Jonathan Birchall In New York, FT

Stories by Jonathan Birchall In New York, FT

China blocks Coca-Cola bid for Huiyuan

China blocks Coca-Cola bid for Huiyuan

Rediff.com   21 Mar 2009

China on Wednesday rejected a $2.4bn Coca-Cola deal that would have been the country's biggest foreign takeover, stoking fears of protectionism and warnings the decision could scupper Beijing's push to invest in overseas mining companies.

Starbucks in drive to improve 'experience'

Starbucks in drive to improve 'experience'

Rediff.com   24 Mar 2008

New initiatives in the US stores will include the introduction of a new blend of coffee named after the company's first store at Pike Place, Seattle, and the rapid roll out of the new low-level Mastrena machines - which allowing greater eye-contact with customers. The new machines will be introduced into 30 percent of its more than 7,000 US stores by the end of the year, and into three-quarters of its stores by the end of 2010. The company also said it had acquired the Cof

Business missing 2012 bonanza

Business missing 2012 bonanza

Rediff.com   18 Mar 2008

The bank's report found that small and medium-sized companies were particularly unprepared, with eight out of 10 yet to take any action to evaluate opportunities, compared with 58 per cent of larger businesses. Even though there are more than four years to go to the 2012 opening ceremony, the bank's experts warned companies should already be taking steps to secure a slice of the economic windfall.

Sari seems to be the hardest word

Sari seems to be the hardest word

Rediff.com   18 Mar 2008

A week before a good friend's wedding in Jodhpur, I am starting to panic. What is the difference between a casual shalwar kameez and a dressy shalwar kameez? Should I go sari-shopping in Southall or Mumbai? I flick through old issues of Hello! magazine, looking at Liz Hurley dressed up as an Indian princess for her wedding, courtesy of her famous designer friends: Versace, Valentino and Cavalli. My panic mounts.

Lufthansa to launch executive fleet

Lufthansa to launch executive fleet

Rediff.com   18 Mar 2008

Several other European airlines have considered entering the corporate jet market, including KLM, the Dutch subsidiary of Air France-KLM, which has recently investigated the fledgling market for air taxi jet operations with four-seat very light jets. KLM has shelved the project, however, and to date only Lufthansa is pressing ahead with the development of its own fleet.

AT&T targets India's booming mobile sector

AT&T targets India's booming mobile sector

Rediff.com   16 Feb 2008

AT&T has applied for a mobile licence in India in partnership with Mahindra Telecommunications, a local telecoms company, and Mr de la Vega said it was hoping to acquire spectrum for its wireless services.

Air France-KLM to take stake in US airline merger

Air France-KLM to take stake in US airline merger

Rediff.com   16 Feb 2008

Air France-KLM is planning to invest directly in the US airline industry for the first time by taking a minority stake in the group expected to be formed from a merger of Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines, the number three and five US carriers.

A strong flavour of Apple

A strong flavour of Apple

Rediff.com   16 Feb 2008

The iPhone was not the first touch-driven handset when it launched last year, or even the fastest for internet browsing over standard cellular networks but the impact of Apple's consumer smartphone on the world's handset business still reverberates through the telecom industry.

Web 'no good' for many enterprises

Web 'no good' for many enterprises

Rediff.com   16 Feb 2008

Almost half of all small business owners feel the evolution of the Internet has made it harder to run a company, according to research by Cranfield School of Management.

Emerging markets keep Coca-Cola bubbling

Emerging markets keep Coca-Cola bubbling

Rediff.com   14 Feb 2008

However, the world's largest non-alcoholic drinks company said that it remained well-placed to face any slowing in US consumer demand, as it reported results supported by strong international growth.

Google homes in on revenues from phones

Google homes in on revenues from phones

Rediff.com   14 Feb 2008

Google's comments echo figures released recently by AT&T and O2, which carry the iPhone exclusively in the US and UK respectively.

Accenture's next champion of waffle words

Accenture's next champion of waffle words

Rediff.com   30 Jan 2008

When one door closes, another one opens. On Thursday the prison gates clanked shut behind Martin Lukes in Florida but, in London, the door of an office inside Accenture swung ajar, revealing Mark Foster, a middle-aged white man with a long-winded title.

China prepares for the handover

China prepares for the handover

Rediff.com   30 Jan 2008

Family businesses and their inter-generational conflicts are rich fodder for Hong Kong scriptwriters. TV series including Steps (ostensibly about ballroom dancing), The Drive of Life (the Chinese car industry) or Best Selling Secrets (a media conglomerate) all feature an elderly patriarch presiding over a sprawling family business.

Vodafone clears tax-fight hurdle

Vodafone clears tax-fight hurdle

Rediff.com   30 Jan 2008

The UK group bought a 52 per cent stake in the Indian company in May, which is now called Vodafone Essar. Mumbai-based Essar Group owns 33 per cent, with Asim Ghosh, Vodafone Essar managing director, and Indian businessman Analjit Singh owning the remaining 15 per cent.

Top 20 schools lead the way on earnings

Top 20 schools lead the way on earnings

Rediff.com   30 Jan 2008

Roshan Gaonkar was working on the internal consulting team of US Airways when he realised that he wished to hone his business skills by doing an MBA.

Developing tastes

Developing tastes

Rediff.com   28 Jan 2008

British food producers increased prices by 7.4 per cent last year -- the biggest annual increase since the country's National Statistics office began tracking them 15 years ago -- due to big jumps in the cost of producing bread, butter, eggs, milk and meat. In Russia, prices went up so sharply -- milk rose by some 30 per cent and bread went up 22 per cent - that the government froze prices towards the end of the year.

Starbucks boss on the romance of coffee-making

Starbucks boss on the romance of coffee-making

Rediff.com   12 Jan 2008

Howard Schultz has returned as CEO of Starbucks with a mission: reinvigorating the "romance and theatre" of coffee-making that have been damaged in global expansion.