Hipgnosis boss: Music industry at risk from ‘gluttonous’ record labels January 21, 2021 The music industry is under threat from “gluttonous” record labels taking royalties away from artists and songwriters, the boss of music investment firm Hipgnosis has said. Merck Mercuriadis accused the major record companies of “trying to take everything for themselves”, warning that some artists were unable to survive off royalty income as a result. “The [...]
Insurers need to capture the Covid-19 zeitgeist and go beyond expectations January 21, 2021 As a communications professional, you rarely want your client and the words “the Supreme Court” to appear in the same sentence. However, last week, the justices issued a 112-page judgement on the Financial Conduct Authority’s appeal asking for “clarification” on whether insurance companies were required to pay business interruption claims for companies which had been [...]
A 21st century Big Bang 2.0 won’t look like the eighties – but it’s worth pursuing January 20, 2021 UK financial services can unlock a new phase of growth by taking a lead on sustainability, digital innovation and governance, and redefining ‘Big Bang’ to be far more than simply deregulating markets. Chancellor Rishi Sunak spoke of the City’s “perfect platform” for a post-Brexit “Big Bang” last week but remained equivocal on how the new [...]
EU chief Von der Leyen calls for ‘democratic limits’ to Big Tech power January 20, 2021 European Commission president Ursula Von der Leyen has called for a crackdown on the “untrammelled” power of tech giants following violent riots at the Capitol earlier this month. In a speech marking the inauguration of Joe Biden, Von der Leyen welcomed the new US president, adding: “After four long years, Europe has a friend in [...]
British musicians ‘shamelessly failed’ over post-Brexit touring January 20, 2021 Musicians have been “shamelessly failed” by the government over the failure to secure visa-free touring after Brexit, some of the UK’s biggest music stars have said. Sir Elton John, Ed Sheeran and Liam Gallagher are among more than 100 signatories on a damning open letter that warns many performers could be “tipped over the edge” [...]
New chief exec for Vauxhall as UK investment decision looms January 20, 2021 Car giant Stellantis has appointed former Nissan executive Paul Wilcox as the new chief executive of British brand Vauxhall. The appointment comes as the group warned that a decision about future investment into Vauxhall’s UK operations could come “within weeks”. Speaking at an event to mark the merger of Peugeot owner PSA and Italian-American giant [...]
S4 Capital steps up a gear with automotive acquisition January 20, 2021 S4 Capital has snapped up a production studio specialising in the automotive industry as its aggressive expansion plans show no signs of slowing down. Sir Martin Sorrell’s advertising firm today said Germany-based Staud Studios would merge with its Media Monks content division. The move cements S4’s presence in Germany, which is Europe’s second largest advertising [...]
UK inflation doubles in a month as transport prices rise January 20, 2021 UK inflation doubled in December as prices rose during the festive period, the Office for National Statistics has announced. Prices in the run-up to Christmas were up 0.6 percent compared to a year earlier and rose from 0.3 per cent in November. Higher prices for transport, recreation and culture were flagged by statisticians, despite food [...]
Consultants expected to be Covid-19 winners after bagging lucrative contracts January 20, 2021 The UK consultancy sector is expected to grow nine per cent in 2021, after the sector won lucrative contracts during the pandemic.
Sadiq Khan backs CBI’s calls for furlough extension January 19, 2021 The mayor of London has backed calls from the CBI for further financial support for businesses, saying current deadlines create a "financial cliff edge"