Unilever hit by sales slowdown in key markets October 24, 2013 UNILEVER, the consumer goods giant behind Wall’s ice-cream and Persil laundry detergent, reported a 6.5 per cent slump in turnover in the third quarter after suffering a dramatic slowdown in emerging markets. The FTSE 100 group has been hit by a slowdown in countries such as Indonesia, Brazil and India after uncertainty over whether the [...]
What does The Engine Group do? July 30, 2014 ■ Nestled in offices behind Oxford Circus, the Engine Group describes itself as an integrated marketing communications group, which owns ad agency WCRS, PR group MHP Communications, digital shop Jam and direct marketing specialist partners Andrews Aldridge, among others. ■ Engine’s UK chief executive, Debbie Klein, stressed that the group would retain its independence after [...]
Tungsten hails its maiden results July 8, 2014 TUNGSTEN Corporation, the fast- growing electronic invoicing group, celebrated maiden full-year results yesterday by announcing it had won a new contract with the German government. The group, founded by private equity pioneer Edi Truell, beat rivals such as SAP to land the government as a client, adding to a blue chip list which includes firms [...]
Danone in talks to sell medical arm to Hospira July 27, 2014 French dairy group Danone is reported to be in talks to sell its medical nutrition arm to US group Hospira in a deal valuing the business at about $5bn (£2.95bn). Danone has been exploring a sale of the business, which makes food and drinks for people with special nutritional needs, since earlier this year as [...]
The good, the bad and the ugly: What the analysts say about Tesco October 23, 2014 It’s another dark day for Tesco. The supermarket's estimated £250m profit black hole was even larger than expected at £263m, £70m of which came prior to the period it initially identified as problematic. Profits collapsed 91.9 per cent as it took the hit of the accounting error, it completely ditched its forecasts, cash flow was [...]
Croda share price drops after profit warning June 24, 2014 Croda, the world's second-largest supplier of cosmetic ingredients, has seen its share price drop more than eight per cent in early trading this morning following a profit warning. The FTSE 250-listed global chemicals manufacturer, which counts Procter & Gamble, Unilever, L’Oreal and Estee Lauder among its customers, has warned that second quarter pre-tax profits will be about [...]
Shapland is named Poundland chair in retail merry-go-round July 29, 2014 Poundland yesterday named Darren Shapland as its new chairman after losing its current boss to the troubled supermarket Morrisons in the latest round of retail musical chairs. Shapland joined the bargain chain’s board as a senior independent director ahead of its £750m float in March after a brief stint as chief executive of the flooring [...]
Chemical firm Croda’s financial chief Sean Christie to step down June 18, 2014 FTSE 250-listed chemicals manufacturer Croda announced yesterday that its finance chief would be stepping down next year. Sean Christie, who has worked at the firm since 2006, will remain at Croda until April 2015 to facilitate the board’s search for his replacement. “I have thoroughly enjoyed the role and all its challenges, but have decided [...]
WPP swoops for South African digital agency The Hardy Boys June 11, 2014 ADVERTISING giant WPP yesterday announced it had taken a majority stake in South Africa-based creative ad and brand building agency The Hardy Boys for an undisclosed sum. The deal, made through WPP’s global marketing communications agency JWT, will see The Hardy Boys bring its client list, including Diageo and Unilever, over to JWT. “This investment [...]
City of London Festival: Bowler hats off in Paternoster Square June 23, 2014 Anyone walking through Paternoster Square this morning, be not afraid of the giant millinery planted in the middle. You haven’t woken up in a Lewis Carroll novel – the City of London Festival has started and that giant bowler hat is a venue. The festival has previously slipped under the radar slightly, but this [...]