Sanjeev Gupta’s auditor King & King quit over lack of evidence September 21, 2022 The tiny firm that audits the accounts of Sanjeev Gupta’s steelmaking empire has said it resigned from auditing four of the magnate’s companies due to being unable to complete its audits because a “lack of sufficient information.” In a letter filed to Companies House, King & King said it had resigned as auditor four of [...]
EY posts record revenues of £40bn as consulting sales surge September 21, 2022 EY today posted record revenues of $45.4bn (£40bn), on the back of its strongest growth in decades, as partners in the Big Four accounting firm prepare to vote on plans for a global split in what could be the biggest shakeup to audit sector in years. The accountancy firm saw its combined global revenues [...]
Ocado shares sink after HSBC downgrade September 20, 2022 Shares in Ocado sank on Tuesday after HSBC analysts downgraded the grocery delivery firm from a Hold to a Reduce rating. HSCB’s notes caused shares in the middle-class favourite to drop by more than eight per cent after Ocado warned last week that soaring inflation will weigh on its profitability in Q4. The firm warned [...]
London businesses still not sure what ‘Levelling Up’ means, new survey shows September 20, 2022 London businesses are still unclear on the details of what the UK government’s ‘Levelling Up’ agenda actually entails, according to new research from the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI). First set out in the Conservative Party manifesto in 2019, the Levelling Up policy aims to reduce disparities between regions and social groups inside [...]
Beyond Meat exec arrested for biting man during road rage incident September 20, 2022 A top executive at one of the world’s biggest fake meat sellers has been arrested for biting flesh off another man’s nose, according to US media reports. Douglas Ramsey, who joined Beyond Meat last December, faces charges of third-degree battery and “terroristic threatening,” police reports show The 53-year-old chief operating officer was arrested on Saturday [...]
Hedge fund trader should stand trial in Denmark over £1.5bn tax fraud scheme, court rules September 20, 2022 A British hedge fund trader should stand trial in Denmark over claims he helped defraud the country’s tax authorities of more than £1bn, Westminster magistrates court has ruled. A London judge said trader Anthony Mark Patterson should be extradited to Denmark to face two charges concerning his alleged role in the £1.5bn tax fraud scheme, [...]
Trade unions launch legal challenge against UK government’s ‘strikebreaking’ law September 20, 2022 Eleven trade unions, including RMT, Unite and GMB, are seeking permission for a judicial review to overturn the UK government’s strikebreaking law, which lets firms bring in temporary staff to replace striking workers. The trade unions are seeking permission for a judicial review in arguing the law breaches Article 11 of the European Convention of [...]
Deloitte to recruit 3,500 new consultants in £220m hiring spree September 20, 2022 Deloitte is set to hire 3,500 new consultants as part of £220m plans to capitalise on surging demand for advice as businesses seek to navigate the digital and green transitions. The hires will see the Big Four accountancy firm’s increase the size of its consulting workforce by 40 per cent over the next half a [...]
Value of private equity-backed ‘carve outs’ triples due to Covid and war in Ukraine September 20, 2022 The value of private equity-backed “carve out” deals, through which funds buy up an entire business line, subsidiary, or unit, has more than tripled over the past year. The value of carve out acquisitions by private equity funds jumped threefold from £3.8bn last year to £13.4bn in the year running up to 31 August 2022, [...]
KPMG’s Dubai partners urge global leadership to suspend Emirati bosses September 17, 2022 A group of senior partners at KPMG’s Dubai business have called on the Big Four accounting firm’s global leadership to suspend bosses at its UAE division, over allegations of nepotism, cronyism, and a culture of fear within the firm. The Dubai partners are calling on KPMG International’s top executives to parachute in a temporary chief [...]