David Cameron to take UK fintech leaders on Asian tour July 26, 2015 David Cameron will go on a trade mission to Asia next month as part of the government’s plan to develop the UK financial technology sector. The delegation is made up largely of senior staff from the financial tech sector, reflecting the government’s aim to position the UK as a fintech leader. Thirty businesses will be [...]
Flexi-time and compressed hours on the rise as City firms ditch 9 to 5 to compete with fintech July 26, 2015 City employers are loosening their ties and becoming less rigid over staff working hours, according to research that shows a jump in the number of workers being given more flexibility. A third of men working in the City (34 per cent) say they now have some flexibility over the hours they work, either through flexi-time [...]
Secret Escapes gets $60m Google Ventures backing for global expansion July 26, 2015 Deals website Secret Escapes has landed $60m (£39m) investment from Google's venture arm to fuel ambitious global expansion plans. The flash deals website set up in London in 2010 which offers luxury holidays at a discount has completed a series C round of funding led by Google Ventures and existing investor Octopus Investments. Index and [...]
Why climbing the social ladder keeps Britons happy July 24, 2015 Most of us view “social climbing” as a negative trait – we tend to associate it with people who are fake and use others to reach their own goals. Read more: Wealthy, healthy and successful The middle-class drinkers with the hidden health problem But whatever the people around them think, social climbers are are [...]
Ecstasy use has soared among young people in the UK July 23, 2015 The number of young people taking ecstasy in the UK has hit a 10-year high, according to research by the Home Office. Read more: London is the European capital of flushing cocaine down the loo In response to the department's National Crime Survey for England and Wales, 5.4 per cent of 16 to 24 [...]
Forget Silicon Valley and Silicon Roundabout: Birmingham’s Silicon Canal is the future of the UK’s technology sector July 23, 2015 For years now we've been told that London could rival the Silicon Valley with its own tech hub. But five years after launching my business, I’m a bigger advocate for Birmingham's Silicon Canal than I have ever been. There is an incredible talent pool in Birmingham that offers a wealth of brilliant software engineers. These [...]
Analytical minds prefer complex music – here’s the ultimate Spotify playlist for people working in finance July 23, 2015 The way you think determines your taste in music, according to a new study published in Plos One, and for analytical financial minds this means a preference for punk, heavy metal, and avant-garde jazz. Read more: North vs south London: Whose music tastes come out on top? Researchers at the University of Cambridge found [...]
There could be a pill that stops gluten intolerance in just three years July 23, 2015 For years, gluten intolerance has stopped millions of people enjoying some of the most delicious foods around, but scientists at the University of Alberta in Canada think they've found a way to treat the disorder. Read more: Sainsbury's, Waitrose and Asda recall “gluten free” products over fears they contain gluten They have created a [...]
The UK must digitally disrupt to grow the economy and create jobs, or be disrupted July 23, 2015 Not many things are guaranteed in life, but the power of technology to disrupt our lives is one that is. Whether we look at the creation of the first personal computer in the 60s, the arrival of the World Wide Web in the 80s, or the smartphone connected world we now occupy; digital technology has [...]
Apple share price shockwave put markets on edge as tech company stocks tumbled July 22, 2015 Technology stocks across the globe fell like dominoes yesterday, feeling the aftershock from Apple’s tumbling share price. The California-based smartphone giant dropped by more than seven per cent in pre-market trading after releasing its results for the third quarter, and its shares lost another four per cent of their value throughout yesterday. US [...]