11 things to know about Val d’Isere January 12, 2014 It’s the ski destination to the great and good. Slopes veteran Cally Squires gives the lowdown on how to get the most out of this stunning downhill paradise 1. Ski with the crème de la crèmeThe resort hosted the Alpine Skiing World Cup last year, which saw golfer Tiger Woods turn out to support girlfriend [...]
FTSE chairman Gareth Davis tells us why he’s in no rush to retire March 17, 2014 Serial chairman and former tobacco boss Gareth Davis tells Elizabeth Fournier how he juggles three FTSE-listed firms THE ROLE of a company chairman is a tricky one. As head of the board, a good chair is expected to lead from the front; hiring, firing and managing its members, while keeping one eye on governance and [...]
Not convinced? September 9, 2013 HERE ARE THE ALTERNATIVES Ford C-Max Zetec 1.6 TDCi £19,345 The Ford C-Max Zetec 1.6 TDCi easily outdrives the Citroën and it’s also almost £5,000 cheaper. It’s a tad behind the Picasso on acceleration (0-62mph 11.3 seconds) but trails a bit on top speed (114mph). It’s also behind the Picasso’s impressive CO2 emissions with 117g/km [...]
The A3 compact saloon vs the hatch October 28, 2013 Audi is taking a punt on this new-ish segment. We find it has bags of character, if not the “oomph” factor IF THERE’S a niche to be filled in the car market, Audi is often the first there. And so it is with the new compact Audi A3 Saloon, the 47th model in Audi’s line [...]
Sants signed off from Barclays with stress October 15, 2013 FORMER top regulator Sir Hector Sants is on leave from Barclays suffering from exhaustion and stress. Sants was hired at the start of this year to run the bank’s compliance operations, after spending five years at the Financial Services Authority and re-moulding much of the regulatory system. Sir Hector is expected to take three months off, [...]
Zipcar makes getaway with $500m in boot January 2, 2013 CAR-SHARING company Zipcar was yesterday bought by rental giant Avis Budget for $500m (£307m), handing the established company the leading position in the fast-growing car club business. Zipcar offers an alternative to car ownership by allowing its members to use thousands of vehicles in cities across the world, with usage charged on an hourly basis. [...]
Luxury goods sales are up but hit by weak yen October 28, 2013 SPENDING on luxury goods this year is expected to top last year’s sales, with growth in the Americas overtaking that of China, a worldwide study revealed yesterday. In a reversal of the trend in recent years, spending on luxuries in the Americas is expected to grow four per cent this year, as opposed to 2.5 [...]
Cricket Comment: March of time lends extra edge to this series for England stars November 19, 2013 IT’S not quite the end of an era, but this Ashes series in Australia represents the end of a cycle that coach Andy Flower and selectors have long been gearing up for. A number of players who make up England’s spine are the wrong side of 30 and will know that this could be their [...]
Nike races past forecasts as its sales rocket September 26, 2013 NIKE enjoyed big gains in sales in North America and Europe last quarter and benefited from fewer markdowns, helping the maker of sports clothes and shoes report a stronger-than-expected quarterly profit. Total revenue rose 7.7 per cent to $6.97bn (£4.3bn), and global orders for delivery later this year, which the company calls “futures orders”, rose [...]
Seven towers in seven hours for property firm September 19, 2013 STAFF at real estate brokers Cushman & Wakefield are getting their boots ready for a whole lot of walking today. All 62 members of the firm’s London markets team will be ascending – on foot – seven of the Square Mile’s most iconic skyscrapers. The 5,762 steps needed to climb the stairs of Centre Point, [...]