The City View: Robert Walters on the ‘perfect storm’ hitting the jobs market June 15, 2020 In this episode, Christian talks to Robert Walters, founder and CEO of Robert Walters, the London-listed global recruitment giant, about how the pandemic and lockdown has affected his business and what it means for professional recruitment in the months ahead. Robert is highly critical of the government’s messaging around easing the lockdown measures and offers a [...]
Fifty years on, Friedman was right: businesses answer to shareholders September 14, 2020 Yesterday marked fifty years since the publication of one of the most important articles in business history, written by Milton Friedman, the pint-sized American economist, and published in the New York Times. Friedman’s article had a simple argument but one with a profound impact. “There is one and only one social responsibility of business,” he [...]
Boohoo shares drop despite retailer lifting 2019 guidance after strong sales growth January 15, 2019 Boohoo had no cause for tears this morning as it revealed rocketing revenue helped it end 2018 on a high, raising guidance for its full-year sales. Sales grew 44 per cent year on year to £328.2m in the four months to the end of December, up from £228.2m in the same period in 2017. Read [...]
Boohoo in vogue after outlook raised September 26, 2018 Boohoo had an impressive six months as revenue and pre-tax profit jumped by 50 per cent and 22 per cent respectively. The group saw strong demand for their brands at home and abroad, as the UK registered a 43 per cent rise in sales and the international division posted a 62 per cent rise in revenue. The overseas [...]
Customers question value of clothes bundles in Edinburgh fashion firm’s Lost Stock charity venture August 12, 2020 Frustrated customers have hit out at Lost Stock, a coronavirus charity venture led by an Edinburgh-based fashion company, claiming it misled shoppers over the value and quality of items sold. Mallzee launched its Lost Stock initiative in June following reports that some high street stores had cancelled stock orders with clothing factories in Bangladesh, which [...]
How activist investors will circle in on UK corporates in 2021 December 20, 2020 As companies plan for their post-pandemic future there are signs that they will have to contend with a new threat: activist investors. Activists have so far been biding their time. The usually vocal Edward Bramson paused his campaign against Barclays boss Jes Staley at the start of the year. Bramson has repeatedly called for the [...]
AIM high: At 25, the junior index is coming of age July 7, 2020 In June, AIM turned 25 years old. The index has passed its somewhat risky youth and maturity is treating it well. With stripped-down regulatory and governance requirements, the junior exchange has, over the past 25 years, offered companies an easier platform to raise capital. As the London Stock Exchange puts it, “AIM helps founders and [...]
FTSE 100 climbs but Wall Street flat as US coronavirus cases jump July 10, 2020 The FTSE 100 rose but Wall Street was mixed as investors weighed a record daily rise in new coronavirus cases in the US against the reopening of economies. The UK’s main stock index was 0.6 per cent higher in afternoon trading at 6,083 points. The FTSE 250 index of slightly smaller jumped 1.2 per cent. [...]
Anything to declare? The ‘S’ of ESG makes its move September 25, 2020 The central component of the increasingly prominent ‘ESG’ – the ‘S’ – is typically neglected in discussions about environmental, social and governance (ESG) data and non-financial disclosure. But developments such as the Boohoo garment workers controversy and Black Lives Matter movement, as well as the trends such as gender pay-gap reporting – not to mention [...]
How to restore trust in a digitalised society October 15, 2020 Before the ascent of the internet, trust was earned through local reputation. A network of family, friends and neighbours determined which organisations could be relied upon by word of mouth. Someone would confide that a car dealer had let them down and was not to be trusted, shifting business elsewhere. Every parent was quickly made [...]