What is the internet of things? August 18, 2014 There’s a new wave of technology entering our daily lives and its impact will turn them upside down. The internet of things is predicted to cause the same disruption to society as the transformational impact of the printing press in the 15th Century and the internet-induced information revolution in the late 20th Century. [...]
A free market case for independence: Let’s make Scotland like Hong Kong August 17, 2014 In September, Scottish residents will vote in the independence referendum, following months of intense political debate between the Yes and No campaigns. Even statements presented as purely financial or economic in nature have not been based on proper facts or sound analysis. The Scottish National Party is pursuing an inherently emotional case, while the Westminster [...]
City Matters: Expanding trade links with international markets is top of the agenda August 17, 2014 The City can feel empty at this time of the year, with many Londoners heading off on holiday. But as lord mayor, August is the one month that I’m not travelling to business centres around the world. As an ambassador for the UK’s financial and professional services community, every lord mayor spends around 100 days [...]
How to impress your boss: 5 ways to put yourself first in line for promotions and bonuses August 15, 2014 So you want to impress your boss? Who doesn’t? It is kind of important after all. Being “in” with your boss helps you stand out from the crowd – making you more likely to get promoted, get more money or survive redundancy. But you don’t want to suck up to your boss – you don’t [...]
The return of the entrepreneur. How refreshing – City & Gild August 15, 2014 I was in LA last week to receive a brief from a well known rebellious soft drink company. There were several things about the meeting which were incredibly refreshing when compared with the other major blue chip, fast-moving consumer goods companies. First, we were promised a written brief. Now that might sound like normal practice, [...]
Better with their hands: Getting rid of the stigma around vocational education August 14, 2014 Long the “gold standard” of the education system, A-Levels unlock the next stage of education or a career for hundreds of thousands of young people across the country. But it’s easily forgotten that they are only taken by a minority – just 37 per cent of the UK’s 18-year-olds. So why don’t the alternative qualifications [...]
Iran’s female Fields medalist is a reminder of prosperity’s liberating power August 14, 2014 Amid all the horror and hard choices dominating the global news this summer, it’s important not to miss the brighter trends as well. So it is worth taking a moment to salute Maryam Mirzakhani, who became the first woman to win a Fields Medal, the Nobel of maths, this week. Mirzakhani was among four researchers [...]
Short-sighted political populism risks missing shale gas’s potential benefits August 14, 2014 The Department of Energy and Climate Change’s consultation on allowing fracking companies access to shale gas 300 metres below the ground closes today. Its overarching aim is to stop landowners forming legal blockades – a form of Nimbyism causing significant impediments to shale gas exploration in parts of the country. This is undoubtedly a sensible [...]
As Eurozone growth flatlines, is the bloc facing a lost decade? August 14, 2014 Sam Bowman, research director at the Adam Smith Institute, says Yes. A quarter of Spanish workers are unemployed. Youth unemployment in Greece is above 50 per cent. All Italian growth in the last 15 years has been wiped out. And Germany’s economy, previously healthy, shrunk in the second quarter. Across the Eurozone, unemployment is above [...]
Legal & General’s Nigel Wilson sends slap in the face to Breedon as associates shudder – Inside Track August 13, 2014 Nigel Wilson has hardly put a foot wrong since replacing Tim Breedon, his po-faced predecessor, as chief executive of Legal & General just over two years ago. While investors are happy with the outspoken Geordie, however, his fellow insurance bosses are not – at least not after his latest bombshell dropped yesterday. Confirming [...]