Nine up-and-coming fintech startups to watch (and Lloyds thinks so too) August 2, 2016 A handful of startups from around the world are hoping to disrupt the big banks with new innovations after being chosen as ones to watch in the world of fintech by one of London's top accelerators and top global businesses. Startupbootcamp's fintech programme, backed by the likes of Lloyds and PwC, have chosen nine new up-and-coming early stage fintech [...]
M&G in the dog house as a massive £10.7bn of investor cash is left in serially underperforming funds August 2, 2016 Leading investment group M&G is in the dog house as a new report reveals it's holding a massive £10.7bn of investors’ cash in serially underperforming funds. UK savers have left a massive £18bn of cash in funds which are failing to deliver – and M&G is responsible for 60 per cent of it. The findings come [...]
Brexodus: Retail investors took £3.5bn out of funds in referendum month, “eclipsing” financial crisis outflows August 2, 2016 Retail investors fled investment funds at a “quite extraordinary” rate in the EU referendum month, new figures show. The Investment Association’s figures for June, published today, show £3.5bn was taken out of funds, including £2.8bn from equity funds and £1.4bn from property funds. In the weeks after the referendum, trading on several property funds was suspended [...]
Thomson Reuters is the latest to join this major blockchain consortium August 2, 2016 Thomson Reuters is the latest financial institution to join one of the major consortiums working on blockchain technology, joining several of the world's biggest banks. The global firm is joining R3, the group which is spearheading efforts to standardise blockchain technology and now counts more than 40 members, including Barclays, HSBC and Goldman Sachs. Read more: The UK [...]
The unbearable overload of inboxes: A new way after-work emailing is killing your productivity August 2, 2016 Ever feel like the incessant attention your inbox needs is driving you to distraction? Phone buzzing late into the night, disrupting dinner plans and generally more needy than a small toddler, the good news is that you're not the only one – the bad news is, it's bad for you. Scientists have found that checking your email outside [...]
This Big Four accountant has just reduced its recruitment process after millennials whined August 2, 2016 Say what you like about millennials, but they know how complain. Big Four accountant KPMG has just revealed plans to cut the length of its hiring process, after millennials whined. Apparently, millennials (those born after 1980) said the interview process for graduate roles, which at KPMG involved a first interview, an interview at an assessment centre [...]
Dentsu Aegis UK boss explains why the diversity debate is not over, the movement is just beginning August 2, 2016 In a digital economy where innovation drives growth, the biggest driver of innovation is diversity. When you bring people from different backgrounds, experiences and skills together, who look, think and act like your consumers, you’ll always find the best solutions, design the most relevant products and deliver truly personal service. In an interview last week [...]
In defence of Kevin Roberts: The Saatchi chief dared to be honest about gender diversity August 1, 2016 Saatchi & Saatchi chairman Kevin Roberts was placed on an immediate leave of absence at the weekend for supposedly ill-judged and uninformed comments on gender diversity. But those who have jumped on Roberts for saying (among other things) that the debate on gender bias within the advertising industry was “over” have got it wrong. I [...]
Ros Altmann is right: It’s time to scrap the state pension triple-lock August 1, 2016 As with many contemporary policy debates, the furore over the state pension triple-lock has its roots with Gordon Brown. Back in 1999, when Brown was chancellor, the state pension was increased by 75p per week. “Derisory”, claimed pensioner groups. Only “enough to buy a packet of peanuts”, bemoaned national newspapers. Scarred by the backlash, political [...]
How startups seeking funding suffered from investor referendum jitters August 1, 2016 Startups and high-growth companies seeking investment suffered in the run-up to the EU referendum, a new study suggests. The Deal report from Beauhurst, which monitors equity fundraising secured by private companies in the UK, tracked 557 deals completed, and announced, in the first half of 2016 – down 22 per cent from the second half [...]
