We’ve discovered the UK’s tech unicorns – now we must nurture their growth September 7, 2014 After creating its first product in the 1970s, it took Apple years to become one of the world’s most valuable companies. But in today’s technology sector, a new breed of tech firm is emerging – the unicorn. The unicorn is a startup that grows exponentially to reach a billion-dollar valuation within a few years of [...]
City Matters: How British businesses are building a better world in Africa today September 7, 2014 This week, I am on another of my overseas visits, this time to South and East Africa. I have worked in Africa throughout my professional career, and it is a continent close to my heart. So this visit is particularly exciting for me. Over the last few years, the narrative surrounding the “rise of Africa” [...]
Has the geopolitical crisis in Ukraine made Russia a no go zone for Western investors? September 7, 2014 Timothy Ash is head of emerging market research (excluding Africa) at Standard Bank, says Yes. As the West continues to shy away from Iran-style sanctions, which would ban secondary trading in debt and equity and thereby lock investors in positions, Russia is still technically investible. But it is a binary call on the country now [...]
Job interview techniques: How to answer the question “Tell us about yourself” September 5, 2014 “So tell us about yourself.” It’s a great question to ask – and to answer. Great to ask because it can blow up in candidates faces and exclude the ordinary, and great to answer because it is a brilliant opportunity to sell or resell yourself. “Well I’m 39, married, got a 2:1 in the distant [...]
Celebrity photos iCloud hack? Steve Jobs wouldn’t have let this happen September 5, 2014 So, it would appear that if I did take loads of photos of myself naked, shot a mucky video or a whole manner of other salacious digital tomfoolery, there’s a good chance it would get backed up to iCloud and I’d be hunted down by hackers who would expose me to the world. Thank goodness [...]
A screaming silence from free marketeers is jeopardising the vital EU-US trade deal September 4, 2014 The landmark free trade agreement currently being negotiated by the EU and the US has set off all kinds of noise this week, particularly after unions accused the government of failing to secure an explicit – and unnecessary – exemption for the NHS. But from the coverage in the UK, you could be forgiven for [...]
The Wedgwood collection is a key piece of our commercial heritage – let’s keep it together September 4, 2014 We have three months to save a vital piece of Britain’s commercial heritage. The Art Fund, an independent charity which helps buy art for the nation, has already raised a heroic £13m. It is now seeking a final £2.74m in donations by 30 November to keep the Wedgwood collection together in its Staffordshire home. Waterford [...]
Why it’s time to unleash corporate venture capital to spur on startup growth September 4, 2014 The Bank of England’s small business lending figures disappointed again last week. Access to finance – especially for small firms – has been a perennial problem, exacerbated by the financial crisis and downturn. It’s therefore surprising that, amid all the ways government has tried to increase access to finance over the last few years, it [...]
As the ECB unveils rate cuts and asset purchase plans, can it save the Eurozone from disaster? September 4, 2014 Chris Williamson, chief economist at Markit, says Yes. Yesterday’s announcement by the European Central Bank (ECB) – that it’s cutting rates and will buy asset-backed securities and euro-denominated covered bonds from October – will help avoid disaster, but huge risks remain. The rate cuts will only have a marginal impact, and little is known about [...]
Our obsession with monetary stimulus will end in disaster September 3, 2014 It is now six years since the collapse of Lehman Brothers, and considering that the US economy has officially been in recovery for the past five years, that equity indexes have put in new all-time highs, and that credit markets are once again ebullient to the point of carelessness, it is worth contemplating that monetary [...]