The ongoing challenge of untangling the business of bra straps May 13, 2012 I AM inspired by new products and ways of doing things – what is called “disruption”– and this led me to meeting Nigel Coole, an inventor. “Think back Richard, to when you were a teenager fumbling around on a date and got lucky enough to undo a bra. Do you remember the struggle and embarrassment [...]
Let’s get this food truck on the road May 13, 2012 ALTHOUGH not famed for its native cuisine, London has profited from its openness to outside culinary influences, allowing the capital to punch above its weight. Food is big business – the hospitality industry employs around 2.5m people in the UK. But times change. If London wants to keep up it must embrace innovation – including [...]
We are in a world without leaders: The G-Zero will soon replace the G7 May 13, 2012 WHEN so many problems bestride borders, the need for international cooperation has never been greater. Cooperation demands leadership, however. Only leaders have the leverage to coordinate multinational responses to transnational problems. They have the wealth and power to persuade other governments to take actions they wouldn’t otherwise take. They pick up the bills that others [...]
A Facebook bank is far more likely than you imagine May 13, 2012 THE internet gives banks innovative ways of providing services to customers. But it also brings new dangers. Online giants like PayPal, Facebook and Amazon are leading the way on customer experience. Could they go further, and take on banks directly? Facebook has already moved into the world of “virtual currency”. Facebook Credits, costing 10 cents [...]
The City’s prosperity rests on the strength of London’s local communities May 13, 2012 AS newly-elected policy chairman of the City of London Corporation, it is my duty to help nurture a business environment that supports the UK financial services industry, stimulates jobs and growth and maintains London’s status as the world’s pre-eminent global financial centre. But the duties of the policy chairman do not stop there. During my [...]
Should the legalisation of gay marriage be a significant priority for this government? May 13, 2012 YES Ruth Hunt In his speech to the Conservative Party conference in 2011, the Prime Minister stated that “Conservatives believe in the ties that bind us; that society is stronger when we make vows to each other and support each other.” This is a position that Stonewall enthusiastically endorses. At a time when the government [...]
RAPID responses May 13, 2012 Initiative needed [Re: Coalition behaving as if we were in normal economic times, Thursday] This is a highly pertinent and accurate analysis. The government’s done absolutely nothing to tackle the burden of privately-held debt and nothing to redirect money spent on consumption to be spent on vital infrastructure. The coalition has undertaken no root-and-branch overhaul [...]
Insurance is not for life – shop around May 13, 2012 APART from taxes, there is nothing as certain as the grim reaper’s eventual scalp. It’s a depressing fact to contemplate on a Monday morning, but it must be faced at some time as it’s a vital consideration for anyone with dependants. Ben Smaje, managing director at Kennedy Black Wealth Management says “the first thing you [...]
Opulence and elegance in rural England May 13, 2012 I’ve been lucky enough to wake up to some spectacular sights: the glacial, serene Lake Lucerne in Switzerland; the endless, pulsing cityscape of Tokyo; the stark, rugged mountains of Aspen. On the right morning, though, few things can beat the understated grandeur of the rolling English countryside. The view from the window of the Cornflower [...]
Strange but good: a slice of Asia in Alicante May 13, 2012 My friend Jo and I did not feel we were en route anywhere nice one recent Friday morning. We were on an EasyJet flight to Alicante, surrounded by stags roaring for more Stella and Jack Daniels. Once in Alicante, a people carrier drove us through a parched landscape that looked a little worse for wear, [...]
