So farewell Paul Pindar, the Capita boss who is leaving the outsourcing giant after 26 years. Given the travails at G4S and Serco, just exiting at a time of his own choosing is triumph enough for this sector.
Capita has long been expert at managing the comings and goings of its workforce, reputedly employing two human resources bosses — one to welcome staff who are transferred to the company when it wins big contracts, and the other to help many of them find the exit door as it strips out costs.
A big farewell bash is being planned at The May Fair Hotel next week for soon-to-marry Pindar, pictured. Hopefully, well-wishers will drive into the capital from far and wide in tribute to the congestion charge, which Capita helped to set up in 2003 and whose running it won back in January from computing giant IBM.
Here’s a good one. Embarrassing admission from Shaftesbury chief executive Brian Bickell, landlord to most of Chinatown: “Actually, I’m not a great fan of Chinese food...”
All work and all play for Millard
You've heard of bosses who live to work, but Dennis Millard is making sure his leisure time dictates his non-executive roles, not vice versa.
First, the keen cyclist became chairman of bike chain Halfords. He rides a Boardman Road Team Carbon model and a few years back took part in an Athens-London charity ride with Lawrence Dallaglio and Freddie Flintoff. Now the animal lover has joined Pets At Home as deputy chairman. He has two dogs (that’s two more than chairman Tony DeNunzio who is still pet-free).
What next? The South African also loves to surf. He could be an ideal candidate to join the board of Fat Face, if chairman Sir Stuart Rose needs someone to road-test the fashion chain’s outdoor clobber as it heads on to the stock market.
Millard might need to step down from the Debenhams board to avoid a clash. He is also involved at electronics distributor Premier Farnell and is chairman of Smiths News, the newspaper wholesaler. Hard to believe he has time for one hobby, let alone three.
