DEBATE: Is there a case for Britain keeping the Elgin Marbles? February 24, 2020 Is there a case for Britain keeping the Elgin Marbles? Tiffany Jenkins, author of Keeping Their Marbles: How Treasures of the Past Ended Up in Museums and Why They Should Stay There, says YES. Throughout history, art objects have passed across borders. No one is suggesting that every Italian Master belongs to the Italian government. [...]
Why we should stay optimistic as markets navigate uncertainty February 24, 2020 It’s not long since warnings of an upcoming slowdown dominated the British news agenda. But with a Brexit deal in hand and signs of a thaw in the global trade war, uncertainty has lessened and the fear of recession receded. So it is smooth sailing from here? Hardly. New uncertainties are likely to emerge just [...]
Like a boss: Cherie Blair on helping women start their own business February 24, 2020 We tend to associate entrepreneurship with opportunistic founders operating out of bustling Silicon Valley hubs — or perhaps more specifically the five American tech giants whose combined market value, it was reported recently, has increased by $1.3 trillion in the past year. In fact, entrepreneurship exists wherever you are. The sharing economy is producing millions [...]
Why your gloomy office is holding you back: the case for better workplace design February 24, 2020 Whatever industry you’re in, most companies will tell you that their biggest cost is talent. That’s why the prediction that stress-related illnesses will be the main cause of sickness in 2020, accounting for 44 per cent of all work-related absences, should be a big concern. One source of this stress is technology, which has altered [...]
Don’t leave it up to the EU to decide how we regulate AI February 24, 2020 The war of words between Britain and the EU has begun ahead of next month’s trade talks. But as Britain sets its own course on everything from immigration to fishing, there is one area where the battle for influence is only just kicking off: the future regulation of artificial intelligence. As AI becomes a part [...]
Financial secrecy is the enemy in the fight against corruption February 24, 2020 Here’s a stat to start your Monday morning: 70 per cent of grand corruption cases, when politicians or their associations misappropriate and use public funds for their personal benefit, involve the use of anonymous companies. Last month’s Luanda Leaks are a poignant reminder of how transnational and complex corruption has become. Isabel dos Santos, Africa’s [...]
Culture complements commerce, so let’s celebrate the City’s thriving artistic scene February 24, 2020 As lord mayor of the City of London, my role is primarily business-focused. But I am also passionate about arts and culture, and with so much of it on our doorstep, Londoners are truly fortunate. In fact, championing culture is a key part of my mayoral theme. And to underline its importance, I am looking [...]
Britain stands to lose more than its Marbles if it folds now February 21, 2020 There’s a new pawn in the game of Brexit chess — 17 pawns, in fact, life-size and made of marble, plus 247 feet of sculpted frieze. The EU sparked a panic this week, when its draft negotiating mandate revealed a clause concerning the need to address “issues relating to the return or restitution of unlawfully [...]
DEBATE: Should the government intervene to stop cash disappearing? February 21, 2020 Should the government intervene to stop cash disappearing, as the Access To Cash panel has urged? YES, says Andrew Martin, chief executive of Retail Financial Consulting. It’s essential that cash remains a staple of British society in order to maintain social inclusion and economic stability. One need only look at Sweden, which is on the [...]
The revolution is imminent, and big Telco needs to change February 21, 2020 Complex deals. High prices. Bad service. Guess which industry I am talking about? Four old incumbents own more than 90 per cent market share, nearly nine million people pay a loyalty tax every year, and yet “industry leaders” get invited to Downing Street for tea and biscuits. The answer is telecoms. It’s front-page news: 5G [...]