Business and Economics

By Nathan Lee, TLE Correspondent  Last week news filtered through that Handelsbanken, the Swedish-owned bank, had decided to open an office in the small town of Ashford in Kent. Eschewing the capital, the bank is one of many firms looking to secure international footing in the Garden of England. Perched on the banks of River Great Stour at the edge of North Downs, Ashford is a prodigy of international economic growth. Directly connected to London, Brussels and now the three largest...

By Marc Cave, co-founder of communication consultancy, Green Cave People Social values drive commercial value. That statement might feel empty to many business leaders. But when Unilever reports that their 'brands with purpose' are growing at twice the speed of others in their portfolio, it’s time to sit up and take note. Startups intrinsically understand this need to do good in order to do well. Looking at young ventures like Perfect World (premium ice cream made of nutrients that are...

By Steve Taggart, TLE Correspondent  Professional financial advice costs money, and hiring the wrong financial advisers could be a costly mistake. When deciding on an accountant, one of the first things you should consider is how much the service will set you back. As a small business owner, you can’t afford to squander your money. Accountants charge for their services depending on what task is required of them. This could be determined by an hourly rate, a set fee for...

By Steve Taggart We have teamed up with CV-Library to discover the top things to consider when looking to work in London. "With more green space than any other European city, a thriving economy, a low crime rate and a roaring cultural scene, it is no surprise that London is the place to be”, Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, recently said. However, one vital point he forgot to mention is the countless job opportunities that this flourishing city has to...

By David Ferrabee, Director of change management specialists Able and How General elections are notorious for the turmoil as well as the sense of renewal they generate. Despite all the grievances that get aired and the abuse that gets hurled, there is real excitement and hope that things are changing. This is a time for big visions and promises, and that is something which business leaders, who often have to transform their businesses, can relate to.  The all-important issue of...

By Nathan Lee, TLE Correspondent  Bargain hunters bagged hundreds of cheap deals this week in a bizarre auction at Edinburgh Airport. Security scanners, a fire engine and two planes were just some of the items which went under the hammer for “scrap value” as airport chiefs flogged off their old equipment. The auction of redundant equipment included arrival and departure signs, airport vehicles, terminal seating and two old Fokker 27 aircraft used for fire training. A 2004 Schmidt snowplough valued at over £10,000...

  By Nathan Lee, TLE Correspondent  Europe is getting back on track, according to Schroders' Senior European Economist Azad Zangana, who believes the unclogging of the banking sector along with falling oil prices and quantitative easing is prompting better-than-expected results. Despite Greece being nowhere nearer to agreeing the terms of its next bailout, raising the likelihood of a forced exit from the eurozone, peripheral markets have seen little contagion and there is even room for optimism in Europe. Firstly, Zangana argues, the weaker euro...

By Nathan Lee, TLE Correspondent  A new infographic has been built by Project Lower to help businesses cut their energy bills. The resource outlines a five-year plan with information on how businesses can save money on their energy bills whilst creating a greener and more efficient workplace. With 42 per cent of workers saying that the recent economic crisis has made it more important to make the workplace more sustainable, this tool could be a useful 'how to' guide for...

By Alan Owens, Partner and Head of Technology at law firm DWF The current Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations explicitly fail to address the big issues facing the global tech industry – data and US dominance. These issues have come right to the fore following the recent EU action against internet giant Google. Google has been in the crosshairs of the EU for some time, replacing Microsoft as its US tech target of choice. On 27 November last...