Chill out about Hong Kong’s bid for the London Stock Exchange September 17, 2019 The London Stock Exchange is under siege. Despite initially rebuffing an unsolicited £32bn takeover bid from its counterpart in Hong Kong, it is expected to face an improved offer in a matter of days. There has, inevitably, been a clamour for the UK government to intervene to block the bid. Many of those opposing the [...]
DEBATE: London Fashion Week is drawing to a close, but does fast fashion stand up to ethical scrutiny? September 17, 2019 London Fashion Week is drawing to a close, but does fast fashion stand up to ethical scrutiny? Bill Wirtz, senior policy analyst at the Consumer Choice Center, says YES. Every few weeks, there is a new environmentalist quest to ban something that consumers like. While activists in the UK are protesting “fast fashion”, their German [...]
Unsung heroes: How migrants power our economy and transform lives back home September 17, 2019 With all the debate over Britain’s post-Brexit immigration policy, its relationship with other nations, and its place on the world stage as a supporter of global development, it is worth going back to basics and reminding ourselves of what exactly our migrants contribute, to both the UK and the world. Because make no mistake, ambitious [...]
Peering through the Brexit haze: What we know so far September 16, 2019 One of my favourite intellectual exercises that we use in my political risk firm is what we call “seeing through the fog”. When a long-standing geopolitical topic seems to resemble nothing so much as King Minos’ labyrinth, senior staff and I repair to a good wine bar and spend an afternoon not talking about all [...]
Ignore the doom-and-gloom headlines – people keep getting happier September 16, 2019 The news gives us plenty to worry about these days. From trade wars to political polarisation, the world seems full of risks. It is therefore perhaps surprising that – as far as we can tell – people are getting happier. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) surveys 150,000 people in the UK every year, and [...]
DEBATE: Are business transformation programmes a waste of time and effort? September 16, 2019 Are business transformation programmes a waste of time and effort? Scott McArthur, a performance and transformation coach, says YES. Alarm bells should go off in a leader’s mind whenever anyone claims to offer a silver bullet for improving employee behaviour and transforming a firm. The best any business can achieve is “promising practice”. Each organisation [...]
The City is looking to India for future partners September 16, 2019 As people back home enjoy what we hope is an Indian summer, I am heading to the subcontinent this week for a five-day visit to Delhi, Hyderabad and Mumbai – just as monsoon season draws to a close. The political weather in the UK may be stormy, but when the dust settles, one thing is [...]
Taiwan ready and able to be a part of UN family September 16, 2019 Joseph Wu, Taiwan’s Foreign Minister, argues it is time for the country to be welcomed into the United Nations Earlier this year, President Tsai Ing-wen of the Republic of China (Taiwan) travelled through New York, an icon of diversity and freedom and home to the United Nations, as a prelude to her state visit to [...]
Why London Fashion Week is a marketing masterclass September 13, 2019 Despite being on our doorstep, London Fashion Week – which begins today – can sometimes feel like a strange spectacle from another world. But after many years of Getty Images capturing the show (and its participating brands adapting to a transforming industry) as the official supplier, it’s clear to me that London Fashion Week is [...]
How retail rookie Sharon White can turn John Lewis’ fortunes around September 13, 2019 John Lewis Partnership reported its first ever half-year loss yesterday, blaming falling sales and rising costs for a gloomy six months. It’s bad news for incoming chair – and retail rookie – Sharon White, who has a challenge on her hands to turn around the department store’s fortunes. Read more: John Lewis swings to a [...]