In defence of my friend Dominic Cummings October 14, 2019 Everyone of a certain age who worked in New York or Washington has a 9/11 story; mine concerns Dominic Cummings. It was sometime early in the afternoon of the unforgettable, nightmarish day. Three planes had already slammed into the World Trade Centre Buildings and the Pentagon, inflicting their awful havoc. A fourth plane had been [...]
DEBATE: Are great startups always about having a great idea? October 14, 2019 Are great startups always about having a great idea? Lily Covington, senior strategist at commercial strategy firm Cruxy & Co., says YES. Marketing guru and Silicon Valley mastermind Guy Kawasaki famously said “ideas are easy, implementation is hard”. But while ideas may be easy, truly great ideas are anything but. In the fast-paced and saturated [...]
It’s up to businesses to make sure no one gets left behind in the digital revolution October 14, 2019 The digitisation of the global economy is transforming the way we communicate, work and live. Today, you can transfer money to the other side of the world in the blink of an eye, pay for a coffee by tapping your phone, and open a bank account in minutes. The startling growth of the UK’s innovative [...]
CFOs prioritise cost-cutting as uncertainty bites October 14, 2019 Finance chiefs are tightening their belts in an effort to weather the mounting storm of economic uncertainty. More than half of the UK’s most senior chief financial officers (CFO) are focusing on cost-control as a strong priority, marking the highest level since the end of the financial crash. Read more: Businesses can do more to [...]
Retail footfall down 10 per cent in seven years amid high street troubles October 14, 2019 The number of shoppers on the high street has dropped by 10 per cent over the last seven years, according to new data which underlines the current challenges facing physical retailers. Read more: Retailers brace for tough Christmas trading According to a new report from Springboard and the British Retail Consortium, retail footfall has decreased [...]
Exclusive: Queen’s Speech to include Financial Services Bill in bid to safeguard City October 14, 2019 Plans to safeguard the City’s global pre-eminence after Brexit will be laid bare today in the Queen’s Speech. City A.M. understands the government will include a Financial Services Bill in its legislation as part of an effort to ensure the sector stays at the forefront of international trading after it leaves the EU. Read more: [...]
IPO and M&A markets braced for further headache in 2020 October 14, 2019 Corporate dealmakers are bracing themselves for a further slowdown in business next year, with a new report forecasting a sharp slump in activity as geopolitical uncertainty mounts. Initial public offerings (IPO) and merger and acquisitions (M&A) are set to drop in both activity and value during 2020 amid trade wars and growing fears of a [...]
Increase in financial services jobs available as the City weathers Brexit uncertainty October 14, 2019 The number of financial services jobs available in London increased during the third quarter, alongside the number of job seekers, but political uncertainty is still casting a cloud over the capital’s job market, according to new research. Between July and September, the number of new financial services roles increased 12 per cent on the previous [...]
Hire dyslexic people to cover skill shortages, says report October 14, 2019 Hiring dyslexic people will help companies cover skills shortages as workplaces become increasingly automated, according to a new report. People with dyslexia possess “specific strengths” that will be increasingly in demand as companies adopt technologies such as machine learning, say EY and charity Made by Dyslexia. Read more: Job losses mount as no-deal Brexit fears [...]
Labour’s renationalisation plan ‘would cost £200bn’ October 14, 2019 The Labour party’s plans to renationalise water and energy utilities, train companies and the Royal Mail would cost at least £196bn, new analysis by the country’s biggest employer organisation has revealed. The huge sum is equivalent to the total amount of income tax paid by UK citizens in a single year, and is almost as [...]