Why the future of London’s black cabs is green April 4, 2016 London stands out as a beacon for cities all over the world. It is a city built on the strength of the diversity of its peoples, businesses, architecture and infrastructure in a process of reinvention and renewal that almost uniquely, successfully melds the old and the new. With just over a month until voting day for London’s [...]
Closing the Gap – will gender pay gap reporting be effective? April 4, 2016 The obligation for employers of 250 or more employees to report on the gender pay gap is scheduled to become law in October 2016, with the first of the submitted data to be published by April 2018. As the national gender pay gap hovers around 19 per cent, many employers are likely to be disclosing a gender-related pay [...]
With ex-Arsenal footballer Sol Campbell coming out in favour of a Brexit, the Leave camp must now tackle mixed messages April 4, 2016 Sol Campbell is used to dividing opinion among Londoners. Many of our city’s football fans worship the former Arsenal star for helping to deliver several Premier League titles and FA Cups to Highbury – and yet thousands of others still resent him for walking out on Tottenham Hotspur to join their fierce local rivals. A [...]
Brexit: Entrepreneurs are risk-takers – but voting for Brexit is a step too far April 4, 2016 With most of the FTSE 100 supporting Remain and a number of entrepreneurs endorsing Brexit, some have suggested that the business community is split between corporates who support In and entrepreneurs who favour Out. But I don’t think this crude dichotomy is accurate and, as an entrepreneur who supports Remain, I believe that the UK’s [...]
Why the City’s impressive history of diplomacy is more vital than ever today April 4, 2016 This coming Wednesday marks one of the most important events of the year at the Mansion House when I host the ambassadors and high commissioners to the UK, at the annual Easter Banquet. As well as being an important fixture on the diplomatic calendar, it also affords an opportunity for me to thank the Foreign [...]
Why America must now save tragic Europe from itself April 4, 2016 Thessaloniki – I sit, as I write this, perched atop my glorious hotel, in this lovely, vibrant northern Greek city, staring lovingly into the wine-dark sea that is Homer’s Aegean. At the height of the euro crisis last year, things became so bad that café life – the glory of modern Greece – ground to a [...]
Are global markets underestimating the strength of the US economy? April 4, 2016 David Morrison, senior market strategist at Spread Co, says Yes. While GDP growth is somewhat tepid (annualised, the economy grew 1.4 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2015), there is evidence that the US economy is picking up steam. Just last week we saw strong numbers for pending home sales, Chicago PMI and the all-important [...]
How companies can avoid M&A failures like the “revolutionary” Time Warner-AOL merger April 3, 2016 Last year was the biggest ever for mergers and acquisitions (M&A), with AB Inbev’s ‘MegaBrew’ deal with SABMiller and Pfizer Inc’s merger with Allergan PLC among the deals. The announcement last month of the IHS/Markit merger shows us that 2016 has the potential to be another landmark year for M&A announcements. At Landor we have spent [...]
Success of National Living Wage depends on more businesses raising their game on productivity April 3, 2016 Last Friday's introduction of the National Living Wage (NLW) will increase the pay of millions of the UK's low-paid workers. Ultimately, though, it will only be judged a success if employers can sustain higher wages for the low-paid without the need for job losses and cuts to other pay and benefits. While the NLW will [...]
Stamp duty charges: The UK housing market needs more homes not more taxes April 1, 2016 Anyone waking up today who is planning or close to purchasing a second home may well feel as if an April fool's trick has been played on them. Whether helping a son or daughter get onto the housing ladder, investing in a buy-to-let property or buying a holiday residence, from today an additional three per [...]