JP Jenkins secures Pisces licence as ‘discussions ongoing’ with rivals November 18, 2025 JP Jenkins has become the latest securities venue to secure a Pisces operator licence by the UK’s financial regulator as competition heats up to attract businesses to the new private market. The approval makes JP Jenkins the second company to have received a licence from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) after London Stock Exchange operator [...]
Reeves’ Budget tax rumours threaten UK tech November 18, 2025 The UK’s tech sector is facing a critical moment ahead of the Autumn Budget. Rumoured caps on salary sacrifice pensions, alongside potential property and wealth taxes, threaten to hit the very talent and investment needed to drive growth in the sector. At the same time, the country faces a widening tech skills gap, leaving businesses [...]
Lloyd’s of London CFO leaves role with Prem Rugby club Saracens November 18, 2025 Lloyd’s of London’s chief financial officer Alexandra Cliff has left her role as director of Prem Rugby club Saracens after less than a year. The former Direct Line Group, StarStone, and AJ Gallagher figure was appointed as a director of Saracens on 25 November last year following the departure of former chief executive Mark Thompson [...]
Housebuilding around train stations to be given default green light November 18, 2025 Planning proposals for homes around train stations will be given an automatic green light in the latest Government drive to speed up housebuilding. Housebuilders will be encouraged to build more homes within a 15-minute walk of transport links, and councils in England will also now be required to tell the government when they intend to [...]
COP out: Big businesses swerve climate conference November 18, 2025 COP 26 in Glasgow represented a high-water mark for companies flouting their ambitious transition plans and lofty climate credentials. This year’s summit could not be more different, writes Ali Lyon. Reclining on stage at the 26th COP summit in his native Glasgow, Alan Jope was at home both literally and spiritually. The Unilever chief executive [...]
Santander: UK businesses shift away from China as tensions flare November 18, 2025 UK businesses are moving away from China as risks mount amid flaring geopolitical tensions. Over half of firms are taking steps to bring their supply chains closer to home, with one in five having already relocated their network closer to the UK. The moves come amid questions over China’s dominance in the supply chain, with [...]
PE-backed Grant Thornton defies market trends with recruitment drive November 18, 2025 Private equity-backed accountancy giant Grant Thornton is bucking the trend in the professional service market with its plans to recruit 160 new partners over the next two years. Back in December, the firm’s partners unanimously voted in favour of an investment from private equity firm Cinven in a deal expected to value the firm at up to [...]
Councils face exodus of planners in threat to housebuilding goals November 18, 2025 One in five UK planners intends to leave the field or retire by 2028, in another significant threat to the government’s housebuilding target, according to new data. Nearly two-thirds of planners said their teams lacked the capacity to meet demand, according to the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI). The RTPI has warned that the exodus [...]
Jake Humphrey and David Coulthard share bumper pay day after record profit November 18, 2025 Jake Humphrey and David Coulthard have shared a bumper pay day after record profits their production company, Whisper Films. The TV presenter and former F1 driver shared a total dividend of £2.6m alongside chief executive and fellow co-founder Sunil Patel as well as backer Sony. The pay out, split between an interim dividend of £680,000 [...]
Firstgroup doubles down on open access expansion despite DfT concerns November 18, 2025 Firstgroup has doubled down on its open access expansion plans as the transport business defied government concerns over the scheme. The FTSE 250 firm said it was “focused on growing” its operations in open access, an arrangement under which private rail operators will continue to run services after the nationalisation of all major routes as [...]