After the hype, this year’s retail extravaganza of Black Friday was a short-lived frenzy November 27, 2017 Just three years ago Black Friday became synonymous with images of customers fighting over heavily discounted goods. The ugly scenes accompanied reports of police and ambulance services being called to stores across the UK, with several people injured in the melees. Fast forward to 2017 and the madness turned to mirth over the weekend as [...]
Let’s get serious about leading the fourth industrial revolution November 27, 2017 The abolition of stamp duty for most first-time buyers dominated the headlines after last week’s Budget. But an equally important national priority was delivered too: positioning Britain to lead the fourth industrial revolution. As the chancellor said, this wave of technological change is already transforming the way we live and work, raising living standards, delivering [...]
Empower ambitious scaleups to unleash the UK’s hidden potential November 27, 2017 What will it take to unleash Britain’s scaleup opportunity? This is a question that not only plays on the minds of ambitious business leaders across the country, but anyone with an interest in our economic prowess. Because scaleups are more than the sum of their parts – they have the potential to become the engine [...]
DEBATE: Is there any point to Black Friday and Cyber Monday in Britain? November 27, 2017 Is there any point to Black Friday and Cyber Monday in Britain? Olga Kotusr, chief executive and founder of retail startup Mercaux, says YES. Black Friday has matured into a major event in the UK retail calendar. While some may be sceptical about it (and the new “Cyber Monday” craze that now follows it), for [...]
This was a mixed Budget for British SMEs November 27, 2017 British businesses waited with bated breath for the chancellor to serve them another blow in his Budget speech last week. But Philip Hammond has finally cut small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) some slack, and dished out a number of policies to try to win them over. In his Autumn Statement last year, flat-rate VAT [...]
Crowdfunding round on Seedrs launches for London’s latest meal delivery startup Independence Market, to rival Hello Fresh and Blue Apron November 27, 2017 Today sees the launch of London’s latest meal delivery startup, Independence Market, on crowdfunding platform Seedrs. But this business – described by its founder as “Amazon meets Avon” – is not just another Hello Fresh, Blue Apron or Graze replicant. With Independence Market, Rob Hocking – a teaching fellow at Oxford University’s Said Business School, [...]
UK cities challenged to design drone uses of the future from emergency health services to parcel deliveries November 27, 2017 Cities across the UK have been invited to compete in thinking up innovative uses for drone technology, from flood search and rescue to inspection of attractions like the Blackpool Tower. The Flying High Challenge is being run by Nesta in partnership with Innovate UK to ascertain how drone technology can develop to meet the needs [...]
Record tax take from financial services as City lobby group urges government to stop Brexit divorce bill penny-pinching November 27, 2017 Businesses need urgent clarification on a Brexit transition deal rather than penny-pinching on the terms of Britain’s so-called divorce bill, according to a top City lobbyist. Catherine McGuinness, the influential policy chair of the City of London Corporation, told City A.M. the government should be prepared to cough up in return for a stronger hand [...]
Chancellor Angela Merkel’s CDU in late night Berlin meeting to consider grand coalition November 26, 2017 Top officials from German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU) met in Berlin tonight to consider forming a grand coalition and avert the calling of fresh elections. The Social Democrats (SPD), Germany’s second-largest political party, signalled earlier this week it was prepared to entertain forming a similar coalition to that which has governed for the [...]
Rio Tinto caves in to shareholder pressure and scraps appointment of Tory chief Sir Mick Davis November 26, 2017 Mining giant Rio Tinto has scrapped plans to appoint the chief exec of the Conservative party as its new chairman, according to reports. Frontrunner Sir Mick Davis is “no longer in the running” to replace Jan du Plessis after a shareholder revolt. City sources told Sky News over the weekend several institutional investors had drawn [...]