London house prices: Build-to-Rent could transform lives in the capital – it must be free from unhelpful requirements October 1, 2015 The UK does not have enough homes – especially in the capital. This is a concern persistently raised by our members and felt the country over. Indeed, there is a real fear that our thriving cities – and London is the key example – will start to suffer as access to housing, or lack of [...]
Silverfleet Capital sell Office for £256m to South African retailer Truworths, more than tripling its money November 30, 2015 Office, the shoe shop, has been sold by its private equity owner Silverfleet to Truworths International, a South African fashion retailer for £256m. Silverfleet achieved an impressive 3.4x return on its investment five years ago, in December 2010, when it bought the shoe brand from Sir Tom Hunter, the Scottish entrepreneur and philanthropist, who's behind private equity vehicle West [...]
Prime Minister David Cameron calls two-day visit from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi an “historic opportunity” November 12, 2015 Prime Minister David Cameron has called Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first official visit to the UK today an “historic opportunity” for the relationship between Britain and India, signalling billions of pounds of deals and other financial partnerships. Modi is in Britain for a two-day visit which will today include one-on-one talks with Cameron at [...]
Top tips for first-time buyers in London November 30, 2015 Getting on the property ladder is hard work, especially if you’re looking to buy your first home in London. According to Savills, the average deposit for a first time buyer is currently 68 per cent of their household income, but that rises to 177 per cent in London. But with a couple of helpful announcements [...]
UK house prices: Generation rent to fall further from the property ladder as only one in four will own a home by 2025 November 17, 2015 In ten years time only 26 per cent of so-called “generation rent”, those aged between 20 and 39, will own their own homes according to a study by accountants PwC. In 2013, 38 per cent of those in that age group had bought a house. The amount of 20-39 year olds renting privately by 2025 [...]
Minicab comparison app Kabbee looks to challenge Uber with £1m Crowdcube fundraiser November 11, 2015 Minicab booking app – and Uber challenger – Kabbee today launches a £1m fundraising campaign on Crowdcube. The taxi price-comparison company is looking to extend beyond London and will use the funds for the UK-wide roll-out, and to update its dispatch and GPS technology, saying "intense competition" within the sector meant it needed to "future-proof" its business model. It is offering a [...]
Cordant Group’s Phillip Ullmann talks to Harriet Green about looking after 52,000 workers and turning teal February 1, 2016 When I met Phillip Ullmann, head of Cordant Group and employer of over 52,000 people, he had just lost his job title. It wasn’t that someone had taken it from him – rather that he’s shed it. “Job titles are nonsense. What does it mean to be an executive chair, chief executive, managing director? Titles [...]
Autumn Statement 2015: Chancellor George Osborne should beware – the UK is not out of the woods yet November 24, 2015 At the Autumn Statement today, George Osborne will have good reason to cheer his economic record. In a number of areas, the UK economy appears to be rebalancing towards a more sustainable course. GDP growth has remained robust, with output rising at the highest rate in the G7 last year. Unemployment continues to plummet [...]
China, the US presidential election and tech unicorns: Everything you need to know about M&A in 2016 December 23, 2015 M&A activity in 2015 has closed out strongly in value terms, with the blockbuster deals we’ve seen in the last few months propping up headline numbers. The outflow of capital from the US has also been a positive factor. However, the mega deals are masking a degree of uncertainty that has crept into the market [...]
Finance sector hiring: Demand for compliance workers in the City jumps in October November 9, 2015 It may not have a reputation as the most exciting sector but compliance specialists are increasingly in demand. In figures shown exclusively to City A.M., recruitment consultancy Robert Walters revealed compliance vacancies in the City of London in October rose 13 per cent compared to September. This figure also represents a 17 per cent increase compared [...]