Search: financial focus

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) Scotland has cautioned that the rushed introduction of the UK's first Visitor Levy could severely disrupt Edinburgh's accommodation sector. Scheduled for a council vote this Friday, the levy would see B&Bs, hotels, and other accommodation providers begin

Perth-based finance brokerage The Lending Channel has expanded its senior leadership team to five with the appointment of two new directors. Marc Gilmour joins as complex lending director and Dean Thomson as commercial director, bringing over 45 years of combined experience in commercial finance and

UK inflation unexpectedly dropped to 2.5% in December, down from 2.6% in November, boosting prospects for an interest rate cut by the Bank of England next month. The decline, driven by lower hotel and tobacco prices, surprised City economists who had anticipated unchanged inflation figures.

More than 456,000 people are due to receive inter Heating Payments totalling £26.8 million this winter, social justice secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville will tell MSPs today. Updating the Scottish Parliament on support with fuel costs for people on low incomes, Ms Somerville will confirm the S

Lindsays has appointed Michael Kitson as a director in its commercial property team in Edinburgh. With 14 years of experience, most recently with BTO, Mr Kitson has considerable experience in advising a range of clients across the private and public sectors, supporting developers, contractors,

Donnie Munro discusses the current M&A market in Scotland, which is experiencing high activity due to anticipated tax changes, and highlights the rising trend of vendor initiated management buyouts (VIMBOs) as an attractive exit strategy for business owners. The corporate mergers and acquisition

RBC Brewin Dolphin has promoted four investment managers at its Edinburgh office. Sandy Lyell and James Pearse have become directors, while Caroline Whytock and Scott McKean become assistant directors.

Thorntons has strengthened its leadership team with the appointment of two new partners, one an internal promotion and the other a lateral hire. Rachel Anderson, based in St Andrews, is promoted to private client partner and Jennifer Gallagher joins the firm’s Dundee team as a family law partn

All Scottish councils must learn from the weaknesses that allowed an Aberdeen City Council employee’s £1.1 million fraud go undetected over 17 years, the Accounts Commission has urged. Between 2006 and 2023, the employee transferred 655 council tax refund payments totalling £1.109m

A key figure in a scheme designed to undermine the insolvency system has been banned as a company director for nine years. Neville Taylor, 57, was paid more than a quarter of a million pounds by Atherton Corporate (UK) Ltd to become the sole director of more than 400 companies.

James Heaton, Virgin Money’s agricultural business manager currently responsible for agricultural and landed estate clients in East Lothian and the Scottish Borders, has been promoted to senior director Scotland to further strengthen the bank’s support for the farming industry. With Virg

Rod Maclean takes a look at a high-profile family squabble. Media business magnate Rupert Murdoch’s family’s public drama regarding ownership is perhaps the biggest family business law story of a generation. Beneath the glitz lies a classic archetype of succession squabbles. Families &nd

KPMG has posted a 5.4% rise in global revenues to $38.4 billion (c. £30.5bn), outpacing its Big Four rivals in terms of revenue growth in the past year. The performance was driven by gains in audit, tax, and advisory services. Despite a slowdown in technology and M&A activity, KPMG's

The UK government has approved the £3.6 billion takeover of Royal Mail's parent company, International Distribution Services (IDS), by Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky's EP Group. The deal includes legally binding commitments to protect Royal Mail's Universal Service Obligation (USO), which

Abrdn has published its latest quarterly House View report, expressing cautious optimism on the macro-economy and investment outlook, despite the uncertainties surrounding the "Trump 2.0" presidency. The House View has become more positive on developed market equities, with strong US earnings growth