Sir Ken Robinson’s 2006 TEDx talk, ‘Do Schools Kill Creativity?’ is one of the most watched talks in TEDx history. His prolific and moving case highlighted the importance of educators nurturing creativity. According to ‘Skill shift: Automation and the future of the workforce,’ a report from the McKinsey Global Institute: “the demand for technological, social and emotional, and higher cognitive skills will rise by 2030.” This is great news if you are looking to enter the world of business and want to achieve and advance at an executive level and beyond. Now is the time to start thinking outside the…
Author: sme-admin
Leading global professional services firm Alvarez & Marsal (A&M) has released new research from its Disputes & Investigations practice around the effectiveness of the Disclosure Pilot Scheme (DPS). The survey of 250 senior legal professionals revealed that 97% of senior lawyers are frustrated with aspects of the pilot as it stands – with 70% deeming the scheme unfit for purpose. The survey, and associated report, highlights several key insights from senior lawyers around the effectiveness of the scheme currently being trialled in the U.K. Business and Property courts. With 74% of respondents judging that the DPS has exacerbated the adversarial…
John Lewis & Partners Edinburgh has opened its doors to customers once again after a multi-million pound refurbishment. A new shopping landmark for Edinburgh, the renovation is an important part of its strategy to invest in our existing estate, creating inspiring spaces to showcase products, experiences and services. The shop, which is located within the new St James Quarter – one of the UK’s largest regeneration projects, boasts a brand new range of services and experiences. This includes a Beauty Studio, Personal Styling services, the largest ever ‘World of Design’ to provide home design inspiration and advice, a refreshed Nursery…
Jodie Fraser, founder of Fraser Allen Estate Management, has been named as a winner in the Property Hero Awards 2020 for ‘going that extra mile in an exceptional year’. The awards celebrate extraordinary individuals within the property management industry who achieve things that often go unnoticed in the wider world. Entries for the awards are made on behalf of property managers, concierge staff, managers, contractors or anyone else in the industry who has ‘gone that extra mile to support leaseholders and the teams that support them in this exceptional year’. “I am thrilled to have won such a wonderful award.…
Julianne Ponan, CEO of leading free-from food brand ‘Creative Nature’ has been named as finalist in the national Free From Hero awards on the eve of Allergy Awareness Week (May 24th – 30th). The awards were first started in 2008 to celebrate and raise awareness of free-from products – as well as awareness around allergies and food intolerance. This year Julianne has been shortlisted for the Free From Hero award not only for her work on her own brand, Creative Nature, but for being a voice for those with allergies and her activism around bringing about real change in allergy…
The European Union has launched legal action against AstraZeneca claiming that the coronavirus vaccine manufacturer has failed to comply with its obligations under the vaccine supply contract. The dispute stems from the vaccine advance purchase contract the EU Commission signed last August for 300 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, with an option for 100 million more. Whilst AstraZeneca admitted earlier this year that its supplies would be reduced because of production problems. It has responded that the Commission’s claim is “without merit” and has said that it would “strongly defend itself in court”. So what lessons can be learnt…
A boom in the construction industry created unprecedented demand for the Target Group which specialises in digger, dumper and access platform hire across Colchester and Ipswich, London and Kent. To fund new dumpers, tippers and excavators, Target Group turned to the Metro Bank at Colchester to help finance the equipment their customers urgently needed. Each of Metro Bank’s 77 stores has a local director who specialises in supporting their local businesses and SME communities. “We were able to pull the asset financing together for Target in just a matter of weeks,” explains Colchester Metro Bank’s local director Chris Morgan. “Target was pleased with the speed at which…
A Dorset team of social entrepreneurs have launched an ambitious start-up which is turning plastic waste into building materials, and empowering communities in developing countries to do the same. Wimborne-based Greenbrick Workshops was founded by Ben Gibbons, and soon joined by co-founder Connor Winter, after the Covid-19 pandemic forced them to return to the UK from Nepal, where they had been working with rural communities to reduce the damage caused by plastic pollution. After catching the last flight back from Nepal before the borders closed in March 2020, they began setting up a plastic recycling workshop that would enable them to…
Xero, the global small business platform, today announced a major milestone in the growth of the Xero ecosystem, with more than 1000 certified apps connected to Xero. Ten years after Xero certified its first third-party app, over 2.7 million subscribers now have access to a thriving ecosystem of more than 1000 apps and 300 connections to banks and financial services partners. This breadth of offerings enables small businesses and advisors to customise their unique workflows along with their Xero subscription. The milestone comes at an important time for small business. Never have digital tools been more important than during the economic conditions…
Allica Bank has appointed three Business Development Managers to further drive its broker distribution channel. The appointments coincide with a decision to further increase its commercial mortgage maximum loan size from £3 million to £5 million following feedback and requests from brokers. Allica’s maximum asset finance loan has also been increased from £250,000 to £500,000. The bank says it has a joint mission with brokers to help more SMEs gain access to the finance they need to grow, and this is part of an ongoing journey to expand its broker operations in the UK. Having been in the banking and finance sector for 14 years, Arshad Miah joins Allica to manage its asset finance broker relationships in the Midlands and East Anglia regions. With recent experience of a…