Labour’s latest attack on private enterprise January 18, 2016 There’s a popular game called Cards Against Humanity that shocked and delighted families around the table this Christmas. The idea is simple: one card contains the fairly innocuous opening part of a sentence and a second card is then offered that completes the phrase in a particularly vulgar, amusing and random fashion. Hilarity ensues. The [...]
The terminal flaw at the heart of Saudi Arabia’s low oil strategy January 18, 2016 “If people want to know who I am, it is all in the work.” – Alan Rickman Like everyone I know with a soul, I find myself in genuine mourning for the great British actor Alan Rickman, who died last week. It is impossible for me to think of anyone who brought me as much [...]
Green finance: The City is in a unique position to help business tackle climate change risks January 18, 2016 The City has been around since 1189, which is long enough to learn about the importance of long-term value. Nowhere is this truer than sustainability and the environment, where uncertainty, in the shape of climate change and finite natural resources, lurks just around the corner. We must take action if we are to protect business against [...]
Britain risks a talent crunch due to draconian policy on high skilled immigration January 18, 2016 London has the most talented workforce in the world. Research from Deloitte has proved it, finding that the capital has 1.5m people working in high-skill, knowledge-based business sectors. That compares with 1.2m in New York, our closest rivals. So it won’t come as any surprise that the business community gets twitchy when it sees looming [...]
Davos 2016: As the world’s elites ready themselves to attend, is the yearly meeting a complete waste of time? January 18, 2016 Philip Booth, professor at St. Mary’s University, Twickenham and academic and research director at the Institute of Economic Affairs, says Yes. The world faces serious threats. Developments in the Middle East look similar to the events that sparked the First World War: Country A is hostile to Country B; Country C supports B; and so [...]
Let local leaders rule on infrastructure projects January 15, 2016 We will have to wait until at least the summer before the government is ready to make a decision on airport expansion. Would you be surprised if it finds some reason to put it off again? No full-length runway has been built in the south east since the Second World War, and the continuing delay [...]
Volkswagen emissions scandal: Has it put car makers on the road to becoming the new banks? January 15, 2016 Not long ago, it seemed impossible to think that the reputational turbulence experienced by the banks of late could be matched by any other sector. However, Volkswagen’s recent mea culpa is just one of the latest in a series of blows for the automotive industry and, for many, a potential tipping point in terms of [...]
Don’t rely on government to defeat cyber crime: Business needs to get its act together January 15, 2016 If 2015 taught us anything, it’s that it is now a question of when, not if, our data will be compromised. Therefore, 2016 must be the year that business gets serious about the importance of cyber security. From the chief executive down to the intern, everyone will need to see cyber security as a top priority [...]
After doing better than expected over Christmas, is there a case for being bullish on Tesco? January 15, 2016 Philip Dorrell, partner at Retail Remedy retail consultants, says Yes. Tesco has reached bottom and is now on the way back up. Pre and post Christmas, the supermarket appeared to have the best availability and store operational improvements of all the Big 4. The marketing campaign was solid, back to its roots with a bit of [...]
Judge policies by their results, not intentions January 14, 2016 Sometimes three small words can be very powerful. “Reward for failure” is one such example, a phrase that has come to encapsulate public discontent with the financial crisis and high pay at banks and in business more broadly. The rights and wrongs of high pay can be argued all day (and all night), but no one [...]