Business Diary: 06/03/2010

Primark's Ryan comes out of hiding

Arthur Ryan, chairman of Primark, hasn't been photographed in public since founding the chain in 1969. Now Mr Ryan's seclusion is over: after turning up to accept a gong at the Retail Week Awards at London's Grosvenor House on Thursday night, the septuagenarian stuck around and was spotted puffing away on a ciggie with pals outside the Park Lane hotel after midnight.

Sky News staff are set for a carpeting

Sky News has published a transcript of an interview conducted by Jeff Randall with ITV boss Archie Norman – an interesting chat, as Sky has a big stake in its rival. Mr Norman was placatory. "I have a good relationship with James Murdoch and Jeremy Durrock," Sky's transcript reveals he said. But who is this Durroch? Mr Norman was talking about Sky chief executive Jeremy Darroch – whose own staff appear not to know how to spell his name.

HM Treasury happy to help RBS again

More help from the Treasury for the state-owned banks. Royal Bank of Scotland has been looking for a new head of media – who better to fill the role than Jason Knauf, spokesman for Paul Myners, the Treasury's Financial Services Secretary?

Tinchy Stryder on how to stay out of debt

Top marks to the BBC's Working Lunch business programme for its latest financial punditry recruit. Step forward "urban music star" Tinchy Stryder. "From however young you are, to however old you are, and whatever you have got, do not always spend your last penny," he tells the programme. Wise words.

Coke gets its money's worth from football

Coca-Cola is making the most of its World Cup football sponsorship. It has taken the trophy on a 225-day, 83,000-mile global tour of 86 countries – it's in London next week.

Number of the day: 8%

The economic growth that China is expecting to achieve this year, says Premier Wen Jiabao.

businessdiary@independent.co.uk