Get back to where you once belonged

For those few plucky readers still in the office, take heart: can you imagine the culture shock your ostensibly sensible holidaying colleagues will suffer on their return?

There’s the small matter of impending financial doom to deal with.

And an increasing number of deals are looking decidedly sickly. The most recent victim is Rusal, whose planned £3.75bn London listing has come under threat (see story).

On that deal it is potential legal liabilities rather than debt that is proving the sticking point.

But where are the company’s external lawyers? We can reveal that two lead partners, who shall remain nameless, were on holiday.

It’s all in the timing.