City Moves for 9 December 2016 | Who’s switching jobs December 9, 2016 Microsoft Microsoft has hired Ian Fordham, currently CEO of Edtech UK and a mayor of London tech ambassador, as director of education. He will oversee Microsoft’s work involving schools, colleges, universities and other learning organisations. Ian is chief executive of Edtech UK, Britain’s strategic body for the education and learning technology sector, and is co-founder of [...]
Britain must look beyond trade deals to turbocharge exports December 9, 2016 In 1860, the Cobden-Chevalier Treaty, widely regarded as the first international trade agreement, was signed at the Foreign Office. French duties on British manufactured goods were slashed and, in return, British duties on French wine and brandy were cut, ushering in three decades of expanding trade – and, presumably, considerable joie de vivre in Britain’s [...]
HSBC and RBS move into the pre-fab, build to rent housing market with support for Greenwich Creekside Wharf scheme December 8, 2016 HSBC and RBS have backed the UK’s first pre-fab build to rent scheme with a £60m loan facility. The banks will equally finance Essential Living’s 249-home Creekside Wharf scheme, based in Greenwich, with a four-year club deal. “Long-term demand for private rented housing is only going to increase in London and Essential Living’s position as [...]
Property market predictions 2017: From Brexit to tenant fee bans, we’ve asked London’s biggest real estate agents to look into their crystal balls December 8, 2016 2017 will see the rise of Build-to-Rent in London Mark Collins, chairman at CBRE Residential Throughout 2017, I hope that SME developers continue to be championed and encouraged by local government, as these housebuilders will play a major role in alleviating the housing crisis. Access to land and financial support as well as flexible planning systems [...]
Opinion: Head of Savills’ Auctions on why owner occupiers are still the minority buying homes under the hammer December 8, 2016 Property auctions have changed dramatically over the last 30 years, evolving from small-scale events focused on lower value property, to day-long sales featuring a wide cross-section of the market. And the sector continues to grow. Savills Auctions has sold over £300m worth of property in 2016. Over the past three decades the reasons for selling [...]
McDonald’s to move non-US tax base to UK December 8, 2016 As the Brexit vote prompts companies to accelerate in moving onto the continent, one corporate juggernaut is reversing through the drive-thru. Fast food icon McDonald’s today announced it would move its tax base from Luxembourg to the UK, after facing increased scrutiny from EU regulators. The news of a new international holding company based in Britain for [...]
A short history of investing in gold – and what to expect for 2017 December 8, 2016 Gold is coveted by investors for its rarity. As a precious metal with limited supply, it is seen as a store of value when the real value of other assets, and currencies, can be manipulated. But fundamentally, its high worth is underpinned by its usefulness and attractiveness. Not only is it highly malleable but it [...]
Rental supply increased by seven per cent in November December 8, 2016 Rental supply increased by 6.8 per cent in November, the second month of growth in a row. The figures from Property Partner show that the supply in London fell, however, down by 1.2 per cent month-on-month. In October, rental listings in London fell by three per cent. Read more: Upset landlords say they'll up rents [...]
The alchemists of time: How watch companies combine age-old techniques with cutting edge materials December 8, 2016 Let’s face it: a finely made timepiece is, in a rather nice twist of irony, a flashy anachronism. For starters, no one really needs a watch these days, finely made or not. Secondly, the delicate concoction of wheels, springs and levers driving a mechanical watch is based on an ancient principle – 200-year-old technology that [...]
London’s housing market stagnated in November as the rest of the country recovered December 8, 2016 London house prices have been stagnating as prices across the UK have started to recover, chartered surveyors have said. According to a survey by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics), the number of prospective buyers in the UK housing market increased in November, leading to a rise in sales. Read more: London Assembly demands Grayling [...]