The City must not stand by in the face of dirty money on our streets and in our banks March 7, 2022 Today I and others from across the City of London will gather to stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine as its national flag flies above us. It is now over a week since Russia’s violent invasion of Ukraine began and the deeply distressing scenes being played out across the country have shocked us [...]
Behind the story: Row, row, row your Russian super yacht to the Maldives March 4, 2022 As part of the sanctions targeting powerful individuals close to the Kremlin, a full-scale operation to seize the oligarchs’ superyachts is underway. The beautiful Amore Vero (“True Love”), property of a company linked to Igor Sechin, chief exec of Rosneft, has been seized by French authorities in the port of La Ciotat. Another superyacht, owned [...]
As Russia triggers needless tragedy, we need to defend our global stability March 4, 2022 The lives lost so far in Putin’s pointless and tragic war are a terrible price for Ukraine, and innocent Russians. But the collateral damage of a land war in Europe will soon begin to spread far beyond razed Ukrainian villages and the flattened streets of Kharkiv. War costs billions every day. And the response – [...]
From Abramovich to the Saudis: Football clubs have become the laundry for muddy reputations March 4, 2022 In 2003, Roman Abramovich bought Chelsea Football Club. In the years thereafter, a perennial underachiever became one of the most successful clubs in English football, a five-times Premier League champion and twice winner of the Champions League, the pinnacle of European football. Today, they are the reigning European and world club champions. Results on the [...]
As the cashless world grows, our financial ecosystems must build strong structures March 4, 2022 The cashless debate has been raging in the UK for the better part of a decade. While some are worried about phasing out physical cash, the pandemic has catalysed its decline – it’s no longer a surprise if your local coffee shop turns down a crumpled note in favour of a contactless credit card. UK [...]
Letters: A clear vision for a better future March 4, 2022 [Re: The EU’s plans for a ‘social sustainability’ taxonomy are a dangerous intervention, Feb 16] How will a taxonomy support a better future as we address the global challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss and rising inequality? Making positive social change happen requires clarity of what is considered positive impact according to a recent study [...]
Swift backlash: Will Russia snake past Western sanctions? March 3, 2022 Sanctions are intended to choke economies for decades. This week could a sign that Russia is heading for the mire. The intended effects of Western sanctions are already materialising. This week, the rouble, Russia’s currency, collapsed around 40 per cent. The Moscow Stock Exchange has been shuttered since Monday. Concern about Russia being effectively frozen [...]
Big Oil’s exit from Russia is finally a true confluence between profit and purpose March 3, 2022 In November last year, any company with enough money to stamp their name on the top of a letterhead was clamouring to prove they weren’t just in it to make money; they were good people too. The Cop26 climate change summit offered an opportunity for businesses of all stripes to issue press releases and host [...]
Healthcare doesn’t need to be disrupted, but it is ripe to be simplified through M&A March 3, 2022 Scaling a digital healthcare company in Europe is no easy task. From the complexities involving institutions in different countries to the regulations and insurance structures from region to region, the global healthcare market is especially difficult to navigate. Entrepreneurs are naturally ambitious, but in this arena that drive will only get you so far. To [...]
Letters: Bitcoin and other irrational fears March 3, 2022 [Re: Half of Brits not sold on cryptocurrency, Feb 16] British scepticism towards digital assets is unlikely to come from a place of rationality, with consumers overly-influenced by relentless coverage of cryptocurrencies as investments. But this distracts from their original purpose as a safe, traceable, spendable tender. Therefore, attitudes towards crypto have been clouded by [...]