Business Diary: 24/04/2010

Saturday 24 April 2010 00:00 BST
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The 7,500 lost souls who didn't read small print

Proof that no one reads the terms and conditions when buying stuff on the internet: online computer games retailer Gamestation played a trick on its customers on April Fool's Day, by amending its terms and conditions thus: "By placing an order via this website on the first day of the fourth month of the year 2010 Anno Domini, you agree to grant Us a non-transferable option to claim, for now and for ever more, your immortal soul." Had customers clicked through for further details, they would have been told the clause was a joke and been offered a £5 gift voucher. But despite 7,500 people ordering from Gamestation that day, not a single voucher has been claimed so far.

Barclays hires poverty campaigner

Barclays Bank's latest new non-executive director is a curious choice. Dambisa Moyo, who is joining the board, certainly has an impressive CV. Oxford and Harvard educated, she has done stints at Goldman Sachs and the World Bank, and is also a non-exec at SAB Miller. But Moyo is best known for her book Dead Aid, which caused a storm for its thesis that Africa's poverty and corruption can be blamed on foreign aid.

Branson takes the philosophical approach

Wise words from Sir Richard Branson, the founder of Virgin Atlantic, on the ash cloud. "If you're in the airline industry then you have to expect, as my chief executive says, that 'shit happens'," he tells CNBC. Quite right, Sir Richard: like getting charged with price fixing by the Office of Fair Trading this week.

From hot favourite to rank outsider

How the world has changed. Working in the City used to be a sure thing. Yesterday, the only banker's bonus to be found was the horse of that name running at Chepstow. Critics of the banking sector will be pleased to hear it came nowhere.

businessdiary@independent.co.uk

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