What’s in a name? Why Google’s transition to Alphabet is great news for investors August 13, 2015 Companies change names and rebrand when they wish to turn over a new leaf, or refresh their perception amongst key stakeholders. Some work, some don’t – just think about Britain’s Royal Mail and its short-lived rebranding to “Consignia”. That name change quickly got lost in the post. And remember PwC’s abortive attempt to switch to [...]
Both a friend and a voice August 12, 2015 Mencap is a partner and voice for people with learning disabilities Mencap’s Head Office has always sat on the edge of the City of London — between Old Street and the Barbican — but this year Mencap are determined to make sure our message gets heard loud and clear right to centre of the Square [...]
Why openness may be hurting your business August 11, 2015 Informing workers of executive issues could cause panic From compliance to corporation tax, transparency is increasingly expected of businesses. The advantages of openness are many, and it can lead to greater loyalty from both customers and colleagues. But there are also downsides to more radical forms of transparency, which may result in a fractured [...]
Google name change to Alphabet shocks Wall Street August 11, 2015 Google stunned investors last night by unveiling a radical restructuring that will see it become part of a holding company named Alphabet. Shares in the global tech giant jumped in after-hours trading after co-founder Larry Page published a blog post detailing the new plans. The move is designed to differentiate between Google’s core [...]
Making a splash: Orlebar Brown founder talks bagginess, Stateside growth and being laughed at August 9, 2015 Spending two years building a business on your tod can’t be easy. But for Adam Brown, founder of swimwear and fashion brand Orlebar Brown, it turned out pretty well. Back in 2007, Brown decided to set up the company. The story of how, while at a friend’s birthday pool party in Rajasthan, which was [...]
Hackney party mob of 400 in face masks attack police late on Saturday evening near Stamford Hill August 9, 2015 A masked mob of more than 400 partygoers attacked police in Hackney late on Saturday night, pelting officers with bottles, bricks and other items after officers were called to reports of a large party. The Met's territorial support group, dog units and police helicopter all attended the incident just before midnight at Sandford Court and [...]
Traditional banking needs to act fast to survive Google’s predictive power August 6, 2015 The options we have for our everyday bank accounts are increasing. Virgin Money, Tesco Bank and the Post Office have recently entered the personal current account market, and prospective entrants include Atom, Starling, Civilised Bank and OakNorth. But could the biggest competition to our traditional banks be hiding in plain sight? There are various factors [...]
August 2015 TfL Tube strike: Union RMT calls for Night Tube to be suspended, blasting it as “vanity project” and “fundamentally flawed” August 5, 2015 RMT has called for Boris Johnson and Transport for London to suspend the Night Tube “vanity project” ahead of this week's strike action. The transport union claimed the Night Tube – which is at the centre of the ongoing dispute – was “fundamentally flawed from top to bottom”, saying it could cause “breakdowns and [...]
Bank of England mortgage lending figures show a rush to remortgage as interest rate hike comes closer July 30, 2015 The mortgage market is hotting up, according to new figures, as rock bottom rates and the prospect of an interest rate rise fuel extra home buying and remortgaging. Net lending secured on dwellings jumped to £2.6bn in June, from £2.4bn in May, the highest figure since July 2008, the Bank of England said today. The [...]
Scramble to remortgage as interest rates look set to rise from record lows July 29, 2015 The mortgage market is heating up, according to new figures, as rock-bottom rates and the prospect of an interest rate rise fuel extra home buying and remortgaging. Net lending secured on dwellings jumped to £2.6bn in June from £2.4bn in May, the highest figure since July 2008, the Bank of England said yesterday. The number of [...]