Speaking: Jacob Rees-Mogg
On Tuesday we were treated to the launch of the Liz Truss-led group ‘Popular Conservatives’ – or PopCons – which aim to ‘excite the public’ by offering an alternative to the perceived weakness of Rishi Sunak’s government.
Among those in attendance was Somerset MP and former Brexit Chances Minister Jacob Rees-Mogg, who proudly proclaimed in a speech that ‘the era of the Davos man is over’.
He was referring to the meeting of the financial and political elite at the World Economic Forum, held last month in the Swiss ski destination.
But the PopCon man might want to pass on his musings to Lord Dominic Johnson, the Investment Secretary with whom he co-founded hedge fund Somerset Capital in 2007.
His Lordship spent quite a bit of time at the Davos meeting this year, going so far as to say the event had provided “great opportunities” to highlight Britain’s technological and investment credentials.
With friends like that…
Vodafone boss meets German Chancellor ‘in slow lane’
Vodafone boss Margherita Della Valle was on a world trip last week and flew to Germany for ‘a fascinating and productive meeting’ with Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Germany is the telecom giant’s largest market, but the country is struggling to boost sales and a declining share price.
Scholz will probably understand this, as Germany itself is on the slow track and last year became the worst-performing major economy in the world.
Not good!
Gay Huey Evans looking for ‘interesting’ new role
What next for Gay Huey Evans, who will leave the Standard Chartered board this year after nine years?
The all-American director is looking for a new role, she tells Whispers, “but only if it’s interesting.”
Evans hasn’t been far from controversy lately. She stepped down as chairman of the London Metal Exchange last year following the fallout from the nickel market crisis, which led to billions of pounds worth of trades being canceled.
The 146-year-old LME was criticized by investors for the way it handled the case. Evans’ response? “It’s a physical market,” she explains. ‘Not as simple as government bonds and shares.’
I’m not sure the red suspender brigade at the LME would agree with that.
Good news (finally) for ‘Baroness Bra’
Good news (finally) for Michelle Mone, the beleaguered lingerie queen also known as ‘Baroness Bra’.
There were fears that a horse the colleague gave her husband Doug Barrowman as a wedding present would not compete in the Grand National due to a £75 million court order to freeze their assets.
This is part of a criminal investigation into alleged PPE fraud during the pandemic, which they deny.
The full list of these frozen assets has now been made public and there is no mention of Monbeg Genius, the nag in question.
That means the 14-1 fantasy is free to play at Aintree for the first prize of £500,000. Dizzy!
Contributors: Patrick Tooher, Mark Shapland