Score system could make hiring easier for graduate employers May 28, 2015 Graduates should be awarded point scores alongside the existing degree grades, a new report has said, something which would make hiring easier for large graduate employers like accountants or law firms. The report, authored by the national Grade Point Average (GPA) Advisory Group, said that the point system offers a fairer, more effective means of [...]
Mipim 2015: Tech takes its toll on the property sector March 12, 2015 I was up early on the third day of Mipim to chair a panel of Sir Eddie Lister, chief of staff at the Greater London Authority; Sir Howard Bernstein, chief executive of Manchester City Council; and Bernstein's counterpart in Birmingham, Mark Rogers, all of whom made a powerful case for further devolution of power to [...]
Funding Circle’s new funding round will value the London FinTech startup at $1bn April 2, 2015 Funding Circle is on the verge of closing a new round of funding which would value the London FinTech startup at more than $1bn (£674m) and see it join just a handful of UK tech companies with billion-dollar valuations. The peer-to-peer lender could close funding of more than £50m within weeks, including backing from Blackrock and [...]
Only 43 homes listed for sale in London are “affordable” for the average family April 29, 2015 Just 43 homes listed for sale in London are classified as "affordable" to the average family, new research has suggested. That's 0.1 per cent of the market – and it includes houseboats and a mobile home. The study, by housing charity Shelter, found 34 of those properties has "incorrect information" in their listings, were likely [...]
Balfour Beatty clinches HK$3.2bn contract for development in Hong Kong February 23, 2015 Balfour Beatty has clinched a HK$3.2bn (£268m) contract for a joint venture with Gammon Construction for the construction of a major residential development in Hong Kong. It will create 900 residential apartments through the building of seven blocks, alongside retail and recreational facilities. The project, which also involves building a public transport interchange and five footbridges, will [...]
Merlin Entertainments feels the heat over Alton Towers Smiler rollercoaster accident as boss Nick Varney tries to mitigate crisis June 3, 2015 Merlin Entertainments boss Nick Varney faced his toughest test as a public chief executive yesterday, dealing with the aftermath of a crash which seriously injured four people on the so-called Smiler rollercoaster at Alton Towers. Two teenagers, Joe Pugh, 18 years old, and his girlfriend Leah Washington, 17, were named as two of the [...]
London’s booming FinTech sector will stumble without better access to talent March 29, 2015 One of London’s strongest attributes has always been its ability to reinvent itself – and the success of the financial technology (or FinTech) sector shows this characteristic coming to the fore once again. Since the financial crisis, the explosion of companies specialising in financial technologies has brought innovation and prosperity to formerly run-down areas of [...]
Why London must retain its lead as the world’s number one retail destination July 16, 2015 One thing underpins Britain’s economic recovery more than anything else: the resilience and potential of London’s economy. While the capital’s financial sector was first to feel the pain nearly a decade ago, London has also led the UK’s economic fightback – attracting global investment, growing employment and pushing up living standards. We are the world’s [...]
Rail workers to strike, disrupting trains for 48 hours on 25th of May bank holiday after latest Network Rail offer falls short of RMT union expectations May 15, 2015 Network Rail workers will strike for 48 hours on bank holiday Monday, the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union said today. The strike has been looming since 80 per cent of members voted in favour of industrial action earlier this week. Network Rail's latest pay deal – a one-off £500 payment to staff and three years [...]
General Election 2015: Virgin Money CEO Jayne-Anne Gahia wants a strong leader who will back business April 13, 2015 ELECTION COUNTDOWN 23 DAYS Every day until the final week of the election campaign, we ask a business leader to say what policies would entice them to vote for a particular party. JAYNE-ANNE GADHIA: CEO VIRGIN MONEY I will vote for the party who has the strongest leader. Leadership is essential for success [...]