Digital Innovators: Q&A with Chris Sheldrick, co-founder and CEO of what3words February 8, 2018 what3words has divided the world into 3m x 3m squares, each with a unique address made from three dictionary words, thus offering the simplest way to communicate location. Last year what3words was identified as one of 50 of the freshest and most inspiring digital companies using technology and innovation to shake up their sectors in [...]
Who killed Toys ‘R’ Us? February 5, 2018 Toys ‘R’ Us, the $6.9bn (£5bn) toy-store chain, became one of US retail’s biggest-ever bankruptcies when it filed for so-called ‘Chapter 11 protection’ last September. Market watchers were quick to point the finger of suspicion at Amazon. But is that right? In the spirit of Agatha Christie, we ask: who killed Toys ‘R’ Us? In [...]
‘Supermarket giants doomed’ – no, just history repeating February 2, 2018 Investors, analysts, journalists or other market commentators often become convinced some scenario or trend definitely will or will not play out. Check back a few years later, however – always anyone bothers – and that certainty may prove unwarranted. Three or four years ago, for example, many were arguing it was ‘game over’ for supermarket [...]
Craft beer maker FourPure to create 20 new London jobs with £2.5m brewery investment in Bermondsey January 31, 2018 Craft brewer FourPure has put £2.5m into expanding its Bermondsey brewery, increasing capacity by 400 per cent. The project will create 20 new jobs and allow the brand, which is stocked in the likes of M&S, Tesco, Asda and Ocado to keep up with demand. Co-founder Daniel Lowe said the company was now talking to [...]
BP’s invested in electric car charging startup FreeWire January 30, 2018 BP is turning to a tech startup, making an investment in the maker of mobile charging points for electric cars. The oil major is putting $5m (£3.5m) into FreeWire, a three-year-old San-Francicsco tech company, as part of a series A funding round with other investors via its corporate venture arm. Read more: Daimler has invested [...]
Elizabeth Line opening to top expectations on new homes and jobs created as end of Crossrail project draws closer January 30, 2018 The number of homes and jobs created due to the development of the £14.8bn Elizabeth Line is set to greatly surpass expectations, according to a new report by commercial property agency GVA. The research, commissioned by Crossrail, found that the impact of the new railway on the creation of new homes and impact on property [...]
Ranked: The British cities most and least at risk of job losses due to automation and globalisation | City A.M. January 29, 2018 Over 900,000 London jobs will be put at risk due to the potential impact of automation and globalisation, but the capital is well-placed to draw in the new jobs technology will bring, according to a new Centre for Cities report. The think tank has London among the 10 cities least at risk of job losses [...]
Online stalwart Asos is in for a fashion face-off with Amazon’s wardrobe service January 26, 2018 What do Debenhams, House of Fraser, Mothercare and Asos not have in common? Cracking Christmas clothing sales. While the high street’s stalwarts struggled to attract bargain-hunting shoppers over the festive season, their smaller online-only rival yesterday revealed a 30 per cent rise in sales for the final four months of 2017. Asos, or as As [...]
Carillion collapse poses big questions for investors, Jes Staley’s FCA delay goes on and The Range floats chairs January 26, 2018 When in doubt, blame the accountants: a mantra which has gathered momentum after virtually every big corporate collapse since the financial crisis. Carillion is no exception. It seems obvious to ask now why KPMG signed off the construction group’s accounts in March without the merest hint of anxiety. Hindsight being a wonderful thing, the wafer-thin [...]
Brexit didn’t break the UK in 2017 January 25, 2018 When the UK voted to leave the EU in June 2016, many experts forecasted economic doom—if not immediately, then in the not-too-distant future. Some sentiment-related, short-term volatility followed, but the UK didn’t fall into recession following the referendum. Similar projections arose going into 2017, but those fell flat, too. Through all the noise and warnings [...]