New ‘really awful’ variant of Covid identified in Botswana November 25, 2021 A new variant of the Coronvairus has reportedly been identified in Botswana sporting an array of mutations which could be vaccine resistant.
Exclusive: ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ no longer applies as tech-daring UK companies are hungry for risk November 25, 2021 Enthusiasm for experimenting with new technologies is growing fast across UK businesses, largely because many companies are increasingly prepared to take more risks. Given the increased risk appetite and firms embracing tech, organisations are pumping more cash in new technological applications and platforms. In fact, 77 per cent of businesses with headcounts over 250 said [...]
China hands out new fines to tech giants in anti-monopoly crackdown November 20, 2021 Chinese tech giants including Alibaba Group and Tencent Holdings have been fined for failing to report corporate acquisitions, adding to an anti-monopoly crackdown by the ruling Communist Party. The companies failed to report 43 acquisitions that occurred up to eight years ago under rules on “operating concentration”, according to the State Administration for Market Regulation. [...]
Founder of tech firm where David Cameron chaired advisory board steps down after sexual assault claims November 19, 2021 The founder of a tech group at which former prime minister David Cameron was an adviser has stepped down amid allegations of sexual harassment. Zia Chishti, who founded Afiniti, was accused this week of pressuring a former employee into having sex with him on a business trip, when it was also alleged he beat her. [...]
Adapt or die: What can retail, health and other industries learn from banks? Turns out, a lot November 10, 2021 What can retail, health and other industries learn from banks? Turns out, a lot. A third of Brits rate their digital experiences in financial services a 9 or 10 out of 10 compared to other industries. In fact, whether it is making payments, getting a loan or even opening a new account, by far most [...]
The light fantastic: How Okkulo is looking to ‘re-code’ athletes’ vision November 9, 2021 Filmmaker Mel O’Connor has had quite the story arc. He quit his job on Emmerdale and turned down work on an Idris Elba movie to follow his dream of developing an altogether different kind of visual experience. The result is a product, Okkulo, that he believes can not only revolutionise sport science but may also [...]
Oxford Nanopore shares jump after university spinout lifts life sciences revenue forecast November 9, 2021 Shares in Oxford Nanopore surged almost 6 per cent this morning after the recently-listed biotech upped the 2022 and 2023 sales forecast for its life sciences unit, bolstered by a multimillion dollar long-term contract win in the UAE. The genomics group forecast revenue for the core unit will hit between £170m and £190m in 2023, [...]
UK fintech body slams government for ‘ducking’ to roll out sector strategy November 8, 2021 UK fintech’s industry body, Innovate Finance, has attacked the government for inaction in delivering on its recommendations for the sector in the Kalifa report, published earlier this year. Adam Jackson, director of policy at Innovate Finance, said: “The main policy and regulation recommendation that has been ducked so far is for a FinTech strategy. “Kalifa [...]
Private equity and UK tech powering £8.4bn M&A tsunami on LSE’s AIM as deals jump 155 per cent November 8, 2021 The value of M&A deals on London’s Alternative Investment Market (AIM) has jumped 155 per cent to £8.4bn in 2020/21, compared to £3.3bn in 2019/20, according to new research shared with City A.M. this morning. The large rise in the value of AIM M&A deals this year is due in large part to a number [...]
City banks and financial services firms bet heavily on tech and data analytics October 27, 2021 Banking and financial services firms plan to step up their tech investments in the coming 12 months to improve both front and back-end technology. In fact, nearly three in four financial institutions has made improving the quality of their core technologies a priority, while 65 per cent of financial services players plan to pump more [...]