Alasdair Lane

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

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

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.

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.

A digital revolution is underway. More and more organisations are opening their eyes to the merits of modernisation, exploring new technologies to help drive efficiency, keep connected and cut costs. This is true not only in the private sector, with public institutions just as eager to reap the rewards of digitalisation. The UK Government, one of the country’s largest public sector employers, has spent millions of pounds expanding its digital repertoire in recent months, new research indicates. While this undoubtedly is a good thing, it’s vital that rapid technological expansion is matched with a heightened awareness of cybersecurity, ensuring systems are protected against the latest threats.

In the professional world, we’ve taken some laudable steps on the path to gender parity — but there’s still an awful lot of work to be done. This is true especially in the technology sector; a realm in which women remain woefully underrepresented with recruitment structures skewed heavily towards their male counterparts. The proportion of women in tech remains staggeringly low. A recent study found females to make up just 16 percent of IT professionals, a figure that has scarcely risen over the last ten years. This cannot be explained away by a dearth of youthful, academic talent: when it comes to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics subjects (STEM), research indicates that boys and girls study in equal numbers, with the latter typically achieving higher grades. The problem isn’t one of pipeline potential; it’s about entrenched employment inequality and workplace discrimination. It’s in the offices and interview rooms that gender bias manifests — and there it must be rooted out. I believe this can be done, but only if companies commit to some significant changes.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is here to stay; of that, there’s little doubt. For business leaders eager to build back better post-pandemic, this is good news — AI technology can save time and money with sophisticated automation, boost productivity, and give invaluable insights to the trickiest commercial conundrums. All things considered then, it’s an excellent innovation, right? Absolutely. But developing the human expertise to make the most of non-human intellect takes time. Years, even. While the next generation of workers will be naturally AI-literate — raised in a world in which the technology is utterly ubiquitous — the current cohort needs to be brought up to speed, and fast. Doing so is easier said than done. But with a strategic focus and guided by those who really know what they’re talking about, companies can harness the full potential of AI sooner than you might think.

Buildings aren’t merely bricks and mortar. They’re places where business deals are brokered and families gather at the end of the day. They’re spaces we live, work and play, where we grow up, and grow old. They are the heart of our cities, towns and villages and where we spend most of our lives. And, sadly they are our greatest challenge in our fight for sustainability We’re facing a climate crisis. Despite efforts to rein in greenhouse gas production, the world continues to warm. Buildings – and the construction of new ones – constitute almost 40% of the carbon emissions and are most squarely to blame. This needn’t be the case. With a little technological ingenuity, our homes, places of work, schools, hospitals, and factories can be part of the solution, not the problem. So-called ‘smart buildings’ promise to help pave the way to a cleaner, greener future, if they’re smart enough.

At the place where production meets consumption, retailers are a vital component of any modern economy. This is truer today than ever before: in the tumultuous first days of the pandemic, retailers kept kitchen cupboards stocked, bathrooms clean, and supplied the entertainment that sustained us through long spells of lockdown. But like many industries, the retail sector must acknowledge an area in which it’s lacking – sustainability.

’Thank you for your application. Unfortunately…’ They're the words all job seekers dread, and if they're wearily familiar, you're not alone. The job market is engorged and job rejection is commonplace. Upsetting, demoralising and just downright frustrating, being discarded from the applicant pack is tough to take. But from the ashes of one prospective career path, others can sprout ‒ if you know how to best to deal with the regrettable news. Read on for our top tips on how to best absorb the

After your interview, a little thanks can go a long way. Good manners alone won't land you a job, but their absence can go a long way in keeping you off the payroll. A warm smile, gracious manner and plentiful expressions of gratitude will leave a good impression on any recruiter ‒ but you should be going one step further: a thank-you note after the interview. Is it really worth risking overenthusiasm by penning an interview thank-you letter? In a word, yes. A survey conducted by TopResume fou

Is the post-interview wait driving you mad? The nervy post-interview wait, the calm after the storm. It's an anxious time for any job seeker, however seasoned. As days and weeks of thumb-twiddling pass, it's easy to grow disheartened. And then comes the creeping temptation ‒ should I message them? It's only natural to want a definitive answer, but reaching out too early can seem impatient, even needy. So just how long should the prospective employee wait after the interview before seeking confi