Business

The City veteran John Allan is preparing to step down as chairman of Barratt Developments, Britain’s second-biggest housebuilder by market value. Sky News has learnt that Barratt has instructed headhunters at Russell Reynolds Associates to identify a successor to Mr Allan, who also chairs Tesco. The process, which is unlikely to be concluded until next

Hundreds of Tesla owners have complained to the US regulator that the cars operating on the partially automated driving systems have suddenly stopped for no reason. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said they are investigating the issue, which has been reported by 750 people, as the company’s founder Elon Musk said he has

One of the world’s biggest oil producers is contemplating a multibillion pound takeover bid for Motor Fuel Group (MFG), Britain’s biggest independent petrol station operator. Sky News has learnt that the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) is lining up bankers to work on a potential offer for MFG, which has been put up for

Sheryl Sandberg is stepping down from her post as a senior executive at Meta. She has served as chief operating officer at Facebook’s parent company for 14 years and is second-in-command after Mark Zuckerberg. “When I took this job in 2008, I hoped I would be in this role for five years,” she wrote on

The owner of the Premier Inn hotels chain faces a pay row for a second successive year after voting advisors opposed its decision to award bonuses to executives despite receiving government support during the pandemic. Sky News understands that Whitbread, the FTSE-100 leisure group, is engaged in discussions with leading investors aimed at heading off

Shell’s North Sea Jackdaw gas field has received final regulatory approval. It comes as the government tries to boost domestic energy output in an effort to shield the UK from the market volatility caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Business and Energy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said: “Jackdaw gas field – originally licensed in 1970 –

Frasers Group, the shopping empire founded by Mike Ashley that owns House of Fraser and Sports Direct, has swooped in to save Missguided from collapse. The company has acquired the embattled online retailer for £20m. Frasers Group bought all of the related intellectual property of the women’s fashion brand after Missguided announced on Monday it

A cross-party group of MPs has told the logistics industry to “get its house in order”, calling for better overnight facilities for drivers and new ways to boost recruitment. The Commons transport select committee said that if the changes are not made within two years then the most profitable parts of the industry could face

Average petrol prices have reached a new record high of 173.02p a litre, figures show, after an EU ban on Russian oil imports. Fuel prices have been setting record highs every few days in recent weeks, as the supply of gasoline dries up at a time when demand is starting to gain speed. The increase

British Airways check-in staff at Heathrow airport will be balloted for strike action next month in a dispute over pay. Unite, the union, said that the workers had a 10% pay cut imposed on them during the coronavirus pandemic but bosses have refused to reverse this, despite restoring their own pay to pre-pandemic levels. The

Roman Abramovich has completed the sale of Chelsea Football Club to a group led by American businessman Todd Boehly and investment firm Clearlake Capital. Mr Boehly, 48, fought off 11 serious rivals to clinch the £4.25bn deal. In a statement, the club said sanctions imposed on Mr Abramovich following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine had presented

Foxtons has raided rival London estate agent Chestertons to poach its chief executive as it faces pressure from activist shareholders to sell the company. Sky News has learnt that Foxtons has decided to appoint Guy Gittins as its new boss, replacing Nic Budden, who has run the business for nearly eight years. Foxtons could announce

Hundreds of large privately-owned companies will escape tougher corporate governance requirements under watered-down government plans to reform the audit profession in the wake of scandals at Carillion and BHS. Sky News has learnt that ministers will this week publish their long-awaited response to a consultation on the future of auditors and boardroom governance. Insiders said

The consumer goods giant which owns a controlling stake in David Beckham’s portfolio of branded products is racing to finalise a £300m takeover of Ted Baker, the London-listed fashion retailer. Sky News has learnt that Authentic Brands Group (ABG), is the preferred bidder for Ted Baker and has indicated that it is willing to pay

EasyJet says it will cancel more than 200 flights over the next 10 days, putting half-term breaks at risk for thousands of travellers. The airline said that about 24 flights from London Gatwick would be affected each day between now and 6 June. A spokeswoman for the company said: “We are very sorry for the

Shell has said the chancellor’s windfall tax “creates uncertainty” about investing in oil and gas in the North Sea. The tax was announced by Rishi Sunak as part of a £21bn support package aimed at helping people cope with the rising cost of living. The measure will see oil and gas firms pay a 25%

One of the government’s most loyal ministers has warned that a windfall tax on oil and gas companies will not be “economically cost-free”. The tax was announced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak as part of a £21bn support package aimed at helping people cope with the rising cost of living. But Jacob Rees-Mogg, the minister for

The windfall tax announced by the chancellor will be “damaging” for the UK’s net zero plans and energy security, the Confederation of British Industry has said. Rain Newton-Smith, CBI chief economist, said the tax “sends the wrong signal to the whole sector at the wrong time”, pointing to a “backdrop of rising business taxation”. Chancellor

Chancellor Rishi Sunak is expected to bow to pressure to impose a windfall tax on energy companies when he sets out the government’s latest plan to tackle the cost of living crisis later. Although not confirmed, Treasury sources have also not denied reports that he will scrap the requirement to repay the £200 discount on

Volkswagen (VW) has reached a £193m settlement with UK drivers involved in a class action lawsuit over the so-called dieselgate scandal in 2015. The German carmaker, which had refused to compensate the owners of diesel models affected in the UK citing EU law, faced claims brought on behalf of 91,000 people by several legal firms.