Accenture’s launching an artificial intelligence practice with IPsoft’s Amelia May 16, 2016 No sooner than one global consulting giant has jumped on board with the latest technology trend, another follows suit. Accenture is launching an artificial intelligence practice just a week after PwC did the same with drones, in a bid for a share of the multi-billion dollar and fast growing industry. The Amelia practice, named after the AI software [...]
Executive pay: BP pay gusher reignites shareholder rows, but new research shows that average pay growth for chief executives has slowed down to below national average April 13, 2016 BP shareholders will vote on a near $20m pay package for the oil major's chief executive tomorrow, reigniting the row over boardoom pay despite greater restraint being shown by many FTSE companies. The pay deal, if approved, would see BP chief executive Bob Dudley take home $19.6m (£13.8m) – a hefty 19.7 per cent pay [...]
The CBI has admitted defeat – and the economic case against Brexit is collapsing March 22, 2016 Monday 21 March will go down as a seminal moment in the campaign for the UK to leave the European Union. It was the day the CBI conceded defeat in the economic argument. From this point forward, following the publication of a study it commissioned from PwC, the business group will have to explain why [...]
Cinema chain Vue considering market flotation after boosts from James Bond and Star Wars April 17, 2016 Cinema chain Vue is considering a market flotation next year. The initial public offering (IPO) plan comes after a strong period for the group, helped by Star Wars: The Force Awakens and the latest James Bond film, Spectre. News of the planned float offers further encouragement that the market is recovering from a slow start [...]
Low oil prices will lead to skills crisis for North Sea and mean UK does not realise full potential of oil and gas reserves April 25, 2016 A leading industry expert has raised concerns that low oil prices could dampen the long-term prospects for the North Sea, create a generational skills crisis and lead to oil being left in the ground. Alan McCrae, a partner at PwC who heads up oil and gas tax, said that unless there was a “dramatic recovery [...]
Is fintech the new black? Lower trust in disruptors gives banks reason to cheer June 10, 2016 Digital innovation – and more specifically the impact of fintech – is currently the most intensely debated topic in the financial services sector. Two years ago hardly anyone outside the industry had heard of fintech. Now it’s the hottest investment class globally for VCs. PwC recently produced a report claiming that over 20 per cent [...]
Should Philip Hammond cut VAT to support post-referendum economy? July 28, 2016 Theresa May and Philip Hammond have promised to "reset" the government's spending plans in the wake of the EU referendum. George Osborne's goal to run a budget surplus has been abandoned while rumours about a massive injection of government spending are gathering pace. In 2008, as the Labour government scrambled to deal with the start of the slowdown, [...]
July Budget 2015: From the pensions expert to the PwC economist, reactions to the chancellor’s statement July 9, 2015 THE BUSINESS GROUP Confederation of British Industry director general John Cridland Firms will welcome measures to boost investment but will be worried about paying living wage. “This is a double edged Budget for business. Firms will welcome measures to balance the books and boost investment, but they will be concerned by legislating for wage increases [...]
Forget Brexit: Borderless working is the future June 9, 2016 The European Union is built on four basic freedoms: the free movement of goods, services, capital and labour. Of the four of these, perhaps none is being discussed more than the free movement of labour. Many on the remain side say that this is essential to plug skills gaps and bolster growth for UK businesses. [...]
Making tech human: The Memo’s Alex Wood on why there’s more value in a smaller audience July 4, 2016 "Apple announcements aren’t exciting anymore,” says Alex Wood, the journalist and entrepreneur behind tech website The Memo. Not only is the tech titan failing to launch products and software which are more eye-catching than those which preceded them, Wood thinks that consumers are tired of technology being presented to them as an endless chronicling of operating [...]