What does the next decade have in store for UK fintech? December 20, 2019 A decade ago, the term “fintech” had barely been coined, and the financial services world referred to more staid terms like “financial technology”. High-growth startups focusing on the space were few and far between, and very few VCs had fintech on their investment radar. In parallel, the ecosystem was slowly being introduced to innovative startups [...]
Activism: an escape hatch for active fund managers? December 19, 2019 Active fund managers are like deer caught in the headlights of oncoming traffic. The exchange-traded fund (ETF) industry is expanding its product range to all investment strategies and grabbing market share from the mutual fund sector. In an important milestone, in August 2019, passive US equity funds surpassed their active counterparts in assets under management [...]
The biggest tech breakthroughs of the last decade December 18, 2019 It is easy to forget, as we approach the end of not just 2019 but also the decade, just how far technology has developed over the past 10 years. To mark the end of the era, City A.M. asked several experts for what they think have been the biggest technological breakthroughs or advancements made in [...]
Ocado set to be crowned the FTSE’s most valuable tech giant December 17, 2019 Analysts have said Ocado has the vision to become the “Microsoft of Retail tomorrow” and transition into the FTSE’s most valuable tech giant. Once finalised, the decision by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to de-designate Ocado as a retailer in August will make it the largest listed tech company in the UK by valuation. [...]
It takes two chief executives to shake up a business December 13, 2019 In the words of Marvin Gaye, sometimes it takes two. And as the world of business changes and evolves, the same rule could also apply — because one person at the helm is no longer enough. The technological revolution of the past 20 years has had a huge impact on the economy, and disrupted nearly [...]
Opportunities in an evolving financial industry December 12, 2019 In today’s investment landscape, a paradigm shift is underway. Economic headwinds, ever-changing financial regulations, and the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and financial technology are transforming the industry. What clients want is evolving, too. Returns alone are not enough. Clients today are looking for asset managers who can meet a comprehensive set of needs and deliver greater value [...]
Artificial intelligence could wipe out 13,000 legal sector jobs December 9, 2019 The adoption of new technologies such as artificial intelligence could lead to the UK legal sector shedding 13,000 jobs, according to a report by the Law Society of England and Wales. The report on the future shape of the legal workforce projected a 13,000 fall in the number of jobs by 2027, equivalent to a [...]
Changing of the guard: Google founders make way as tech giant gears up for new era December 4, 2019 Google’s announcement that co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin will step back from their top roles is, in some senses, a groundbreaking moment. Since starting the iconic search engine in a rented California garage in 1998, the pair have grown the firm into one of the world’s most valuable companies, turning themselves into two of [...]
The election could redraw the country and reshape the Tories November 29, 2019 Opinion polls don’t just report the state of play, they can help fashion what comes next. The huge YouGov survey of 100,000 voters that translated into a Tory majority of 68 was unusual not just because of its scale but because it analysed every constituency. Most polls take a small national sample and use that [...]
Russia’s Sberbank moves into driverless cars with joint venture November 28, 2019 Sberbank, Russia’s largest lender, is moving into driverless cars with a new investment in AI transport startup Cognitive Technologies. Read more: Uber partly to blame for driverless car death, says US watchdog The state-owned bank will take a 30 per cent stake in a new company, Cognitive Pilot, while Cognitive Technologies will take a 70 [...]