Marks & Spencer slips back into decline after just one quarter of growth July 7, 2015 Marks and Spencer's general merchandise arm has slipped back into decline following just one quarter of growth. The figures: M&S' story is pretty much the same as it has been for many months. Total sales in general merchandise were up 0.2 per cent but like-for-likes were down 0.4 per cent, reversing a solitary [...]
Google’s top European boss Matt Brittin has apologised to its advertising clients over extremist content March 20, 2017 The European boss of under fire tech company Google has apologised to clients over its failure to stop adverts appearing next to extremist content. "I think we can do better," said Matt Brittin on the morning that Marks and Spencer pulled its ads from YouTube. It follows a weekend when several other advertisers put a [...]
City Moves for 29 July 2016 | Who’s switching jobs July 29, 2016 Gumtree Gumtree, the UK’s largest classifieds website, has recruited Matt Button to the newly created role of head of customer relationship management. Matt will work with the Gumtree marketing team and its agencies to devise and deliver a CRM strategy that acquires and retains customers across all its categories. The strategy will be focused on engaging customers [...]
Marks & Spencer AGM: Setback for M&S as clothing sales slide off hanger July 7, 2015 Investors and retail observers allowed themselves a small sigh of relief in April when Marks & Spencer brought 14 consecutive quarters of falling general merchandise sales to a halt. After efforts to improve the quality and style of its clothing and to win back disillusioned customers, it seemed to have broken a spell. [...]
What happens to the markets if America goes to war? August 31, 2017 The stock market hates uncertainty, and there is plenty of uncertainty with respect to the tensions over the latest round of North Korean missile tests. This post, originally published 13 September 2013, focused on the violence in the Middle East, specifically Syria, and the potential that the United States could enter the conflict and [...]
M&S set to reveal former chief executive Marc Bolland earned over £15m June 5, 2016 Marks & Spencer are set to unveil this week that the retail store's former chief executive Marc Bolland received over £15m during his years at the company. The firm's annual report is due out later this week and will include details of Bolland's remuneration since he took the helm in 2010. Bolland resigned in January, but will receive salary, [...]
Boots’ UK boss Simon Roberts set to quit in July June 9, 2016 Boots' UK boss Simon Roberts is set to quit the company in July to "pursue new opportunities". Roberts, who is also executive vice-president of Boots' American owner Walgreens Boots Alliance, said that the pharmacy chain now needs a "new leader to take the business forward". Roberts joined Boots from Marks & Spencer in 2003 and was promoted to president as part [...]
Reiss snaps up retail boss tipped for M&S clothing job February 20, 2017 Reiss has appointed Christos Angelides as its new chief executive. Angelides, who has spent 28 years at rival retailer Next, had been tipped to become Marks and Spencer's clothing and homeware boss. But he said today that he has "long admired the strength of the Reiss brand" and looks forward to working with founder and [...]
This £5 supermarket Malbec has been named the world’s best red wine June 13, 2016 It looks like it's officially time to embrace supermarket plonk, after Asda rode to a surprise victory with one of the world's best red wines at the Decanter World Wine Awards. The supermarket toasted the success this weekend of its Chilean La Moneda Reserva Malbec after it won the top prize in the single-varietal red under £15 category at the awards, [...]
Outraged City analysts bash retailers for choosing to report on the same day January 12, 2017 Overloaded City analysts bashed UK retailers this morning for all choosing to publish financial updates on the same day. Today has been branded "Super Thursday" because so many retailers are publishing their Christmas figures. Financial reports have come from Marks and Spencer, Tesco, AO World, Debenhams, Asos and Primark-owner Associated British Foods, to name just a few. [...]