Ding’s Mark Roden talks Dubai, Elon Musk and the importance of sticking to what you know with Harriet Green March 21, 2016 While on what was supposed to be a relaxing family holiday to Dubai in 2005, Mark Roden was cooking up a business. “I’d taken my wife Nicola and our then three under three away to celebrate the sale of my previous business to RBS.” Roden owned a successful network of in-store cash ATMs, which he had [...]
Tech unicorn bubble? When building a business, watch out or you could end up swimming with sharks November 18, 2015 We see it all the time: the latest tech darling pouring time and money into raising their profile. The company sponsors every event going, turn up to panels flanked by more advisors than a politician and their picture is in every newspaper going. Don't get me wrong. In many cases this is deserved attention, as good [...]
Eurozone construction drops in September November 18, 2015 The Eurozone’s construction sector is still struggling to recover after nearly a decade of decline and stagnation. Construction output across the currency-bloc dropped 0.4 per cent in September compared with August, according to figures released this morning by European statistical office Eurostat. While it is up 1.8 per cent on September 2014’s output, it remains around 20 [...]
Ladies who don’t lunch: Maike Currie talks to financial services entrepreneur Joanne Smith about dry January and why compliance is the “new rock ‘n roll” February 18, 2016 My lunch date with Joanne Smith, financial services veteran turned entrepreneur, is long overdue. I have been using stalling tactics and to be honest it’s due to her area of expertise: compliance. (Read: boring box-ticker.) But it’s a New Year and, cloaked in noble resolutions, I finally make the time to meet her at a [...]
Fintech challengers like Square, ApplePay and Funding Circle could undermine banks’ credit ratings in 2016 according to Standard & Poor’s December 16, 2015 The rise of fintech is challenging traditional banks, and could even undermine their credit rating, according to Standard & Poor's. The ratings agency expects global investment in 'non bank' financial service to be worth $24bn (£16bn) this year, double the figure in 2014. Traditional banks are still trying to adapt to the low interest rate, and [...]
City Moves for 5 February 2016 | Who’s switching jobs February 5, 2016 Robertson Baxter Independent financial advisory firm Robertson Baxter has added chartered financial planner Kate Davenport to its growing technical team. Kate brings the total number of financial professionals at Robertson Baxter to 12. As well as her chartered status, Kate has a degree in law and is currently training to become STEP (Society of State and Trust Practitioners) qualified. [...]
City Moves for 26 January 2016 | Who’s switching jobs January 26, 2016 Ashurst Global law firm Ashurst has strengthened its international arbitration team with the appointment of Matthew Saunders as a partner in the dispute resolution practice, based in London. Matthew joins from DLA Piper, where he was global head of its international arbitration group and was one of the partners responsible for founding the practice. He [...]
At the close: FTSE 100 index closes up on Hikma Pharmaceuticals, Persimmon and Taylor Wimpey December 29, 2015 The FTSE 100 index edged higher in the first trading day since Christmas, led higher by Hikma Pharmaceuticals, Persimmon and Taylor Wimpey. The UK's top blue-chip index closed 0.96 per cent higher at 6,314 points, despite losses by miners, which had benefited from a dead cat bounce in the build-up to Christmas. Read more: Oil prices crawl back up [...]
From Google’s tax row and the Black Cabs vs Uber to Storm Imogen and the bank bloodbath: Here’s what got us talking this week February 12, 2016 We saw what London would look like if all the skyscrapers being considered got built. A Shoreditch development is bringing history to centre Stage. And we learned how much the Night Tube delay has hurt house prices in central London. Here's what got us talking this week The banking sector is facing its toughest period since [...]
FTSE 100 index edges higher, despite falls in mining stocks December 29, 2015 The FTSE 100 index opened slightly higher on the first day of trading after Christmas, despite falls in mining and oil stocks that had rallied in the build-up to the festive period. The UK's top blue-chip index opened 0.24 per cent up at 6,271 points, led higher by Hikma Pharmaceuticals and Berkeley Group. Read more: FTSE 100 [...]