PwC shrinks global headcount amid $1.5bn AI drive October 28, 2025 Big Four giant PwC has shrunk its global workforce for the first time since 2010, trimming staff numbers by nearly 6,000, as the chairman cited investments in AI tools. In its annual report, published on Tuesday, PwC firms reported record gross revenues of $56.9bn for the 12 months ending 30 June 2025, marking a 2.7 [...]
Transparency concerns as FCA makes short sellers anonymous October 28, 2025 Firms short-selling UK-quoted companies will no longer have to reveal their identities in the latest deregulation drive by the UK’s financial watchdog. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is consulting on a rule change to suspend disclosures of the companies that hold a short position in listed businesses, instead only publishing the total short positions in [...]
Nik Storonsky-backed Robin AI seeks rescue buyer after fundraise falls short October 28, 2025 An AI business backed by the likes of Revolut co-founder Nik Storonsky is seeking a rescue buyer after its fundraising ambitions fell short, City AM can reveal. London-based legal firm Robin AI has been put up for sale on an insolvency marketplace – meaning its future could be in doubt if a buyer is not [...]
The man on a mission to save the internet October 28, 2025 Search engines and publishers used to operate on a simple deal: publishers would let the likes of Google trawl their site, and in return Google would give them traffic. With the advent of AI, that deal is all but dead, leaving the internet’s old model under existential threat. Ali Lyon meets Matthew Prince, the man [...]
EY UK bounces back with growth in most divisions but consulting lags October 27, 2025 Big Four giant EY UK has seen a bounce back after its fee income grew by 2 per cent over the last financial year to £3.78bn, with the majority of its divisions seeing growth. The firm’s distributable profits before tax grew by over 3 per cent, from £653m in FY24 to £679m, while the giant also reported [...]
AI: Not all bubbles are bad October 22, 2025 A trillion of AI investment will ultimately be wasted – but the technology could yield ten times that in value, says Nick Murray-Leslie The world has seen investment frenzies before – the railway mania of the 19th century, the dotcom boom of the late 1990s and the crypto surge of the 2020s. But what we [...]
Performance, not privilege, should determine success in financial services October 22, 2025 Financial services leadership is still too dominated by a privileged few, says for Lord Mayor Vincent Keaveny When I served as Lord Mayor of London, I often heard the City described as a meritocracy. Yet, behind the polished façades and success stories, I saw the hidden barriers that still shape who truly gets ahead. That [...]
UK needs a minister for drones to prepare for modern warfare October 21, 2025 As autonomous warfare spending edges towards a quarter of the MoD’s budget, it makes sense to appoint a dedicated minister for drones.
Is your tech strategy good, or just AI theatre? October 15, 2025 Artificial intelligence has become the business world’s favourite performance recently. FTSE 100 earnings calls now mention AI more than inflation, and investor briefings increasingly resemble tech expos. Analysts report that AI references in UK company filings have tripled in the past year, yet the results aren’t matching the rhetoric. Markets are beginning to glance sideways. [...]
National Taiwan day is a moment to remember there is no modern world without this beacon of democracy October 10, 2025 Taiwan’s National Day celebrates a resilient and innovative democracy that has become indispensable to the modern world through its economic strength and technological dominance in semiconductors, says Lubov Chernukhin Every year on the 10th of October, Taiwan celebrates its National Day. It is a day of pride, reflection and a reminder of how this small [...]