Home office hazards: Shoffices and pizza oven related fires jumped during lockdown August 18, 2021 Insurer Zurich has warned that outbuilding fires – in sheds, garages and conservatories – rose by 16 per cent last year when national lockdowns resulted in a surge in people turning their sheds into offices, or ‘shoffices’. New data revealed through freedom of information requests by insurer Zurich to UK fire authorities have shown that [...]
London hailed as world’s ‘city of choice’ in quality of life report August 4, 2021 London has topped the rankings out of 80 cities around the globe for a higher quality of life and social capital, according to a new report. The mammoth survey by Boston Consulting Group analysed responses from 25,000 residents in 80 cities around the world and using over 150 metrics. The UK’s capital won the title [...]
Climate change activists occupy Zurich’s financial district August 2, 2021 Police this morning began clearing a group of Climate Strike activists occupying the heart of Zurich’s financial district. Around 200 activists from the Climate Strike Switzerland group gathered outside the UBS and Credit Suisse headquarters to protest the financing of environmentally damaging fossil fuel projects. According to “Rise Up for Change”, a group bringing together [...]
Credit Suisse appoints new chief risk officer after Greensill and Archegos scandals July 27, 2021 Credit Suisse Group has appointed Goldman Sachs banker David Wildermuth as the new chief risk officer, following recent multibillion-dollar scandals. Wildermuth will replace Lara Warner, who was pushed out in April down as chief risk and compliance officer in the wake of the implosion of the Archegos family investment firm that cost the Swiss bank [...]
Credit Suisse settles spying case with former executive banker July 26, 2021 Credit Suisse has reached an out-of-court settlement with its former star banker Iqbal Khan whose explosive allegations of corporate espionage led to the resignation of chief executive Tidjane Thiam, the Swiss bank said on Sunday. “All involved parties have agreed to settle,” said Credit Suisse, according to the Financial Times. “This matter is now closed.” The [...]
IEA: Emissions to hit record by 2023 if green investment remains locked away July 20, 2021 The International Environment Agency’s forecasts have warned today that emissions will hit a record high in just two years unless more green investment is unlocked. After a brief fall last year at the height of the pandemic, which halted supply chains and pushed people homebound, the world is on track to surpass 2018’s emissions record. [...]
Zurich UK switches $1bn into new ESG benchmark to cut its carbon emissions July 20, 2021 Zurich UK has switched almost $1bn (£73m) of its investment portfolio into a new ESG benchmark in a bid to reduce its carbon emissions. The insurance giant said, in an announcement today, the new benchmark will deliver a 30 per cent reduction in emissions as well as “enhanced” ESG outcomes, compared to its parent index. [...]
How do you solve a problem like Bitcoin scaling? July 17, 2021 Steve Shadders, Chief Technical Officer with nChain, discusses the Bitcoin scaling problem.
Credit Suisse could seek UBS merger after Greensill and Archegos scandals June 25, 2021 Credit Suisse’s top management are under pressure to overhaul the scandal-hit Swiss bank and a merger with rival UBS may be on the cards. Reuters today reported that three people familiar with the bank’s thinking are concerned that it could be challenged by investors demanding its break-up. This has led the sources to believe that [...]
Switzerland vies to become Europe’s AI hub June 15, 2021 With approximately 8.6 million people and four official languages (German, French, Italian, and Romansh), Switzerland is uniquely at the heart of Europe but without being a member of the European Union. In global terms, Switzerland does not even enter the top five as an ‘AI leader’. But when it comes to Europe and its place [...]