H&M shows high streets can work in a digital age January 15, 2014 H&M has reported a 10 per cent rise in sales in December, matching analysts' forecasts and providing proof that high street stores can have what it takes to rival online competition. At the end of 2013, the mid-range retailer had 3,176 stores compared to 2,809 at the end of 2012. When it came to sales [...]
Truffle Pig: WPP, Daily Mail and Snapchat just formed an ad agency to create social content June 23, 2015 The world's biggest advertising group, WPP, the world's biggest online publisher, the Daily Mail, and startup sweetheart Snapchat have formed the media equivalent of a musical supergroup to get adverts in front of eyeballs. The trio have launched an ambitious new venture forging together the world of technology, advertising and publishing with the creation of [...]
Boxing Day sales kick off early online at Amazon, John Lewis, Currys, Harrods, Next and Debenhams December 24, 2014 Amazon is kicking off its Boxing Day sale on Christmas Day. That’s right, you can start hunting for deals if Santa didn’t bring what you wanted before you’ve even had time to digest Christmas dinner. But there are also a host of retailers waiting to open their doors to sale shoppers on Boxing Day that [...]
The Rosebery founder Simon Davis on scrapheaps, sewing, MOTs and Angelina Jolie September 20, 2015 Did you know that Jeff Bezos used to photograph everyone he met so he wouldn't forget who they were? Neither did I, but when Simon Davis interviewed him, Amazon was still a startup – and it's just one of several gems Davis, founder of the London Restaurant Festival (LRF), The Rosebery and former journalist, wheels [...]
EXCLUSIVE: If you make it easy for someone to steal from you, chances are they will September 15, 2015 The big interview Frank Abagnale LONG GONE are the days where Frank Abagnale, former con artist, walked into a bank impersonating a Pan-Am pilot trying to cash in bad cheques. The man whose life story was the inspiration behind the Hollywood movie Catch Me If You Can, directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Leonardo DiCaprio [...]
Four business books to read this summer July 12, 2015 Develop a subscription service from your sunlounger. Earlier this year, Mark Zuckerberg founded an online bookclub, promising to read a new book every two weeks. From Jeff Bezos to Zappos’s Tony Hsieh, many top business leaders are bound by a love of books. It can be hard to pack 400 pages into a punishing [...]
Lonmin to restructure business and cut up to 3,500 jobs as profits tumble May 11, 2015 South African mining company Lonmin has announced it could axe 3,500 jobs as it seeks to cut 10 per cent from its labour costs. In its half-yearly results released today (six months to 31 March) the miner, which owns the Marikana platinum mine where 34 workers were shot dead by police during a strike in [...]
Economists opt to wait on rate hike June 3, 2015 WITH inflation drifting into negative territory, growth slowing at the start of the year, and recent surveys suggesting that weak growth continued, City A.M.’s panel of economists voted seven to two to hold interest rates. The Bank of England’s nine-strong monetary policy committee will announce its monthly decision on whether to hold, raise, or even [...]
Pawnbroker H&T takes a hit as more shoppers head to the web March 5, 2015 H&T GROUP said it needs to become “more relevant” to its customers and appeal to people who would not usually consider entering a pawnbroker, as its 2014 pre-tax profit fell by 17.9 per cent year on year to £5.5m. Basic earnings per share amounted to 11.78p, down from 13.44p in the prior year. The company, [...]
City Moves for 23 April 2015 | Who’s switching jobs April 22, 2015 N+1 Singer The corporate advisory and broking firm has appointed Nic Hellyer as director in its corporate finance team. He joins from HSBC, where he was managing director and head of its UK mid-market advisory team. Hellyer has also held roles at UBS and KPMG. Standard Chartered Sir Iain Lobban has been appointed senior adviser [...]