London Foundation for Banking & Finance appoints new trustees July 23, 2025 The London Foundation for Banking & Finance (LFBF) has appointed three new trustees, drawing from the top ranks of the finance, insurance, and private equity sectors. Stephen Mann, Quentin Nason and Steve Darrington were named as the newest members of the foundation’s board of trustees. Mann, a seasoned insurance executive and former CEO of the [...]
Modi’s visit puts global Britain to the test July 23, 2025 As India surges ahead, Britain must define its global future and decide whether it wants to be a partner of consequence or a spectator of decline. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s much anticipated visit this week to the UK to sign a historic Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is more than a diplomatic milestone. It is a [...]
UK sanctions 25 targets in illegal migration crackdown July 23, 2025 The UK government has banned 25 people smugglers, fraudsters, and bankers in the first set of sanctions aimed at curbing illegal migration, putting pressure on countries across Europe and the Middle East to follow suit. The Foreign Office has disclosed the names of 24 individuals and one company it has accused of facilitating people-smuggling and [...]
Rolls-Royce banking on bespoke cars to attract super-rich July 23, 2025 Wealthy buyers seeking to personalise their new Rolls-Royce helped boost the luxury car brand’s profit in 2024 despite falling sales. The Hampshire-based business, which is owned by BMW, said its bespoke service reached a record level last year with a 10 per cent increase on average per car year-on-year. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars added the rise [...]
Scotch whisky: 85-year-old release to become world’s oldest July 23, 2025 Gordon & MacPhail has announced plans to release the world’s oldest single malt Scotch whisky this October — an 85-year-old expression from Glenlivet Distillery. The whisky was laid down in a single American oak cask on 3 February 1940 by George Urquhart and his father, John, founders of the family-run business based in Elgin, Scotland. [...]
Regulator probes Deloitte over Glencore accounts July 23, 2025 The accountancy regulator announced this morning that it has launched an investigation into Deloitte over audits related to the energy giant Glencore.
OpenAI: ChatGPT maker’s UK earnings skyrocket July 23, 2025 OpenAI has raked in millions of pounds since the launch of artificial intelligence (AI) service ChatGPT in the UK, it has been revealed. The UK division of the US tech giant ended last year with current assets of £56.2m which included £42.4m in the bank and a further £13.7m owed by debtors, according to new [...]
Back to Starbucks: How Starbucks coffee shops are revitalising community-first third places July 23, 2025 In bustling cities and quiet neighbourhoods alike, Starbucks familiar green siren often signals more than just a caffeine stop. It represents that essential ‘third place’ – a reliable comfort zone bridging the gap between home and work, a space for quiet focus, friendly catchups, or simply a moment’s pause. But in a world where connection [...]
Business lender Shawbrook plots £2bn London IPO July 23, 2025 Shawbrook is lining up a London IPO in the second half of the year in a much-needed boost to the capital’s public markets. The business lender is pressing ahead with plans that target a valuation of as much as £2bn, according to the Financial Times. The firm’s private equity owners had been seeking an exit [...]
Heathrow: Earnings jump despite cost warnings July 23, 2025 Heathrow Airport’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) edged up by 0.8 per cent in the first half of the year compared to the first six months of 2024 despite fears energy bills and maintenance costs would deal a blow to its growth. The airport previously predicted a hit to its earnings, warning [...]
