Cobra Beer founder Lord Bilimoria explains the immigration policy behind Britain’s curry crisis July 3, 2016 Since they first started becoming popular in the 1940s, curry houses have become a staple of Britain’s towns and evenings out. The nation’s favourite cuisine was adopted and then adapted from its spicy, South Asian roots to suit our more sensitive tastebuds. Along the way, it has spawned an industry worth £4bn and, directly and [...]
Ladies who don’t lunch: Maike Currie talks to Christine Johnson about bonds, bubbles and being a rebel July 14, 2016 "I am definitely a bond person,” says Christine Johnson, head of fixed income at Old Mutual Global Investors. We’re having lunch at Spring restaurant in Somerset House and I am beginning to understand what Christine means when she says that as a fund manager you need to “live your job”. She likens her personality to [...]
Under Armour boss backtracks after calling Donald Trump an “asset to this country” as analyst downgrades stock February 16, 2017 Kevin Plank hasn't had the best week. The Under Armour chief executive came under fire for his comments on Donald Trump, after giving an interview to CNBC last week saying: "To have such a pro-business President is something that is a real asset to this country." It caused a backlash, including from some of Under [...]
Working Lunch review: Gunpowder, E1: This humble Indian cubby-hole in Spitalfields is sure to gain a cult following January 17, 2017 Gunpowder 11 White’s Row, E1 WHAT? A home-style Indian restaurant packing a cubby-hole on the cusp of the City out with big, bold, colourful flavours. WHERE? Squeezed next to a building site between Spitalfields and Brick Lane. The name refers to the area’s former use as an Old Artillery Ground. Expect stripped walls and nudey [...]
Ladies who don’t lunch: Maike Currie talks to Hermes Investment Management’s Harriet Steel about success, failure and building things May 26, 2016 Most people detest building. Whether it’s a new build, extension or renovation, chances are it will feature somewhere on the list of life’s more stressful events, perhaps only a few notches below death, divorce, starting a new job and moving home. Harriet Steel, global head of business development at Hermes Investment Management, however, relishes it. [...]
An ex-White House adviser and two banking bosses have been recruited to join Liam Fox’s trade ministry November 17, 2016 A former adviser to George W. Bush and two senior bankers have been recruited to advise Liam Fox's trade ministry, following former IoD director general Simon Walker. Walker's appointment emerged last month, but now City A.M. can reveal three further non-exec hires at the government department. Former Bush adviser and economist Pippa Malmgren leads the [...]
Google Home review: Can Google’s smart speaker overthrow the Amazon Echo? April 19, 2017 When the singularity is reached and our robot servants finally turn on their human masters, rebelling against their programming to flay us alive in our beds, future mecha-historians will point with metal fingers to 2017 as the year it all began. Google Home is a voice-controlled smart speaker condemned to sit in the corner of [...]
I went up a mountain in Sri Lanka to meet a reclusive mystic and here is what I learned September 14, 2017 Somewhere high up in the hills surrounding the town of Kandy in Sri Lanka, there lives a man called Rahju. An artist, spiritualist and musician, Rahju practices meditation while riding along coastal roads on his motorcycle. His paintings are inspired by the writing of Buddhist philosophers and the intergalactic observations of the Hubble Space Telescope [...]
Under Armour share price soars as Steph Curry’s basketball shoes helps revenue beat expectations January 28, 2016 Under Armour jumped more than 18 per cent in morning trading on the New York Stock Exchange after its fourth-quarter results destroyed expectations. The figures Full-year net revenues increased 31 per cent to $3.96bn (£2.76bn) – beating the sportswear brand's outlook of $3.91bn. The biggest performance in the company's portfolio was found in its footwear division [...]
Ember, on the street where the Great Fire of London started, wants to light a fire in City workers’ bellies January 10, 2017 Opened in October of last year, Ember is a smart, subterranean drinking and dining spot on Pudding Lane with a focus on pan-Asian cuisine, original cocktails and small sharing plates. Expect contemporary presentation with carefully considered flavours and curated drinks pairings, rather than the Chinese curry from your local. In the evenings the place takes [...]