Business News Articles

BT names new finance chief
BT has announced Tony Chanmugam as their new director of finance. Mr Chanmugam's previous role was chief financial officer of BT Retail, where he turned the struggling division around into a profitable £8bn division catering for consumers and small business customers. "In each of the senior positions he has held in BT, Tony Chanmugam has delivered transformational change and well controlled... more

Marketers downbeat over 2009 prospects
Marketers in the financial sector are fearful for their own positions and the health of the UK economy over the next 12 months, a survey by the Chartered Institute of Marketing has revealed. ... more

London Scottish Bank enters administration
London Scottish Bank has been forced into administration due to a lack of cash. The Financial Services Authority intervened to prevent the bank from taking any more deposits and Ernst & Young has been appointed as the administrator. ... more

Government plans to increase apprenticeships
The government has launched a pilot project designed to increase the number of apprenticeships in the UK... more

Reduced VAT rate comes into effect
The reduction in the rate of VAT unveiled by chancellor Alistair Darling in the pre-Budget report has come into effect. ... more

10% of UK staff believe email ‘damages work relationships’
Almost one in ten UK office employees believe that their working relationships suffer because of a lack of face-to-face contact with clients and colleagues, according to a survey by recruitment firm Office Angels. The increasing use of the internet has meant that the number of actual business meetings and telephone calls has rapidly decreased in recent years. The survey of over 1,200 staff a... more

Customers may be denied cheap credit as card providers share data
Millions of credit card users could be denied cheap credit as from today new rules are implemented that allow card firms to share customer data. Customers who legitimately move debt around different cards to keep down repayment costs could find themselves excluded from the best deals. The five largest credit card providers - Capital One, HSBOS, Barclaycard, MBNA and GE Money - are set to sha... more

New handbook for small firms that tackle social needs
A new handbook targeted at small business that tackle social needs has been launched by social care organisation Turning Point. The handbook - Elements of Success - is full of useful advice on vital business practices and how to create long-term sustainable social enterprises. "Social enterprise is all the rage at the moment, but we found that, until now, there has been a lack of information... more

Small firms still confused by Data Protection Act
The government is failing to help small businesses understand the Data Protection Act, according to recent research commissioned by Invu and conducted by YouGov. Almost 10 years after the law first came into effect around a quarter of UK SMEs are unsure over the technicalities or do not believe that their company is compliant with the act. The Act gives individuals in the UK the right to kno... more

Credit card firms given deadline by government over interest rates
The credit card industry has been given a two-week deadline by the government to agree a code regarding interest rate increases, or be referred to the Office of Fair Trading (OFT). The ultimatum followed a meeting by leading members of the industry and business secretary Lord Mandelson. With cash flow tight in the current economic climate, many small businesses owners have been using their c... more