London’s Looop snapped up by SoftBank-backed ed-tech firm for $20m January 11, 2022 London-based corporate learning company Looop has been snapped up by SoftBank-backed education technology firm 360Learning for some $20m. Looop, which works with fintech giants Klarna and Monzo, as well as retail heavyweight Asos, is 360Learning’s first-ever acquisition. “Now as learning and development grapples with the triple hit of remote work, the Great Resignation, and the [...]
City Moves: Who’s switching jobs in the Square Mile this week? January 11, 2022 City A.M.’s Millie Turner provides a roundup of the most important hires and job moves across the City, every morning. Email citymoves@cityam.com to be featured. Moorhouse Management consultancy Moorhouse has appointed a new managing partner, who will focus on supporting the growth of its portfolio, which includes the Health, Financial Services, Energy and Life Science industries. Richard Brackstone, who had previously spent [...]
Pharma firms shares plunge after pausing marketing of Covid-19 test January 10, 2022 A Covid-19 lateral flow test has been found to be less effective at detecting the Omicron variant, which has prompted companies to pause its marketing. Rapid test developer Abingdon Health and biopharmaceutical firm Avacta announced this morning that their AffiDX lateral flow has “reduced sensitivity”, which prompted investors to duck out of the stock. [...]
London confidence in Met Police plummets amid series of controversies January 10, 2022 Confidence in the Metropolitan Police has dropped in the past year, according to new research, while the first part of the inquiry into Sarah Everard’s murder is underway. Research by the Police Foundation and Crest Advisory found “worrying evidence” that trust and confidence in the Met police had worsened amid a series of controversies. It [...]
Bill Gates-backed fund invest $15bn in clean tech as aviation industry eyes ‘green’ fuels January 10, 2022 Bill Gates-backed fund Breakthrough Energy Capital (BEC) has tabled plans to invest $15bn into clean technology projects in the US, EU and UK. The eye-watering sum will be pushed towards green hydrogen, aviation fuel, energy storage technology and cleaning polluted air. “We are actually trying to demonstrate which technical path is most effective,” BEC managing [...]
Katten hikes London associate pay as competition for City law firms soar January 10, 2022 Law firm Katten Muchin Rosenman has raised its pay for London associates by some £10,000 for each experience level today, as the competition for applicants soars in London. The new salary pay-grades, which also accompany potentially lofty bonus’, will see junior lawyers on a £108,000 annual salary. Associates with one year post-qualified experience (PQE) will have [...]
Common cold helps protect against Covid-19, London study finds January 10, 2022 The common cold can help protect people against Covid-19, a new study has found, due to the high levels of T cells found in sufferers. The “important discovery” by Imperial College London researchers could help vaccine makers in developing new vaccines which grant longer immunity – even against future variants. Though the London scientists urged [...]
Southern rail services return to Victoria, while The Drain makes a comeback January 10, 2022 Southern rail services have returned to London Victoria today, after the latest wave of the pandemic led to a staffing crisis across the public sector. Victoria station commuters will see eight Southern services each hour to a string of London suburbs including East Croydon, Balham and Sutton. After effectively halting all services out of [...]
As London passes the peak and transport reopens, could it really be a happy new year? January 10, 2022 London may be emerging from the worst of the new Covid-19 peak, with the capital’s public health boss saying London appears to be past the peak of infections and vital transport infrastructure kicking back into gear today. Professor Kevin Fenton, London’s public health director, said the data suggests “we may have passed or are at [...]
Hong Kong flight ban strands executives and risks curbing economic growth January 9, 2022 Hong Kong’s flight ban has left exeutives stranded outside of the global finance hub, which Fitch Ratings has said could curb its economic growth prospects. The two-week circuit breaker comes after the city recorded its first Covid-19 cases at the end of December, after three months without community transmission. “We believe the tightening of restrictions [...]
