The lessons from the military that business leaders need to learn May 14, 2019 In today's business climate, you either embrace technology and establish it into the DNA of your company, or fall behind. However, investing in technology alone is not enough. Companies need to have the right talent to make everything sing. Effective, sustained technology skill development is key to ensuring that businesses not only keep up but [...]
Pub operator Ei Group’s profits rise thanks to drinks sales boost May 14, 2019 Pub chain Ei Group has posted a modest rise in pre-tax profit for the half year thanks to continued growth in drinks sales. Ei, which is the largest owner and operator of pubs in the UK, posted pre-tax profits of £59m in the six months to the end of March, up from £57m in the [...]
Vinci completes takeover of majority stake in Gatwick after £2.9bn deal May 14, 2019 French group Vinci Airports has completed its takeover of a majority stake in London’s Gatwick, it said this morning, making it the world’s second largest airport operator. The £2.9bn deal, which was announced in December, gives Vinci a 50.01 per cent stake in an airport used by 46m passengers every year. Read more: Gatwick sold [...]
Vodafone slashes dividend after racking up hefty losses from 5G investment May 14, 2019 Vodafone has slashed its dividend by 40 per cent after posting heavy losses for the full year. Read more: Vodafone's Australian TPG merger blocked The figures Group revenues fell 6.2 per cent to €43.7bn in the year to the end of March. Vodafone swung to a loss of €7.6bn, compared to a profit of €2.8bn [...]
Premier Foods swings to a £43m loss as it launches plant-based food range May 14, 2019 Mr Kipling maker Premier Foods is planning to tap into the success of rivals' vegan products with its own range set to launch this year, as it hopes to turn around falling profits. The figures The Hertfordshire-based company said that a £20.9m profit before tax was wiped out in the year ending in March, showing [...]
Bluewater owner Land Securities sees losses almost triple amid retail closures May 14, 2019 Land Securities, the owner of Kent’s Bluewater shopping centre, saw losses almost triple in its latest financial year as it blamed a “challenging year” full of retail closures, but still managed to bump up its dividend. Read more: JP Morgan downgrades shopping centre landlord Intu The figures The retail property giant saw losses before tax [...]
Big tech must take the lead against hate May 14, 2019 Tech companies face stiff criticism for their inability to prevent extremism from spreading via their platforms. This became particularly evident after a gunman killed 50 people at two mosques in the New Zealand city of Christchurch back in March, with a live-stream of the attack shared widely on social media. As a result, a meeting of [...]
Honda leads £8.6m fundraising round in smart battery software firm Moixa May 14, 2019 Car maker Honda has led a completed £8.6m fundraising round for smart battery software company Moixa. The firm makes software managing energy storage systems, which can help make home energy systems and electric vehicle batteries more efficient, and recently partnered up with Honda at the Geneva Motor Show in March. The two plan to work [...]
Whatsapp hack: Tech giant urges 1.5bn users to update app after spyware discovery May 14, 2019 A huge flaw in Whatsapp enabled hackers to spy on some of its 1.5bn users’ devices, the tech giant has confirmed. Read more: Facebook taps London talent for its global Whatsapp payments drive The Facebook-owned company yesterday urged its 1.5bn users to update their apps to download a patch it released last Friday for the [...]
Folding bike firm Brompton searches for new chairman ahead of expansion May 13, 2019 Folding bike company Brompton is searching for a replacement for its chairman as it aims to double in size over the next five years. The company has appointed headhunters to find a successor to its long-serving chairman Tim Guinness, Sky News reported. Read more: Alibaba-backed Ofo pulls bikes out of London boroughs The British bike [...]