The dastardly Mr Deedes
Soon to be deposed Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn’s tumble from grace is an embarrassment for the legions of scribblers who’ve fawned over him down the years. Ghosn is the subject of no less than half-adozen books, each page doused in treacle. There will be consternation too in Ghosn’s adopted homeland Lebanon, where his bushy-browed visage was last year placed on its postage stamps in celebration of his lofty international status. Prime minister Saad Hariri sent him a message of congratulations upon their release, describing him as ‘a true Lebanese’.
Re Ghosn, Renault’s board are currently discussing temporarily replacing him while he’s detained in Japan. I wonder what the board’s redoutable British émissaire, Cherie Blair, a director since 2015, has to say on the matter? Her husband Tony got to know Ghosn well during his time in Number 10. Nissan’s Sunderland plant lay on the border of his Sedgefield constituency.
Goldman Sachs announced yesterday it was flying the transgender flag over its offices to mark Transgender Day of Remembrance, whatever that may be. Last week, London chief Richard Gnodde informed staff the bank would pay for any of them wishing to have sex changes. Suspicious types might suggest Goldman is providing a welcome distraction from the 1MDB embezzlement scandal currently engulfing them, but surely that’s unnecessarily cynical.
The Bank of England governor Mark Carney was mistakenly addressed as ‘Chancellor’ by Labour’s Rushanara Ali during yesterday’s Treasury Select Committee hearing. ‘Cut taxes, benefits for everyone!’ cried the governor jokily in response. At least I assume he was joking. He and Eeyore-ish Chancellor Philip Hammond are far from economic soul mates by the way.
Standard Chartered is upping the stakes in its attempts to persuade around 200 of its London-based bankers to relocate to Frankfurt. According to Financial News, the bank is offering two years free housing, paid school fees and German lessons as part of their relocation package. Are proud Frankfurters mildy offended City institutions are effectively having to bribe people to move there? It’s hardly Luton.