Energy M&A powers into the record books: Deal activity jumps by over a third in 2017 February 13, 2017 Energy and power M&A activity is at an all-time high at the start of 2017, with nearly $66bn (£53bn) of deals announced this year. Deal activity is 36 per cent higher in the sector compared with the same period last year and the best start to a calendar year since records began in the 1980s, according to Thomson [...]
Rise of Technology, Media and Telecommunications sectors fuelling demand for high-quality office space February 13, 2017 Fuelled by record demand for high-quality office space, a thriving visitor economy, international student appeal and an attractive quality of life, it’s no wonder Edinburgh attracts developer interest from around the globe. Edinburgh’s commercial property market remained buoyant in 2016. That strong performance followed an exceptional 2015, in which office deals were the highest on record [...]
Rise of Technology, Media and Telecommunications sectors fuelling demand for high-quality office space February 13, 2017 Fuelled by record demand for high-quality office space, a thriving visitor economy, international student appeal and an attractive quality of life, it’s no wonder Edinburgh attracts developer interest from around the globe. Edinburgh’s commercial property market remained buoyant in 2016. That strong performance followed an exceptional 2015, in which office deals were the highest on [...]
Brexit not as bad for the UK as we thought, says EU, as it revises country’s growth figures upwards February 13, 2017 The European Commission has become the latest body to lift its UK growth forecast, admitting today that the impact of Brexit might not be as bad as it originally feared. EU forecasters now expect the UK economy to expand 1.5 per cent this year, up from their prediction of just one per cent growth, made [...]
Can advertising be a force for good? Diageo’s Syl Saller certainly thinks so February 13, 2017 If the early bird catches the worm, then the attendees of this year’s Advertising Association LEAD summit must have been full by the time it began. Early starts are anathema to most in the media, myself included, but the full force of AdLand was on parade, bright-eyed – despite the culture secretary’s dry, cliched, keynote [...]
DriveTribe co-founders Richard Hammond and Ernesto Schmitt talk dating, driverless cars and excluding Jeremy Clarkson from music ventures February 13, 2017 How would you transition from celebrity to business magnate? If you’ve already done well in life, one option is to wind down. This is not, however, the option Richard Hammond and sidekicks James May and Jeremy Clarkson are going for. In case they didn’t have enough to do launching Amazon’s The Grand Tour, they’ve also [...]
We should roll back the barriers to growth post-Brexit – not employment rights February 13, 2017 For years, some of the people I’ve encountered on the Westminster circuit have argued that one of the principal reasons for the UK to leave the EU is employment law. For this hardy bunch, and their tight circle of business supporters, rolling back employment legislation always seemed to be the answer to everything that ails Britain. [...]
British film and TV industries storm ahead with £1.6bn investment February 12, 2017 Spend on British film and TV production jumped 13 per cent in 2016 to 1.6bn, in a stellar year for the UK’s creative industries. Figures from the BFI showed that 48 major UK-based films accounted for 1.35bn of total investment. Last year’s top three grossing films at the UK box office were all filmed on [...]
Flower delivery startup Bloom & Wild is set to blossom with millions in fresh funding February 12, 2017 An innovative London startup delivering flowers has raised millions more in fresh funding to pursue ambitious international expansion. Bloom & Wild has landed £3.75m from German media company Hubert Burda's venture arm and previous investor MMC Ventures, along with other angels. Read more: Hungry House is partnering with a startup to help takeaways deliver more The [...]
Walt Disney has snapped up a fresh stake in its struggling Euro Disney firm and eyes full control February 10, 2017 Walt Disney has raised its stake in its embattled Euro Disney firm and is now seeking to take full control through a deal with a Saudi billionaire. The American media giant today said it will acquire most of Saudi Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal's Kingdom Holding's stake in the company, taking its holdings to 85.7 per cent [...]