There’s a cure for dementia out there somewhere
As chairman of Alzheimer’s Research UK and with a long track record of attracting private finance into dementia care and research, David Mayhew, the former Cazenove boss, looks an excellent choice as the prime minister’s new dementia envoy. Perhaps yesterday’s appointment will pave the way for the City grandee to collect the knighthood that appeared to have been put out of reach by his involvement in the Guinness scandal in the 1980s (charges against him were later dropped).
Funnily enough, Ernest Saunders, the Guinness chief executive who was jailed for five years, was released after ten months when he was given a diagnosis of suspected pre-senile dementia associated with Alzheimer’s. He subsequently made a full recovery. I’d forgotten that.
If the cap fits . . .
A financial adviser with Goldman Sachs in New York is in trouble after being outed as a Donald Trump supporter. Luke Thorburn, from its wealth management unit, is on administrative leave after it emerged that he had donated more than $500 to the combover king’s presidential campaign, as well as being involved with a website selling caps resembling the Donald’s “Make America Great Again” hats but changed to “Make Christianity Great Again”. It appears to be the caps rather than the contributions that have landed him in hot water.
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If the hairnet fits . . .
One reason why the UK will miss George Osborne’s £1 trillion of exports by a mile is ministers’ fixation with the likes of JCB. Speaking to MPs, Ian Wright, director-general of the Food & Drink Federation, complained that ministers considered consumer goods exports frivolous: “Ministers like photo calls with big yellow things or putting on a hard hat. They are not so keen on putting on little trilbies and hairnets.”
Just floating an idea here
Wellesley, the peer-to-peer lender, has been beefing up its board. Its latest hire as a non-exec is Peter Stott, until recently a managing director of Greenhill. With former Lloyds chief executive Eric Daniels as chairman, it makes one wonder whether it is gearing up for an IPO, although the company insists it is simply “the year that Wellesley wants to change gear”.
Business big shot
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Name Ben Stimson
Age 44
Position Incoming retail director, Waitrose
The John Lewis Partnership has recruited from within its own ranks again and appointed Ben Stimson to direct retail at Waitrose (Deirdre Hipwell writes). Mr Stimson is a member of the John Lewis management board and will take up his new role on March 27.
In a merry-go-round of internal movements, he replaces Rob Collins, who was promoted to managing director of Waitrose after Mark Price left to become a trade minister. Mr Stimson has held several senior roles at John Lewis and Waitrose since joining the partnership from Sky in 2010.
Married with two young children, he also is chairman of Nationwide Building Society’s charitable foundation.