Anglo American plays a blinder at Wembley

By Jonathan Russell, City Diary Editor Published: 6:00AM GMT 05 March 2010

The authority of Anglo American wasn"t you do this by half measure. Word is he was hosting 150 guests, often from South Africa.

Of course, the World Cup is less than 100 days afar and Anglo American has outrageous interests in the nation (diamonds and gold mostly).

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My man punishment tickets down Wembley approach tells me corporate liberality at yesterday"s compare was going at anything from �400 to �800 a seat. Which creates yesterday"s journey a sincerely costly one, but should pledge Sir John the most suitable chair in the residence come Jun 11th.

Iceland putting the British in Kiev

Interesting take on British food. This proclamation is right afar using in Monarch"s in-flight magazine.

The bearing is that homesick Brits can get all their normal home amenities at Iceland"s stores in Spain.

Those "British" goodies? Pizza, lasagne, Belgian chocolate ice creams, Chicken kievs and cheesecake.

Oh, and PG Tips. Welcome home.

Aviva - this is the user speaking

Good formula from the UK"s greatest insurer, Aviva. The association went from a �2.3bn pre-tax loss last year to a �2bn distinction this time.

Not such great smoothness though. Analysts pursuit in to listen to the display by association bosses were treated with colour to some-more jazz than luscious sum about the company"s opening as they were kept on hold.

Things didn"t get most improved after the call proposed with a raft of technical problems culminating in the call being interrupted at one point by an different voice butting in to ask: "Hello, is that the operator?"

Like I said, great formula though.

Sharp move: RBS puts the Knauf in

Gamekeeper incited poacher. State-owned bank RBS has only allocated Jason Knauf as the arch spinner. The American joins the bank from HM Treasury where he was City apportion Paul Myners" spokesman.

Now from the receptive to advice of the proclamation it seems the bank was gay to have found any one for the job, let along someone from the Treasury.

The man has "capability and stand-out potential" whatever that is.

The bottom line is after all that time at the Treasury bashing bankers he shouldn"t find the pursuit as well difficult.

Banking bonuses bad / promissory note bonuses good.

Just undo as appropriate.

Malmaison cushions the blow for MPs

An choosing warm-up for you. I sense Robert Cook, trainer of Hotel du Vin and Malmaison, is equipping his hotels nearby the 3 main celebration domicile with red, yellow and blue cushions carrying the summary "when you stay at Hotel du Vin you are on trial a seat".

The most suitable suggest most MPs are expected to get.

Good headlines from the divorce courts...

...for lawyers that is.

I assimilate that commercial operation is sprightly carrying out "variation orders".

With all those out of work bankers right afar signing on, someone has to remonstrate m"lud the ex-wife (or husband, I suppose) should be in line for less too.

Zuma zooms down the aisles

Let"s hang with the South African tie for the moment. Sir John (see above) positively is I assimilate he"s assembly President Zuma today.

The rendezvous is only piece of a bustling integrate of days for South Africa"s head of state.

He was at Sainsbury"s Greenwich store on Thursday, a revisit the grocer was billing as the initial time a supermarket has enjoyed a state revisit I suspect Mr Zuma doesn"t do his own shopping.

I asked Sainsbury"s either the polygamous boss picked up anything during his trip.

A integrate of 3 for one bonus equipment perhaps?

No happiness there, but he did travel afar with a goodie bag of Sainsbury"s stock.

It enclosed tea, chocolate, grained mustard and, piccalilli of all things.

Here"s anticipating he can find a little make use of for the splendid yellow matter. I never have.

jonathan.russell@telegraph.co.uk