Bash this: The UK’s highest-rated chief executive is a banker June 8, 2016 Is this the end of banker bashing? It turns out the UK's most beloved chief executive works in the finance sector – but his isn't one of the traditional lenders… A new ranking by job review site Glassdoor, which is compiled by looking at how employees rate their own bosses, put Craig Donaldson, the chief executive of [...]
Florence Foster Jenkins review: Meryl Streep appears as the tone-deaf opera singer in this tender biopic May 5, 2016 Comedy can be a tough gig, even for Hollywood’s finest (just ask Robert De Niro). Nevertheless Meryl Streep has balanced comedic roles with more serious fare in recent years and, as with most things she does, made it look effortless. Her latest is based on the life of Florence Foster Jenkins, a New York heiress [...]
Vote Leave unveils 30-strong expert group to dismiss Brexit fears May 23, 2016 Brexit campaign group Vote Leave has unveiled a group of 30 business leaders, economists and senior politicians to dismiss figures from the Treasury today, which suggest that the UK could see up to 800,000 job losses if it votes for Brexit. In a joint statement, the group argue that a far greater risk is presented [...]
Finance jobs of the future: As automation speeds up more routine tasks, finance chiefs need to become more strategic in their work March 9, 2016 Finance chiefs of today might not recognise their department in a few years time, as the function is set to undergo a massive change, according to a report out today. Specialist recruiter Robert Half has discovered that the finance chiefs of tomorrow will be focused more on plotting financial growth for their company, particularly as [...]
Government shortlists nine companies for £11.8bn worth of HS2 work between London and Crewe March 23, 2016 The government today announced it had shortlisted nine companies bidding for up to £11.8bn of work on HS2 between London and Crewe. It has also started the formal tendering process for up to £900m worth of work to prepare sites for construction and the start of the procurement process to grow several million trees. Contracts covering the 140 miles [...]
High street chemist Boots to cut 700 head office jobs to make it “fit for the future” June 8, 2015 High street chemist Boots will cut as many as 700 non-store roles as part of a major restructure to turn the business around. Around half of the job cuts will take place at the retailer's Nottingham head office, while the rest will be among its field teams across the UK, industry bible Retail Week [...]
Chemist Boots prescribes 700 job cuts as part of turnaround June 8, 2015 HIGH street chemist Boots revealed yesterday it plans to cut as many as 700 non-store roles as part of a major overhaul of its entire business. Boots, which completed its megamerger with US giant Walgreens last year, said the move was part of its efforts to “simplify” operations and “address the rapidly changing needs of [...]
Impending tax increase sparks buy-to-let rush – Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors January 21, 2016 A higher tax rate on house purchases due to start in April has caused a surge in demand from buy-to-let investors, new figures show this morning. From April, buy-to-let investors will have to pay three per cent more in stamp duty land tax (SDLT) than residential buyers. In December, 10 per cent more chartered surveyors in [...]
Open letter to the chancellor: Don’t cut London transport November 23, 2015 This week’s Spending Review will require the chancellor to make difficult decisions. Cutting investment in transport in London would be a very false economy. With a population growing by 100,000 a year, continued investment is needed to keep not just Londoners but the Treasury’s tax take from the capital moving. Parts of the Underground need [...]
Best of the Brokers for 13 January 2015 January 12, 2015 To appear in Best of the Brokers, email your research to notes@cityam.com ITV Berenberg has downgraded UK television network ITV from a “hold” to a “sell” rating. Analysts Sarah Simon, Robert Berg and Jessica Pok argued that its audience share in 2014 was poor and that online video will eat into its broadcast advertising revenues. [...]