There is market failure at the heart of the City: The lack of superfast broadband July 27, 2014 Information technology has revolutionised the way that business is done in the City over recent decades. Cross border transactions are now completed with a click of a button. New models of finance such as crowdfunding are increasingly popular. Smartphones and cloud computing are making remote working a reality. These developments are reshaping the way that [...]
AA is driving forward with a new leader Bob Mackenzie August 28, 2014 Motor icon AA yesterday crowned the mastermind behind its £1.4bn market debut as leader of the group after its current boss quit after just eight months. Bob Mackenzie, who used to run Britain’s car park operator NCP, has emerged as the most powerful figure at the 110-year old institution after incumbent boss Chris Jansen’s departure. [...]
If London didn’t have a lord mayor, it would be in our interests to invent one – City Matters October 19, 2014 What is the role of the lord mayor in the twenty-first century?” It is a common question that has been posed to me and my recent predecessors countless times. The role has come a long way since the era of four-time incumbent Richard Whittington, immortalised in pantomime. Some parts have remained the same – [...]
World Naked Bike Ride reaches London: “The finish area will not be a venue for prolonged naked socialising” June 12, 2015 Get ready to avert your eyes: London is going to be overrun with naked cyclists tomorrow as the World Naked Bike Ride reaches the UK capital. The annual event is expected to cause disruption throughout London's roads – it is aimed at raising awareness of the safety of cyclists, an issue which is close [...]
From City currency trader to football manager: the rise of Mark Warburton January 21, 2015 The City's trading floor is not the archetypal breeding ground for Premier League managers but Brentford’s Mark Warburton stands on the cusp of trailblazing his way to English football’s top-flight and completing a sporting odyssey. Just under half the season remains in one of the most unrelenting and competitive divisions in Europe and Warburton and [...]
City Matters: The City doesn’t exist in a vacuum – its cultural connections span the globe July 21, 2014 Throughout the past month, visitors to the City’s Paternoster Square might have been surprised by the sight of a giant bowler hat sitting proudly in place. This eye-catching venue has played host to a huge range of world class music – from cabaret to ballet to a performance by the Electric Swing Circus – [...]
Ineos moves into UK shale gas exploration as it joins firms seeking to frack August 18, 2014 Ineos has joined the dash to frack with the acquisition of a 51 per cent share of the Petroleum Exploration and Development Licence (PEDL), as the company looks to take part in the nascent shale gas industry in the UK. The petrochemical company, the fourth largest in the world, announced its move into shale gas [...]
Something for the weekend April 23, 2015 EAT! CIRCLE PIZZA COMPANY Okay, so Hoxton’s newly opened Circle Pizza Company has hardly reinvented the wheel with its circular pizza concept, but head chef Tony won a silver at the world pizza championships so you know it’ll deliver on flavour. 2-4 Hoxton Square, visit circlepizzaco.com WATCH, LISTEN! BUSTER KEATON WITH LIVE SCORE The Royal [...]
Restaurant review: Bill Granger’s third UK venture leaves us cold June 30, 2015 Last week I wrote about how Stevie Parle’s thoroughly brilliant restaurant Craft London is being used as bait to convince people they might want to live next to the O2 Arena. This week, I’m heading up to King’s Cross, which is several life-stages ahead of north Greenwich. Although it’s still being built, King’s Cross [...]
Sport Comment: Hoddle blocked by familiar face October 23, 2014 LONDON’S football scene can be incestuous, rather like the Square Mile, where every leading financial operator is likely to know a very large percentage of his City peers. Football’s intertwined fraternity was nicely illustrated in recent weeks when Tim Sherwood has been firmly linked with Harry Redknapp’s job at Queens Park Rangers. Harry managed Tottenham [...]