Alasdair Lane

The New York Times • 11th January 2022

What Will the Highways of the Future Look Like?

The Romans built 50,000 miles of them. Today, there's at least 500 times that number worldwide. They convey goods and people over vast distances at speed, allowing societies to bloom and economies to thrive. Highways were a cornerstone of the ancient world — and in the 21st century, they’re no less important.

The New York Times • 12th November 2021

How Crypto is Re‑Writing the Rules of Digital Ownership

Shortly after the financial crisis of 2008, a group of tech-minded trailblazers sought a solution to the shortcomings of conventional finance. They envisaged a world underpinned not by centralized power, but by a distributed, democratic system of ownership that was inclusive, transparent and secure. This world, the crypto world, grew steadily in the years that followed. Then the Covid-19 pandemic hit. Global lockdowns have hastened the advance of all things digital and, in this uncertain age of

Nasdaq.com • 1st January 2015

Higher Wages Can Mean Higher Profits, If Staff Have the Right Tools

Some call it the “Great Resignation”; others the “Big Quit.” Since early 2021, around 33 million Americans have parted ways with an employer — the highest ‘quits rate’ on record. And the Big Quit won’t be ending any time soon. Recent job market research suggests a staggering 74% of full time US employees intend to leave their jobs this year in search of new opportunities, more compensation, or better working conditions.

CryptoSlate • 1st January 2015

Friendly fraud warning as resurgent travel businesses explore new crypto horizons

Few industries are as competitive as international travel. An innumerable array of airlines, hotels, and tourist agencies vie for the custom of would-be vacationers, each trying to outdo the other in the features they offer. Payment options are key to this, with rich rewards for companies that are willing to innovate.

Bobsguide • 1st January 2015

Why specialisation is the key to successful transaction data management

On the surface, big banks and fintechs are not obvious bedfellows. One is an edifice of the old ways; the other, a fast-moving disruptive force eager to shake things up.

Ratio • 1st January 2015

3 Ways That SaaS Vendors can Survive the VC Funding Drought

Driven by rock-bottom interest rates and a rush of digital transformations, 2021 was a record year for SaaS venture capital (VC) investment. Fast forward six months, though, and things are looking very different. Labor and supply costs are surging, inflation is up, and interest rates are rising. Mix in a disruptive dose of geopolitical unrest, and it’s easy to see why VC funding dropped a full 19% in the first 3 months of the year. Technology firms have been particularly hard hit by this reduc

Multichannel Merchant • 1st January 2015

BNPL Debt Warning Raises Friendly Fraud Concerns

A few years ago, you’d be hard pressed to find an ecommerce retailer offering buy now, pay later (BNPL). Today, it’s surprising not to see the option advertised at checkout. Since 2018, the number of BNPL users in America has more than tripled, and as of last fall almost half of U.S. consumers said they were on the pay-later bandwagon.

Retail Technology Insider • 29th December 2014

Open to All: Why ADA Compliance Should Be a Priority for Online Retailers

For more than three decades, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has safeguarded the rights of millions of disabled people. Wheelchair ramps, automatic doors, and accessible restrooms — the hallmarks of this landmark piece of legislation can be seen in stores and malls across the country.

Retail Technology Insider • 1st September 2014

Are Brand Employees Ready for Experiential Retail?

For brick-and-mortar retailers, COVID-19 was the challenge of a lifetime. The virus’s sudden spread in early 2020 saw sales plummet, with all but the most essential stores forced to close. Some, unable to weather the storm, never reopened.

The ACR Journal • 1st January 2015

Building sustainability: a smart solution

Buildings aren’t merely bricks and mortar. They’re where business deals are brokered, and families gather at the end of the day. They’re where we work, and where we play; where we grow up, and grow old. They are the centrepieces of cities, towns, and villages, and where most of our lives are spent. And, sadly, they are part of the greatest challenge that confronts us all: climate change.

Global Banking & Finance Review • 1st January 2015

Global supply chains: three predictions for the future

It’s been a tumultuous couple of years for global supply chains. First came the pandemic; an unforeseen public health emergency that disrupted the flow of goods and materials, prioritizing essential goods over non-essential goods as well as changing trading patterns. As the virus spread, national lockdowns were implemented, piling added pressure on already creaking commercial networks.

Bobsguide • 1st January 2015

Data management: reinventing a foundational capability to optimise cloud transition for financial services firms

Data is the lifeblood of the financial services sector. By mining and analysing financial market data, customer information and overall market trends, financial institutions can glean game-changing insights — but where to store that sensitive information has always been an issue.

Internet Retailing • 1st January 2015

Automation: the future of supply chains?

Caught between the chaos of coronavirus and fallout from Brexit, international supply chains are under serious strain. Add into the mix a global labour shortage that shows no sign of abating, and the cross-border flow of goods is set to get even trickier.

Finance Derivative • 1st January 2015

Harnessing Connectivity: The Key To Global Exchange Operators Finding New Horizons In The Cloud

Offering the massive amounts of storage and compute power that drives our digital lives, the cloud is an incredible innovation, one that has changed the way we communicate, the way we consume entertainment, the way we work – and, yes, the way we do business. But the cloud cannot work without the network infrastructure underneath.

Telemedia Online • 1st January 2015

Predictions for 2022: The communications trends that will shape the year ahead

We started 2021 with a quiet sense of optimism, hopeful that this year had to be better than the twelve months prior. And though the first weeks of 2021 saw the pandemic reach its very worst, we rebounded strongly, edging closer to total a return to normality.

Sage • 1st January 2015

Why you need an accountant in a digital world [eGuide]

Providing great customer service, developing new products, and turning a profit – small businesses know what their priorities are. But to successfully get on top of running their business, small businesses need access to the right tools and advice – particularly on the accountancy front.

Johnson Controls • 1st January 2015

The Power of Smart Cloud Connectivity [eGuide]

We’re in the middle of a smart revolution. Phones, watches, and even kitchen appliances have become ‘smart’ in recent years. It’s the same story with buildings: smart innovations are bringing buildings to life, heightening occupant productivity and happiness. Connectivity is at the heart of this. Operating alone, digital solutions risk becoming siloed, but working in synchrony, they can deliver an experience that’s truly special.

LiveArea, a Merkle Company • 1st January 2016

Inspiring Innovation: Building Retail Agility [eGuide]

No industry has been left untouched by the COVID-19 pandemic — a crisis that emerged with little warning, throwing business plans into disarray. Thrust onto the backfoot, companies have had to react or face ruin. To better understand the retail industry’s approach to innovation, LiveArea, a Merkle Company surveyed retail decision makers across three regions: the UK, the USA, and the Netherlands, to explore the drivers, priorities, and investment needs of their company’s particular approach to i

Avanade • 1st January 2015

Healthcare’s most precious resource: people and time

Healthcare organisations like yours are a vital cog in the smooth running of society. In the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic, that’s true now more than ever. All too often, however, vital organisations and departments such as yours are held back by fragmented legacy systems, disparate data silos spread across different teams and departments, and poor collaboration between team members.

Avanade • 1st January 2015

The Private Equity Integrated Ecosystem

The upheaval of Brexit, then a global pandemic. It’s certainly been an interesting year for private equity (PE) firms. But with the industry’s appetite for new deals growing all the time and SPACS making a splash — plus global dry powder estimated to be around $1.9trn — 2021 is promising to be a big year for PE firms.