Business

Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s chemicals empire, Ineos, has introduced a company-wide hiring freeze as it prioritises debt reduction following years of rapid expansion and weakening market conditions. The British-founded group confirmed a “general recruitment freeze” while tightening capital spending after acquiring assets worth around €2.7 billion across the US, Europe and Asia between 2022 and 2024. The move comes as Ineos grapples with overcapacity in the chemicals market, new US tariffs and falling prices that have...

Jamie Oliver and his wife, Jools, have paid themselves £2.5 million in dividends for the second consecutive year, even as pre-tax profits at their core business fell by more than 30%. Accounts for Jamie Oliver Holdings (JOH) show pre-tax profits dropped from £3.4 million to £2.4 million in 2024, despite a 6% rise in sales to £28.6 million. The results reflect a mixed year for the celebrity chef’s media and restaurant group, which saw strong...

Jazmyn Keann White operates at the intersection of creativity and commerce, building a career that seamlessly blends the distinct worlds of fashion, music, and now, philanthropy. She has established herself not just as a business leader in the competitive fashion space and a gifted musician, but as a visionary who uses her platform to orchestrate meaningful change. Her latest endeavor, the non-profit Voices For One, is a testament to her unique ability to weave disparate...

Done Right Roofing has built its reputation in Illinois by keeping a simple promise: be on time and put customers first. Founded in 2019 by Tiffany Wasso in Bridgeview, the company quickly became known for combining skilled craftsmanship with respect for people’s homes and businesses. From the beginning, the mission was clear. Done Right Roofing set out to solve problems rather than just patch them over. Tiffany explains, “Helping people solve their roofing problems is...

Workspaces are evolving as hybrid work models become more prevalent. Companies are redesigning traditional office environments to support a flexible workforce, requiring strategic approaches to maintain productivity and collaboration. The transformation of workspaces is influencing business operations. As hybrid work models gain popularity, companies are adjusting their office spaces to meet new requirements. By incorporating flexibility into design, organisations can create environments that accommodate various working styles. This shift signifies a move towards embracing change...

Justin Brewer, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Greenhub, is an entrepreneur whose career reflects drive, vision and resilience. Born and raised in Somers, Connecticut, he grew up with a passion for sport, particularly soccer. His dedication to the game carried him to Sacred Heart University, where he played NCAA Division I soccer as a four-year starter while studying Communications Technology. The discipline and leadership skills Brewer gained on the pitch would later become the...

Eric Davidov was born in Manhattan and raised on Staten Island, New York, in a family that valued hard work, discipline, and education. His mother built a career in software engineering, while his father shifted from wholesale into real estate. This steady example of persistence shaped Eric’s own outlook from an early age. Sport also played a major role in his youth. Eric competed in tennis and diving, but it was boxing that left the...

Celebrity chef Rick Stein will close his Marlborough restaurant this weekend, the second outlet to shut in a week as his family-run hospitality empire battles mounting financial pressure. The High Street site, which opened almost a decade ago, will serve its last meals on Sunday, October 5. The closure follows the permanent shutdown of Stein’s Coffee Shop in Padstow, Cornwall, where three staff were redeployed. In a statement signed by Stein, his wife Jill and...

What began as isolated disputes over niche items is now reshaping how cakes, baked goods and sweet snacks are treated for tax purposes. The result is that products previously considered zero-rated are increasingly being reclassified as standard-rated confectionery, subject to 20% VAT. The change centres on a single phrase in VAT legislation, which defines confectionery as: “Chocolates, sweets and biscuits; drained, glace or crystallised fruits; and any item of sweetened prepared food which is normally...

Women in England face a dramatic and long-lasting earnings hit after having children, with the average mother losing over £65,000 in pay by the time her first child turns five, according to sobering new data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The analysis reveals a 42% fall in mothers’ average monthly earnings – equivalent to a loss of £1,051 per month – compared with income levels one year before childbirth. The ONS found that...