SHELL AND STATOIL REBRANDED AS TOPAZ - Topaz Energy, the private business group backed by Denis O'Brien, which bought out more than 300 Shell and Statoil filling stations between 2005 and 2006, is rebranding them this morning. Replacing the names of Shell and Statoil from the forecourts and replacing them with TOPAZ will be the largest consumer rebranding exercise in this country in recent times. It will cost millions of euro and will take a number of months. From his newly rebranded filling station at Dublin Port, the chief executive of TOPAZ Ireland, Danny Murray, says it is the right time to rebrand for the company. He also said that Topaz is always very careful to whom it sells alcohol.
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MORNING BRIEFS - Domino Pizza, which has 34 outlets here, has reported pre-tax profits of £18.7m sterling for 2007, up 33% from the £14m in 2006. Sales rose by 23% to £296m. The chain also has 12 outlets in the North.
*** The Australian/New Zealand media group , APN News & Media Ltd, which is 39% owned by Independent News & Media has announced pre-tax profits of €154m for 2007, up €8m on the previous year.
**** A gathering of Irish company finance directors will hear that they should expect more stringent times negotiating finance because of the international credit crunch. Arising from that, they need to spend more time working on securing credit arrangements. Today's event is being hosted in Dublin, by the Irish Association of Corporate Treasurers.
**** On the currency markets, the euro is worth $1.4691 and 75.34 pence sterling.
