Alex Lawson
mralexlawson.bsky.social
Alex Lawson
@mralexlawson.bsky.social
Assistant business editor at The Guardian. Previously: MoS, Evening Standard, Independent/i. SWFC sufferer
Panorama’s programme on Vashi is a great watch, laying out how the diamond scandal unfolded. And there’s still no sign of the man himself - or a criminal investigation
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Vashi: Jewellery boss in £170m scam told shop staff to pretend to be customers
Insiders tell BBC Panorama how the man behind upmarket jeweller Vashi conned investors and customers.
www.bbc.co.uk
September 1, 2025 at 1:58 PM
Guest appearance on Radio 4’s Profile programme discussing my interview with ice skating, Disney dog costume wearing, former Microsoft boss Cindy Rose, as she prepares to take over at WPP www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
July 20, 2025 at 9:28 AM
The chief executive of Royal Mail, Emma Gilthorpe, has left after just over a year, weeks after its owner was sold for £3.6bn to the Czech billionaire Daniel Křetínský www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Emma Gilthorpe resigns as chief executive of Royal Mail
Move comes weeks after delivery company’s owner was sold for £3.6bn to Czech billionaire Daniel Křetínský
www.theguardian.com
June 20, 2025 at 1:26 PM
M&S website resumes online orders six weeks after cyber-attack
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
M&S website resumes online orders six weeks after cyber-attack
Retailer estimated to have lost about £25m a week after it was forced to pause online shopping
www.theguardian.com
June 10, 2025 at 6:50 AM
MPs have warned about the speed and cost of cleaning up Sellafield and raised concerns over a “suboptimal” workplace culture at the site.
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Sellafield nuclear clean-up too slow and too costly, say MPs
Parliamentary committee raises concerns over ‘suboptimal’ workplace culture at ageing waste dump
www.theguardian.com
June 4, 2025 at 8:53 AM
Sellafield has told staff that projects will be slowed, paused or stopped after it was budgeted £2.8bn in funding for next financial year - falling short of what it had hoped for, and sparking concerns over safety. Story with @annaisaac.bsky.social here www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Sellafield nuclear site plans cuts as chief says £2.8bn funding ‘not enough’
Exclusive: Union concerned over safety as bosses launch review of spending
www.theguardian.com
February 24, 2025 at 3:07 PM
Sellafield has been taken out of special measures for physical security - but concerns remain over cybersecurity. Story with @annaisaac.bsky.social here - www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Sellafield nuclear site taken out of special measures for physical security
Site in Cumbria can now return to routine inspections but concerns remain over cybersecurity
www.theguardian.com
February 19, 2025 at 6:15 PM
Meet the music boss trying to stamp out bots gaming royalties with "recordings of a washing machine" and who wants fans to pay only for the artists they listen to - www.theguardian.com/music/2025/f...
More rhythm, less algorithm: why Deezer’s boss is vowing to put users in control of their music
Alexis Lanternier, chief executive of the French streaming service, says it can compete with bigger rivals by rewarding the real musicians its subscribers want to support
www.theguardian.com
February 18, 2025 at 3:18 PM
This is a new one - Virgin Money had to apologise after its AI-powered chatbot has reprimanded a customer who used the word “Virgin” in an online conversation... www.ft.com/content/670f...
Virgin Money chatbot scolds customer who typed ‘virgin’
UK banks are racing to roll out generative AI tools to personalise consumer services
www.ft.com
January 29, 2025 at 12:42 PM
Offering cheaper Tube fares on Fridays made "no noticeable difference" - so now Sadiq is pondering offering free coffees to frequent passengers ☕ (via @rosslydall.bsky.social) www.standard.co.uk/news/transpo...
Sadiq Khan's £24m cheap Friday Tube fares plan 'flops'
Now London mayor suggests offering free coffees to passengers after scrapping of peak fares made ‘no difference’ to Friday commutes
www.standard.co.uk
January 8, 2025 at 1:41 PM
Earlier this year, Thames Water was accused of “financial chicanery” after we revealed it had approved a £150m dividend hours before its shareholders U-turned on providing emergency funding.

Today, it has been handed an £18.2m penalty for breaking dividend rules.
Thames Water to pay £18m penalty after breaking dividend rules
Regulator says it will claw back £131m in ‘unjustified’ payments as it announces companies can increase bills by 36% by 2030
www.theguardian.com
December 19, 2024 at 5:02 PM
Tiny violins on standby: James Watt's love v tax conundrum is... unusual. Full story by @byrobdavies.bsky.social here - www.theguardian.com/business/202...
For richer or poorer? BrewDog co-founder may delay marriage to max-out tax relief
James Watt’s investment in I’m a Celebrity winner Georgia Toffolo’s raw dog food venture needs three years as ‘unconnected person’ under HMRC rules
www.theguardian.com
December 17, 2024 at 5:54 PM
Couldn’t be at the British Journalism Awards last night due to the strike over the Observer sale. But had an excellent evening with fellow nominees and great to be recognised for hard work with @annaisaac.bsky.social on an important project (which was expertly edited by John Collingridge)
December 13, 2024 at 11:27 AM
Interesting to read here that Piers Dunhill was in Vashi Dominguez's orbit. He's the diamond dealer who vanished leaving angry investors behind. www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/ar...
RICHARD EDEN: Missing star jeweller, his lost £170 million
Vashi Dominguez is the exuberant entrepreneur who drives a Ferrari - or, sometimes, a Maserati - and dazzles pretty well everyone he meets, from multi-millionaire investors to Holly Willoughby.
www.dailymail.co.uk
December 10, 2024 at 3:46 PM
Extraordinary situation: the boss of Nomura has apologised and taken a pay cut after an employee allegedly drugged an elderly customer and their spouse in Hiroshima, before stealing their money and setting the house on fire.
Japan’s Nomura bank boss takes 30% voluntary pay cut after worker tries to kill customer
Wealth management employee charged with robbery, attempted murder and arson after home visit to elderly clients
www.theguardian.com
December 3, 2024 at 12:56 PM