UK fintech needs more than just London: Manchester and Northern Powerhouse cities are the next hubs September 30, 2015 By some accounts the UK already leads the world in fintech – technology for the financial services sector. Much of this stems from the fact that London has always been one of the world’s leading financial centres, is home to 300 of the world’s banks and counts more than 130,000 knowledge workers in its financial [...]
From Open-plan offices to FinTech and regulation: Four ways the City is changing September 17, 2015 The City will face a number of opportunities, as well as a few adversities, in the years to come according to a new report by published by the City of London Corporation. Here's a quick round-up of the main changes: Rise of the open-plan office The rise in flexible working, technological changes and cost pressures are [...]
Three ideas for the future of London housing September 16, 2015 How do you solve London's housing crisis? A "floatilla" of floating homes on the capital's waterways and new homes built on top of hospitals or schools are just some of the ideas put forward by leading architects and developers to revolutionise how we live in London. A 100-strong shortlist of concepts, which also include a [...]
Meet the Leisure Learners: those who pick galleries over the pub September 16, 2015 If you've ever endured friends shouting garbled German greetings into their smartphones, or observed your colleagues bashing out HTML tags during their lunch hour, then you’ve witnessed the skills revolution in action. Thanks to new apps and web-based training portals such as Duolingo and Codecademy, it has never been easier to access cheap or [...]
Meet the Gartner Hype Cycle for 2015: It’s all about self-driving cars and smart dust in emerging tech trends August 18, 2015 You've probably heard of the self-driving car, but smart dust probably isn't on your radar just yet. That's because the autonomous vehicle trend has hit what's known as the peak of inflated expectation. Smart dust on the other hand, is at the earliest stage of innovation, as defined by Gartner in its annual research on [...]
QBE’s David Hall on how insurers are the unsung heroes of major sporting events: “I like to think we are the glue that allows the World Cup to operate” August 9, 2015 For A few short weeks next month, England's rugby team will find itself at the centre of the sporting universe. The World Cup will provide nailbiting thrills and drama, established stars will shine, new stars will burst into life, and seminal moments will be etched into the sport’s history books. Amid this landscape of excitement, [...]
A quiet tech revolution is happening – not in Shoreditch or Birmingham – but in Croydon July 30, 2015 I read Nick Holzherr’s recent article championing Birmingham’s Silicon Canal with a mixture of interest and a large degree of scepticism. As the founder of Croydon Tech City, I agree that the UK’s technological future doesn’t lie solely with the denizens of Old Street. But I argue vehemently with his alternative. If you want [...]
Derwent London secures its first lettings for White Collar Factory July 13, 2015 Derwent London said yesterday it has snapped up an office block at the heart of the capital’s fintech district in Aldgate at the same time as it announced its first lettings at the White Collar Factory scheme in Old Street. The developer has bought Aldgate Union on Whitechapel High Street from the Royal Bank of [...]
A healthy office space is fundamental for success July 7, 2015 Over one million people in the UK suffer from work-related illnesses every year, according to a recent study from the Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE), and the resulting cost to the economy is huge. Read more: London’s new crisis: A shortage of offices will do immense damage While the influence of office [...]
WeWork launches shared office space for start-ups at Moorgate July 1, 2015 A US COMPANY that provides flexible workspace to start-ups is hoping to tap into demand among London’s thriving tech community after launching a new site near Moorgate station today. WeWork has taken eight floors at Brookfield’s Moorgate Exchange, its fourth location in the UK after opening in Sea Containers House, Soho and Devonshire Square over [...]