The dastardly Mr Deedes
Ofcom boss Sharon White was declared Cabinet Secretary material by her former boss Ken Clarke, who considers her as one of the smartest people he’s worked with in 48 years in politics. White, 51, was passed over for the role yesterday in favour of ex-Foreign Office dalek Sir Mark Sedwill, but she may consider that a bullet dodged considering the Brexit shambles. There’s also the Bank of England governorship up for grabs in 2020, which currently lacks a strong female candidate.
Bulbous-nosed gym magnate Duncan Bannatyne politely dispels Twitter speculation that he’s the ‘leading businessman’ who injuncted the Telegraph from revealing he bullied and sexually abused staff. ‘Nope. Not me,’ he tweets nonchalantly. Dreadful as the revelations are, was Bannatyne, 69, flattered to have been considered a leading businessman?
Unilever’s Dutch-born boss Paul Polman and wife Kim were guests at Tuesday’s state banquet for the king and queen of the Netherlands. Presumably the likeable royals resisted questioning Polman on his residency in tax-friendly Switzerland. Another Dutchman, ex-Marks and Spencer boss Marc Bolland, attended but arrived at Buckingham Palace solo. Surely the wellgroomed boulevardier, 59, would have had no problems rustling up a plus-one?
Troubled publishing heir James Packer once sought solace from his woes by becoming a Scientologist. He was introduced to the controversial church by Tom Cruise, though their relationship swiftly withered as soon as Packer’s interest faded. Packer, 51, now seeks guidance from holistic guru Maharishi Thom Knoles, whose number he keeps on speed dial, according to Aussie journalist Damon Kitney’s ominously titled biography, The Price Of Fortune.
Bottle-blonde brassiere tycoon Lady Mone announces her blockchain venture is being backed by Apple’s cofounder Steve Wozniak, 68, whom she describes as ‘my business idol since I was a teenager’. The FT’s Alphaville blog observes Lady M’s 2015 autobiography My Fight To The Top makes not a single reference to The Woz in its 272 pages, but includes four giddy references to ‘childhood hero’ Sylvester Stallone.