French ex-Generals war-mongering will help push mainstream politicians into Macron’s arms April 29, 2021 Unlike most of the developed world, France moves through history not via the serenity of political evolution, but rather through the dramatic lurch of revolution, as the country continues to eye-catchingly over-correct its political failings. The last time this happened was in the heady days of 1958, when an army revolt against the chaotic, parliamentary-dominated [...]
Morgan Stanley: Charities are rethinking their business models and need pro bono advice more than financial support April 29, 2021 This past year of fear, suffering, uncertainty, racial inequity, and social isolation has taught us many things. Among those is how giving back and supporting the charities that are making a difference in our communities is more important than ever. Indeed, charities are experiencing greater challenges than ever before. The pandemic has exacerbated many of [...]
The Super League might be dead, but a global consolidation of elite teams is inevitable April 28, 2021 The frantic furore over the European Super League killed off the proposal before it had a chance to get off the ground. But this is likely little more than a pause while the football community regroups and puts together a better PR strategy. Some form of consolidation around elite teams is inevitable. Professional football clubs [...]
Credit Suisse’s ravaged reputation is salvageable but it will be a long slog April 28, 2021 Credit Suisse faced the music again last week. The Swiss bank posted a devastating first quarter loss of £593million after the dramatic collapse of US hedge fund Archegos. The bankruptcy was hot on the heels of the downfall of financial firm Greensill. The bank’s chief executive, Thomas Gottstein, branded the loss “unacceptable”. Even as it [...]
Ministers must have their own National Scorecard to deliver ‘levelling up’ agenda April 28, 2021 It has been more than a year since Britain was first plunged into a lockdown. Since then, a group of business leaders from across British industry have set up our independent Covid Recovery Commission to consider how we could ensure the UK emerges from this crisis with a stronger, fairer and more resilient economy. Our [...]
DEBATE: Should startups spend precious resources getting patents for their ideas? April 27, 2021 Peter Finnie, partner and patent attorney at IP law firm Potter Clarkson, says YES: Consider IP protection from the belief the customer is always right. Across countless industries, founders determine what customers want, make it and then sell it. Investors will want security and certainty around protection for the technology they’re committing to. By skipping [...]
European tech regulation will hold back free competition and hand power to digital giants April 27, 2021 Last month, the world’s eyes were on America as the CEOs of its most successful businesses came before Congress to testify about their companies’ content moderation practices. But while America debates if and how to regulate digital markets, the EU has been moving forward with similar proposals—proposals that would needlessly burden technology companies for decades [...]
Even as India grapples with a growing crisis, strong trade ties with the UK are still at the top of the agenda April 27, 2021 Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in the midst of grappling with the ever-worsening tsunami of coronavirus cases and tales of heartbreak in India. As a result, Boris Johnson was forced to cancel his trip last week. However, this has done nothing to dampen the enthusiasm from both countries who have continued to push forward [...]
The Super League was a bungled sales pitch from start to finish April 26, 2021 It could have been a news story tailor-made for the short attention span of the 2020s: the Super League, a football competition intended to rival or replace the UEFA Champions League at the summit of the European game, was announced last week. It floundered for a moment, before falling into abeyance in a shorter time [...]
The Square Mile’s recovery will create an innovative, inclusive and sustainable business eco-system April 26, 2021 Walking around the City’s streets has been a joyous experience since many businesses started to reopen their doors and welcome back customers. It has been fantastic to see the vibrancy and the buzz, which the Square Mile is so well known for, gradually returning, taking us that bit closer to the more normal times that [...]