Cutting the cost of stressed employees November 11, 2016 Workplace absence caused by stress and mental health conditions continues to increase in the UK. Analysis from FirstCare reveals the number of days lost per employee to these issues has risen year-on-year since 2009. A recent survey from MetLife has lifted the lid on the extent of the problem in the City, revealing that 40 [...]
The new bridge to China heralds the start of a golden age for UK fintech November 11, 2016 Over the past few years I’ve witnessed first-hand the UK’s fintech sector emerge as the world’s dominant hub – over traditional technology centres such as Silicon Valley, New York, Israel, Singapore, and Hong Kong. There is no question that more technology innovation and value creation in financial services comes from the UK than anywhere else [...]
Edinburgh’s quality of life key to attracting talent from across the globe November 10, 2016 | City Talk They say home is where the heart is: where we feel comfortable, safe and free to explore our interests and dreams. Home can be four walls and a roof, a familiar serene landscape or a vibrant city. Home is good for the soul, but interestingly, recent research has also begun to explore the strong correlation [...]
City PM Unregulated podcast: Baroness Michelle Mone on mentoring, making money and her new venture November 10, 2016 This week the team is joined by the lingerie tycoon Baroness Michelle Mone, as she shares the story of her meteoric rise from Glasgow's East End to the House of Lords. After selling off 80 per cent of her Ultimo lingerie brand and rumours of retirement, Michelle shows no signs of slowing down, throwing herself into [...]
Businesses can benefit from the differing skills and traits of an intergenerational workforce November 10, 2016 For the first time ever there will soon be five generations in the workplace. As life spans and the retirement age rise, the challenges that this brings are potentially huge. Savvy employers are aware of, and dealing with, the potential problems, but also finding ways of bringing generations together for the benefit of their business. [...]
Fintech brokerage startup set up by footballer Ryan Bertrand announces £1m seed funding November 10, 2016 It’s a big week for England footballer Ryan Bertrand. Not only will he be fighting for his place in the Scotland match on Friday, his brokerage startup is also announcing it has raised £1m in seed funding. Pacific & Orient Berhad, a Malaysian-listed company with a UK subsidiary, led the funding round, supplemented by angel [...]
Do you have an analogue business in a digital age? November 10, 2016 UK small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are weathering the tempest that 2016 has blown their way, remaining ambitious, while providing a sturdy backbone for our economy during this period of uncertainty. It will surprise few that websites, social media and online marketplaces are a conduit to success, and a driving force behind increasing revenues in [...]
Q&A: Online routes for small businesses into high street retailers November 10, 2016 Britain's small businesses, however innovative, can find it difficult to get their products into shops, and an increasing number use online platforms that enable them to sell directly to customers. But there is a third way. Founded by Matthew Hopkins, who previously worked in licensed branding for the likes of Laura Ashley and Jamie Oliver, [...]
Could a Trump presidency actually be good for stock markets? November 9, 2016 Adrian Lowcock, investment director at Architas, says Yes. Markets are still digesting what a Trump presidency means for investors and, although comparisons with Brexit are overstated, we could see some more volatility. Longer term, the result could be good news for stock markets. The shock result may mean that interest rates do not rise in [...]
The Bank of England has revealed the startups in its fintech accelerator November 9, 2016 The Bank of England has lifted the lid on its groundbreaking fintech accelerator which launched back in June. Speaking at the Web Summit in Lisbon on Wednesday, the central bank's chief operating officer Charlotte Hogg said it had been focused on three key areas: "data analytics, information security, and some work exploring distributed ledgers." "Just over [...]
