London will remain a world-leading city because of its world-beating talent September 12, 2016 When people think of London, our city’s iconic buildings, red buses, black taxis, and vibrant cultural scene often come to mind. But the capital offers so much more than that, with PwC finding in a recent report that London, for the second year in a row, is the world’s number one place for companies to do [...]
EU referendum: Would a Brexit free the UK workplace from EU red tape? June 1, 2016 The Leave campaign has said that by 2020 it will impose visa requirements on all foreign workers seeking employment in the UK. The pre-24 June scenario of EU workers having “freedom of movement” (no visas, no additional costs of hiring) will no longer apply. An Australian-type points based system will be introduced. This means employers have to satisfy [...]
Raising finance carefully is more vital than ever post-Brexit July 12, 2016 There's no getting away from it: Brexit has been a shock to the system. Most entrepreneurs – particularly founders of fast-growing firms – wanted the result to go the other way, but they’re optimistic by nature, brushed themselves down and are getting on with business. There’s still plenty of waiting to come, though, with government and [...]
London job market flounders in July, but hope on the horizon for red tape workers August 10, 2016 London's job slowed to a snail's pace in July, new figures out today show, but one particular set of skills may find itself in hot demand in the not too distant future. Morgan McKinley's London Employment Monitor for July found available jobs had decreased by 12 per cent month on month, while the number of professionals seeking [...]
Don’t rely on downsizing to make up for your insufficient pension October 27, 2016 After years of runaway house prices, few will be surprised that a sizeable proportion of the UK’s net wealth is tied up in property. The latest ONS statistics show that dwellings make up a massive 62 per cent, or £5.5 trillion, of the country’s £8.8 trillion total. So it is also unsurprising that many see [...]
Wake up, policy-makers: The fintech paradigm shift could change everything October 13, 2016 Nowhere within the financial firmament does enthusiasm abound more right now than in the arena of fintech. Just as it has disrupted and revolutionised our social interactions and shopping habits, the internet is breeding new ways to cut the cost of transacting and pair those with capital with those seeking it. Peer-to-peer lending and crowdfunding [...]
Spirit of the financial age – 30 years after the City’s Big Bang October 27, 2016 The Big Bang City revolution of 1986 — exactly thirty years ago — was a game-changer that allowed the City to become not only de-regulated but a brave new world of graduate opportunity. Today, it is very different: with much tightened regulation, tough new ‘ring fencing’ of the old casino banking system (separating investment banking [...]
The gig economy should matter to professionals: Here’s why July 6, 2016 For anyone living or working in London, it is almost impossible to have missed the rapid emergence of the gig economy in recent years. You can’t move for Uber taxis, Deliveroo scooter drivers and Airbnb accommodation, which have spawned a generation of independent workers servicing on-demand markets. But, for those working in professional services, the trend [...]
French court orders Societe Generale to pay Jerome Kerviel €450,000 for unfair dismissal June 7, 2016 Societe Generale has today been ordered to pay €450,000 (£350,171) to former employee Jerome Kerviel on the grounds the ex-trader was unfairly dismissed, according to various reports. Kerviel has previously been found guilty for breach of trust and fraud, with his unauthorised trades losing the bank €4.9bn in 2008 in an incident that is one of the largest of its kind. The French [...]
I’m a transgender partner in the City and am happy to be a role model July 6, 2016 Being transgender is not a lifestyle choice. You carry this around with you the whole time. You don’t decide – it decides for you. You get to a point where you lose the fight and have to succumb. I vaguely remember the moment I lost the battle – it just dawned on me while I [...]