Picture this: Art-enriched offices make us more productive October 17, 2018 Some say a picture is worth a thousand words, but I like to think that art holds the key to unlocking a more productive economy. Recently, Frieze – which is one of the biggest events in the cultural calendar – saw the art world’s elite descend upon the capital. It’s a time of year when [...]
DEBATE: Will banning NDAs in harassment cases stop victims agreeing confidential deals with employers? October 16, 2018 Will banning NDAs in harassment cases stop victims agreeing confidential deals with employers? John Oxley, a barrister at Vardags, says YES. The prohibition of NDAs will stop companies from quietly hushing up the unpleasant and sometimes criminal behaviour of predatory employees. It may also, however, stop that behaviour from coming to light in the first [...]
Celebrities like Kanye West and Taylor Swift need to learn that we really don’t care what they think October 16, 2018 Taylor Swift, look what you made me do. Swifty has been a hallowed island of political neutrality in a sea of bad blood. But she’s now come out as a mid-term Democrat, and the love story is over. Maybe one day historians will look back and admire how Bob Geldof’s support for a People’s Vote [...]
Crypto A.M. shines its spotlight on Sensify October 16, 2018 Sensify, a UK based company, has developed an Internet of Things software platform for connecting any type of IoT asset. The platform allows the customer to track, trace, monitor, verify and secure its assets in real time. Assets that can connect to the platform include RFID, sensors, telematics devices, inventory and machinery. The IoT market [...]
A Futurist’s Glimpse into AI, Blockchain and Investment October 16, 2018 | Sponsored I’m Benjamin Boyle, COO of Drive Markets, an institutional cryptocurrency exchange that offers a trading and issuer experience more in line with the capital and forex markets. I also own a controlling stake in Caipiteal, a company that uses data analysis to develop advanced investing strategies. When I was asked to write this piece, I [...]
Blackrock reports boosted earnings but ‘disappointing’ net flows October 16, 2018 Blackrock, the world's biggest asset management firm, has reported a rise in earnings in its third quarter results, but revealed net outflows of $3bn (£2.27bn). Assets under management were also up by 8 per cent from $5.97 trillion (£4.52 trillion) between July and September 2017 to $6.44bn trillion this year. Read more: Blackrock wins £30bn investment contract from [...]
Digital bank Oaknorth hires ex-Bank of England director October 16, 2018 Challenger bank Oaknorth has hired former Bank of England director Martin Stewart to join its advisory board. Working with the fintech as an independent adviser, Stewart was previously the director of banks, building societies and credit unions at the Bank of England. Oaknorth said it hopes that by bringing Stewart on board, it can better serve [...]
Mind the ethnicity pay gap: Data is the key to a transparent and diverse society October 16, 2018 To be human is to have bias – both conscious and unconscious. If all our decisions were based on logic alone, carefully calculated and perfectly balanced, we would be robots. The benefits of being human are the passion, empathy, and creativity we can inject into our decision-making and working lives. But there are downsides. Read [...]
Brexit: 23 answers to investors’ questions October 16, 2018 | City Talk The UK’s scheduled departure from the EU is fast approaching. Many observers are hopeful for an orderly withdrawal. But plenty of potential pitfalls between now and Brexit-day which could result in a chaotic divorce. The only near-certainty at present is that the UK will cease to be a full member of the EU on 29 [...]
Regulator warns payday lenders over risky loans October 15, 2018 The Financial Conduct Authority has written to the bosses of payday lending firms, urging them to consider ‘affordability risk’ before making loans to financially vulnerable borrowers. In a ‘Dear CEO’ letter sent today, the FCA warned that lenders should “take prompt action” to ensure they maintain compliance with regulations that force them to assess customers’ [...]