DIY expert nails the top job at Kingfisher September 10, 2014 Veronique Laury set to become only one of five female FTSE 100 chief executives FEW PEOPLE on this side of the Channel will have heard of Veronique Laury, but after renovating three houses of her own, the incoming chief executive of Europe’s largest retailer has knowledge of the DIY sector that goes beyond just the [...]
Former Matalan boss Darren Blackhurst decides to B&Q-it January 21, 2014 DIY CHAIN B&Q said yesterday it has hired former Matalan chief executive Darren Blackhurst as commercial director as it makes further changes to its management team. The moves marks an unusual step back for Blackhurst, who was a leading contender to replace former Asda chief executive Andy Bond in 2010 and has spent two years [...]
Former Matalan boss Darren Blackhurst decides to B&Q-it January 21, 2014 After a six month silence, the former chief executive of Matalan Darren Blackhurst has popped back over the parapet, this time as commercial director of DIY chain B&Q. The moves marks an unusual step back for Blackhurst, who was a leading contender to replace former Asda chief executive Andy Bond back in 2010 (a role [...]
Clocks change 2014: Does it make financial sense to switch from BST to GMT? October 25, 2014 British Summer Time (BST) officially comes to an end tomorrow. The clocks go back an hour at 1am on 26 October, heralding the onset of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) where mornings get brighter, but evenings get darker earlier. However, while an extra hour in bed is a welcome bonus for the weekend, the [...]
Eurozone fears pull down FTSE to one-year low – London Report October 9, 2014 THE FTSE 100 yesterday hit its lowest level for a year after early gains fell away in a broad-based sell-off as investors became anxious about signs of serious weakening in the Eurozone economy. The blue-chip index, which hit 6,544 points in morning trading, due mainly to a rise in mining shares, ended the day down [...]
Best of the Brokers for 16 July 2014 July 16, 2014 To appear in Best of the Brokers, email your research to notes@cityam.com HUNTING Goldman Sachs has downgraded to “neutral” from “buy”, reducing the target price to 900p from 965p. The broker thinks that Hunting is well positioned to benefit from strong activity in US onshore, but said the appreciation of sterling against the dollar could [...]
Euan Sutherland relaxes into SuperGroup’s clothing after taking on chief exec role October 22, 2014 Euan Sutherland looked relaxed and rested yesterday as he announced his new role as chief executive of high street fashion retailer SuperGroup. As if to prove his unswerving loyalty to the cult brand, the soft-spoken 6ft 6in Scotsman is dressed head-to-toe in Superdry clothing, including a navy blue pea coat, which he enthuses is “absolutely [...]
Scaffolding collapses onto double decker bus on Peckham Road March 2, 2015 Scaffolding has collapsed onto the number 345 bus on one of South London's busiest high streets. Shortly before 11:15am the scaffolding crashed into the side of the double decker bus on Peckham Road. The London Fire Brigade (LFB) were on the scene within the hour and have confirmed the area is now safe. The road [...]
Britain’s biggest companies call on Westminster for fundamental business rates reform September 16, 2014 Some of Britain's biggest businesses including Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury's, Tesco, General Motors and Tata Steel have called on the government to rip up the current business rate regime claiming the current system is “a critical problem for all of British business”. The controversial tax delivers around £25bn to the Treasury every year, but [...]
Scottish independence: BT, TalkTalk, EE, Telefonica, Vodafone and Three warn of increased costs if Scots vote Yes September 14, 2014 Six of Britain's leading telecoms companies are the latest to warn of potential price rises if Scotland votes Yes to independence. The chiefs of BT, TalkTalk, EE, Telefonica UK, Vodafone UK and Three UK have issued a joint letter warning that the uncertainty around regulation and spectrum allocation, which mobile networks use to operate, could [...]