In a cashless society, what will we do when our colleagues turn up rattling the collection tin? January 17, 2019 Periodically, a senior economist will suggest that as a society we could abolish cash. As an idea, it unites left and right in immediate dismay. On the one hand, it would strike a blow against individual liberty, giving retailers, banks, and possibly governments the potential to track your every transaction. On the other, it would [...]
Rahaf Mohammed has lifted the veil on the brutal Saudi regime January 17, 2019 Rahaf Mohammed is at first glance an unlikely harbinger of change in Saudi Arabia. Teenage girls usually know their place in Saudi society: unlike the Victorian child, they are neither to be seen nor heard. But her near-miraculous escape from the clutches of Saudi authorities, which sought to forcibly return her to a family outraged [...]
Global trader Louis Dreyfus to exit dairy sector as part of strategic overhaul January 16, 2019 Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC), one of the world's biggest agricultural commodity traders, announced today that it will exit its dairy business by mid-2019. The company, majority-owned by Russian-born heiress Margarita Louis-Dreyfus, has already separated the dairy business from the rest of its operations and intends either to wind down the division or find a buyer. [...]
DEBATE: Should universities switch to only offering places based on actual rather than predicted grades? January 16, 2019 Should universities switch to only offering places based on actual rather than predicted grades? Dr Graeme Atherton, director of the National Education Opportunities Network and co-author of the report “Post-qualification application: a student-centred model”, says YES. Going to university is the biggest decision that most young people face. They deserve a university admissions system that helps [...]
If any brand has the power to take on toxic masculinity, it’s Gillette January 16, 2019 As I write this, Gillette’s latest advertisement – We Believe: The Best Men Can Be – is kicking up a right old media storm. It’s fair to say that the campaign, which aims to address issues including bullying, violence, and sexual harassment, has provoked an extreme reaction. It’s been branded an “attack on masculinity” by [...]
Parent trap: the child benefits system has ended up punishing the very people it was designed to protect January 16, 2019 For high-flying parents who earn more than £50,000 a year, the child benefit system will seem ridiculous. You go through the effort of applying for the benefits (over the course of a year, this amounts to £1,000 for the first child, and £700 for each additional child), only for the money to be clawed back [...]
Reckitt Benckiser CEO announces plan to retire at the end of 2019 January 16, 2019 Reckitt Benckiser chief executive Rakesh Kapoor is set to retire at the end of 2019, the firm announced today, leading it to launch a formal search for its next boss. The maker of Nurofen and Clearasil said it is looking at both internal and external candidates to succeed Kapoor, as shares dropped by three per [...]
Audit must reclaim its Victorian roots to win back public trust January 15, 2019 Today marks the first anniversary of the collapse of Carillion. It is also the first day that the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy select committee takes evidence in its inquiry into the audit market. Carillion’s downfall brought the role of audit in business and society into the spotlight, and was a watershed moment for the [...]
Shares in recruitment firm Page Group drop amid macroeconomic uncertainty despite record profits January 14, 2019 Recruitment firm Page Group saw its shares fall by seven per cent today after it said in its annual results statement that Brexit uncertainty has affected the job market. The FTSE 250 recruiter said that while it had increased its number of fee-earning staff by 561 in the first three quarters of 2018, this slowed [...]
Top 10 CEOs: Amazon’s Jeff Bezos tops index of chief executives, but who else makes the list? January 14, 2019 Amazon founder Jeff Bezos today took the top spot in a new index that rates bosses on the star power they bring to their companies. Billionaire Bezos, who has run Amazon for the past 25 years, has come first in a ranking out today that measures the brand value the world’s most rich-and-famous chief executives [...]