From 1997 to 2002 Vittorio Radice, a brilliant merchant, revitalized the store under Sears ownership.

FORBES: Selfridges: A Shopper's Paradise With A Colorful Founder

Mr Radice's firm has built a suite of offices complete with a shower alongside its workshop.

ECONOMIST: The complications of clustering

"We are losing a lot of small companies that support medium-sized business like ours due to financing problems, " said Flavio Radice, chief executive of Pietro Carnaghi, an Italian company that is the world's largest maker of vertical lathes.

CNN: Alarm over skills shortage in Europe

Election candidates announced so far are: Craig Clarke (Independent), Tim Collins (Independent), George Ferguson (Independent), Geoff Gollop (Conservative), Neil Maggs (Respect), Spud Murphy (Independent), Eric Mutch (Independent), Daniella Radice (Green), Marvin Rees (Labour), Jon Rogers (Liberal Democrat) and Andy Thorne (Independent).

BBC: George Ferguson

Flavio Radice, the boss of Pietro Carnaghi, a tool maker in Busto Arsizio, north of Milan, says he and his designers regularly use their video-telephone link to pore over plans with customers for the huge vertical-milling machines his firm makes for turbine builders.

ECONOMIST: The complications of clustering