Investing in disruption: Is the US tech boom a bubble? November 28, 2017 It has been a fantastic year so far to be a technology investor. The Fang (Facebook, Amazon, Netflix, Google) stocks are leading again and are now up 33.6 per cent on average year to date. Add Tesla and Nvidia into the mix, and we have a group of businesses that capture the imagination of both [...]
A sovereign wealth fund could diffuse the UK’s debt timebomb June 13, 2018 There’s a hint of sunshine peeping out from behind the grey clouds of austerity. After eight long years of belt-tightening, we’re living within our means at last. Our taxes cover our day-to-day spending on things like health, education, policing and defence, so we’re only having to borrow to invest in long-term infrastructure like roads and [...]
Tech predictions for 2018: Drones, crypto, and the rise of the robots January 15, 2018 The pace of technological change can seem exciting and daunting in equal measure. 2017, while seeing continued financial growth in the tech sector, brought even more sharply into focus the challenges inherent with the inexorable march of progress. From Amazon to Uber, tech giants saw their practices and business models scrutinised more deeply than ever [...]
Do brands benefit by using AI Systems? June 13, 2018 Artificial intelligence is becoming one of the most popular topics among brands and marketers. This is because it is proven to make everyone’s life easier. Brands have chunks of data they need to process and make the best out of them, and AI proved to be very helpful with such tasks. Most people tend to [...]
Blue Whale – an ocean of opportunity? June 13, 2018 With pressure on charges and an increasing regulatory burden there has probably never been a more challenging time to start a new fund management business. And making in impact with an inaugural fund in the IA Global sector – up against big fish like Nick Train and Terry Smith – is no easy task. Yet [...]
Apple HomePod smart speaker review: A hell of a speaker controlled by a mildly disappointing assistant February 16, 2018 Apple rarely gets to the party first. IBM built a smartphone 15 years before the iPhone. Tablet computers have been around since the 1980s. Just about every manufacturer had a stab at a smart watch before the Apple got around to it in 2014. But the iPhone will be remembered as the smartphone, the iPad [...]
Dear London, where’s our Google? Time to move past fintech and take on Silicon Valley April 2, 2018 London’s tech scene is much lauded. More than seven years ago, David Cameron outlined his vision of a Silicon City, one rooted in the east of London and spawning ideas that can take on the world. Since then, there has been much talk – but what about the results? Read more: London will remain tech [...]
Amazon creates thousands of new jobs in another win for post-Brexit UK and Expedia expands London office February 20, 2017 Amazon is the latest US tech giant to commit to the UK after the vote for Brexit, promising to create thousands of new jobs by the end of the year. Some 5,000 full-time jobs will be created across Amazon's business in the UK, bringing total headcount to 24,000 by the end of 2017. The plans include jobs [...]
Disruption is everywhere – but so are the investment opportunities February 27, 2018 I’m not usually a subscriber to “this time it’s different”, but when it comes to the emerging disruption in so many industries, “this time it’s more than average” doesn’t really seem to cut it. This time I have a feeling it really may be different, because today’s disruptions are everywhere, and that means that there [...]
“Alexa, what’s an annuity?” Insurance company Aviva is using Amazon Echo January 4, 2017 "Alexa, what's an annuity?" Now your Amazon Echo can tell you the answer to burning questions about insurance and guide you through the unfamiliar jargon of the industry. The Insurance giant Aviva has developed a so-called skill (like an app for smartphones) for the voice activated speaker which proved a big hit for Amazon over Christmas. Read more: [...]