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$Girl math$

Girl math: Economic genius or generational fad?

Do you ever find yourself justifying a coffee purchase at lunch or spending a bit extra on your online order to get free delivery? If you have, you may be guilty of partaking in the social media trend of “girl math.” Spearheaded by female creators and originally from New Zealand, girl math is a set...

9 November, 2023

Jake Humphrey sitting with his hands together

Redefining high performance in life and business

High performance. The buzz term du jour on LinkedIn and in the business community. The man who literally has a podcast on the topic has his doubts about whether people actually know its true meaning. Jake Humphrey is a former BBC and BT Sport presenter and the Founder of the Whisper Group, a multi-award-winning company...

8 November, 2023

Who are the UK’s top manufacturing stars to watch out for?

The manufacturing industry is vast and whilst we often praise the industry’s makers, the suppliers do not tend to be as well celebrated. But who are the companies behind the brands, what are they up to, and are they really as successful as they claim to be? For our latest Top 32 list, we looked...

6 November, 2023

Concerns grow about apprenticeship levy

The number of apprentices starting in small businesses has plummeted 49% since the introduction of the apprenticeship levy in 2017. That stark figure from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development was included in a new report that also revealed a fall in employer investment in training and apprenticeships, despite labour shortages in many UK...

3 November, 2023

Is space a viable industry for UK businesses to pursue?

Space – a fantasy for many children and cause for existentialism for many adults. But it is also now an opportunity for exploration and advancement. The UK space industry income grew 5.1% to £17.5bn in 2021, according to research. A seemingly niche industry is getting bigger and spacetech looks an increasingly exciting and accessible...

2 November, 2023

Unlocking the potential of the silver workforce

More than half of the UK workforce will be 50 years old or above by 2035. That compares to just over a third in 2019. This demographic shift poses significant challenges for the labour market and businesses. Currently 1.3 million workers between 50 and 64 years old cannot work because of chronic illness according to...

2 November, 2023

Patricia Cullen

South Africa's team celebrates from a bus with supporters during the Springboks Champions trophy tour in Cape Town on November 3, 2023

What leaders can learn from the 2023 Rugby World Cup champions

Led by Siya Kolisi and shaped by Rassie Erasmus, the Springbok squad defied quotas once seen as obstacles to success, instead showcasing a powerful model of leadership, resilience and unity

30 October, 2023

Unlocking the power of DE&I: A guide for SMEs

In this guest article, Amanda Cusdin, chief people officer at Sage, provides actionable steps on how SMEs can drive DE&I initiatives. The past three years have been a whirlwind for DE&I work: we’ve seen lots of big businesses sharing their DE&I plans in response to everything from George Floyd’s murder and the Covid-19 pandemic to...

27 October, 2023

Creating a buzz: Leading the push for diversity in financial services

In this guest article, Romi Savova, CEO at PensionBee, discusses the importance of diversity and inclusion in the workplace. It’s no secret that the financial services industry has a history of inadequate diversity. To this day, it remains dominated by men, with minority groups only in a small fraction of top positions. While the setting...

20 October, 2023

Tablet showing internet connection on screen

Navigating corporate transformation in a rapidly changing world

In this guest article, Jean-Philippe Grosmaitre, partner at L.E.K. Consulting, discusses how businesses can implement better digital innovation strategies. There is no escaping the fact that we have entered a new, more volatile, business environment in recent years. In times of uncertainty, businesses want to be as adaptable as they can be, and so conversations...

16 October, 2023

Time over money? The ultimate guide to managing your most valuable asset

In a world where time is often undervalued and underutilised, businesses face a critical challenge: maximising the potential of their most invaluable asset, prompting a profound re-evaluation of traditional approaches and a quest for innovative strategies to harness the essence of time in the pursuit of productivity and success. “Some things money can’t buy, for...

13 October, 2023

Patricia Cullen

HVM Catapult’s Manufacturing Energy Toolkit: Empowering UK SMEs for energy efficiency

The High Value Manufacturing (HVM) Catapult has launched its pilot Manufacturing Energy Toolkit nationwide to support UK manufacturing SMEs with their energy costs. As the winter sets in, the cost of energy will be a key concern for businesses of all shapes and sizes across the UK. With the Manufacturing Energy Toolkit, the HVM Catapult is...

6 October, 2023

CSR: The role of businesses in the wider community

In this guest article, Lewis Allett, chief executive at Cavell, discusses the role of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and businesses’ support of charities in 2023. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) – what is it? Since the phrase was first coined in the 1950s by American economist Howard Bowen, ‘Corporate Social Responsibility’ has meant different things at...

29 September, 2023

Business confidence in the South West falls more than half

Business confidence in the South West fell 25 points during September to 21%, the lowest level in six months, according to the latest Business Barometer from Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking. Companies in the South West reported lower confidence in their own business prospects month-on-month, down 23 points at 26%. When taken alongside their optimism in...

29 September, 2023

Aerial panorama of Leeds railway station and surrounding area

North West economy set for £242m boost thanks to Made Smarter-backed firms

A pioneering programme helping North West manufacturers invest in industrial digital technology is forecast to create more than 1,550 new jobs and boost the region’s economy by £242m, new figures reveal. It comes as businesses across the region mark National Manufacturing Day on Thursday, September 28. The Made Smarter adoption programme was launched in Liverpool...

28 September, 2023

‘I wish I knew that it would genuinely be attitude, not aptitude, which would ultimately define my altitude’

Building a company is a difficult task. Whether starting their own or growing an established business, these leaders have made a name for themselves as some of the best of the best. So, what makes business leaders tick and what are they aiming to achieve when all is said and done? We spoke to Paul...

22 September, 2023

Sidetrade strengthens leadership with new non-executive Directors

Sidetrade, the global leader in AI-powered Order-to-Cash applications, announces the appointment of two new non executive directors, Gilles Rigal and Jean-Luc Robert, to the company’s Board of Directors. Gilles Rigal and Jean-Luc Robert’s career paths are marked by leadership roles in leading international software companies. Effective immediately, these appointments will bring a collective 85 years...

21 September, 2023

Financial backing is the biggest obstacle to the UK’s aspiring entrepreneurs

With almost 20,000 Brits searching ‘how to start a business’ each month, it’s clear we’re a nation full of budding entrepreneurs. However, if so many are considering flying solo, what barriers are potentially stopping their excursion? Online printing company, Solopress, has analysed the reasons currently stopping Brits from taking the leap into starting their dream business,...

14 September, 2023

BMLL builds on Series B with Snowflake Ventures investment

BMLL, the independent provider of harmonised, historical Level 3 data and analytics across global equity and futures markets, today announced that the company has secured investment from Snowflake Ventures and entered into a partnership with Snowflake to deliver granular data and analytics to market participants globally. The news follows the $26m Series B investment from...

14 September, 2023

Insights and trends from Slalom’s research in the UK and Ireland

As AI continues to dominate the social debate, research from Slalom, the global business and technology consulting company, finds that 84% of businesses in UK and Ireland have started using AI in some capacity. While there is widespread rhetoric that suggests a hesitation to adopt AI, Slalom’s new research finds that just 13% of businesses...

8 September, 2023

Closeup opened big carton box full of blank hermetic white packages

My Working Day – David MacDonald – CEO of Cullen Eco-Friendly Packaging

As the leader of a company, you are there to set an example and to lead and inspire a team of individuals to achieve a series of business goals. But how do these business leaders go about their daily routine? We spoke to David MacDonald, Owner and CEO of Cullen Eco-Friendly Packaging, about his working...

8 September, 2023