Hotel veteran Andrew Coppel will take the reins of Sir Philip Green's troubled retail empire, which is facing a turnaround process as it prepares for perhaps its most important Christmas to date.

Mr Coppel takes on the challenging job as the chairman of Arcadia, Topshop/Topman, and Taveta Investments.

It gives him oversight of popular high street brands including Burton and Dorothy Perkins.

He comes to the job just months after Arcadia entered a company voluntary agreement (CVA) which allowed it to keep trading, while paying off debt over time.

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Arcadia had been thrown into turmoil after feeling the pinch from a struggling high street.

Mr Coppel, 69, said he was "delighted" to be appointed to the chairman's position, but hinted at how tricky the job could be.

"Whilst the group is not immune to the challenges affecting the UK retail sector, it owns several outstanding high street brands," he said.

His experience in the property-heavy hotel sector is likely to be a major boon to his work with Arcadia, which has been forced to renegotiate terms with landlords.

He spent five years at the head of hotel group De Vere, and most of the 1990s and early 2000s at Queens Moat Houses, another hotel business.

Arcadia chief executive Ian Grabiner said: "Since we completed our restructuring process over the summer, we have been making good progress with our plans, focusing investment on delivering better customer experiences, improving our digital offer and extending our wholesale partnerships.

"Despite the ongoing headwinds for UK retailers, I am confident this progress will continue."

Outsourcing giant Mitie has warned revenue growth will be hit as clients put some projects and spending plans on hold amid election and Brexit uncertainty.

The group said full-year revenues are expected to remain "broadly" flat as clients are reluctant to commit to projects.

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Phil Bentley, chief executive of Mitie, told the PA news agency it was already seeing this impact capital projects work, though he said "day-to-day projects carry on".

"For decisions on new roofs, boilers, etc, we have seen that pushed back to the right a little bit," he said.

The group warned revenue growth will be "held back" as result this financial year.

Shares in Mitie dropped 7% despite the firm posting a 5.4% rise in underlying operating profits to £33 million for the six months to September 30.

Statutory pre-tax profits lifted 21.7% to £14.6 million.

The competition watchdog has kicked off a two-month probe into Hasbro's plans to take over Peppa Pig maker Entertainment One.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it will investigate if the four billion dollar takeover (£3.1 billion) is likely to impact competition in the UK.

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Regulators said are "considering whether it is or may be the case that this transaction, if carried into effect ... may be expected to result in a substantial lessening of competition within any market or markets in the United Kingdom for goods or services".

Play-Doh, and Nerf Gun maker Hasbro announced the dramatic swoop on Entertainment One in August, saying it wanted to "dramatically enhance" its storytelling.

The deal, if approved by the CMA, would give the US company ownership of global super hit Peppa Pig, a children's cartoon about a pink pig and her family which has built a strong following in China.

The series has been translated into 40 languages and is broadcast across the world.

Entertainment One also produced Oscar-winning Green Book and TV show The Walking Dead.

The CMA has asked interested parties to get in touch with any comments they have on the deal.

They have until December 5 to comment before the CMA makes its decision by January 21.