The instincts of the great Laudrup glowed in so much of Swansea’s work

In 1994 John Maples was among the first senior Conservatives to identify Tony Blair, after a few months as leader of the Labour Party, as a figure who would prove a formidable adversary of the Tories. In a leaked internal memo Maples cautioned John Major that it would beunwise, as many Conservatives were doing, to dismiss the new Labour leader as a lightweight.

In the first of a new series debunking modern myths, our writer looks through the smokescreen of smartphones

Another fat-cat banker?

Mr Dimon is a bit different, to be fair, having enjoyed a good war during the credit crisis. President Obama subsequently said of him: "Jamie Dimon ... I don't think should be punished for doing a pretty good job managing an enormous portfolio."

Among the many bank bosses vilified after the British banking crisis, only Andy Hornby bounced straight back. After he lost his grip on HBOS and it had to be rescued from collapse, he was quickly rehired by Boots as chief executive.

Now that 71 per cent of us believe we're middle class, are we moving towards a more flexible American mindset? Or are we just deluding ourselves, asks Peter York

As his series 'Civilisation' – an echo of Kenneth Clark's renowned television epic – begins tonight, celebrity historian Niall Ferguson tells Matthew Bell about the sacrifices he has had to make to build his empire

The Business Interview: Chief executive uses her City skills as a venture philanthropist

New opportunities for growth should be seized

Pretty much everyone thinks corporate payouts are excessive these days. But bonuses haven't been given their marching orders – they're overpaid, oversexed and still here.

'At 12 I knew I would be an entrepreneur'

In 1947 six former 2nd Air Division USAAF officers who had been stationed at Headquarters in Norfolk during the Second World War, and who lived in the Chicago area in the US, decided to meet at the apartment of one of them for a few drinks on a Friday evening to remember old times.

Ex-Tory MP says he has not been hired as a lobbyist for the broadcaster

Now’s the time to invest in profitable, long-term, high-return and low-risk assets: brands