The Business Matrix: Saturday 4 October 2013

Harris returns to run Carpetright

Lord Harris of Peckham, the Tory party donor dubbed the “Carpet King”, has returned to run his Carpetright business at the age of 70 after chief executive Darren Shapland quit and the firm warned that its profits would miss forecasts. The peer, will run the firm while looking for a successor.

New chairman for price-rise Centrica

The ex-Network Rail chairman Rick Haythornthwaite has been confirmed as the new chairman of British Gas-owner Centrica, before it raises energy bill by an expected £100 per household. He succeeds Sir Roger Carr, who will leave Centrica at the start of next year to take the same role at BAE Systems.

Small firms ‘left waiting too long’

The City watchdog has attacked banks over the “snail’s pace” at which small businesses’ that were mis-sold interest-rate swaps are being compensated. The Financial Conduct Authority said business owners were waiting “too long” for compensation.

Barclays investors snap up shares

Barclays shareholders took up 94.6 per cent of the rights issue for its £6bn share offer. Most of the remaining 5 per cent went to buyers in China, Japan and South Africa who had been unable to take up their rights for technical reasons. Analysts said it was a “pretty good” take-up.