Cannes and adland’s evolution: the future of marketing will require creativity and data July 2, 2018 The marketing and advertising sectors are constantly undergoing transitions in one form or another. And, not unreasonably, clients always want services that are better, faster, and cheaper. However, though this is a perennial theme, now brands are also increasingly bringing marketing activities in-house. Even the professional services hegemons are attempting to capitalise on industry weaknesses, [...]
UK corporate debt soars to all-time high after years of low interest rates July 2, 2018 The debt of the UK’s public listed companies (PLCs) has hit an all-time high after years of low interest rates and continued pressure to return money to shareholders. The Link Asset Services UK PLC debt monitor shows UK listed company debt of £390.7bn, up 69 per cent from the debt low point of 2010-11, an [...]
Three UK chief exec Dave Dyson: Company focused on creating ‘genuine customer experiences’, not ‘hypothetical’ 5G launches July 2, 2018 In the race for 5G connectivity, many would assume that fast, and first, is best. But the head of one of the UK’s biggest mobile operators says he is not concerned with being first to the party when it comes to rolling out the faster network for consumers. Dave Dyson, Three UK chief executive, says [...]
Stobart Group calls for shareholders to vote down former boss Tinkler’s director appointment July 2, 2018 The Stobart Group has called for its shareholders to vote down former chief executive officer (CEO) Andrew Tinkler’s proposal to become a director of the company. Stobart said today in a regulatory release that Tinkler had served notice on the company on 28 June that he intends to propose himself as a director at the [...]
Peer-to-Peer lender Zopa back in the black July 2, 2018 Peer-to-peer lender Zopa is back in the black as the firm's profit after tax for 2017 hit £1.5m. The financial firm, which matches borrowers with people looking to invest, reported a revenue increase of 40 per cent to £46.5m in its annual report for last year. The amount of money paid out by the lender [...]
Brexit: Norway or bust for trade deal, Cabinet ministers told ahead of Chequers away day July 2, 2018 The government must accept an off-the-shelf trade deal with the European Union, most likely the Norway-style EEA option, Theresa May's chief Brexit negotiator has warned. Olly Robbins, who has been meeting with his EU counterparts regularly in place of Brexit secretary David Davis, has told Cabinet ministers there was no chance of striking a bespoke [...]
Take Pride in your work: representation in advertising isn’t just about ‘pinkwashing’ July 2, 2018 REPRESENTATION matters. Advertising is a constant presence in our everyday lives, but for people in minority groups, it’s not a given that they will see themselves depicted in the media. Take the LGBTQ community. Seven per cent of the UK population identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or otherwise queer, according to the Stonewall charity. [...]
Monzo losses deepen in 2018, as operational costs increase faster than growth July 2, 2018 Digital challenger bank Monzo has seen its losses increase fourfold over the last year, logging pre-tax losses of £33.1m in the year ending February 2018. Up from just £7.9m the year before, Monzo said this was the result of its operating costs ballooning from £8m to £34.9m as it invested heavily into becoming "a fully [...]
Elon Musk either ‘deceptive or delusional’, says valuation expert July 2, 2018 Billionaire Elon Musk has been branded ‘deceptive or delusional’ by a respected valuation expert for insisting his electric car company Tesla can hit production targets and turn a profit. The tycoon said 5,000 Model 3 Tesla saloons a week would be produced by the end of June, and that the company would become cash flow [...]
Philip Morris UK MD Peter Nixon interview: How Britain can go smoke-free July 2, 2018 After tobacco giant Philip Morris International made a bold commitment to push for a "smoke-free world" earlier this year, City A.M. sat down with Peter Nixon, PMI's managing director for the UK and Ireland. Q. As a tobacco company, why have you been so vocal about trying to eliminate smoking? A. It’s the right thing [...]