Professional services must act now and join the digital revolution February 16, 2015 No industry is immune from digital disruption. And any business would be foolish to think that it is a phenomenon limited to specific sectors or models. The possibility of being ousted by an innovative startup is just as applicable to an industry like professional services as it is to, say, media and communications – or [...]
Putin has an upper hand – it is high time the West said enough is enough February 15, 2015 Vladimir Putin once said “There is no such thing as a former KGB man.” The problem in dealing with the present Russian Tsar is that he knows far more about our weaknesses than we do about his. Coming to maturity as a KGB officer in eastern Germany, the young Vladimir Putin’s tradecraft involved incessantly analysing [...]
London and China’s relationship is flourishing but we must work to maintain it February 15, 2015 The widespread celebrations that will mark Chinese New Year in London this week go some way to highlight the importance of the UK’s relationship with China. Its growth may have slowed in recent months, but China’s economy remains one of the fastest growing in the world – and one to which British companies are increasingly [...]
Whistleblowing: Why there are key lessons that the City can learn February 15, 2015 The news wires have been abuzz with high-profile stories centred on whistleblower allegations. Among this flurry, the report from Sir Robert Francis QC into the strength of whistleblowing procedures in the NHS last week made for particularly sobering reading. It outlined the failures of organisations to protect those who speak out. But the report does [...]
FTSE Shades of Grey: Why markets should not fear election uncertainty February 12, 2015 Many may well be planning their Valentine’s weekend around the much-anticipated Fifty Shades of Grey film, released today. But the fact we’re now 82 days away from the long-awaited General Election is more likely to get investors slightly hotter under the collar. Of course, in most cases, elections don’t matter very much at all to [...]
Criminal cartel agreements: Businesses need to know what they’re getting into February 12, 2015 You would not be alone in not knowing that there is such a thing as a criminal cartel, let alone how it is defined in UK law. But a significant change to this definition last year will mean that something few were aware of will now be increasingly on the radar of British businesses, who [...]
The rise of the expert patient has the power to transform the NHS February 12, 2015 The productivity of the NHS isn’t just important for our health. At 7 per cent of GDP, it matters for the whole economy. And this is why the next Parliament must see an efficiency revolution in the NHS, greater than any seen elsewhere or in the UK before. One important idea at the heart of [...]
Why government must stop treating medium-sized firms like corporates February 11, 2015 Speaking to business leaders earlier this week, David Cameron unveiled a British version of Germany’s Mittelstand scheme. Help to Grow will see £1bn of funding ploughed into medium-sized businesses across the country, bridging the “valley of death” funding gap that hampers our most promising scale-ups. But while there have been several high-profile and encouraging moves [...]
The free trade deals that could turbo-charge the UK economy by £10bn February 11, 2015 Few know it, but you are all paying a secret tax. Trade tariffs and other protectionist barriers are a hidden part of the price you pay for almost everything you buy. Consider this: if we could do a trade deal between America and the EU, at one stroke we could create up to 2m jobs, [...]
Boris Johnson’s mini-Manhattan in Old Oak Common: Why we must speak up for local housing needs February 11, 2015 London’s population is at an all-time high. By 2020, we will have over 9m people living in our city; 10m by 2030. So it is essential that we plan for the growing needs of the capital. London needs a transport system fit for the 21st century. We need a thriving jobs market built on secure, [...]