LONDON: Rolls-Royce plans to axe 4,600 mainly British management roles by 2020 to further slash costs, the UK maker of plane engines announced on Thursday.
“Rolls-Royce announces the next stage in our drive for pace and simplicity with a proposed restructuring that will deliver improved returns, higher margins and increased cash flow,” the group said in a statement.
The London-listed company, whose engines are used in Airbus and Boeing aircraft, said the latest cuts would produce £400 million ($536 million) of annual cost savings by the end of 2020.
Rolls has faced a tough trading environment in recent years on weak demand for its power systems, in particular ones used by the marine industry, resulting in the loss of about two thousand jobs alongside the creation of new posts.
The latest update will result in the largest cull at the group since 2001, when it axed 5,000 jobs on a global economic downturn and following the September 11 attacks in the US.
“Our world-leading technology gives Rolls-Royce the potential to generate significant profitable growth,” the company’s chief executive Warren East said in Thursday’s announcement.
“The creation of a more streamlined organization with pace and simplicity at its heart will enable us to deliver on that promise, generating higher returns while being able to invest for the future,” he added.
Although Rolls roared back into profit last year, this was largely owing to a recovery in the pound.
While the plunge in the value of the pound in the wake of Britain’s 2016 vote in favor of Brexit helped many exporters, Rolls-Royce was forced to book a vast charge as it had not hedged against such a swing in the currency.
Rolls said the latest round of restructuring, leading to the loss of many corporate-supporting roles, was expected to cost the group £500 million, while about two-thirds of the job losses would be in the UK.
East, who has implemented a group-wide restructuring since his appointment as chief executive in 2015, insisted that the latest cull was not linked to repairs it has been forced to carry out on Trent engines.
Used by the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A380 superjumbo, the engines have seen some parts wear quicker than expected, forcing Rolls to carry out costly repairs.
Rolls employs about 55,000 staff worldwide, almost half of whom are in Britain.
The company meanwhile has some 16,000 staff at its UK operational base in Derby, central England.
“Most of these management and support functions (set to go) are in Derby and therefore, it will be most strongly felt in Derby,” East said in an interview with BBC radio.
Rolls had in January announced a major overhaul of its operations, reducing the number of core units and basing the remainder around civil aerospace, defense and power systems.
“We have world-class technology in Rolls-Royce, but... (not) a world-class business to go along with it,” East said Thursday in a call with reporters.
At the same time, the company has said it would consider selling its commercial marine business, while in April, Rolls sold German division L’Orange for €700 million to US group Woodward.
Speaking to the BBC, East said he saw opportunities in China.
“We look at China and we see an opportunity there for aircraft engine... that’s where a lot of opportunities are.”
British engine maker Rolls-Royce cuts 4,600 jobs
British engine maker Rolls-Royce cuts 4,600 jobs
- Rolls-Royce employs about 55,000 staff worldwide, almost half of whom are in Britain
- Rolls-Royce had in January announced a major overhaul of its operations, reducing the number of core units and basing the remainder around civil aerospace, defense and power systems
Dubai Financial Market reports $288.6m profit for 2025 - up 159%
RIYADH: Dubai Financial Market reported net profit before tax of 1.06 billion dirhams ($288.6 million) in 2025, up 159 percent from a year earlier.
The improved performance was driven by sustained confidence in Dubai’s capital markets and a year of heightened trading activity, with momentum continuing through the fourth quarter.
The results coincided with the exchange marking 25 years since its establishment in 2000, highlighting its evolution into a more globally connected and institutionally active marketplace, according to a report by the Emirates News Agency.
For the full year ending Dec. 31, total consolidated revenues rose to 1.28 billion dirhams, while earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization reached 1.13 billion dirhams, translating into an EBITDA margin of 88 percent.
The results come as Dubai pushes ahead with its D33 agenda to double the emirate’s economy by 2033 and deepen its position as a global financial hub.
The UAE central bank has pointed to solid capital markets momentum and low sovereign risk indicators in 2025, underscoring the confidence backdrop for higher trading activity.
Helal Al-Marri, chairman of DFM, said: “DFM’s performance in 2025 reflects the continued strength of Dubai’s capital markets and the confidence of global investors in the emirate’s economic vision.
“As we mark 25 years since the establishment of DFM, the exchange continues to play a central role within Dubai’s financial ecosystem, supporting transparency, liquidity, and long-term market development in line with the Dubai Economic Agenda D33.”
Fourth-quarter net profit before tax increased to 124.4 million dirhams from 110.6 million dirhams in the same period of 2024, reflecting sustained trading momentum toward year-end.
Market performance remained strong throughout the year, with the DFM General Index rising 17.2 percent and total market capitalization reaching 992 billion dirhams.
Average daily traded value climbed to 692 million dirhams, while total traded value amounted to 174 billion dirhams, marking the highest liquidity levels in more than a decade.
The average daily number of trades rose 31 percent year on year, driven by increased institutional and cross-border activity.
Hamed Ali, CEO of DFM and Nasdaq Dubai, said: “In 2025, DFM continued to build on the progress of recent years, supported by steady trading activity, growing international participation, and ongoing enhancements to our market infrastructure.”
He added: “Our focus throughout the year remained on improving market accessibility, supporting a broad range of investment activity, and ensuring the market continues to operate efficiently for both issuers and investors. As we mark 25 years of DFM, we remain committed to developing the market in line with Dubai’s long-term capital markets ambitions.”
Investor participation broadened further during the year, with 97,394 new participants joining the market, of which 84 percent were foreign.
Foreign investors accounted for 51 percent of total trading value, while institutional investors represented 71 percent of trading activity.
The total investor base reached 1.25 million, reinforcing DFM’s position as a destination for regional and international capital.
Capital-raising activity also expanded DFM’s sectoral footprint.
The exchange hosted Dubai Residential REIT, the region’s first publicly traded residential leasing real estate investment trust, which attracted subscriptions 26 times over and total demand of 56 billion dirhams.
It also saw the secondary public offering of Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Co., alongside the initial public offering of ALEC Holdings, the UAE’s largest construction-sector listing to date, which generated subscriptions of 30 billion dirhams, representing an oversubscription of 21 times.
Innovation and market development remained a focus in 2025, with the launch of a centralized securities lending and borrowing framework and further enhancements to digital platforms, including AI-enabled features on iVestor.
DFM also strengthened its international engagement through global roadshows and partnerships, including a memorandum of understanding with the Taiwan Stock Exchange aimed at supporting cross-border listings and investor outreach.
Looking ahead, the exchange said it remains focused on enhancing liquidity, expanding product offerings, and deepening global connectivity, supported by a strong financial position and a diversified investor base.
