City Focus

  • Companies need to do more to bring women to the boardroom
    Thursday, 11th March 2010
    Too few female executives are making the leap to the top level
    Timothy Barber
    KATHRYN Bigelow’s Oscar triumph was certainly timely, the filmmaker becoming the first female recipient of the Best Director gong on the eve of International Women’s Day, Monday’s global celebration of women’s achievements. However, there are few signs that Bigelow represents a growing vanguard of women filmmakers, her industry being just one more in which the glass ceiling remains firmly in place. Another is the City. A report commissioned by the Government Equalities Office to coincide with International Women’s Day predicts that at the current rate of progress it could take six decades... [Read more]

  • CAREERS CLINIC
    Thursday, 11th March 2010
    HOW TO PREPARE FOR AN INTEVIEW
    MICHAEL MORAN DIRECTOR, FAIRPLACE I’ve got a job interview coming up that I’m quite nervous about. What can I do in advance to improve my chances? The way you prepare for an interview is just as... [Read more]
  • Watchdog’s bite is too harsh in new regulations
    Wednesday, 10th March 2010
    The FSA’s regime will only deter talented people from taking jobs with responsibility
    JAMES BAGGE SENIOR CONSULTANT, NORTON ROSE LLP THIS week there has been a quantum shift in risk exposure for those who work in the financial services industry and perform controlled functions. With... [Read more]
  • Employers swap bonuses for tax-free pensions
    Wednesday, 10th March 2010
    New times mean new products
    Ian Reid and Anna Copestake
    REMUNERATING high earning employees in a tax efficient way has always been difficult, and the recent interest in bonuses has made it even more tricky for employers. The introduction of the 50 per... [Read more]

  • A fly-away internet success
    Friday, 5th March 2010
    From an attic in Wandsworth, Cheapflights has gone global
    Kathleen Brooks
    THE entrance to Cheapflights, the flights comparison website, is based just off Baker Street and contains little more than a vintage advert for Pan Am that hangs on a wall and a couple of leather... [Read more]
  • How to cope when a tragedy strikes
    Friday, 5th March 2010
    Forward planning can ensure that you don’t loose your business
    Kathleen Brooks
    ROSE Gray, the founder of the River Café who died earlier this week, is a loss to UK gastronomy. Gray’s passion for Italian food was embodied in the business she founded with Ruth Rogers in 1988. The... [Read more]
  • FINANCE
    Friday, 5th March 2010
    Q & A
    Kathleen Brooks
    Q. I need to secure a loan to expand my business, but in this environment are banks still willing to lend? A.Yes, according to Stephen Alambritis, chief spokesman for the Federation of Small... [Read more]
  • The new style of job applications
    Thursday, 4th March 2010
    From networking to job hunting to designing a CV, there are apps to help
    Timothy Barber
    MOVING up the career ladder doesn’t just depend on getting good results – it’s about getting good contacts too. Managing your network is the best way to find new openings, and there are iPhone tools... [Read more]
  • FSA’s fine means Lehman cases are on the cards
    Wednesday, 3rd March 2010
    LAURENCE LIEBERMAN FINANCIAL DISPUTES PARTNER AT TAYLOR WESSING LAST Thursday, the FSA fined RSM Tenon Financial Services £700,000 for failings in its advice and sales processes relating to Lehman-... [Read more]
  • English fraud law is powerful and popular
    Wednesday, 3rd March 2010
    STEVEN RICHARDS ASSOCIATE AT JONES DAY THE recent case of Binyam Mohammed, in which the former Guantanamo detainee was successful in obtaining the disclosure from the UK government of documents... [Read more]
  • Doing God’s work in the City
    Friday, 26th February 2010
    Priest Mark Speeks plugs the gap between private equity and the Church
    Kathleen Brooks
    LLOYD Blankfein, the chief executive of Goldman Sachs, caused a stir when he said the bank was doing “God’s work”. Well, perhaps he should meet Mark Speeks, the managing partner and co-founder of... [Read more]
  • Transparent privacy policy gets clouded
    Friday, 26th February 2010
    Take precautions if you use the internet to manage your business
    Kathleen Brooks
    Nick Anstee
    GOOGLE has got itself in hot water in recent days because of a data protection slip up with its new social network, Buzz. Users were able to see other members’ email addresses – and the addresses of... [Read more]
  • HIRING
    Friday, 26th February 2010
    Q. Since I set up my business, it has just been me and my partners. But we are doing well and we want to start hiring. How do I go about it? A.There are two ways to hire staff, says Stuart Hearn... [Read more]
  • An MBA is the gateway to the international marketplace
    Thursday, 25th February 2010
    Business schools are enabling students to learn global working
    Timothy Barber
    AN Australian-born executive based in London and married to a South African banker, Nick Kontopoulos could be seen as the very essence of today’s globe-trotting business internationalist. However it... [Read more]
  • To get on the right MBA course, be prepared to jump through hoops
    Thursday, 25th February 2010
    These days, qualifying for the top busines schools is about more than high test scores
    Timothy Barber
    Taking a two year break from your career to study, and spending tens of thousands of pounds in the process, is up there with buying a house or getting married when it comes to serious, life-changing... [Read more]
  • PROACTIVE APPLICANT | MAKE YOURSELF KNOWN
    Thursday, 25th February 2010
    IF you want to be a successful MBA candidate, then you should make sure that the people who run the course know you even before you send in your application. When your CV drops on the doorman, that... [Read more]
  • GETTING PICKED | ARE YOU DESIRABLE?
    Thursday, 25th February 2010
    GETTING on to an MBA course is not just about what it offers you, but what you can offer it. Business schools will put together cohorts that don’t simply contain the best candidates, but the right... [Read more]
  • Business needs to win back public trust
    Thursday, 25th February 2010
    Confidence in the City is at a low point, and politics isn’t much better. It’s time for new standards in public life
    Gillian Fawcett
    LET’S be blunt: there’s a serious problem with corporate governance. Corporate trust is being eroded and unless something is done, this trend will continue. Edelman PR publish an annual Trust... [Read more]
  • Confusion over tax regime is damaging UK
    Thursday, 25th February 2010
    A meaningless new government framework does nothing for business
    Bill Dodwell
    ON Monday, the prime minister released a draft Tax Framework for Business at a global trade conference, apparently aimed at reassuring multinationals, worried about the UK’s tax policy. The problem... [Read more]
  • Copenhagen’s lack of detail is a blow for low- carbon business
    Wednesday, 24th February 2010
    Now the dust has settled and the small print has been read, it is clear the summit has failed to provide answers
    Tim Baines
    JUST over two months since the final all-night negotiations which went into finalising the Copenhagen Accord, viewpoints on the outcome of the Copenhagen climate change conference (COP15) have been... [Read more]
  • Managers must know where to draw the line between banter and bullying
    Tuesday, 23rd February 2010
    The prime minister’s travails have thrown light on a serious problem for the City
    Timothy Barber
    THE accusations of staff bullying by the prime minister might sound familiar to many in the City. Whatever the truth or not of the weekend’s stories, workplace bullying is seen by many as a serious... [Read more]
  • WORKPLACE HARASSMENT | THE LEGAL VIEW
    Tuesday, 23rd February 2010
    THERE is no legal definition or claim for bullying, (writes Paul Reeves), so what employees mean legally is harassment, which is a stand-alone claim. There is also a potential civil and criminal... [Read more]
  • Marathon effort for green pioneer
    Friday, 19th February 2010
    Steve Mahon’s low carbon fund paves the way for clean investment
    Kathleen Brooks
    TO DO this job, you must be an optimist first and foremost, says Steve Mahon, founder of Low Carbon Accelerator, the venture capital firm that specialises in green technology investment. Set up in... [Read more]
  • Entrepreneurs head to school
    Friday, 19th February 2010
    Important lessons can be learnt in the classroom if they are taught correctly
    Kathleen Brooks
    MOST profiles of Richard Branson tend to include his lack of academic credentials – he left school at 16. Similarly, Microsoft founder Bill Gates was a Harvard drop-out. This could lead some people... [Read more]
  • Q&A PUBLIC SECTOR BIDS
    Friday, 19th February 2010
    Q. What should I consider if I want to bid for work on a public sector project? A.The first thing to think about is whether a public sector contract is right for the size of your company, says... [Read more]
  • Competition still fierce as grad vacancies go up
    Thursday, 18th February 2010
    The class of 2010 is competing with those who missed out last year
    TIMOTHY BARBER
    THE graduate recruitment market is showing significant signs of improvement in 2010 after being brought to all but a standstill by the recession, according to two recently published reports. But... [Read more]
  • Doing the right thing: lawyers may be called upon to do more free work
    Tuesday, 16th February 2010
    A collection of essays argues that the City’s pro bono offering isn’t enough, explains
    Jon Robins
    HOW about a Robin Hood tax for lawyers? This, or something rather like it, is one of the more provocative ideas being floated by human rights lawyer Sir Geoffrey Bindman in a new collection of essays... [Read more]
  • FIRMS NEED NEW WAYS TO RAISE CASH
    Tuesday, 16th February 2010
    SPEAKER’S CORNER
    ROBERT FENNER
    IT has not been good news of late for UK IPOs. First the US travel group Travelport pulled its £1.2bn London flotation after failing to win investors’ support in turbulent markets. The next day,... [Read more]
  • Why every firm needs a Facebook
    Friday, 12th February 2010
    Former bankers bring the social networking revolution to work
    Kathleen Brooks
    BACK when they started out in the corporate world Mike Powell and Ken Yeadon can remember a time when computers were rare. That was back in the mid 1980s when they both started work in HSBC’s trading... [Read more]
  • Business pitches in 140 letters
    Friday, 12th February 2010
    An entrepreneur is using Twitter to find new opportunities for investing
    Kathleen Brooks
    EVERY budding entrepreneur dreams of meeting a Richard Branson or Alan Sugar, but for most people it never moves beyond the realm of fantasy. Not any more. Simon Dolan, an entrepreneur who made his... [Read more]
  • Q&A SHARE PLANS
    Friday, 12th February 2010
    Q. I am an entrepreneur and I am thinking about a share scheme for my employees. What are the benefits for the employer and employee? A.Typically, employee share ownership schemes, or share option... [Read more]
  • Moving jobs at the right time boosts prospects and pay-packets
    Thursday, 11th February 2010
    Job-hopping can pay dividends, if you know when to jump
    Timothy Barber
    HECTOR Sants’s decision to step down ahead of time from his post heading up the Financial Services Authority has been greeted with shock, not least because he has only been in the post three years.... [Read more]
  • Careers clinic
    Thursday, 11th February 2010
    PINNACLE PROACTIVE
    RICHARD REID
    One of the people on a team I manage made a costly mistake recently. I’m worried about him becoming demoralised, so what’s the best way to manage it? The first thing to realise is that this shouldn’t... [Read more]
  • Brushing up on your email etiquette can make you more successful and efficient
    Wednesday, 10th February 2010
    Make sure that your online behaviour is work appropriate
    Jeremy Hazlehurst
    LAST week, I received an unsolicited email that began, “Alright mate”. I did not read on. Email etiquette can be tricky, and it is easy to inadvertently cause offence. Lawyers, I am told, often... [Read more]
  • The biker driving ideas in the City
    Friday, 5th February 2010
    The Fathom founder is not afraid to go against the grain, says
    Kathleen Brooks
    AFTER spending 10 years talking about the idea of starting his own economic consultancy in the pub with friends and colleagues, Danny Gabay decided to take the plunge. After a road trip around the... [Read more]
  • Paternity leave threat to firms
    Friday, 5th February 2010
    SMEs will face a new challenge, but government will soften the blow, says
    Kathleen Brooks
    FOR years employers have been wary about giving jobs to women of child-bearing age, but they might soon be casting nervous glances at the males in their offices, too. As of 6 April next year a... [Read more]
  • Q&A CHOOSING A NAME
    Friday, 5th February 2010
    Kathleen Brooks
    Q. I’ve got a great idea for a business, but I’m struggling to find a name. How do I go about it? A.The first step is to look at the nature of the service you are providing and use that as a way to... [Read more]
  • CAREERS CLINIC
    Thursday, 4th February 2010
    Successful people are those who have had setbacks and failures, but who have kept on learning from them instead of giving up
    CORINNE MILLS
    I’ve been with my company four years, and have recently been passed over for a significant promotion I thought I’d get. I’m disappointed and surprised, and don’t feel the company have seen the best... [Read more]
  • When divorcees turn private detective
    Tuesday, 2nd February 2010
    Two high-profile new cases are pushing the law on the disclosure of private wealth,
    Carol Ellinas
    TWO recent, high-profile divorce cases have highlighted long running issue of what are the acceptable lengths a party can go to when they are convinced that their ex is hiding or undervaluing assets... [Read more]
  • We will never know the full extent of City fraud
    Tuesday, 2nd February 2010
    White-collar crime is on the up during the recession, but only a small proportion ever shows on the statistics,
    Dan Hyde
    ACCORDING to accountancy network BDO’s recent Fraudtrack survey, there was more than £2bn of reported fraud in 2009, a 76 per cent increase on the previous year. The chief motivator for fraud is –... [Read more]
  • The man with the Midas touch
    Friday, 29th January 2010
    A bad experience trying to buy bullion turned into an opportunity
    Kathleen Brooks
    FEW people can say that Gordon Brown gave them a great business idea. Paul Tustain, the founder of BullionVault.com, the internet-based gold trading firm, can. When the current prime minister, then... [Read more]
  • Update your business profile
    Friday, 29th January 2010
    Entrepreneurs are using social networks to cut their costs in the downturn
    Kathleen Brooks
    For the past couple of years Facebook’s primary use has been to keep in contact with old friends and family. Likewise, when people think of Twitter they might think of Ashton Kutcher or Stephen Fry... [Read more]
  • Q&A VENTURE CAPITAL?
    Friday, 29th January 2010
    Q. I would like to get venture capital funding for my new start-up, but how do I go about getting it? A.The first thing you should do is research. Most venture capital (VC) firms focus their... [Read more]
  • New rules for whistleblowers will do no good
    Tuesday, 26th January 2010
    Neither employers nor claimants will benefit from the proposed new tribunal regulations
    JOANNA CHATTERTON
    JOANNA CHATTERTON EMPLOYMENT PARTNER, FOX WILLIAMS LLP SINCE 1998, employees who raise concerns about possibly unlawful activities by their employer have enjoyed protected status. Employment... [Read more]
  • An oath can’t make lawyers more honest
    Tuesday, 26th January 2010
    A call for solicitors to promise that they will act honestly is just laughable
    Jon Robins
    BIG changes are afoot in the legal world, not least those arising from the reforms which the profession is going to see under the Legal Services Act. This will include the introduction of so-called... [Read more]
  • Q&A INSOLVENCY
    Friday, 22nd January 2010
    Q. I’m thinking of setting up a business, but what would happen if it all went wrong? Will I be declared bankrupt? A.The best way to protect yourself is to set up as a limited company right from the... [Read more]
  • Dragon takes to the barricades
    Friday, 22nd January 2010
    Entrepreneur’s Manifesto demands red-tape burden is scrapped
    Kathleen Brooks
    CONTESTANTS on the BBC’s Dragon’s Den dream of getting one of the show’s successful entrepreneurs on board to support their business. They could be in luck. Earlier this week, former Dragon Doug... [Read more]
  • The billion pound money manager
    Friday, 22nd January 2010
    The downturn has allowed a David to defeat some banking Goliaths
    Kathleen Brooks
    LIFE could have been different for Chris Oulton, but in 1982 he answered an advert at the back of the Saturday Telegraph, which offered an “unusual opportunity” to a bright young graduate. He applied... [Read more]
  • Nokia win proves that IP is taking centre stage
    Wednesday, 20th January 2010
    These days, patents mean money
    Jeremy Hazlehurst
    EARLIER this week, mobile phone maker Nokia won a legal case against German intellectual property company IPCom in the High Court in London. The court ruled that Nokia does not have to pay IPCom to... [Read more]
  • Take the plunge, don’t be afraid
    Friday, 15th January 2010
    An entrepreneur says his only regret is not doing it earlier
    Kathleen Brooks
    SITTING in a leather armchair in the atrium just below his office in Chancery Lane, Grant Challis is musing on the last two years. In that time he has gone from working for a listed investment bank... [Read more]
  • Know the perils of poaching
    Friday, 15th January 2010
    The way you attract clients is the difference between failure and success
    Kathleen Brooks
    ANYBODY working in a client-facing business and thinking of starting their own firm has to be aware of the legal tangle surrounding “poaching” your former clients. What is allowed all hinges on the... [Read more]
  • Q&A
    Friday, 15th January 2010
    OFFICE PROPERTY
    Q. I am running a small start-up business and I need to find an office. I want something that is value for money but also looks good for our clients. Can you give me some tips? A. When cost is a... [Read more]
  • If it’s control and independence you want, then boutique is best
    Thursday, 14th January 2010
    Big firms are looking less attractive, and many are considering taking the plunge into a smaller firm
    Kathleen Brooks
    A GENERATION ago boutique financial firms were viewed with suspicion. Unless you were the owner, then if you were involved with a boutique firm you probably earned less, and had fewer career... [Read more]
  • Six short steps to better job interviews
    Thursday, 14th January 2010
    Most interviewers never get any training. Joe McDermott suggests some hints to improve your style
    PREPARE THOROUGHLY Just as the candidate has to prepare for an interview, so does the manager. This should begin well before you have your short-list of candidates. You will need to make decisions... [Read more]
  • Businesses are not out of the woods just yet
    Thursday, 14th January 2010
    DAVID HUDSON LONDON HEAD OF CORPORATE INSOLVENCY, BAKER TILLY WHILE businesses fail during recessions, many also fail coming out, having spent the cash reserves during the hard times that they so... [Read more]
  • Even in 2010, some gay lawyers say coming out can damage your career
    Wednesday, 13th January 2010
    A debate is raging about homophobia among solicitors. So does sexuality matter
    Jon Robins
    AN article counselling young gay lawyers on the tricky matters of etiquette for coming out at work includes the following advice: “Do take your significant other to the firm’s Christmas party...... [Read more]
  • FINES ALONE WON’T MAKE FSA CREDIBLE
    Wednesday, 13th January 2010
    SPEAKER’S CORNER
    Jon Robins
    ROBERT FALKNER REED SMITH LLP LAST year the FSA began talking the talk, with a number of policy speeches about the need for enforcement to “deliver credible deterrence”. Indeed, 2009 was a record... [Read more]
  • New Year resolutions to aid your career
    Thursday, 7th January 2010
    In a tough job market you need to be proactive in furthering your prospects
    Timothy Barber
    GET TO KNOW YOURSELF BETTER Whether you’re looking to move to a role at another company or progress upwards in your current organisation, it’s essential to have a clear understanding of your... [Read more]
  • CAREERS CLINIC
    Thursday, 7th January 2010
    DAVID HARRIES, DIRECTOR, THE IMA INSTITUTE
    DAVID HARRIES
    I’m a finance director of a large company, and I’m thinking of moving into interim management for a more flexible lifestyle. What advice can you give me? AS an interim manager, you’ll be parachuted... [Read more]
  • Government’s RBS policy may cost the taxpayer
    Wednesday, 16th December 2009
    Undermining the bank’s directors is legally dangerous
    Stephen Morrall
    ALISTAIR DARLING’S attack on bonuses last week has caused a furore in the Square Mile. However, the pre-Budget Report is perhaps in the long-term not the most important bonus-related event that has... [Read more]
  • M&A outlook is positive for 2010
    Wednesday, 16th December 2009
    Firms hope that new competition head will speed up deals
    Maria De Heaver
    MERGERS and acquisition activity was down 33 per cent in 2009 compared to the year before, but things could be changing in 2010. A survey by the Association for Corporate Growth and Thomson Reuters... [Read more]
  • New banking body will not improve
    Wednesday, 16th December 2009
    The stability council is a waste of time
    Philip Henson
    THE regulation of British banks has – to say the least – been in the spotlight since the financial crisis, with the tripartite system coming in for serious criticism. The government says that it... [Read more]
  • The financial crisis has emboldened London’s rivals, but the City can survive
    Wednesday, 16th December 2009
    A survey shows that emerging economies are confident about their futures
    Jeremy Hazlehurst
    ONE of the effects of the financial downturn has been to highlight to what extent the modern economy is globalised. This has happened in two ways. Firstly, the crisis proved just how interconnected... [Read more]
  • Business must help investors to join the dots
    Thursday, 3rd December 2009
    Stakeholders need to hear more narratives and not just numbers
    Richard Wilson
    THROUGHOUT the last decade, companies have expanded considerably the depth, breadth and reach of their financial communications to the market, in response to heightened investor and analyst demands... [Read more]