Heathrow has always been the answer – now there’s finally the political support for expansion December 6, 2015 UK infrastructure projects don’t tend to be speedy. Plans for a railway linking Paddington station to Canada and the docks were approved by Parliament in the 1880s – but Crossrail will only be fully operational in 2019. William Gladstone, as chancellor of the Exchequer, was presented with a proposal for a tunnel [...]
After several warnings over energy supply, should Britain expect blackouts this winter? December 6, 2015 Lord Redesdale, head of the Energy Managers’ Association, says Yes. I wholly expect blackouts or brownouts this winter. Last year, there was a capacity margin of just 1.5 per cent in London. Last month, National Grid asked firms to reduce their power demand immediately, issuing a demand-side balancing reserve (DSBR) notice. This was in the [...]
The new influence: The&Collective founder Jenny Halpern Prince on why vlogs matter December 6, 2015 Video bloggers, or “social influencers” are fast becoming the BFF of marketers looking to court younger consumers. Brand advocacy is widely agreed to be more powerful than brand awareness, and social influencers with thousands of followers allow brands to engage with highly social audiences, unlike more traditional paid media. Last week, Jenny Halpern Prince, [...]
Why strong brands are stock market darlings December 6, 2015 The marketing industry is built around the understanding that a strong brand can drive sales and therefore deliver returns to shareholders. But new research from brand valuation consultancy Brand Finance has now put hard numbers behind this. The consultancy releases an annual list of the world’s most valuable brands, the Global 500. In 2015, for [...]
The social changemaker: Unforgettable founder James Ashwell on jigsaws, BP and changing the world for people with dementia December 6, 2015 When James Ashwell was 24 years old, working for Accenture in London, he got a phone call telling him his dad was dead. “I remember literally falling to the floor; it took all the wind out of me. I put on my coat and that was it. I ended up never going back.” It wasn’t [...]
Should you invest in high risk fast growth firms? December 6, 2015 Pensions are still a highly attractive vehicle for long-term saving. You get tax relief on the way in, investments within the wrapper are shielded from tax on capital gains and dividends, and in most cases your pension assets can be passed onto your heirs free of inheritance tax. Yet for higher earners, pensions are about [...]
The Christmas party: Get a promotion and not a hangover December 6, 2015 As well as getting stuck into the mulled wine and mince pies, the office Christmas party is your chance to work the room and make a lasting impression in front of important players in your business. It’s the perfect opportunity to make key connections, overcome misconceptions, and climb the internal career ladder. Here are [...]
Best of the Brokers for 4 December 2015 December 4, 2015 To appear in Best of the Brokers, email your research to [email protected] SKY Nomura has reaffirmed its “buy” investment rating on telecoms giant Sky and raised its price target to 1,400p, from 1,300p. Analysts said the structure of media in Europe is different from that in the US in vital ways, and that Sky can [...]
FTSE falters as Draghi drags on Europe markets – London Report December 4, 2015 THE FTSE 100 index closed lower yesterday, alongside other European indices, after the European Central Bank’s (ECB) measures disappointed markets. The index closed down 2.27 per cent, at 6,275 points, while the German Dax ended 3.58 per cent lower at 10,789.24 points and France’s Cac 40 also finished 3.58 per cent down at 4,730.21 points. [...]
How to stop employees pulling a sickie December 4, 2015 As the winter draws in and the mornings get darker and chillier, the temptation to stay in bed will be too much for a lot of employees. According to research by YouGov, 19 per cent of British workers have pulled a sickie in the last 12 months. The poll also found that 7 per [...]
