Finding the best way to incentivise management July 14, 2020 | City Talk With cash at a premium, businesses could be considering an award of shares to employees instead of bonuses. This could be a good way to incentivise key employees in the long term without utilising cash and perhaps a first step towards unlocking liquidity for owners through, for example, a management buy-out. However, with share values [...]
Businesses must find their purpose, or risk becoming the next corporate scandal July 14, 2020 In the midst of a pandemic, the corporate scandals keep coming. The most recent is Boohoo, a previously admired brand in the fashion industry that has been accused of sourcing clothes from a Leicester factory where workers were paid as little as £3.50 an hour. For many in the fashion industry, the darker side of [...]
What are “accidental savers” doing with their surprise savings? July 14, 2020 | City Talk Lockdown restrictions have curbed spending, resulting in higher savings in the UK. Some of this has found its way into the financial markets; actively managed responsible investment funds have been the biggest beneficiaries. The words “accidental” and “saver” don’t often appear in the same sentence together. Saving usually takes some effort and requires sacrifices and [...]
The Kickstart Scheme should have kickstarted years ago July 14, 2020 For years I have been banging the drum for apprenticeship reform as the answer to the UK’s skills shortage and unemployment issues. For a decade it has fallen on deaf ears — with the apprenticeship levy, the government’s only solution, turning out to be a complete dog’s dinner. But finally, the government has come to [...]
Wealthy investors anticipate lasting lifestyle shifts after coronavirus July 13, 2020 Wealthy investors have not been immune to the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic, and anticipate long-term lifestyle changes as a result. Three quarters of wealthy investors in the UK see a permanent shift in the wake of the crisis, according to research by wealth manager UBS. The survey of 200 UK-based investors, with between [...]
Workplaces should be a lifeline for those suffering domestic abuse July 13, 2020 At the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, we asked people to stay at home to protect themselves and others from the virus. The home should be a safe haven. But for victims of domestic abuse, it can be a very dangerous place to be. National abuse helpline Refuge reported a 25 per cent increase in [...]
Private equity firms eye listed companies as economy starts to reopen July 11, 2020 The coronavirus pandemic has left a number of UK-listed companies scrambling for cash, with private equity firms tempted to swoop as the crisis develops. PE firms are eyeing opportunities as they move to deploy more of their dry powder into public entities as the economy starts to reopen in the wake of the coronavirus crisis. [...]
Peter Harrison: UK business needs a £30bn equity injection July 10, 2020 | City Talk The winning companies of tomorrow need help to survive today. This is how we, and the government, could help. The full economic impact of the Covid-19 crisis is now beginning to be felt as each day brings fresh news of job losses. It will get worse. £30 billion fund needed There is a chance to [...]
Lockdown Generation: Without support, young people face a health crisis as well as an economic one July 10, 2020 What do you remember about your first job? The friends and connections you made? The skills you learned? The feeling of being able to support yourself financially? It is well known that all these factors can shape our career trajectories. That they are involved in shaping your future health outcomes and development is less widely [...]
When it comes to government business support, one size does not fit all July 10, 2020 When it comes to getting noticed, unfortunately size does matter. There are millions of micro businesses (those made up of fewer than nine employees) across the UK, which play a crucial role in our economic health. In the months to come, their ability to be nimble will be vital in helping this country navigate through [...]
