Business diary: Rodrigues forgets eight years of life

Everyone indulges in a spot of selective memory when compiling a CV, but why is Christopher Rodrigues so embarrassed about his eight-year stint as chief executive of Bradford & Bingley, which ended in 2004 well before the bank embarked on a business strategy that would eventually lead to its nationalisation during the crisis? A lengthy announcement of a second term for Rodrigues at Visit Britain, the tourism agency he now leads, includes a long list of his achievements and former jobs, going back more than 20 years. But there is not a single mention of B&B.

Strauss-Kahn's missus says quit

Stand by David Miliband, Gordon Brown or any other public figure seeking a high-profile consolation prize – there's a job vacancy coming up that just might interest you. Dominique Strauss-Kahn, tipped for a run at the French Presidency in 2012, shortly has to decide whether to return to politics or stand for a second term heading the International Monetary Fund. Sources close to Mr Strauss-Kahn – Anne Sinclair, his wife – say they hope he'll pack it in at the IMF.

Italian humour from over the Hill

Still on the politics front, it is good to see William Hill hasn't lost its sense of humour, launching a new book yesterday on how long Silvio Berlusconi can survive in office. Should the Italian premier be looking for a boost, he can take some comfort from Hill's odds – it offers just 4/11 on him making it into 2012, the runaway favourite timetable. You can get 4/1 on him quitting before the end of March, or 20/1 on him stepping down between July and September. "You'll bet he'll be Berlus-go-ni," says Hill's man with the wit.

Dyson set to fly high once more

Is it a bird, is it a plane? No, it's Sir James Dyson, the venerable British inventor, who is making an appearance on the London skyline today. He's promised to scale the Royal College of Art's new building in Battersea, which bears his name, as part of its topping-out ceremony. The building has been constructed to house "business incubator" units, where students can work with industry experts in order to turn their ideas into commercial reality. We wish Sir James a safe climb.

businessdiary@independent.co.uk