Fintech is thriving in Edinburgh too – and it’s great news for the whole of the UK August 15, 2016 One of the good things about the Rio Olympics, quite aside from the sport, is the fact that it reminds us of four years ago when we hosted the Games. It was a month of celebration and positivity for the whole UK, not just London, and it showcased the best that Britain has to offer. [...]
The Snaffling Pig co-founders talk GoPros, Dragons’ Den, jail and setting up a business with £500 August 15, 2016 This is the difference between pork scratchings and pork crackling: scratchings are cooked at one temperature, which is why they can be perilously hard. Crackling has two meanings: it’s the stuff on top of belly of pork; it’s also pieces of skin and fat cooked at a lower temperature with a short burst of more heat [...]
New fintech strategy group will help Scotland capitalise on sector growth August 14, 2016 | City Talk A new national fintech strategy group has been launched by Scottish Financial Enterprise (SFE) in Edinburgh, to help Scotland capitalise on the growth within the sector. The SFE Fintech Strategy Group has brought together over 30 leading figures from the world of fintech in Scotland and met for the first time this May in Scotland's [...]
How Edinburgh-based firm Krotos gave Avengers: Age of Ultron a monster August 14, 2016 | City Talk An Edinburgh-based audio software specialist is attracting increasing interest from film, TV and game studios thanks to its innovative vocal processor software. Krotos has developed audio software that is now being used by Hollywood film and game studios. The company’s software – Dehumaniser – is a vocal processor which allows the production of high quality [...]
How Edinburgh is driving the fintech revolution August 14, 2016 | City Talk According to recent figures published by Innovate Finance, global investment in fintech has rocketed from $930m in 2008 to $12.5bn in 2015, with recognised tech clusters such as Edinburgh supporting London’s global dominance. Fintech is, to coin a phrase, white hot right now. It’s not only empowering new start-ups with the ability to launch disruptive [...]
Speedy Hire set for another rottweiler attack from activist investor August 14, 2016 Speedy Hire is preparing for another attack from its largest shareholder, activist investor Toscafund, on Monday morning. Toscafund is planning to publish a new letter accusing the firm’s chairman, Jan Astrand – who refused the fund's demands last week to stand down – of failing to address its concerns. Read more: Toscafund urges Speedy Hire chairman to [...]
It’s official: The Royal Mint says there’s been a major gold rush since the Bank of England’s interest rate cut August 12, 2016 There's been a gold rush on since the Bank of England's interest rate cut, it turns out – after the Royal Mint confirmed a huge uptick in the number of people buying gold. Chris Howard, the Royal Mint's director of bullion said today that its bullion trading site had experienced a 250 per cent increase [...]
Helena Morrissey moves from chief executive to chair of Newton Investment Management August 12, 2016 Helena Morrissey, one of the city's most influential figures, will move from chief executive to chair of Newton Investment Management as part of a leadership shake-up at the asset managers. Morrissey has been chief executive of the firm for 15 years, and will stay on as a non-executive chair of Newton's board. She will be replaced [...]
That cat picture Tube advertising takeover is happening – here’s where, and when August 12, 2016 Remember that crowdfunding campaign which sought to replace all advertising on the Tube with pictures of cats? It's happening, people. In September. At Clapham Common (Cat-ham Common?) station. It's going to be paws-itiviely brilliant. Read more: Sigh. Yes, the Treasury has a cat The organisation behind it, the Citizens Advertising Takeover Service (yep – Cats), [...]
Office gossip may be damaging your business August 12, 2016 Gossip is a part of life, and it seems so harmless. But the recent dismissal of the head of legal services for Northumbria Police for “gossiping” to other staff about legal advice she had given to senior officers regarding allegations against them has thrown the serious consequences of chitchat into sharp relief. Indeed, a little gossip [...]