Interiors: Inside the newly-opened London Flower School and why the capital is the home of floral artistry June 2, 2017 In King’s Cross, the newly-opened London Flower School is bustling with Chinese students indulging their passion for plants. Floral art is so big in Asia that up to 80 per cent of students at UK flower schools arrive from China, Korea and Japan. Why do they come so far? Because London is the world leader [...]
Irish government confirms plans to float €12bn-valued Allied Irish Banks in London and Dublin May 30, 2017 The Irish government has confirmed it will be floating state-owned Allied Irish Banks (AIB) in London and Dublin. The initial public offering (IPO) will see the government dispose of a 25 per cent stake in the lender. It is thought the float deal could value the bank at €12bn, which would make it London’s biggest [...]
Ireland: a perfect partner for AI development May 25, 2017 China is emerging as a global powerhouse for artificial intelligence (AI) and Ireland offers an ideal location for Chinese companies to extend their international reach in this critically important space. China’s growing pre-eminence in this area is in line with the “One Belt One Road” initiative announced by President Xi Jinping in 2013 and the [...]
Aviva just backed insurance focused fintech startup Neos and will probably acquire one soon, says CEO Mark Wilson May 25, 2017 Aviva is splashing cash on a startup focusing on insurance for connected homes in the latest signal of the insurers intent when it comes to technology – and it may even stretch to buying a small tech firm in future, it has revealed. The venture arm of Aviva has led a £5m series A funding [...]
Big Data will never replace Big Ideas: Why cultural intelligence matters May 22, 2017 Whether it’s big data scores, over-hyped Silicon Valley apps, or the panacea of artificial intelligence, the world is fixated on the possibilities of algorithmic knowledge. This will prove to be a costly mistake for business. The greatest challenges and opportunities of the coming century will all be cultural. Major companies like Intel, Ford, and IBM [...]
Sir James Dyson to spend £130m on The Village commercial buildings in London May 15, 2017 Vaccum cleaner king Sir James Dyson is in pole position to snap up a £130m portfolio of commercial buildings in London. The billionaire’s bid will likely beat rivals’ offers for a portfolio of 13 buildings in Fitzrovia known as The Village, according to the Sunday Times. The properties are currently owned by the LCH Group. [...]
Passive versus active fund management: Why the rise and rise of passive funds should strengthen corporate governance May 2, 2017 A growing proportion of world financial assets are held in passive funds of one kind or another. In the US, more than one third of all mutual funds are passive. In the UK, one quarter of all money under management is managed under a passive strategy. The arguments in favour of passive include lower costs [...]
Mergermarket rebrand fuels speculation of possible sale April 23, 2017 Financial information giant Mergermarket will rebrand this summer, raising speculation among City figures that the company is about to be sold. Mergermarket Group, which is owned by private equity firm BC Partners, provides specialised market news and analysis to a number of top City investment banks, hedge funds and law firms. Read more: Mergermarket continues [...]
China’s Bright Food loses its taste for Weetabix and sells it to the American Post Holdings: Where did it all go wrong? April 19, 2017 It was announced yesterday that Chinese company Bright Food is to sell Weetabix to the American Post Holdings. Bright Food acquired the British stalwart in 2012 with a view to introducing breakfast cereal to the lucrative Asian market, but recently put the brand up for sale when it became clear it had struggled to crack [...]
Gold prices: The yellow has found a new pocket of opportunity April 18, 2017 “Don’t gain the world and lose your soul; wisdom is better than silver or gold.” You may have to read the quote more than once, but Bob Marley knew what he was talking about. At the moment, investors seemingly disagree a bit with him, and they have pushed spot gold up around 8 per cent [...]