NOMURA READY FOR ROOF WITH A VIEW June 20, 2010 Only weeks to go now before the biggest decampment the City has seen in a while; Japanese bank Nomura’s move back to the City from the Canary Wharf offices it inherited from Lehman Brothers a few years back. The bank, which will move its staff floor by floor to minimise disruption, starting on 12 July, [...]
LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON IN THE WORLD OF SPIN June 17, 2010 TO THE Kensington home of City slicker Roland Rudd, the boss of PR firm Finsbury, last night for his annual party, one of the highlights of the summer schmoozing circuit. Grandees of the worlds of business and politics were there in their droves for the event, including WPP boss Sir Martin Sorrell; Royal Bank of [...]
BP TOP DOGS SPOTTED OUT ON A TOP-SECRET MAYFAIR MISSION June 7, 2010 A STERLING spot by one of The Capitalist’s army of spies yesterday, on the way to a meeting at an office building on Old Burlington Street. Stepping out of the lift in the building were none other than beleaguered BP chief executive Tony Hayward and his finance director Byron Grote – taking some time out [...]
BP TOP DOGS SPOTTED OUT ON A TOP-SECRET MAYFAIR MISSION June 7, 2010 A STERLING spot by one of The Capitalist’s army of spies yesterday, on the way to a meeting at an office building on Old Burlington Street. Stepping out of the lift in the building were none other than beleaguered BP chief executive Tony Hayward and his finance director Byron Grote – taking some time out [...]
UK Reader’s Digest saved by £13m bid April 11, 2010 BETTER Capital, Jon Moulton’s new turnaround private equity group, has saved Reader’s Digest magazine with an eleventh hour white knight bid. The UK arm of the 87-year-old publisher filed for administration in February, two weeks after the Pensions Regulator rejected a plan to plug the £125m hole in its savings fund. Better Capital said the [...]
CITY BOSS DRUMMING UP SUPPORT FOR TALENTED POLE-DANCING WIFE June 3, 2010 FANS of ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent, which has whipped up millions of Britons into a frenzy yet again ahead of this weekend’s final, will be surprised to know that one of the City’s own has a claim to fame via the show. Those who’ve been following the series may remember Alesia Vasmitzel, the scantily-clad blonde [...]
A HEFTY DOSE OF CRUNCH-BUSTING CHRISTMAS CHEER HITS THE CITY November 24, 2009 AFTER the appearance of the traditional annual Coca Cola advert on our television screens heralded the official start to the festive season, it appears the corporate Christmas is truly in full swing. Demand for Christmas crackers is up a whopping 21 per cent from last year as cheap ‘n’ cheerful celebrations take precedent over luxurious [...]
WORLD CUP FOOTBALL FANTASY WINS THE HEARTS OF THE LADIES May 19, 2010 PUT A bunch of ladies in a room for a corporate networking event, and what’s the last topic you’d choose to centre the discussion on? Football? So when The Capitalist rocked up yesterday at the swanky Mayfair hotel for a “Ladies’ Day” organised by law firm Crowell & Moring, it was surprising, to say the [...]
F&C surprises with Thames River buyout April 28, 2010 F&C Asset Management’s shares slumped yesterday after the City fund manager said it would pay £33.6m in cash and shares for hedge fund boutique Thames River Capital. F&C, which will hope to spur growth with the deal after a spell of lacklustre performance, saw its shares slip 3.1 per cent to 63.25p yesterday despite positive [...]
The accidental transport secretary turns his sights on planes and trains June 15, 2010 IT wasn’t meant to be like this. If the Tories had won an outright majority on 7 May, Philip Hammond would have gone to the Treasury as chief secretary and implemented the toughest spending cuts in a generation. As part of the coalition agreement, however, he had to step aside for a Liberal Democrat and [...]