The secrets of presenting to the boss: Off-the-wall is fine but prepare answers before you go in October 16, 2015 As a former director, I recall the time when a newly appointed member of the executive team was “called in” to present to the chief executive for the first time. Needless to say, she was a little anxious, so I did my best to encourage her. Afterwards, I asked how it went, and she [...]
Why Britain’s savings crisis is worse than you think October 5, 2015 We all knew Britain had a long-term savings crisis, but it’s now looking more like a disaster. For all the effort the government has put into liberalizing the pensions system, boosting personal responsibility by giving everyone the choice of what to do with their pots at retirement, one simple fact has not been addressed: we’re [...]
Pensions reform: Lump sums don’t mean Lamborghinis as Britain’s savers are still being prudent October 5, 2015 Pensioners were expected to be buying up Lamborghinis in droves this summer, after landmark pension freedoms came into effect in April. The new system allows people over 55 to take some – or even all – of their pension as a lump sum. It wipes away old restrictions which only let retirees have a [...]
Putin will fail in Syria: The West must take a step back October 4, 2015 I feel as if we are in a time warp. To read right-wing commentators over the past few days, you would think the Cold War is back on – only this time we are losing. To hear them talk, we are living in a new age of Russian power. A triumphant Russia is calling the [...]
EU refugee crisis: Boris Johnson says London should help as Mayor of Liverpool offers sanctuary to 100 Syrian refugees September 3, 2015 As scenes of refugees making their way from Syria across Europe become more harrowing, the Mayor of London has said the capital should face up to its "moral responsibilities". On the question of whether to take in Syrian refugees in particular, Boris Johnson said London should "take people fleeing persecution and those plainly in fear [...]
The economic risks looming for small firms – Investec Comment August 31, 2015 Last week’s sharp sell-off in equity markets, apparently sparked by fears over the health of the Chinese economy, dramatically highlighted the risks to the global economic outlook. But the UK is still likely to enjoy moderate growth for at least the next two years. The CBI last week upgraded its UK forecasts for 2015 and [...]
Becoming Mr Matchmaker: Venntro founder Ross Williams talks going mobile, nature v nurture, and ginger dating August 16, 2015 A week today, Ross Williams will be a married man. “Oh, I’m not stressed, nervous, anxious, oh no,” he laughs. But Williams shouldn’t worry – after all, he’s got a wife and mother-in-law-to-be who are “absolutely fantastic” organisers, and his relationship was founded on a very firm footing: he and his fiancée met on an [...]
Thirty years of mosquitoes, failed trials and few financial rewards: The rocky road to creating the world’s first malaria vaccine August 2, 2015 “I screamed with joy and pulled up at the side of the highway, but when I tried to push the clutch and start the car I couldn't because I was too overwhelmed,” says Moncef Slaoui as he recalls the moment he found out all the bites, blood and days spent poring over lab results had [...]
The EU risks damaging consumer interests in its push against Google dominance July 22, 2015 Jean Tirole won last year’s Nobel prize for economics for his work on a new type of market – and one that has grown with the meteoric rise of the internet. So-called two-sided markets arise when a company brings together suppliers and consumers. Google is a classic example: it provides browsers with web pages, and [...]
City plays down living wage cost fears but hospitality industry could struggle July 9, 2015 Analysts predicted yesterday that UK retailers would largely dodge the effects of the new national living wage but warned the leisure and hospitality industry would face tough times. In a surprise move on Wednesday George Osborne announced a new minimum wage of £7.20 per hour from April next year for workers over the age of [...]