Graze grabs a snack in stores July 12, 2015 ONLINE snack retailer Graze is to start delivering to stores as well as letter boxes after launching in 1,200 Sainsbury’s, Boots and WH Smith Travel stores today. Graze, which is majority owned by private equity group Carlyle, delivers snack boxes to thousands of customers in the UK and the US. Revenues grew by 31 per [...]
Employee exodus: The housing crisis is now a dire threat to the future of London’s businesses October 11, 2015 Tomorrow will see a key intervention in the housing debate. Business leaders from across the capital will launch a major campaign called Fifty Thousand Homes. That’s the number of houses we need to build a year to keep up with London’s growing population. Housing costs are becoming a problem for employers as much as [...]
Back to the Future 2 Day October 21, 2015: Five technologies and predictions that came true in reality – and what’s next? October 19, 2015 For over a hundred years, science fiction films have paved the way for society to dream about the potential of technology. From Fritz Lang’s Metropolis through to Star Trek, the Terminator and beyond, the silver screen has long been a canvas for our wildest dreams about what the future might hold. The geeks amongst you [...]
The secrets of presenting to the boss: Off-the-wall is fine but prepare answers before you go in October 16, 2015 As a former director, I recall the time when a newly appointed member of the executive team was “called in” to present to the chief executive for the first time. Needless to say, she was a little anxious, so I did my best to encourage her. Afterwards, I asked how it went, and she [...]
Rugby World Cup 2015 final New Zealand v Australia preview: Five stats that could decide the All Blacks’ showdown with the Wallabies October 30, 2015 It's been billed as the dream final: Antipodean neighbours New Zealand and Australia, the two best teams in the world, duking it out over 80 minutes for the Rugby World Cup. It's the No1 ranked side in the world and reigning world champions up against this year's resurgent Rugby Championship winner for the chance to [...]
Boots purchase blots Walgreen’s balance sheet but sales rocket September 30, 2014 American drugstore giant Walgreens yesterday reported a $239m (£147m) fourth-quarter loss caused, mainly, by a huge accounting charge from its purchase of British high street chemists Alliance Boots. The bottom line in the reported quarter was impacted by an $866m non-cash loss on the amendment and exercise of the company’s Alliance Boots call option. However, [...]
Ebay 20th anniversary: Online auction giant celebrates 20 years of buying and selling September 4, 2015 Auction site eBay yesterday marked its 20th birthday – and it has come a long way since computer programmer Pierre Omidyar began the business, listing a broken laser pointer pen as his first item for sale. Amazingly, as he found a buyer, Omidyar knew he was on to a winner. The US-based company [...]
UK gambling firms bet on strong results – London Report August 23, 2015 UK SALES data and GDP estimates are due out this week, while on the corporate calendar several bookmakers are set to issue results, with both 888 Holdings and its takeover target Bwin.party due to report on Friday. Tomorrow, the British Bankers’ Association will release its latest mortgage approvals data, while on Wednesday, Nationwide will publish [...]
Boots buys into Latin America August 12, 2014 ALLIANCE Boots said yesterday it had made its first foray into Latin America, after completing its acquisition of pharmacy chain Farmacias Ahumada. The company, which revealed its full merger with US giant Walgreens last week, said the Santiago-listed group comprised of two main businesses in Mexico and Chile which together operated more than 1,400 stores, [...]
As Apple’s iPhone 6S lands will mobile payments change the way we live? December 11, 2015 Today’s smartphones can do incredible things. Need a ride around London? Just tap the Uber app. Fresh flowers or food from a local restaurant delivered straight to your door? Try Bloom & Wild or Deliveroo. These apps are fantastic, but there's a new smartphone feature set to fundamentally revolutionise the high street and how [...]