Sign of the times. As other firms in prestigious City buildings have shrunk their floorspace amid redundancy programmes, recruitment firm Kennedy Pearce is expanding, moving down from the Gherkin's 28th floor to the 15th to fit in a further 20 staff.

The expansion comes after the launch of a new division finding teams of people to parachute into financial services outfits going through painful restructuring programmes.

Founder Andrew Kennedy, wedged in between the packing cases, says he's got a crew in Newcastle working on the good bank/bad bank split at Northern Rock and is in talks with other banks about similar jobs. “Let's just say there's no shortage of firms needing our kind of help,” he says. Quite.

... although they won't have to look far...

A little bird flies into City Spy's command centre from broker Daniel Stewart in response to the series of articles surrounding Dubai-based Adam Wilson's power grab there. Some 35 broking staff have been put on notice and asked to reapply for their jobs, with a view to losing 10 people. Cue many calls to City headhunters from disaffected staff. Not a happy ship, it would appear...

... but special skills are needed for some jobs

On their website, Candy & Candy “are seeking a talented and creative Marketing Manager... to create and execute relevant Marketing collateral”. Preference will, presumably, be given to candidates who can explain what this means...

Michael Grade enjoys life after ITV

Michael Grade, spotted enjoying a leisurely lunch at The Wolseley earlier this week, must wonder if it was a little unfair having to leave ITV, just as advertising was about to pick up.

National ad revenues rose sharply in the first quarter of 2010 — STV, the Scottish operator of the ITV channel, reported a 13% jump yesterday.

Still, life without an ITV expense account (City Spy's beady-eyed mole said Grade paid cash at The Wolseley) has its benefits, as the ex-ITV boss has said he wants to spend more time yachting — with no accompanying BlackBerry.

However, he isn't being entirely idle and has just picked up what sounds like a fun job, chairing the James Grant talent agency, which looks after, among others, ITV stars Ant and Dec...

Tory's split loyalties over the FSA

Shadow chancellor George Osborne wants to call time on the Financial Services Authority if elected. But what of the Tory small business spokesman Mark Prisk?

Since Osborne declared his intention to share the FSA's workload between the Bank of England and a new Consumer Protection Agency, what has life been like at home for the member for Hertford and Stortford? Interesting no doubt, since Prisk's wife, Lesley Titcomb, is director of small firms... at the FSA.

City shirt baron finds something to croon about

When you've made your pile, what do you do? James Mullen founded Thomas Pink, the chain of shirt shops beloved of City slickers. He and his two brothers sold out to LVMH, and now Mullen is intent on becoming a crooner. Going under the pseudonym of Jimmy Fontaine, he's been singing in clubs and restaurants throughout the capital. There's a posting of him performing online. Take a look before booking him: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lu38-8h8njA.

Asda shows profit-driven credentials

Retail analysts were thrilled to receive an invitation to a two-day session with Asda owner Wal-Mart in the British supermarket chain's home city of Leeds in April. Asda said they could book them rooms at the City Inn in Leeds at £70 a night. Even the City scribblers, who normally applaud profit-making, were taken aback at this. A little research shows that rooms at the City Inn normally cost £50 a night...

The devil keeps in with Darling

Denying that he ever instructed aides to unleash “the forces of hell” against Alistair Darling, Gordon Brown says the Chancellor has made all the right decisions over the last two years.

Yeah, right. So why did Brown try to replace Darling with his divisive sidekick Ed Balls just last year? Lucky for Labour he didn't — the polls would no doubt be far wider if he had.

Cinnamon too spicy for Nick Clegg

To the Cinnamon Club for the bash to celebrate 30 years since the founding of the original daddy of all UK lobbying firms, GJW.

While GJW has since folded, its two co-founders, Andrew Gifford and Wilf Weeks (third partner, Jenny Jeger, left in 1992 and later died) and their guests were on fine form.

The sprinkling of politicians present did not include Nick Clegg, who used to work for GJW as an account executive. Why wasn't the Lib-Dem leader there? Did he feel awkward about being seen mixing with his old muckers from the firm that used to count Enron among its clients? Surely not!

Originally, GJW was meant to be GMW — as in Gifford, Mandelson, Weeks. The plan was that Andrew Gifford had strong Liberal ties, having been an aide to David Steel; Peter Mandelson would cover Labour; and Weeks, who used to be assistant to Ted Heath, the Tories. Just before the set-up was going live, Mandelson changed his mind and decided he wanted to devote himself to Labour. He suggested Jenny Jeger, who had worked with Jim Callaghan.

Cadbury PR takes his chocs and goes

It didn't take long... Cadbury in-house PR Trevor Datson has packed his bags.

“Irene Rosenfeld and I have come to full and frank agreement that someone who has spent his entire brief Cadbury career trashing our new owners is not necessarily the best person to bear the torch of the Kraft corporate message...” Kraft, he adds, has “promised to look after this fantastic company... Make sure you hold them to it”.