Business Diary: Barclays wronged by pay tsars

Red faces at the High Pay Commission, which was naturally keen to find a high profile example of an overpaid executive for its report yesterday on outlandish remuneration packages. A banker was always going to be the ideal target – in which case, who better than Bob Diamond, the Barclays boss, to name and shame? Just one problem: the Commission attributed the pay packet of Diamond's predecessor, John Varley, to the new man by mistake. Cue some embarrassed apologies.

Late booking for troubled firm's talks

Was Thomas Cook trying to pull a fast one yesterday? It was quite open about the financial difficulties it is experiencing and was happy to give the press an opportunity to seek further details. Still, inviting lazy journalists to take part in an 8.30am media call was never going to produce much of an audience – particularly since the invite was issued only 16 minutes in advance.

Allen does more for charity

Charles Allen, the one-time boss of ITV, is making a return to commercial television. He's the latest businessman to sign up for Channel Four's Secret Millionaire show, in which the wealthy go undercover with worthy causes before giving one or more of them a large cheque. Fair play to Allen, who has already signed up for one mercy mission this autumn: advising Ed Miliband on how to turn round the commercial fortunes of the Labour Party.

Lucky numbers down at GS

Times must be tougher at Goldman Sachs than one might imagine. Every year, the investment bank promotes its top performers to the rank of managing director, publicly naming the lucky men and women (rather like the National Lottery names its winners). But this time, just 261 Goldman staffers have made the cut – down from 361 in 2010, and the smallest number since 2008.