Linklaters cancels annual partner conference as coronavirus hits Europe March 4, 2020 Magic Circle law firm Linklaters has cancelled its annual partner conference in Berlin due to the spread of the coronavirus through Europe. A spokesperson for the firm said today that the annual gathering its 480 partners scheduled for the end of April would now be held virtually. “We have cancelled our annual partner meeting in [...]
What’s causing the current global shortage of semiconductor chips? March 25, 2021 The modern world runs on semiconductors; everything from mobile phones to washing machines depends on these tiny microchips. But few industries are so totally dependent on these microprocessors as the automotive sector, as has been proved time and again over the last couple of months. Since the shortage was first flagged at the beginning of [...]
Sheree Atcheson: Allies and analytics May 24, 2021 Action plans and good intentions are all very well, but is your ED&I strategy truly effective? Sheree Atcheson outlines the road to successful implementation. This article first appeared in ICAS’ CA magazine. Writing in The Times last month, former Conservative minister, now NED at Goldman Sachs, Sam Gyimah argued ethnic diversity isn’t “woke” but rather [...]
Boohoo takes £775m hit as auditor stands down October 20, 2020 Boohoo saw almost £775m wiped off its market value yesterday after the beleaguered fast fashion retailer said PwC was stepping down as auditor. Boohoo’s announcement that it was running a tender for a new auditor and that PwC would not take part in the process spooked investors, sending shares down 20 per cent to 254p [...]
MPs are refusing unconscious bias training. Perhaps there’s a real reason why September 29, 2020 When 40 Conservative MPs recently refused unconscious bias training — one anonymous dissenter even called it “Marxist, snake oil crap”, others “patronising” — it was clear that, as a population, we still don’t really know how to tackle unconscious bias. And that’s for two main reasons. The first is ignorance. Not as a pejorative, but [...]
Price of body bags up 1310 per cent: Initial govt mistakes cost taxpayer extra £10bn November 25, 2020 Inadequate stockpiles of personal protective equipment (PPE) led to the government spending approximately £10bn extra procuring additional items, a report by the National Audit Office (NAO) has found. Demand for PPE soared in England from March 2020, when NHS, care workers, and key workers in other industries started to require protection from the Covid-19 virus. [...]
What’s causing the current global shortage of semiconductor chips? February 18, 2021 The modern world runs on semiconductors; everything from mobile phones to washing machines depends on these tiny microchips. But few industries are so totally dependent on these microprocessors as the automotive sector, as has been proved time and again over the last couple of months. One by one, a roll-call of the world’s biggest carmakers [...]
Role reversal: Why reverse mentoring is a ‘no-brainer’ October 27, 2021 Even before the pandemic, the World Economic Forum was describing reverse mentoring as a ‘no-brainer’. Now, as employers look to establish new working norms, Patrice Gordon CA explains why it could prove business critical. This article first appeared in ICAS’ CA magazine. Accountancy and psychology may seem an odd combination for a degree student. But for [...]
Most Brits intend to turn to electric or hybrid cars with next purchase January 31, 2020 The majority of British drivers do not intend to buy a conventional petrol or diesel car for their next purchase, amid growing interest in hybrid and electric cars. Only 48 per cent of consumers in a major poll said they plan to buy a traditional internal combustion engine-powered car next, City A.M. can reveal. That [...]
MPs pile pressure on government to shed light on ‘dodgy’ PPE deals November 23, 2020 Around a dozen MPs have ramped up pressure on the government to offer clarity on its procurement of personal protective equipment (PPE) during the pandemic, as further details of opaque contracts continue to emerge. Stephen Timms MP has written to the government on behalf of the the Work and Pensions Committee following a damning report [...]