Marks & Spender

It wasn’t just billionaire Philip Green who indulged his sense of humour over the data protection notices filed by Stuart Rose during his ultimately successful attempt to keep Marks & Spencer out of the hands of the Arcadia owner. Millionaire Lord Grabiner, Arcadia’s chairman, also got involved.

In response to a request under the Data Protection Act to disclose any information he was holding on the M&S chief executive Rose, Green famously sent his rival two prostitutes cards with a note declaring: “Dear Stuart, please find enclosed the information that I have on you. Here’s a picture of the two girls that had dinner with you at Harry’s Bar a few weeks ago. I enclose the £10, which they told me to return to you. Philip.”

Grabiner obviously shares Green’s sharp wit – as he is understood to have returned the £10 fee that accompanies each request, with his own note, suggesting Rose use the cash to purchase some more M&S shares. Cheeky.