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Saturday Essay: The Founder's Guide To Business Exits
The small business exit guide. Startup to sell up: the new business movement fuelling an exit generation. Luke Davis, CEO of IW Capital, discusses why founders must have a strong exit strategy and the main routes to consider
Image by Gerd Altman
Stocks & Shares:
MSFT
Microsoft
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1.2337%
AAPL
Apple
148.56
1.1989%
GOOGL
Google
2660.3
3.5769%
AMZN
Amazon
3656.64
0.5115%
JNJ
Johnson & Johnson
171.79
1.0648%
JPM
JP Morgan Chase
150.64
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Opinion
Market Analysis: Royal Mail - Cost Reductions Driving Improved Margins & Premier Foods - A Business With Momentum
Royal Mail - cost reductions driving improved margins; parcel automation is mid-term challenge. Ben Nuttall, Senior Analyst at Third Bridge comments on Royal Mail's trading update. “Ofcom, which regulates the Royal Mail, considers 5-10% EBIT margins reasonable, and Royal Mail continues to come in on the low end of…
4:15 AM 24th July 2021
New Report Urges Boards And Executive Committees To Improve Diversity By Repositioning Themselves
Image by kzd from Pixabay
A new report out today from The Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland and the Centre for Synchronous Leadership has revealed that an attachment to power is causing British boards and executive committees to exclude more diverse candidates based on flawed selection processes and criteria. The report finds that the…
4:00 AM 23rd July 2021
Opinion
Is Your Tax Payment Really Necessary?
Image by Gerd Altmann
Sarah Saunders personal tax manager at audit, tax and consulting firm RSM asks: Is your tax payment really necessary? On 31 July the second tax payment on account for 2020/21 is payable. Unless someone has already submitted their 2020/21 tax return, the amount due is initially based on their 2019/20 tax…
4:00 AM 24th July 2021
Independent Retailers Must Be Exempt From Pingdemic
Image by Gerd Altmann6
The Federation of Independent Retailers (NFRN) is calling for the government to include shopworkers on the list of vital workers allowed to avoid self-isolating if contacted by the test and trace app. The government announced earlier this week that workers in food production would be exempt from isolating if they had…
3:55 AM 24th July 2021
Simply Business Announces Expert Panel To Select £25,000 Business Boost Grant Winner
Simply Business, one of the UK’s biggest providers of small business insurance, has announced the members of the judging panel for its Business Boost initiative, which includes Piers Linney and Carina Lepore. The £25,000 cash prize has been made available to help new entrepreneurs launch a small business or…
4:30 PM 23rd July 2021
“This Won’t Get US Where We Need To Be" - CBI Responds To Publication Of Exemption List
John Foster, CBI Director of Policy, said: “This exemption list will help some of our critical sectors to keep moving but it will rapidly become significantly challenged. First, the idea of potentially thousands of businesses emailing Whitehall officials to request approval for individuals to go to work is undeliverable let alone…
1:02 PM 23rd July 2021
Government Policy Change On Sexual Harassment Is A Victory For Union Campaigning
Commenting on the response to the government’s consultation on sexual harassment published by the Government Equalities Office today (Wednesday), which sets out government proposals to stamp out sexual harassment at work, TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “Today’s news is a victory for years of trade union campaigning –…
7:20 PM 22nd July 2021
BGF Backs Gaist For Future Growth And International Expansion
BGF's North West team – the UK’s most active growth capital investor – has announced a further £2.1m investment in Yorkshire-based digital mapping company, Gaist. The deal follows BGF’s initial investment in 2018, taking the total invested to £4.8m. The highways technology company has developed a revolutionary and…
6:53 PM 22nd July 2021
Driving Transformation In Procurement -- Amazon Business Exchange Returns In 2021
The Amazon Business Exchange (ABX) conference, designed to help enterprise, public sector organisations and small businesses explore how to drive transformation in procurement, will return for its third annual installment. The free virtual event under the theme “Lead Purchasing Transformation” will take place on the 5th of October 2021 from…
6:44 PM 22nd July 2021
Record Output Growth Continues For Manufacturers, But Cost Pressures And Supply Concerns Loom Large – CBI
Image by Mike Flynn
UK manufacturing output volumes grew at the joint-fastest pace on record in the three months to July, according to the latest quarterly CBI Industrial Trends Survey. The survey of 250 manufacturing businesses reported output increasing in 16 out of 17 sub-sectors, led by the motor vehicles & transport equipment and food,…
6:25 PM 22nd July 2021
Business Responds To UK Government Innovation Strategy
Image by Michal Jarmoluk
Felicity Burch, CBI Director of Innovation, said: “This strategy is an important step in ensuring innovation plays its full part in driving economic recovery and addressing the biggest challenges facing society such as decarbonisation, levelling up and health. We are pleased to see the scale of ambition and the focus on…
5:01 PM 22nd July 2021
CBI Responds To Creation Of New Unitary Authorities In Cumbria
The CBI has responded to the creation of two new unitary councils covering Barrow, Eden and South Lakeland and Allerdale, Carlisle and Copeland. Damian Waters, CBI North West Director, said: “Improving local accountability will encourage better liaison with businesses and central government, while also aiding strategic planning for transport, housing and other…
3:51 PM 22nd July 2021
Retailers Eye 17,000 UK Store Openings This Year As Consumers In The North West ‘Look Local’ Post-lockdown
New research by Barclays Corporate Banking reveals that 17,000 local high street stores could open across the UK in the next 12 months as shoppers adapt to a post-lockdown world by ‘looking local’. In a new thought leadership report published today, Retail Unlocked, Barclays’ data shows that consumers in the North…
4:00 AM 22nd July 2021
10 Day Warning: Payment On Accounts Due 31st July
31st July marks an important date in the self-employed calendar: the deadline for the second payment on account bill. Here is everything you need to know to ensure your bill is sorted by the deadline: James Andrews, personal finance expert at money.co.uk, said: “If you are self-employed, it is…
1:27 PM 21st July 2021
Pelican Delivers First Vehicles In Its Largest-ever UK Order For All-electric Buses
Long-established family business Pelican Engineering, has delivered the first vehicles in an order for 55 Yutong buses to McGill’s Group in Glasgow. The zero-emission vehicles are destined for use on routes around the city and Renfrewshire, including during the forthcoming COP26 climate change conference, as part of the bus…
9:44 AM 21st July 2021
IoD: Government Needs A Plan To Stimulate Enterprise Post-pandemic
Looking beyond the current issues around the ‘pingdemic’, the UK Government must develop a plan to help British enterprise switch gears from survival to growth in the post-pandemic economy, the IoD has argued, as it released new survey data. In a survey of close to 600 SME business leaders,…
9:40 AM 21st July 2021
£375m Scheme To Drive Investment In Innovative Firms Of The Future Opens For Applications
Under the UK- wide Future Fund: Breakthrough scheme the government will commit £375m of funding to fast-growing firms looking to raise at least £30m of investment. To be eligible, businesses must have commitments of 70% of an investment round from private investors with a track record of financing innovative companies…
10:08 PM 20th July 2021
Northern Small Businesses Optimistic About Reopening According to PayPal
Andrew Palmer
News Editor
As ‘Freedom Day’ approached in England, over two thirds (69%) of UK small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) said they felt optimistic about the easing of lockdown restrictions. PayPal’s inaugural Business of Change report polled 1,000 UK SMEs, including over 500 business owners, and found that while the pandemic did affect businesses…
4:00 AM 20th July 2021
Ideagen Boosts Offering With Two More Strategic Acquisitions
Ben Dorks
Software solutions provider to companies operating in highly regulated industries, Ideagen PLC, has today announced it has made a further two acquisitions to increase its product offering. Ideagen’s strategy has been to grow geographically and by sector expertise and these two acquisitions are very much in line with that strategy, as…
1:44 PM 19th July 2021
Kleinwort Hambros Announces Senior Appointments
row[]Kleinwort Hambros has announced several senior appointments in the UK and Channel Islands (CI Bank) to continue strengthening the execution of the Bank’s business and growth strategy. Christophe Huchet has been appointed Group Chief Risk Officer for Kleinwort Hambros, by the Board of Kleinwort Hambros Bank UK Ltd, to oversee implementation…
1:34 PM 19th July 2021
EV Orders Surpass ICE Vehicles At Zenith.
June saw orders for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) overtake internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles for the first time at Zenith. Leeds-based Zenith saw the transition to BEV in cars account for 54% of orders in June compared to 32% in the same month last year. Over the last 12 months, 41%…
1:06 PM 19th July 2021
Irwin Mitchell Secures Gold Award For Championing Reservists
Irwin Mitchell has become one of a select group, and one of only a handful of law firms to be granted a Gold Award in the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS), a government initiative that recognises those employers who support Armed Forces reservists within their organisation. This year’s news builds on…
10:26 AM 19th July 2021
Demand For Debt Finance On The Rise In The North West
Almost nine in 10 (89%) of small business finance advisors in the North West say that additional debt finance will be required by smaller businesses as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a new study from Ipsos MORI and the British Business Bank, published today. Demand for finance…
10:15 AM 19th July 2021
Listed Businesses Issue The Lowest Number Of Profit Warnings In Over 22 Years – Only Eight Were Issued By North-listed Businesses In Q2 2021
North-based quoted companies issued eight profit warnings in Q2 2021, a 69% reduction on the number of warnings issued in the same quarter in 2020, according to the latest EY-Parthenon report. In the UK, just 32 profit warnings were issued, the lowest quarterly total EY has recorded in over 22…
4:00 AM 19th July 2021
Preston Based Luxus Design Invests £250k In New Warehouse & Stock
Dave O’Keefe
Luxus Design group, the Preston-based interiors business, has invested £250K in a new warehouse operation for its Justradiators.co.uk brand to support its ongoing expansion. Over the past 12 months, Justradiators.co.uk has seen rapid growth, attracting over 400,000 visitors to the site and generating over 11,000 orders for its products. As demand…
4:00 AM 19th July 2021
“With Crippling Staff Shortages, Speed Is Of The Essence” - CBI President Outlines Solution To Self Isolation Situation
Lord Bilimoria
Ahead of tomorrow’s (Monday 19 July) reopening, the CBI President has urged immediate changes to the current self-isolation policy as part of measures needed to create confidence and secure the economic recovery. Lord Bilimoria reiterated his call for the government not to wait until 16 August, but immediately allow double-jabbed individuals…
6:17 PM 18th July 2021
Supply And Demand: What Is Pushing Security Workers Out Of The Nightlife Industry?
Shahzad Ali, CEO of Get Licensed wonders What is pushing security workers out of the nightlife industry?
4:09 AM 17th July 2021
Opinion
Market Analysis: Morrisons M&A Update, ASOS - Chasing Growth, Just Eat Takeaway - Competition From Germany
This week's Market Analysis starts with Ross Hindle, retail sector analyst at Third Bridge, reporting on how the M&A situation is progressing at Morrisons: "The first thing that makes Morrisons very attractive from a private equity point of view is their property portfolio. They’re around 85% freehold and their…
4:01 AM 17th July 2021
Book Review: The Good Governance Guide To … Strategy By Mark Wearden
Book Review: The Good Governance Guide to … Strategy by Mark Wearden published by CGI Publishing (the Chartered Governance Institute). Mark Wearden has worked extensively with directors and senior managers from a wide range of different types and sizes of organisations. He provides consultancy, seminars, workshops and lectures on governance and…
4:00 AM 17th July 2021
Saturday Essay: How Do Brands Maintain a Competitive Edge Post-Pandemic and Brexit? And Who's in Charge to Lead the Charge?
Justin Small, CEO of Future Strategy Club – a network of the UK’s tier 1 creative, strategic and forward-thinking talent discusses as the ferocity of innovation intensifies, brands are looking to deliver tomorrow, today – so to win and retain customers, change has become an imperative.
4:00 AM 17th July 2021
New Study Reveals Half Of Employers Expect More Flexible Working Requests From Staff After The Pandemic Is Over
A new survey from Acas has found that half of employers in Great Britain expect an increase in demand for flexible forms of working from employees after the country comes out of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. right50[Acas’s advice for employers includes: Consult widely with staff or their representatives about introducing hybrid working…
11:00 AM 16th July 2021
BCC Research: Nearly 3 In 4 Exporters Report No Sales Growth In Q2
The British Chambers of Commerce’s Trade Confidence Outlook for Q2, released today, has shown that exporters still face significant issues after a historically weak Q1. The survey of more than 2,800 UK exporters revealed that the percentage of firms reporting increased export sales had risen to 27%, a 7-point rise…
4:00 AM 16th July 2021
Yorkshire Based Reef.global Taps Into The Future Of Hybrid Working
Reef.Global, which is based in Sheffield, is seeking £350K investment to further grow its revolutionary Third Workspace App. Reef.Global will launch in September and connect businesses and hospitality venues such as cafes, hotels, pubs and restaurants across the world via a unique app. Demand for cost-effective workspace is increasing exponentially and…
11:15 AM 15th July 2021
North West Believe ‘Brand Britain’ Is Advantageous When Selling Overseas.
New research from business and financial adviser Grant Thornton UK LLP finds more than two-thirds (69%) of mid-market businesses in the North West believe ‘Brand Britain’ is advantageous when selling overseas. 63% of respondents feel that Brexit has in fact strengthened ‘Brand Britain’. Despite this, more than half (51%) report…
11:13 AM 15th July 2021
IoD & BCC: Government's Guidance Fails To Inspire Confidence In The Return To Work
Pixabay
Responding to the Government’s latest guidance for businesses in England on returning to work, Dr Roger Barker, Policy Director at the Institute of Directors, said: “Like everybody else, businesses across the country having been awaiting ‘freedom day’ with bated breath. But instead we have had a series of mixed messages and…
8:32 AM 15th July 2021
IoD: Directors Join Forces To Make The Case For A Cleaner, Greener Future
Business
The Institute of Directors (IoD) is bringing directors together to debate a change to UK law that would ensure all companies align the interests of their shareholders with those of society and the environment. The Better Business Act campaign, launched in April this year, calls for an amendment to Section 172…
8:03 AM 15th July 2021
Opinion
Rebalance Investment Portfolios For Second Half Of ‘Bullish’ 2021: deVere CEO
The bullish sentiment gripping global stock markets will hold, but investors should prepare to rebalance their portfolios in order to grow their wealth in the second half of 2021, affirms the CEO of one of the world’s largest independent financial advisory and fintech organisations. The observation from Nigel Green, the chief…
7:48 AM 15th July 2021
BDO North Strengthens Corporate Governance Proposition With Senior Hire
Accountancy and business advisory firm BDO LLP has appointed senior advisory specialist, Michael Stallard, as UK SOx and Controls Advisory National Lead. Michael, who will be based across the North, joins from Deloitte where he helped businesses to modernise their controls in line with broader digital strategies. At BDO, he will…
7:45 AM 15th July 2021
Employers To Step Up Skills Investment As COVID Transforms Work – CBIi/Birkbeck Education & Skills Survey
41% of employers plan on increasing investment in training compared with pre-COVID levels in response to accelerating changes to work, according to the 2021 CBI/Birkbeck, University of London Education and Skills Survey. The April 2021 survey, completed by 252 respondents, revealed that over the next 3-5 years: Companies expect to have greater…
7:23 AM 15th July 2021
ONS Labour Market Figures
Commenting on the ONS Labour Market statistics for July 2021 published today,Matthew Percival, CBI Director for People and Skills, said: “Vacancies exceeding pre-Covid levels is a further sign of demand returning and employers creating jobs. “Yet businesses’ ability to meet this demand, and support the recovery, is being challenged by staff…
7:07 AM 15th July 2021
Post-Brexit Haulage Impact - 56% Of UK Hauliers ‘Considering Operations Move To The EU’
Andrew Palmer
News Editor
Marcin Jozwiak on Unsplash
As haulage demand surges by up to 120% in 2021 and hauliers are pushed to breaking point, a perfect storm of red tape, driver shortages and other Brexit issues threaten retail, food, farming and gardening industries. According to a new study of haulage industry leaders, haulage companies are facing problems when…
4:00 AM 15th July 2021
Widd Signs Announces Two Major Contract Wins
Leeds and St Helens-based Widd Signs has won five-figure contracts to support on two flagship developments, 5,000 miles apart. The digital and traditional signage specialist has been appointed to work on both The Plaza building in Liverpool and an exclusive, luxury fitness and training facility in The Cayman Islands called The…
8:54 AM 14th July 2021
Businesses Must Be Ready To Collaborate To Unlock True Potential Of Freeports
Businesses are positive as they await the arrival of Freeports in England– but education and business leaders raise concerns over skills shortages and the need for more collaboration to drive success. Transatlantic law firm Womble Bond Dickinson (WBD) launched its UK Freeports business sentiment report this week, representing the views…
8:00 AM 14th July 2021
Ailing Infrastructure Hampering Business Growth According To Survey By RSM
Image by Pete Linforth
New research reveals that business leaders overwhelmingly believe the state of UK infrastructure is restricting economic growth nationally, locally and within their own organisations. The survey by audit, tax and consulting firm RSM revealed that nearly 70% of the 400 UK middle market business leaders questioned believe the UK’s infrastructure is…
4:00 AM 14th July 2021
Resilient Trading Amidst Difficult Conditions CPP Group
CPP Group, the multinational provider of personal protection and insurance products and services, provides an update on trading for the six months ended 30 June 2021. Performance in the period has been largely resilient in spite of continued disruptions caused by COVID-19 with the Group's trading being in line with the…
6:12 PM 12th July 2021
Dr Miranda Brawn appointed iNED to the Board of Switch Mobility
Switch Mobility Ltd, the electrified commercial vehicles company backed by the Hinduja Group, has announced that Dr Miranda Brawn has been appointed an Independent Non-Executive Director on the 1st July 2021. This step follows the earlier appointment of auto industry veteran Mr. J M Alapont to the Board and…
6:05 PM 12th July 2021
Business Responds To Go Ahead For July 19 Reopening
Responding to news that the full reopening of the economy will go ahead on July 19, Claire Walker, Co-Executive Director of the BCC, said: “This is the news that firms across England have been waiting for and many will be sighing with relief to hear the Health Secretary finally give…
5:41 PM 12th July 2021
The Future Is Bright - UAV Studio Teams Up With GB Solar In ECO Partnership
Professional drone service UAV Studio has entered into partnership with solar power specialists GB Solar to ensure the continued efficiency of solar photovoltaic installations, in both businesses and in homes. The partnership will allow GB solar to monitor its installations quickly and cost-effectively through UAV’s thermographic technology, which helps identify…
2:45 PM 12th July 2021
“Get The Reopening Right To Reinforce The Recovery” – CBI Director-General
“Get the reopening right to reinforce the recovery” – CBI Director-General outlines six point plan for creating confidence among businesses, employees and customers
4:00 AM 12th July 2021
TUC – Government Is Refusing To Consult Unions And Employers On Back-to-work Safety Plans
The TUC has written to ministers to raise urgent concerns about the government’s back-to-work safety plans. The union body says the government is refusing to consult with unions and employers on the latest guidance that will “affect millions of working people”. rightq["...it is crucial that we get workplace safety right, and give…
4:00 AM 11th July 2021
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