Business Diary: It's like shooting fish in a barrel

A note to our proud British delegation at the G20 summit in Seoul. Ask your hosts about the goldfish – and if they're not all alive and splashing don't even think about drinking the water. The Wall Street Journal reports that the Convention and Exhibition Centre hosting the bash has installed six goldfish in a tank of water in the basement, through which the building's supplies run. If the fish start floating to the surface, the organisers get an early warning that something's up with the supplies. It's a modern take on the canary down the coal mine.

Vedanta man has form from BP stint

More news now on Anthony Henshaw, on whose appointment to Vedanta Resources as chief sustainability officer the Diary reported last week. As we suggested the, Vedanta has been in need of exactly such an individual for some time, given its continued run-ins with environmental groups. But why didn't it give Henshaw the credit he deserves for a long career in the sector. His previous jobs include, for example, a long stint with BP, where he worked on the oil company's contingency plans for an oil spill. Odd that Vedanta didn't mention that.

Degree of choler from Millbank

A furious email arrives from David Buik, the BGC Partners commentator who one might just describe as a conservative. He is enraged about the damage caused by rioting students to Millbank Tower. "The Tower is actually owned by the Reuben Brothers," Buik says, before listing their impressive record of charitable donations. "Neither went to university," Buik says, just to underline where his sympathies on this issue lie. Let's hope they have some decent insurance.

Chocolate no help for M&S pretzels

Marc Bolland needs all the constructive criticism he can get in his new role running Marks & Spencer's – naturally, the Diary is only too pleased to help. Marc, the seasonal chocolate pretzels your food arm unveiled this week are truly ghastly. It was kind to send some home with the scribes who turned up to hear your vision for M&S over the years ahead, but a salty pretzel covered in sickly chocolate? Really?

businessdiary@independent.co.uk