
Report: Burberry Is Looking for Its Next Chairman
British luxury brand Burberry is evaluating potential candidates to succeed Gerry Murphy as chairman, Sky News reported on Tuesday.
While Murphy is not expected to step down this year, the exact timing of his departure has not been formally determined, the report said, citing insiders.
Murphy, who took over from Sir John Peace in 2018, also serves as chairman of Tesco, Britain's largest supermarket operator.
Burberry did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
By Aatrayee Chatterjee and Bageshri Banerjee; Editor: Tasim Zahid
Learn more:
Burberry Soars After US Demand Pickup
Shares in the British mega-brand surged after a pickup in US demand buoyed sales results, raising investor hopes for a luxury market recovery.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Sterling drops as Israel's strikes on Iran boost safe-haven dollar
LONDON (Reuters) -The pound fell on Friday, in sync with other volatile currencies such as the Australian dollar, after Israel launched a flurry of strikes on Iran, sending investors scurrying into the relative safety of the dollar. Sterling fell almost 0.7% to a low of $1.35225, mirroring the 0.9% declines in the Aussie and New Zealand dollars. The euro meanwhile rose 0.2% against the pound to 85.23 pence. Israel's strikes targeted nuclear facilities, missile factories and military commanders, and Iranian media and witnesses reported explosions including at the country's main uranium enrichment facility. Iran launched about 100 drones towards Israeli territory in retaliation, which Israel is working to intercept, Israeli military spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin said. Iran has long maintained that its nuclear-related activity is for peaceful purposes. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the strikes were concerning and all parties needed to step back and reduce tensions. "Until the danger of further escalation has passed, safe assets are likely to remain in demand," Commerzbank currency strategist Michael Pfister said. Investors were already on edge this week on lingering concern about the resilience of a U.S.-China trade truce and about the impact of existing tariffs, even those that have been rolled back from April 2's sky-high levels, on the wider economy. The pound has faced a raft of weak UK data on manufacturing activity, employment and economic growth this week. In addition, finance minister Rachel Reeves announced her spending review, which analysts said did little to improve the outlook for growth but raised the chances of possible tax hikes later this year. Traders expect the Bank of England to deliver another quarter-point rate cut in September and another cut at some point by December, which would bring UK interest rates down to around 3.7%, from 4.25% now.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Exclusive-Ivory Coast workers say Unilever is violating their union rights amid share sale, documents show
By Richa Naidu LONDON/ABIDJAN (Reuters) -Unilever workers in Ivory Coast say the global consumer goods giant is violating their collective bargaining agreement in refusing to ensure severance pay if layoffs take place after the company sells its business there, documents show. British-based Unilever is selling all of its shares in its struggling Ivory Coast unit, which employs some 160 people, to a local consortium of investors led by wholesale distributor Société de Distribution de Toutes Marchandises Côte d'Ivoire (SDTM). Unilever Cote d'Ivoire manages the consumer giant's domestic and international brands in Ivory Coast, but SDTM will only take over Unilever's domestic brand business, according to an internal memo dated April 8. Unilever has not said how its international brands will be sold in Ivory Coast in future. Workers began staging protests at Unilever offices in Abidjan on April 25, fearing the unit's falling turnover in recent years and the loss of the international brand business will trigger layoffs after the sale, which is expected to close by June 20. Their collective bargaining agreement with Unilever, seen by Reuters, states that in the event of layoffs associated with disposing of its Ivory Coast business, Unilever will give employees severance pay equal to "one month of average gross salary per year of seniority, with a maximum of 18 months." The bargaining agreement, dated from 2004, was confirmed by management in 2007 and remains valid, according to Lex Ways lawyer Soualiho Lassomann Diomande, who represents local staff. The agreement also pledges "medical coverage for a maximum period of six months." A Unilever spokesperson did not comment on the agreement. However, in a meeting at the Labor Inspectorate in Abidjan on April 25, the head of Unilever Cote d'Ivoire, Arona Diop, stated that workers' rights and salaries would be decided by SDTM, and not regulated by the collective bargaining agreement, according to minutes of the meeting reviewed by Reuters. Unilever confirmed it was selling the Ivory Coast unit but said in a statement to Reuters: "the proposed transaction is by way of a sale of shares, which does not result in the termination of employees' contracts." "Severance pay is not therefore relevant, as employment continues," it added. Unilever's international brand portfolio has accounted for more than 60% of Unilever Cote d'Ivoire's turnover, according to three Ivory Coast employees, which totalled 34.6 billion CFA Franc in 2023. Since the share sale excludes the most important brands, job security is at risk, said Diomande. Moreover, under article 16.6 of the Ivorian Labor Code, any substantial modification of an employment contract requires the prior agreement of the employee, Diomande added. "No assurances have been given regarding job security," said a Unilever Ivory Coast employee, who did not wish to be named. CONTRAST WITH EUROPE The severance rights Unilever guaranteed under the collective bargaining agreement are a lot more generous than required under Ivory Coast labour law, according to Diomande as well as two workers interviewed by Reuters. According to the International Labor Organization's EPLex database website, workers in Ivory Coast are entitled to severance pay equal to 30% of their gross monthly wage per year for those who have worked up to five years. The percentage rises to 35% from the sixth to the 10th year and 40% for above 10 years of service. Unilever said early last year it would axe 7,500 jobs globally as part of a turnaround to save about 800 million euros ($913.12 million). Diomande said Unilever's treatment of its Ivory Coast staff contrasted sharply with how it treated staff in Europe. Last month Unilever agreed to guarantee its ice cream workers' employment terms in Europe and Britain for at least three years after the business' spin-off, Reuters reported, tripling the usual period in such deals despite no legal requirement to do so. The generous terms agreed in Europe reflect the power of local unions and strict labour laws on the continent. Workers in the Ivory Coast told Reuters they had asked Unilever to guarantee the same conditions, including severance pay, for two years, one less than what was granted to roughly 6,000 Unilever workers affected by the ice cream spin off in Europe and Britain. "Not applying the same conditions in Ivory Coast is unequal treatment and negative discrimination," Diomande said. "This is a serious injustice." ($1 = 571.0000 CFA francs) ($1 = 0.8761 euros)
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Exclusive-Ivory Coast workers say Unilever is violating their union rights amid share sale, documents show
By Richa Naidu LONDON/ABIDJAN (Reuters) -Unilever workers in Ivory Coast say the global consumer goods giant is violating their collective bargaining agreement in refusing to ensure severance pay if layoffs take place after the company sells its business there, documents show. British-based Unilever is selling all of its shares in its struggling Ivory Coast unit, which employs some 160 people, to a local consortium of investors led by wholesale distributor Société de Distribution de Toutes Marchandises Côte d'Ivoire (SDTM). Unilever Cote d'Ivoire manages the consumer giant's domestic and international brands in Ivory Coast, but SDTM will only take over Unilever's domestic brand business, according to an internal memo dated April 8. Unilever has not said how its international brands will be sold in Ivory Coast in future. Workers began staging protests at Unilever offices in Abidjan on April 25, fearing the unit's falling turnover in recent years and the loss of the international brand business will trigger layoffs after the sale, which is expected to close by June 20. Their collective bargaining agreement with Unilever, seen by Reuters, states that in the event of layoffs associated with disposing of its Ivory Coast business, Unilever will give employees severance pay equal to "one month of average gross salary per year of seniority, with a maximum of 18 months." The bargaining agreement, dated from 2004, was confirmed by management in 2007 and remains valid, according to Lex Ways lawyer Soualiho Lassomann Diomande, who represents local staff. The agreement also pledges "medical coverage for a maximum period of six months." A Unilever spokesperson did not comment on the agreement. However, in a meeting at the Labor Inspectorate in Abidjan on April 25, the head of Unilever Cote d'Ivoire, Arona Diop, stated that workers' rights and salaries would be decided by SDTM, and not regulated by the collective bargaining agreement, according to minutes of the meeting reviewed by Reuters. Unilever confirmed it was selling the Ivory Coast unit but said in a statement to Reuters: "the proposed transaction is by way of a sale of shares, which does not result in the termination of employees' contracts." "Severance pay is not therefore relevant, as employment continues," it added. Unilever's international brand portfolio has accounted for more than 60% of Unilever Cote d'Ivoire's turnover, according to three Ivory Coast employees, which totalled 34.6 billion CFA Franc in 2023. Since the share sale excludes the most important brands, job security is at risk, said Diomande. Moreover, under article 16.6 of the Ivorian Labor Code, any substantial modification of an employment contract requires the prior agreement of the employee, Diomande added. "No assurances have been given regarding job security," said a Unilever Ivory Coast employee, who did not wish to be named. CONTRAST WITH EUROPE The severance rights Unilever guaranteed under the collective bargaining agreement are a lot more generous than required under Ivory Coast labour law, according to Diomande as well as two workers interviewed by Reuters. According to the International Labor Organization's EPLex database website, workers in Ivory Coast are entitled to severance pay equal to 30% of their gross monthly wage per year for those who have worked up to five years. The percentage rises to 35% from the sixth to the 10th year and 40% for above 10 years of service. Unilever said early last year it would axe 7,500 jobs globally as part of a turnaround to save about 800 million euros ($913.12 million). Diomande said Unilever's treatment of its Ivory Coast staff contrasted sharply with how it treated staff in Europe. Last month Unilever agreed to guarantee its ice cream workers' employment terms in Europe and Britain for at least three years after the business' spin-off, Reuters reported, tripling the usual period in such deals despite no legal requirement to do so. The generous terms agreed in Europe reflect the power of local unions and strict labour laws on the continent. Workers in the Ivory Coast told Reuters they had asked Unilever to guarantee the same conditions, including severance pay, for two years, one less than what was granted to roughly 6,000 Unilever workers affected by the ice cream spin off in Europe and Britain. "Not applying the same conditions in Ivory Coast is unequal treatment and negative discrimination," Diomande said. "This is a serious injustice." ($1 = 571.0000 CFA francs) ($1 = 0.8761 euros) Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data