WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING May 24, 2010 FINANCIAL TIMES AIA CHIEF IN THREAT TO QUIT OVER PRU DEAL AIA’s chief executive has told friends and industry executives that he would quit if the UK’s Prudential succeeded in its $35.5bn (£24.6bn) takeover of the Asian businesses of AIG. Mark Wilson has said he would step down once the deal closed because the proposed [...]
A SUITABLY SPIRITED SENDOFF TO SIR STUART July 14, 2010 WE’LL begin by heading over to the Royal Festival Hall for Marks and Sparks’ annual general meeting, where the usual fun and games were to be had. Hundreds of ageing M&S veterans queued up for the speeches, stage antics and free food and drink, armed with piercing questions for Sir Stuart Rose and his successor, [...]
What to Drink with your Indian dinner March 17, 2010 LAURENT MIQUEL CAZAL VIEL ROSÉ VIELLES VIGNES 2008 £6.99 at Majestic This delicate rosé has red fruit flavours with a round, mellow structure and superb freshness on the finish, which makes it the perfect rosé for mild to medium heat and tomato-based curries such as a shrimp dopiaza. PLÈNITUDE, MADIRAN 2005, £16.99 at Adnams, City [...]
CITY MOVES | WHO’S SWITCHING JOBS May 5, 2010 Advent International The private equity firm has hired Kevin Beeston, the outgoing chairman of Serco Group, as an operating partner. Beeston will be tasked with helping Advent identify investment opportunities in the business services sector, and will also continue in his role as chairman of Advent’s portfolio company Domestic & General. He has worked for [...]
A champion of British grub May 20, 2010 FOUNDING a restaurant would test the nerves of even the most hardened entrepreneur. Ensuring the food and décor are both delicious and attractive is one thing, but in London a new restaurant can sink or swim based on a review. Iqbal Wahhab, founder of Borough Market’s Roast, which opened in October 2005, swam, but not [...]
A champion of British grub May 20, 2010 FOUNDING a restaurant would test the nerves of even the most hardened entrepreneur. Ensuring the food and décor are both delicious and attractive is one thing, but in London a new restaurant can sink or swim based on a review. Iqbal Wahhab, founder of Borough Market’s Roast, which opened in October 2005, swam, but not [...]
THREE OTHER CLASSY EXPRESS RESTAURANTS April 5, 2010 WAHACA Take the laid back spirit of Mexico at its best, add the vision and inspiration of former Masterchef winner Thomasina Miers, and you’ve got some of the freshest and tastiest tostadas, quesadillas and burritos in town. Based originally in the West End, it’s now feeding Canary Wharfers too. 40 Canada Square, E14 5FW. 020 [...]
Solid first quarter boosts private equity hopes April 28, 2010 IT is not all doom and gloom for private equity. That’s how one senior private equity partner described the current outlook to me over breakfast earlier this week. Yet it is an argument that has seemed without foundation during the early part of 2010, which in terms of both the number and value of deals [...]
Pullman pulls off Jesus triumph May 26, 2010 THE GOOD MAN JESUS AND THE SCOUNDREL CHRIST BY PHILIP PULLMAN Canongate, £16.99 by Joanna Elias A book about Jesus? Risky business. The son of God has inspired libraries of works on the quest for his true historical life. Geza Vermes’ controversial Jesus the Jew, which takes Jesus back to his Jewish roots, proved JC [...]
Pandit backs protection for US consumers March 4, 2010 CITIGROUP chief executive Vikram Pandit yesterday voiced support for key Obama administration financial reform goals, including a consumer protection authority, but government watchdogs questioned his earnestness. In testimony to a bailout watchdog panel in Congress, Pandit advocated a watered-down version of a consumer protection agency proposed by Obama and said banks generally should not engage [...]