Business Diary: The banker who really is a pirate

We are indebted to Bloomberg for its update yesterday on the career of Gordon Dickson, a one-time risk officer at Halifax Bank of Scotland. Mr Dickson, who had been at the bank for 40 years, lost a fortune during the financial crisis, as HBOS succumbed to the credit crunch and had to be bailed out by Lloyds; he was left thoroughly disenchanted with the industry to which he had given his working life. But now he has a new profession that is much more fulfilling, reports Bloomberg – he is Pete the Pirate, an eyepatch-wearing children's entertainer.

Nervous times for rubber trials

When a company merges with another business or gets taken over, its employees always wonder if their jobs might be at risk. So you might forgive a select band of staff at SSL, the Durex manufacturer that is set to be bought by Reckitt Benckiser, for a little nervousness as they await the outcome. Will the new owner continue with the trial during which Durex has paid 5,000 people from different parts of the country £500 each to test its latest product ranges?

The fastest actuary in town

Congratulations to Emily Adams, who upstaged the bankers in the Great City Race that is organised by Standard Chartered Bank. The 5k run is a charitable venture, but it's also hotly contested, particularly by all those ultra-competitive folk in the Square Mile. For the second year running, Ms Adams, an associate at the actuarial consultancy Punter Southall, won the women's race; her time of 17 minutes 3 seconds meant she also beat most of the blokes.

Gore's boy takes on Wall Street

They do the testosterone-fuelled, supposedly-for-charity events slightly differently in the US, meanwhile. Many of Wall Street's finest were ringside last night at the Corporate Challenge Boxing charity bash, in which a string of financiers who fancy themselves as pugilists donned the gloves. Stars of the evening included Strategic Capital Partners' Albert Gore Junior, son of the former vice-president.

businessdiary@independent.co.uk