Why politicians should stop using employment law as an electioneering tool April 12, 2015 Faced with stubbornly unchanging polls and less than a month before the General Election, what can a party leader do to prevent the nation drawing the duvet over its collective head on 7 May? Into the arena is pulled employment relations law. All the main parties have something to say here – the coalition points [...]
A strong partnership between the City and Scotland benefits all April 12, 2015 As the Easter weekend fades into distant memory, my programme of visits to the City’s key trading partners kicks back into action. Instead of a far-flung, emerging market on the other side of the globe, however, my travels this week take me to economic partners a lot closer to home – the cities of Edinburgh [...]
Are markets too sanguine about the risks that the impending General Election poses? April 12, 2015 Nick Peters, co-portfolio manager of Fidelity Multi Asset Income fund, says Yes. Over the last six months, the FTSE 100 has risen just over 10 per cent, lagging behind US and European markets. But this hasn’t been a result of markets worrying about May’s election: it’s driven more by the heavy bias of the FTSE [...]
From flights to philanthropy: Ebookers founder Dinesh Dhamija talks luck, Romania and why Britain’s entrepreneurs shouldn’t be too bothered about the General Election April 12, 2015 We often hear that the startup landscape of today lacks funding opportunities: the banks still aren’t lending to small businesses, and despite pockets of cash existing, unless you’ve got the inside track, it’s difficult to know how to access them. But Dinesh Dhamija, the multi-millionaire son of an Indian diplomat who, in 1999, founded online [...]
Investec Comment: How cheap oil is boosting small businesses April 12, 2015 THE extraordinary decline in the price of oil has been one of the most important economic stories of the past year. Brent Crude fell from over $110 per barrel in June 2014 to below $50 in January 2015, slumping to multi-year lows. Prices have increased marginally since then, but with factors like the interim deal [...]
Gimme 5 April 12, 2015 …BLOGS FOR ENTREPRENEURS Richard Branson’s blog The business heavyweight shares his expertise on everything from how to write a complaint letter to why a three-day week could work. He’s happy to share personal stories and ways of working, to help you on your way. www.virgin.com/richard-branson The Entreprenurial Mind This is the blogging home of Jeff [...]
2015 Rugby World Cup: Banking on shared values – and the 3bn viewers for a great global event April 12, 2015 When a senior figure from the world of banking talks up his company’s major sponsorship deal with a particular sport, because it represents the “core values” of his business, there’s a tendency sometimes to roll the eyes in a “that’s so on-message” kind of a way. So when Ian Fisher, head of coverage and investment [...]
Why your office space really counts: How your workplace environment can impact your productivity April 12, 2015 Creativity, collaboration and contentment are determined by the environment you build. British employees work the longest hours in Europe, and 70-plus hour working weeks are the norm for many in our major cities. With the majority of our waking day spent in the office, it’s never been more important for employers to ensure that their [...]
Have a whale of a time beside the Sunshine Coast in the real Australia April 12, 2015 Everyone knows it’s a long way to Australia, but I don’t think people really compute just how claustrophobic a 24 hour flight is until they’ve done it. When I touched down in Brisbane, a small child jubilantly ripped her seatbelt off and cried, “I’m free, Mummy! I’m free!” I was right there with her. If [...]
48 hours in… Braşov, Romania April 12, 2015 WHERE TO STAY The quirky but luxurious Chambers’n Charm hotel is among the best in the city. chambers-charm.ro WHERE TO EAT Subetrranean Bella Muzica servves a mash-up of local and world cuisine. bellamuzica.ro WHERE TO DRINK Bistro de l’arte is hidden inside a beautiful old building in the town centre. bistrodelarte.ro
