DIARY OF A TAKEOVER - THE STORY OF RBS AND NATWEST

My speech at the Banner conference goes well. It is amazing how a bit of humour lifts these things, particularly when the audience is...

I am working at home today, principally doing annual appraisals- both for my staff and preparing for my own. But I get word that the...

I spend most of the day writing this "strong pitch" for our procurement jv with help from one of my senior guys and T from Jim Mann's...

We spent New Year's Eve with one of my daughter's best friends, her mum and stepfather, who live up a bit of a hill in Camberley so we...

I am fast asleep in bed at 12.40 a.m. when the phone rings. Jane answers it as unluckily, it is on her side of the bed. It's for me. It...

We receive our second Christmas card of the year from Sarah Ferguson. I think we must be on the "parents of friends of Eugenie" list, and...

The FT reports the Byers competition decision. RBS shares dipped to £11.06 yesterday, making the bid worth about £14 a share, around 10%...

I am hosting an Institute of Purchasing Board of Management meeting at Kings Cross. I have to welcome them, do the fire drill stuff,...

Bank of Scotland has sent out a document to shareholders with the detail of the presentation they made to analysts last week. We respond...

We travel down to Fareham for the day to see Jane's parents. In the evening it is the BBC Sports Personality of the Year, and quite...

Some press comment seems to be coming round to the view that we might just manage to remain independent. The messages about the...

Bernard Horn can't make the meeting today - he has had to go off to the States for some reason. My slot in front of the Executive...

I present the case for Redgrave (setting up with Andersen Consulting a purchasing jv that can sell services to other businesses) to Ron...

RBS and BoS share prices are both weak, which is I suppose a compliment to the NatWest defence in terms of pointing out the difficulties...

We make a Stock Exchange announcement, as a "response to week-end press speculation", saying that meetings have been held with both...

A very pleasant surprise - an old friend and one of daughter's Godfathers rings to say he is passing through Heathrow and has a few hours...

I speak to Bernard Horn - Ron Sandler wants to press on with Redgrave, and thinks there are opportunities for some good defence-related...