good news for Britain post-Brexit August 12, 2016 "Corporate raiders” in a “stampede of acquirers” “crushing UK innovation” – the rhetoric around foreign takeovers in the past few months hasn’t been warm and welcoming in some parts. While alarmist in tone, this narrative is in part borne out by data – stats recently released by Thomson Reuters point to an increase in the [...]
Ooh arr: Mr Kipling owner boosted by Ambrosia and Loyd Grossman July 21, 2016 Mr Kipling and Ambrosia custard maker Premier Foods said it expects to avoid any trouble from Brexit as it reported sales growth. The figures Premier, which earlier this year resisted a takeover attempt by US firm McCormick, reported group sales growth of 1.9 per cent for the 13 weeks to 2 July. Bisto had “strong [...]
Cadbury’s gorilla advert featuring Phil Collins hit crowned UK’s favourite September 20, 2015 The famous Cadbury’s ad featuring a gorilla drumming to Phil Collins’ 80s hit In The Air Tonight has been voted the nation’s favourite TV ad of all time, according to a recent poll. The advert, which first aired in 2007, marked a departure from traditional TV campaigns for the company. Since its release [...]
From Cadbury’s reducing its variety boxes to everyone leaving London: Here’s what got us talking this week July 24, 2015 There was a (sexual) revelation. There was a time capsule. And somewhere in a field near Bath, there was a really big emoji. Here's what got us talking this week 1. The mysterious case of the shrinking Roses We were up in arms when we learned Cadbury's dastardly plans to cut the size of [...]
Cadbury is shrinking the size of Roses and Heroes tins July 20, 2015 Cadbury is about to leave a bitter taste in the mouths of Britain's chocolate lovers. Fresh from Creme Egg-gate (when the beloved recipe was changed), Mondelez, the owner of the confectionery giant, has taken another shot at a family favourite, reducing the size of tins of Roses and Heroes for Christmas. Shoppers will lose out on [...]
Week ahead: Brexit expected to knock GDP and earnings April 25, 2016 Concerns over Britain leaving the European Union are expected to have weighed on gross domestic product (GDP) over the first quarter of 2016. Economists are expecting to see growth cooled to 0.4 per cent in the last three months, when the latest numbers are released on Wednesday. In the fourth quarter of last year the [...]
Incredible shrinking toilet paper: The six products you’re getting less of, but are not getting cheaper April 20, 2016 When you're spending a penny, you're being short changed, it turns out. One brands' toilet rolls have been quietly shortened, but you're still paying the same price, and it's just one of several products where you're now getting less bang for your buck – and may even pay more for less – according to research from consumer [...]
Now Microsoft’s UK corporate tax arrangements are under scrutiny June 19, 2016 Microsoft is the latest US tech company to come under scrutiny in the continuing row over corporation tax after it was revealed that it made a deal with UK authorities. The company, founded by Bill Gates, avoided paying £100m in corporation tax it's claimed, by revenue from Britain being recorded in Ireland where the tax rate is 12.5 [...]
Stream of new evidence, including further details from Anthony Gutman of Goldman Sachs, creating yet more confusion about BHS £1 sale June 3, 2016 The stream of evidence being drip fed to MPs about the £1 sale of BHS is creating further confusion and questions, the chair of the work and pensions committee said today. Commenting on further details his committee had recently received, Frank Field remarked that what he was now learning was causing him to question some of [...]