Business

Jonathan Charrier is a Montreal-based entrepreneur and the founder of Charrier Global Imports, a company that connects Quebec and North American consumers with specialty foods, artisanal goods, handcrafted clothing, and wellness products from around the world. He launched the business in 2012 after years of hands-on travel and study in international trade. Charrier grew up in Montreal’s Rosemont neighbourhood, surrounded by a mix of cultures, languages, and cuisines. Both of his parents worked in hospitality,...

Meta has appointed former Trump administration adviser Dina Powell McCormick to a newly created senior leadership role, underlining the tech giant’s determination to accelerate its push into artificial intelligence infrastructure. The owner of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp said Powell McCormick will join the company as president and vice chairman, with a remit spanning global strategy, government engagement and capital partnerships, with a particular focus on funding and scaling Meta’s vast AI ambitions. The appointment comes...

Rising costs are pushing UK manufacturers dangerously close to an investment tipping point, with businesses warning that planned spending could be cancelled or moved overseas unless pressures ease. A new survey by Make UK, the manufacturing trade body, found that almost nine in ten industry leaders expect employment costs to rise this year, while two thirds anticipate higher energy bills. The findings underline mounting concern that the cost base for British manufacturing is becoming unsustainable....

Jeremy Clarkson has sparked a fresh debate about the pressures facing British agriculture after delivering a blunt response to a social media user who blamed Brexit for the struggles of UK farmers. The exchange followed a video Clarkson recorded in support of the farming advocacy campaign No Farmers, No Food, in which he called on the next government to put farming higher up the political agenda. In the video, filmed on his phone, Clarkson said...

Former chancellor Nadhim Zahawi has defected to Reform UK, becoming the most senior ex-Conservative figure to join Nigel Farage’s party. Zahawi, 58, was unveiled alongside Farage at a press conference in London, where he warned that Britain was “drinking in the last chance saloon” and said the country “really does need Nigel Farage as prime minister”. In a video message announcing his move, the former vaccines minister and chancellor said: “Nothing works, there is no...

Gold and silver prices have surged to fresh all-time highs, prompting experts to urge ordinary Britons to take a closer look at what they already own, including forgotten jewellery tucked away in drawers and boxes at home. Gold climbed to $4,603.87 while silver reached $84.69, as investors piled into traditional safe-haven assets amid rising geopolitical tension involving Iran, fears of potential US military action, and fresh instability in Washington following the launch of a criminal...

Russell & Bromley, the 150-year-old luxury footwear and accessories brand, could vanish from the UK high street after a proposed takeover by Next that is expected to lead to the closure of all 37 of its stores. Around 450 jobs are understood to be at risk under a deal that would see Next acquire only the Russell & Bromley brand and intellectual property, while the retailer’s physical estate is wound down. Next is working alongside...

The UK jobs market ended 2025 on a weak footing, with both permanent and temporary hiring falling in December and unemployment already sitting at a four-year high. A closely watched labour market survey by KPMG and the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) shows that permanent staff placements dropped to a four-month low at the end of the year, while temporary roles also declined. Vacancies continued to fall and the availability of workers rose sharply, underlining...

High-value clients are vital for long-term business success. These clients typically generate consistent revenue, become dedicated brand advocates, and have a high lifetime value. Businesses that are able to attract and retain high-value clients are often able to generate higher revenue and attract new consumers, giving them an obvious advantage in busy markets and sectors. However, attracting high-value clients can be difficult, and retaining them can be even harder. Because of this, businesses that understand...

As we move further into 2026, the “cloud-first” approach has become the global standard. However, this shift has also introduced a paradox: while the cloud makes scaling easier, it makes security more complex. For modern enterprises, staying ahead of sophisticated, AI-driven threats requires a dual-layered strategy. The most successful organizations today are winning by combining the operational excellence of cloud managed IT services with the proactive precision of a high-performance Vulnerability Scanner. Layer 1: Operational...