MBS Intelligence
Across industries, the way organisations understand and manage risk is changing. As we explored in last week’s article, senior risk leaders are playing a more strategic role, helping boards and...
Last week, restrictions that had been imposed on Anthropic’s Claude Fable 5 model, because its capabilities were judged to pose genuine cyber security concerns should they be used to expose...
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If there was an award for the most disruptive brand in golf, Malbon Golf would have won it years ago. Founded in Los Angeles in...
Across industries, the way organisations understand and manage risk is changing. As we explored in last week’s article, senior risk leaders are playing a more...
Recently, I came across a quote from Walt Disney where he said: “You can design and create and build the most wonderful place in the...
SpaceX’s IPO earlier this month was the largest in US history and the AI investment wave it represents shows no sign of slowing. Anthropic and...
Humans have been collecting data on themselves for the better part of a thousand years. The Domesday Book, commissioned in 1086, was an act of...
Over the past two decades, as the awareness around sustainability has increased, its place in businesses has also evolved. Historically, few companies had organisational structures...
Events & Thought Leadership
The MBS Group’s new whitepaper, ‘Performance under pressure: the changing role of the Chief People Officer‘, explores how the Chief People Officer role has been...
On Tuesday, at the Hilton Park Lane in central London, around 650 members of the HTL and retail sectors gathered to discuss the topic of...
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MBS News
Co-op extends Live Nation UK festival sponsorship deal until 2031. The retailer has renewed its music festival partnership for five years, operating pop-up stores at events like Download. The deal attracts younger customers, with 70% of new members during festival season under 25.
Dunelm delivers sales growth as digital mix increases and margins strengthen. Total sales rose 3.1% as the homewares retailer delivered steady growth across the year. Digital participation reached 42%, with the group highlighting strong cash generation and continued investment in new stores and technology.
James Watt submits £30m+ bid to buy back BrewDog from Tilray. The founder has launched a formal offer through Second Best to repurchase the Scottish brewer. If successful, Watt pledges to restore equity for 43,000 former shareholders and reinstate the real living wage.
Holy Moly secures Westfalia Fruit backing for global avocado brand expansion. The UK dips brand has secured investment from Hans Merensky Holdings to expand internationally. The partnership provides infrastructure and sourcing expertise to replicate its £13m UK success globally.
Dr Martens maintains FY27 outlook amid strong US wholesale performance. The footwear brand kept its full-year outlook unchanged ahead of its annual meeting. Profit before tax rose 9.7% to £32.7m, supported by strong wholesale performance in the US and solid trading across key international markets.
Richemont reports 20% quarterly sales growth driven by US and Middle East. The luxury group owning Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels saw sales rise across all regions. Strong demand in the US and renewed growth in the Middle East helped performance surge past forecasts.
eBay’s $1.2bn acquisition of Depop cleared by UK competition watchdog. Britain’s Competition and Markets Authority has approved the fashion resale platform deal. The takeover aims to help eBay attract younger shoppers and expand its presence in the growing resale market.
Ocado posts strong revenue rise for HY26 as commercial progress accelerates. The group delivered a 54% increase in revenue to £1bn, reflecting improving performance across its retail and technology operations. It pointed to increasing commercial traction and cost discipline as it works towards positive cash flow.
Stripe and Advent International submit $53bn bid for PayPal. The consortium has offered $60.50 per share, a 28% premium, to acquire the digital payments firm. The deal comes as PayPal faces intensifying competition from rivals such as Apple Pay and Google Pay.
Thomson Reuters sells 51% stake in Global Print to KKR for $500m. The information services group has sold a majority stake to the private equity firm, creating a joint venture. Thomson Reuters retains intellectual property rights and editorial control whilst enabling independent operation.
BA Cityflyer reports 79% rise in operating profit to £22.5m for 2025. The regional carrier attributed strong performance to its transformation plan and system updates. Revenues rose 7.8% to £297m whilst capacity increased 6.1% following cabin refurbishments that added seats.
Luke Johnson’s Risk Capital Partners acquires Wahaca. The private equity firm has acquired the UK restaurant group from existing backer Yellowwoods to support expansion. Wahaca operates 14 UK sites and has been seeking a strategic partner to accelerate new openings.
