Four skills all business leaders need May 8, 2014 In today’s challenging environment, the role and expectations of leadership are changing WHAT do Margaret Thatcher, Mahatma Gandhi and former GE chairman Jack Welch have in common? According to a recent PwC survey, they have all exhibited leadership skills that today’s global chief executives most admire. Yet the demands of leaders today have evolved since [...]
Intelligent design: Oliver Bonas founder talks Hong Kong, princes and the art of letting go August 17, 2014 After a tough period during the recession, the fashion industry has bounced back with a vengeance. In the last five years, it’s grown by 22 per cent, and is now worth £26bn to our economy, according to figures out earlier this year from the British Fashion Council. Oliver Tress, founder of high street favourite Oliver [...]
Pitch set to serve up more of the same but back Robson to tuck in July 16, 2014 ROBIN HUTCHISON PICKS OUT THE BEST BETS FOR THE SECOND TEST WITH any luck James Anderson’s spat with Ravi Jadeja will add a little spice to the second Test at Lord’s between England and India, following an opening encounter which resembled the blandest of chicken kormas. The main ingredient at Trent Bridge was a moribund [...]
Inside Pixar: Management lessons from the animation powerhouse June 12, 2014 THIS week, Pixar finally broke its silence, offering a glimpse of its next film. Inside Out won’t be released until next summer, but already the critics are gushing, with Peter Debruge writing in Variety that it could provide a whole new way to visualise how our minds work. That’s because the story is actually set [...]
City & Gild: Cutting back on brands won’t help firms grow May 30, 2014 It was a sad day for many when the news reported that the West Cornwall Pasty Company was about to go under last month; anyone who has said yes to “one for the road” has undoubtedly stood trackside gobbling down the unctuous beer sponge that is a pasty. Stodgy, trusted and just what you need [...]
Graeme McDowell to plot his way to Open glory at Royal Liverpool July 16, 2014 This year’s Open Championship will be the 143rd renewal of the oldest golf Major, with the 2014 edition hosted at Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Hoylake. The famous Wirral links course welcomes the special tournament for the 12th occasion and the first since 2006. There have been a few subtle tweaks to the course in the [...]
Letters to the Editor – 29/04 – HS2 alternatives, Super-billionaires, Best of Twitter April 28, 2014 HS2 alternatives [Re: Why MPs need to vote against the expensive folly that is HS2, yesterday] There is a “taxpayer free” alternative to HS2. The private sector solution is to build a new freight rail line to increase capacity on passenger lines. By transferring freight trains from the West Coast Mainline to the new line, twice the [...]
Van Gaal vows to become a United legend May 19, 2014 Giggs named as assistant manager after calling time on 23-year career NEW Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has vowed to “make history” at Old Trafford after signing a three-year deal to take the reins following this summer’s World Cup. The 62-year-old, set to lead his native Holland in Brazil, will be assisted by United [...]
Letters to the Editor – 10/04 – Housebuilding, Liberal vision, Best of Twitter April 9, 2014 Housebuilding [Re: How London can smash through the brick ceiling limiting housing supply, yesterday] A better idea would be to abolish the contradictory demand that developers build “affordable housing”, which actually puts the price of other properties up, thereby harming affordability. The housebuilding market is effectively constrained by such entry barriers. They mean that most development [...]
Any Other Business – 14/04 April 14, 2014 THERE’S a manhunt afoot following Southeastern’s revelation that a senior City executive, thought to be a hedgie, had racked up a record breaking £43,000 in dodged fares over the past five years and had to pay out a £42,550 penalty plus £450 in legal fees in the past few weeks. The fund manager had been [...]