Uncanny valley: Explaining the rise of virtual influencers September 30, 2019 I have fallen down a social media rabbit hole. I’ve been scrolling through the feed of an online influencer called “Lil Miquela”, and watching her videos on YouTube. Her Instagram is just like any other influencer account. There are pictures of her on nights out with friends, several of her posing in trendy clothes, even [...]
A plague on both Trump’s sordid White House and the self-righteous Democrats September 30, 2019 Shakespeare, as ever, said it best. As the eloquent Mercutio lays dying at the hands of Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet, his last thoughts are of the unreasoning duel between the two aristocratic families of Verona, the Montagues and the Capulets. Aptly summing up the poisonous atmosphere which directly led to his death, Mercutio damns [...]
Alone again? Cities can drive connection in an isolated world September 30, 2019 Walking across London Bridge in the morning is to feel part of a truly connected and global city. The sheer diversity of ethnicities and languages would make it difficult to say in which country this city lay. Most buildings host coffee shops and restaurants bustling with people. Offices are increasingly occupied by small businesses with [...]
The Dragon Awards celebrate the London firms working towards a fairer society September 30, 2019 As well as being the top hub for finance, London is also fast becoming known as a leading centre for responsible business and philanthropy. I strongly believe that we must shape the society in which we want to live, and not wait for it to shape us. Last week at the Mansion House, we celebrated [...]
UK consumer credit growth slows to five-year low September 30, 2019 British customers increased their borrowing at the slowest rate since 2014 in August, official statistics showed today, in a sign that Brexit uncertainty is weighing on consumer confidence. Read more: Pound staggers as Bank of England hints at interest rate cut The annual growth rate of lending to British consumers continued to slow in August, [...]
City Moves for 30 September – Who’s switching jobs at MJ Hudson, Maven and Impact? September 30, 2019 Today’s City Moves includes MJ Hudson, Maven and Impact MJ Hudson Asset management consultancy MJ Hudson has announced the appointment of Declan Canavan as its new commercial director and a managing director with responsibility for business development. Declan joins the London-headquartered firm from JP Morgan Asset Management where he was managing director and head of [...]
Uber’s regulatory wild ride: Meet the man behind the wheel September 30, 2019 Uber UK and Europe boss Jamie Heywood may have only been in the job for 18 months, but he already personifies what the company has become since its angry confrontation with London mayor Sadiq Khan. That spat over Uber’s London operations has seen the previously cavalier company grow into a firm that is careful and [...]
Chancellor Sajid Javid unveils £17bn no-deal Brexit cushion September 30, 2019 Sajid Javid will today unveil a package of spending pledges as the party goes on an election footing at its annual Conservative conference in Manchester. The chancellor will double down on Boris Johnson’s pledge to leave the EU with or without a deal on 31 October, promising a £16.6bn so-called no-deal Brexit guarantee to cushion [...]
One in three UK businesses has no Brexit plan in place as Halloween deadline looms September 30, 2019 A senior minister yesterday suggested the UK may use EU law in order to deliver Brexit by Halloween. Confirming revelations in City A.M., foreign secretary Dominic Raab told the Mail on Sunday that EU law supersedes UK law and so in theory the 31 October departure date, enshrined in European law, would be unaffected by [...]
Trying to spot phishing emails ‘like gambling on roulette’, report finds September 30, 2019 Fraudulent emails pose the greatest cyber threat to businesses, as the chances of an employee spotting one are extremely slim, according to a report published today. Cybersecurity wonks said that employees’ inability to identify malicious messages rendered email the most vulnerable access point for most companies. Read more: Hackers ‘tried to steal Airbus secrets’ in [...]