Retail sales fall dampens hopes of festive boost December 17, 2009 The Christmas shopping season has got off to a slow start, with retailers reporting a fall in sales volumes in November, dampening hopes of a bumper festive period on the high street. Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that retail sales volumes unexpectedly fell by 0.3 per cent in November. Department stores [...]
Retail sales fall dampens hopes of festive boost December 17, 2009 The Christmas shopping season has got off to a slow start, with retailers reporting a fall in sales volumes in November, dampening hopes of a bumper festive period on the high street. Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that retail sales volumes unexpectedly fell by 0.3 per cent in November. Department stores [...]
ITV and M&S bosses can add long-term value November 22, 2009 Last week two of the UK’s biggest companies named new leaders. The appointments added hundreds of millions of pounds to the value of the businesses. But how much long-term value can a new boss add? Consider the pedigree of the men in question; both undoubtedly impressive. Marks & Spencer snared Marc Bolland as its new [...]
WANTED: STEADY HAND AT THE TILL November 19, 2009 THE departure of Wm Morrison boss Marc Bolland won’t blow the supermarket off course, retail experts said yesterday as the Bradford-based company posted another set of strong sales figures and customer growth. With Bolland sidelined ahead of taking the reins at Marks & Spencer in January, finance director Richard Pennycook took responsibility for yesterday’s trading [...]
New ITV boss meets with City approval November 18, 2009 Troubled broadcaster ITV saw its shares lift by 3.5 per cent yesterday after it announced the appointment of City high-flier and former Tory MP Archie Norman as its chairman. After months of speculation, analysts applauded the selection of a big-hitting turnaround specialist, with strong links to the Tories, to guide ITV’s strategy moving forward. Norman [...]
NEW BOSS NORMAN PREPARES TO BRING THE ROMANCE BACK TO ITV November 18, 2009 THE market has roundly welcomed ex-Asda boss and former Tory MP Archie Norman’s appointment to the chairman’s seat at ITV, but has anyone considered the most pressing question it throws up for the broadcaster? Allow me to explain. Back in Norman’s retail days, perhaps the most exciting new initiative at Asda was the introduction of [...]
Archie Norman to chair ITV November 17, 2009 STRUGGLING broadcaster ITV is today set to name former Tory MP and Asda chief executive Archie Norman as its new chairman, handing him the unenviable task of finding a new chief executive that will please investors. Michael Grade will now retire as chairman, and will step down as chief executive at the end of the [...]
Former Boots boss launches Matalan bid November 15, 2009 Former Boots chief executive Richard Baker is at the forefront of a £1.5bn private equity bid for out-of-town retailer Matalan. Advent International, where Baker was recently hired as an operating partner, is the latest name to be added to the string of private equity firms believed to be circling the retailer. Matalan, which specialises in [...]
Boots backs boss Hornby as sales jump November 3, 2009 ALLIANCE Boots, Britain’s biggest pharmacy chain, yesterday said that it was on track to beat current trading expectations after reporting a jump in sales at its Health & Beauty and wholesale divisions. Chief executive Andy Hornby, who formerly ran near-failed bank HBOS?and supermarket Asda, announced the good news as he unveiled his set of results [...]
Boots backs boss Hornby as sales jump November 3, 2009 ALLIANCE Boots, Britain’s biggest pharmacy chain, yesterday said that it was on track to beat current trading expectations after reporting a jump in sales at its Health & Beauty and wholesale divisions. Chief executive Andy Hornby, who formerly ran near-failed bank HBOS?and supermarket Asda, announced the good news as he unveiled his set of results [...]