In the rush to get an EU trade deal, the needs of the City must not be forgotten January 20, 2020 With 31 January less than two weeks away, after various twists and turns, the first chapter of Brexit is finally coming to a close. Although it has performed with resilience and strength in the face of a challenging economic climate, the City has been crying out for certainty and clarity for too long. And even [...]
Don’t run for the hills over alignment – the big question is where and when to diverge January 19, 2020 As we approach the 50-day point in Boris Johnson’s premiership, questions are still being asked about what kind of leader he will be, and how different the country will become under him. Londoners in particular are used to certain amount of showmanship in the Johnson approach to politics. As mayor, he was a high profile [...]
We should support Taiwan to the hilt January 17, 2020 Some years ago I did some work that brought me into contact with Taiwan and, more importantly, a small but powerful group of figures in Westminster who had long seen the moral and strategic case for being on the side of Taipei’s government. As a consequence of this fleeting association, I saw firsthand the way [...]
Forget Big Ben, the real rows are ahead January 17, 2020 One of the more ludicrous stories of the week concerns the efforts of a small band of pro-Brexit MPs to get the bells of Big Ben ringing out our departure from the EU at 11pm on 31 January. Parliamentary authorities have done their best to shut down the scheme, saying it would be too expensive [...]
Flybe or not to Flybe? This bailout flies in the face of market economics January 17, 2020 The philosophy of the market is based on the idea that the key to a prosperous economy is competition. Fair and vibrant competition, the argument goes, spurs businesses to improve quality and reduce prices, benefiting consumers and fuelling economic growth. Companies that struggle should be allowed to fail, making room for more agile or innovative [...]
DEBATE: Should Big Ben bong on 31 January to mark Britain’s exit from the EU? January 17, 2020 Should Big Ben bong on 31 January to mark Britain’s exit from the EU? Alex Deane, a Conservative commentator, says YES. Whether a bell rings at a certain time is a trivial thing. But it is symbolic, and symbols matter — to people, and to nations. Stymieing the ringing of a bell that rang two [...]
How to start your own business in 2020 January 17, 2020 As many of us embark on our new year’s resolutions to eat less and get fit, a good 20 per cent of us will be making plans to start a business. According to Companies House, 2019 was a record year for UK company registrations. An incredible 678,288 new businesses were registered. This is part of [...]
Do central banks have enough firepower to fight the next recession? January 17, 2020 By the end of 2019, the UK and US had achieved a decade recession free. That’s an impressive feat, but fears of a recession remain. In fact, those fears peaked last year due to worrying signals from financial markets. When the next recession does raise its head, it will be up to our central banks [...]
The landscape may have changed, but the purpose of finance remains the same January 17, 2020 In January 2007, I walked into my first day in a role at one the world’s leading global financial institutions with all the excitement that comes with a new job. Like many of those working in the industry at that time, I didn’t foresee the hurricane that was about to hit in the shape of [...]
What Carlos Ghosn’s escape teaches us about reputation management January 16, 2020 Carlos Ghosn’s escape from the Japanese justice system is truly remarkable, not just because of the circumstances themselves – which really are stranger than fiction – but also because of what it tells us about owning the narrative in modern reputation management. Indeed, if there is a playbook on how to forge a favourable narrative [...]