Karl-Johan Persson, H&M chief
©Johan Jeppsson Karl-Johan Persson defends H&M’s conduct when dealing with suppliers in low-cost countries Karl-Johan Persson pauses on his way out of the headquarters of Hennes & Mauritz in central…
Loeb’s vision for Sony draped in risk
It takes a special breed of financier to see a drowning man’s life vest as an obstacle to his swimming practice. But that, essentially, is how Daniel Loeb, founder of…
Report points to LVMH operation on Hermès
©Bloomberg LVMH, the luxury goods company headed by Bernard Arnault, undertook a secret operation to build its controversial stake in Hermès, its smaller French rival, according to a leaked report…
Week in review, May 18
©Bloomberg Tony Hayward’s job at Glencore Xstrata is to supervise the search for a successor to Sir John Bond A round up of some of the week’s most significant corporate…
Nestlé has time to deal with L’Oréal stake
Making wasabi-flavoured KitKats for the Japanese market is one thing. Cashing in a 29.6 per cent shareholding in one of the world’s iconic cosmetics and beauty companies would be quite…
Richemont: clocking off
One wonders whether Richemont chairman Johann Rupert will go backpacking around south east Asia, attend a full moon party and get a tattoo on the gap year he is planning…
Walmart suffers as US sales drop
Walmart, the world’s biggest retailer by sales, reported an unexpected drop in US sales that pointed to pressure on low-income consumers and sent its shares falling. The discount chain said…
Letter gives Hirai chance to aid Sony
Daniel Loeb’s tilt at Sony has achieved one goal already. As the activist investor quietly built his $1.1bn stake in the Japanese electronics icon, its shares were climbing. The disclosure…
Alliance Boots chief defends tax payments
©AP Stefano Pessina, executive chairman of Alliance Boots, defended the amount of tax paid by the retailer and pharmaceutical wholesaler, as the company unveiled a 22 per cent rise in…
M&S to cut supply base by 10%
Marc Bolland, chief executive of Marks and Spencer, told the City not to judge him on the performance of the autumn clothing collection as the high street bellwether announced a…
Activist investor politely urges Sony revamp
In one of the clearest signs yet that Japan’s expansionist monetary policies are fuelling a surge of interest in the country from foreign investors, US hedge fund manager Daniel Loeb…
Internet sales flourish in Nigeria
You need JavaScript active on your browser in order to see this video. Mary Enweasor, who runs a tiny shop selling drinks and snacks in Nigeria’s biggest city, had saved…
Puma warns on sales and profits
Puma underlined the challenge facing its incoming chief executive with a sales and profit warning after net earnings at the sports goods maker fell almost one-third in the first quarter…
Activism in Japan: full-frontal Loeb
Happy six-month anniversary, Topix. Half a year to the day since Tokyo began its extraordinary rally, a big-name activist investor shows up to mark the occasion. Daniel Loeb’s interest in…
Retailers to sign Bangladesh safety pact
European retailers led by Hennes & Mauritz, Inditex and Tesco have vowed to sign a deal to improve factory safety in Bangladesh as retailers scramble to contain the fallout from…