How to drive growth by joining the dots November 13, 2017 Global Entrepreneurship Week is in full swing, celebrating startups from around the world that bring ideas to life. For those looking to take the next step in their entrepreneurial journey, they could look for opportunities to evolve existing products and expand into new markets. Some of our best-known products, from Coca Cola to Velcro and [...]
Uber agrees multi-billion dollar Softbank deal after unpicking boardroom feud November 13, 2017 Uber has struck a deal with Japanese tech giant Softbank for a multi-billion dollar investment into the ride-sharing firm, according to overnight reports. Troubled board members have set aside their differences to agree an accord with a consortium led by Softbank and Dragoneer Investment to buy up to 17 per cent of the firm’s shares [...]
UK housing associations tell UK chancellor Philip Hammond to axe property height rules in Autumn Budget November 13, 2017 Housing providers are backing calls for Philip Hammond to relax planning laws in the Budget to address the UK’s chronic housing shortage. Writing to the chancellor, an influential group of housing associations urged Hammond to allow developers to extend the height of properties without having to secure planning permission. Under the “build up not out” [...]
Businesses embracing everyday tech could add £100bn to economy and reduce income inequality – CBI November 13, 2017 The UK economy could get a £100bn boost to productivity if businesses were more willing to embrace everyday technology such as cloud computing and online procurement. And the uptake of digital could also reduce income inequality by five per cent, according to fresh research from the Confederation Of British Industry (CBI), which urged “ostrich” firms [...]
Global M&A activity to hit cycle high of $3.2 trillion next year November 13, 2017 Worldwide mergers and acquisition activity will hit $3.2 trillion (£2.4 trillion) in 2018, as dealmaking is lifted on a rising global economic tide, according to forecasts to be published today. Investors are feeling “increasingly confident” because of a pick-up in global trade and GDP growth across most of the world, according to analysis by law [...]
DEBATE: With CO2 at record levels, does the UK need to prioritise clean energy? November 13, 2017 With CO2 at record levels, does the UK need to prioritise clean energy? Greg Jackson, founder of challenger energy firm Octopus Energy, says YES. It’s a stark reality that air pollution kills 40,000 people in this country every year. If the bodies lay where the problem did, your morning commute would be grisly. The scandal [...]
Trust, trade, and civic responsibility: A manifesto for the City of London’s future November 13, 2017 The last few days have certainly been a whirlwind, after being installed as the 690th lord mayor of the City of London on Friday afternoon. Without doubt, the highlight of the last 72 hours has been the success of the Lord Mayor’s Show on Saturday. Thousands of people lined the Square Mile’s streets to celebrate [...]
The Great Repeal Bill: Helping to remove the phantom financial services ‘cliff edge’ and what businesses should do in the event of a no-deal Brexit November 13, 2017 Tomorrow, Tuesday, is a big day for implementing Brexit. The House of Commons will begin the Committee stages and debate the detail of the Great Repeal Bill. The measure will give businesses the certainty they need to plan for Brexit, knowing the current legal framework under which they operate will be repatriated to Westminster. Some [...]
Property giant British Land set to publish first-half results November 13, 2017 First-half results from the property development company British Land will be unveiled this week, giving a significant look at the London property market amid Brexit uncertainty. Key details to be published include the occupancy rate and average lease length, which stood at 98 per cent and 8.3 years in the last financial year. These are [...]
The UK’s top law firms are relying on foreign exchange movements to boost their growth figures, according to PwC data November 13, 2017 The UK’s largest global law firms have generated significant amounts of growth in 2017 not through innovation or new business, but through foreign exchange movements, according to a PwC survey. Currency movements resulting from a weaker sterling caused a 4.9 per cent growth in fee income for the UK’s global top 10 firms, PwC’s 2017 [...]