Partnerships are all about finding the right person February 12, 2012 JUST a decade ago, the idea of going beyond family and friends to help find one’s significant other would be greeted by a mixture of confusion, curiosity and pity. However, times change and the plethora of introduction or dating agencies have expanded apace. Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day – and of course entrepreneurs have stepped in [...]
Gender quotas are wrong and don’t work – it’s time to treat people as individuals February 12, 2012 LAST week, the Prime Minister delivered a speech in Stockholm about diversity in the work-place, making the capitalist case that equality should drive more efficient business outcomes by realising a broader range of entrepreneurial talent. This welcome shift in emphasis highlights why mandatory gender quotas in the boardroom are such a bad idea. In Norway, [...]
There’s no logic in a punitive tax on bank bonuses February 12, 2012 LET us imagine two bankers. Let’s call them Jocelyn and Alastair. Last year they were both paid £2m. Jocelyn had a basic salary of £500,000 and a bonus of £1.5m. Alastair had a basic salary of £2m and no bonus. Who thinks that Jocelyn should pay more in tax than Alastair? Ed Miliband seems to [...]
Tokenism is no way to create cultural change February 12, 2012 AFTER a year in which the Centre for Economic and Business Research has estimated a total loss of around 27,000 jobs from the financial sector, and one in which it has been predicted by the Office for Budgetary Responsibility that the overall long-term unemployment figures will rise by a further 750,000 over the next four [...]
RAPID RESPONSES February 12, 2012 Don’t be beastly The recent Greek vilification of the Germans has been indicative of the attitude taken by the bankrupt Hellenic state. Rather than taking the difficult decisions and paying for previous largesse, Greek papers instead feature depictions of Angela Merkel in Nazi uniform and protesters wave swastika flags. Stipulating that the Greeks adhere to [...]
Finance and marriage – should go together like a horse and carriage February 12, 2012 TAKING care to maximise income and capital gains tax allowances and reliefs may not seem like rocket science but over the years it can save a great deal of tax. In a world where “clever clever” tax mitigation is increasingly frowned upon there is a lot to be said for this low key approach. There [...]
A Roman holiday… with snow and kids February 12, 2012 A LONG, long time ago, in a life far, far away, there was a young couple. Blissful, carefree, and most importantly childfree, they went on a romantic city break to Rome. They spent most of it in a bar, giggling at a sign: “Never mind the Trevi, come for a bevy”, and the rest of [...]
Art, history and pampering in New England’s capital February 12, 2012 Boston: the genteel city of academia, tea parties, clam chowder, Matt Damon, and for me at least, electric eels. I had come to Boston on a long weekend – a bit of sales shopping, sight-seeing and relaxing in this history-steeped city. Yet also to confirm something that had been a bit of a mystery for [...]
Put some soul into your soles February 12, 2012 Shoes matter. You can have the best suit in the world but if it is paired with scuffed, mismatched leather on your feet it will undo all of the good work. The debate is still ongoing over whether brown is acceptable in the City. The answer is probably: as suit etiquette gets less formal, with [...]
FASHION NEWS February 12, 2012 NEW YORK TRAILS AUTUMN 2012 STYLES New York Fashion week gripped the fashion world over the weekend, with top designers showing off their vision for the couture season ahead. The proceedings were dominated by rich fabrics, waist-defining jackets and some 1920s-inspired styles sparked by movies like The Artist. Dresses featured strongly among the 90 or [...]
