These are the world’s 50 most valuable brands of 2017 September 25, 2017 Apple and Google have once again take the two top spots in a list of the world’s 100 most valuable brands, according to rankings by consultancy group Interbrand. Five UK firms made into into the 2017 best global brands list. These were Burberry, HSBC, Land Rover, Smirnoff and Johnnie Walker. This is the fifth consecutive [...]
Personality clashes and the poisoned client: The inside story of Bell Pottinger’s collapse September 25, 2017 From the outside, the demise of iconic public relations firm Bell Pottinger appeared to unfold at a dramatic and surprising pace. On Monday 4 September, the company published the findings of a report by lawyers Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) concluding that the firm’s campaign for the Gupta family’s Oakbay Capital in South Africa “was potentially [...]
Apple, Google and Microsoft top list of the 100 most valuable brands September 25, 2017 Apple and Google have once again take the two top spots in a list of the world’s 100 most valuable brands, according to rankings by consultancy group Interbrand. Five UK firms made into into the 2017 best global brands list. These were Burberry, HSBC, Land Rover, Smirnoff and Johnnie Walker. This is the fifth consecutive [...]
Business needs to get serious about a Labour government September 21, 2017 First there was Brexit, then Trump, then Theresa May’s shock General Election result. Suffice to say, recent events have left pollsters and politicos alike reeling. Before May’s poor performance at the start of the summer, commentators and consultants had loudly agreed that a Labour government was an impossible outcome. Read more: Corbyn’s cunning EU plan [...]
A new female-led private equity firm focusing on beauty, health and lifestyle has launched a £65m fund September 19, 2017 Private equity may be one of the worst financial services sectors for promoting gender diversity, but today has seen the launch of the first female-founded specialist firm. Vaultier7, led by dealmakers Montse Suarez and Anna Sweeting, will focus on the beauty and personal care, health and wellness and lifestyle sectors. They have already launched a [...]
Why India beats Britain for women in tech September 14, 2017 The technology sector is notorious for under-representing women. If asked to name top male industry figures, the likes of Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, and the late Steve Jobs roll off the tongue with ease. But most people would struggle to name their female counterparts. This doesn’t mean that women aren’t carving themselves out a space [...]
Let’s show the world that sexism has no place in the UK’s thriving tech industry September 5, 2017 Silicon Valley has reached a turning point. Companies in the world’s predominant technology hub pride themselves on purpose: changing the world for the better. But the wave of recent scandals, from accusations of sexual harassment at Uber to a Google memo which appeared to promote sexist stereotypes, have showcased a dark underbelly to the world [...]
Gold prices have hit an 11-month high as North Korea tensions escalate September 4, 2017 London-listed gold miners shot up after gold hit an 11-month high today, as investors flocked to safe haven assets after tensions between the US and North Korea continued to escalate. Gold futures rose 0.7 per cent to just under $1,340 per ounce, their highest price since Donald Trump’s election win last November. That pushed gold [...]
Cineworld-owned Picturehouse Cinemas narrows losses while staff approve fresh strike action September 3, 2017 Arty cinema chain Picturehouse chain reduced its losses in 2016, but faces further strike action in a dispute between staff and owner Cineworld. For the year ending 31 December 2016, Picturehouse Cinemas Ltd recorded boosted revenues of £28.7m, up from £17.8m the year before. But the cost of sales more than doubled from £6.5m to [...]
How to tackle the PR challenge facing Uber’s Travis Kalanick August 27, 2017 Controversial former Uber chief Travis Kalanick has hired Teneo BlueRubicon to "refresh his tarnished image", according to reports. Though I can’t see confirmation on the record from either Kalanick or Teneo in the sources I’ve read, no denial from either party suggests a grain of truth. Real news or fake news, it makes the news [...]