Mike Ashley’s interview with the BBC on how he runs Sports Direct this morning got the twittersphere buzzing.
The controversial Sports Direct founder and Newcastle United owner did not disappoint.
“I do fly to work by helicopter, it’s a reality. If Sports Direct wants to do a load more international business, I say, OK guys, I don’t get paid a salary, but what I do like to do is go by plane,” is the quote making the headlines.
Sports Direct has been lambasted by politicians, unions and even its own shareholders for the working practices at its Shirebrook warehouse and the prevalence of zero hours contracts.
Ashley added that Sports Direct was not responsible for setting the minimum wage and if the government wanted companies to pay more than that, they should increase it.
“That’s how I look at it,” he said, but separately Sports Direct said it would launch an independent review into Shirebrook and also offer guaranteed hours.
New boss at GlaxoSmithKline
GlaxoSmithKline PLC’s (LON:GSK) new chief executive was also dominating social media networks today
The appointment of Emma Walmsley to succeed Andrew Witty will make her the most powerful woman on the FTSE100, in terms of the size of the company she runs anyway.
She will succeed Witty next March, stepping up from her current role as chief executive of GSK’s consumer healthcare arm.
Walmsley joined GSK in 2010 from French luxury goods group L’Oréal and is likely to face some difficult questions over the direction of the pharma major.
Break-up talk has been circulating for months now as shareholders question how heartburn and cold medicines fit together with cancer vaccines research.
Mega takeovers are two a penny in the pharma space and Glaxo look short of ammunition with which to defend itself, with its share price underperforming its rivals Reckitt Benckiser, AstraZeneca and Shire by a wide margin over the past five years.
Nighthawk takes flight on settlement
Nighthawk Energy Plc (LON:HAWK) has long been a bulletin board favourite.
It’s all twitter now but the US oil and gas group still has plenty of followers and got a few more today as it shares shot up on the settlement of litigation in the United States.
The deal ends all litigation and claims arising out of agreements with Running Foxes Petroleum and related issues with its partner American Patriot Oil and Gas Inc, Nighthawk said in a statement.
It sees the three parties released from all past, current, and future claims.
No cash was exchanged, but arrangements were made in relation to certain assets a conclusion that added a a third to its share price and values the company at £12mln.
WH Ireland confirms Kuwaiti stake
No surpise today on confirmation that a Middle East investor has snapped up a stake in City stockbroker WH Ireland Group plc (LON:WHI) for £8.45mln.
Well-flagged at the weekend, Kuwaiti European Holdings (KEH) Group has bought a 23.1% stake.
As part of the deal, group chief executive Humphrey Percy will now be a KEH Group representative on the WH Ireland board, subject to regulatory approval.
WH Ireland said its business and strategy would fit well with KEH’s financial services businesses, Armila Capital and Al-Fouz Investment Company.