OPG Ventures announces £45m solar energy investment July 5, 2016 Aim-quoted power generator OPG Power Ventures today announced a £45m investment in four solar projects. The company, which specialises in developing and operating power plants in India, said that it had won a competitive bidding process for the projects, to be built on sites across the Karnataka region. It expected them to be delivering positive [...]
Gatwick Gusher confirms “particularly valuable” licence extension July 5, 2016 UK Oil & Gas (UKOG) today confirmed a series of licence changes that will pave the way for further exploration across four of its UK sites. The company behind the Gatwick Gusher announced that the Oil and Gas Authority had approved the widely-expected changes. It was a decision that executive chairman Stephen Sanderson described as [...]
Endless seals purchase of Yorkshire ambulance converter July 4, 2016 Turnaround investor Endless has bought one of the UK’s leading vehicle converters. The Leeds-based fund today announced the deal to buy Oughtred & Harrison (O&H), with the promise to refinance the group and inject additional working capital. O&H was established in 1988 and specialises in converting vehicles into ambulances and other types of wheelchair access [...]
Johnston Press flogs Isle of Man titles for £4.25m July 4, 2016 Debt-laden newspaper owner Johnston Press today announced the sale of a number of its Isle of Man-based titles for £4.25m. Following through on its promise earlier this year to rationalise its regional portfolio, the Edinburgh-based publisher sold its three print and one online titles to Tindle Newspapers. “This disposal is further progress in executing our [...]
Capita extends contract with the Pension Regulator to 2021 July 4, 2016 Support services giant Capita was today awarded a contract extension from the Pensions Regulator in a deal worth a further £37m over three years. The agreement will see Capita continue to work with smaller businesses, ensuring the implementation of the automatic enrolment of workplace pensions. Lesley Titcomb, chief executive of the Pensions Regulator, said: “The continuation [...]
John Menzies shake-up urged by German investor July 4, 2016 John Menzies, the distribution and aviation services company faced fresh calls today for change from an activist investor after it upped its stake in the troubled company. Shareholder Value Management (SVM) has built up a seven per cent share holding, and this morning urged the leadership to split the Edinburgh-based company into two entities. “SVM strongly [...]
Credit Suisse boss Tidjane Thiam blames Brexit vote on poor British education and calls for higher taxes to fund UK schools July 3, 2016 Credit Suisse boss Tidjane Thiam has blamed the UK's decision to leave the EU on a lack of investment in British education. Speaking at a business conference in southern France on Sunday, Thiam recalled a visit to a school in Tower Hamlets where he found out that around half of the children only ate once a day. [...]
A dramatic year for Sports Direct is expected to be capped-off with shrinking profits July 3, 2016 The story of Sports Direct’s year will be laid out in numbers this week, as it releases its annual results on 7 July. The retailer has lurched from one drama to another since the end of 2015. Analysts expect earnings of £372m – slightly lower than the latest company guidance of £380m. It will probably [...]
US-style compensation for Europeans could “overwhelm” Volkswagen July 3, 2016 Volkswagen has rebuffed calls from the EU for a US-style compensation package for European customers affected in the ‘Dieselgate’ emissions scandal. "You don't have to be a mathematician to realise that compensation at arbitrarily high levels would overwhelm Volkswagen," said CEO, Matthias Mueller, speaking to German newspaper Welt am Sonntag. Details emerged two weeks ago [...]