The 'Financial Times' sale – the deal few in London saw coming

It was the deal no one expected. For years there have been sporadic rumours that the Financial Times, Britain’s stately grand dame of journalism, was on the auction block, but for 16 years, Marjorie Scardino, CEO of owners Pearson Plc, stoutly rebuffed all suggestions, saying the salmon-pink FT would be sold “over my dead body”.