By Ian Fraser The Sunday Times December 31st, 2006 STANDARD LIFE is expected to be immune from takeover for at least three to five years because of the success of its demutualisation and flotation on the London Stock Exchange, according to one of Scotland’s leading fund managers, writes Ian Fraser. Before the insurer’s £5 billion [...]
By Ian Fraser The Sunday Times December 31st, 2006 CBI Scotland has called on the Scottish executive and MSPs to steer clear of banning large retailers from opening on New Year’s Day, writes Ian Fraser. Last month, MSPs endorsed a member’s bill aimed at banning shops greater than 3,000 sq ft from trading on both [...]
By Ian Fraser The Sunday Times December 31st, 2006 SCOTLAND faces economic stagnation by the middle of the century unless it takes radical steps to slow the decline in its working-age population, the Scottish Council Foundation (SCF) has warned. In a report titled “A constructive response to Scotland’s changing population”, the think tank’s Linda Boyes, [...]
By Ian Fraser The Herald December 18th, 2006 SCOTLAND’S failure to implement the Clementi reforms for the deregulation of legal services may be a missed opportunity, but it is not going to deter Glasgow-based Golds Solicitors from exploiting the reforms to pursue its ambitious expansion plans for the English market. Under Clementi, the market for [...]
By Ian Fraser Sunday Herald December 17th, 2006 Nasdaq president Bob Greifeld won’t give up his ambition of acquiring the London Stock Exchange lightly. Yet the imminent liberalisation of European markets could make the LSE much less attractive BOB Greifeld is a man in a hurry. In the past three years the New Yorker says [...]
By Ian Fraser The Scotsman December 13th, 2006 David Stamp, architect and sailor Born: 12 August, 1943, in Edinburgh. Died: 18 November, 2006, in North Berwick, aged 64. DAVID Stamp was an enthusiastic conservationist-turned-developer who played a big part in the renovation and redevelopment of Leith and Edinburgh’s New Town. Stamp, who was born in [...]
By Ian Fraser Sunday Herald December 10th, 2006 Top accountant is counting on web mortgages to make his fortune Former Ernst & Young partner launches mform, a one-stop internet home loan company EAMONN Rice, is not your typical Big Four accountant. Nor indeed is he your typical financial services entrepreneur. Whereas most of Rice’s former [...]
By Ian Fraser Sunday Herald December 10th, 2006 Analyst predicts 25 per cent hike in dividends as bank shelves acquisition strategy for organic growth BANKING: TRADING UPDATE ROYAL Bank of Scotland is expected to deliver a further 25 per cent hike in dividends and a further £1 billion in share buybacks alongside its full-year results [...]
By Ian Fraser The Herald December 4th, 2006 Two partner promotions as firm expects £1m turnover growth CHIENE+Tait, the Edinburgh-based accountancy firm, has unveiled plans to open an office in London and will this week demonstrate its commitment to growth with the appointment of two new partners. Gavin Morton, the firm’s managing partner, said: “We [...]