Business

Former business secretary Sir Vince Cable has called for a police and government investigation into the conduct of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor during his tenure as the UK’s trade envoy, following the release of US justice department files that appear to show he shared official and commercial information with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The newly released documents suggest that Andrew, who served as Britain’s special representative for international trade and investment from 2001 to 2011,...

Let’s get something straight right at the outset: The idea of banning working from home is not merely daft, not a bit ill-advised, but a spectacular, full-on intellectual car crash wearing a stupid hat. And the fact that this notion is being flirted with seriously in political circles tells you everything you need to know about how out of touch this country’s Westminster bubble has become. If you’ve been reading my scribblings on this subject...

Greene King is weighing up a fresh round of job cuts as Britain’s second-largest pub chain grapples with rising taxes, higher operating costs and mounting pressure on consumer spending. The 227-year-old company, which operates around 2,600 pubs across the UK, is understood to be reviewing its head office and central functions, with up to 100 roles potentially affected. No final decision has been taken. The move would mark the second major restructuring in under two...

Alphabet has unveiled plans to spend between $175bn and $185bn this year, sharply exceeding Wall Street expectations as it intensifies its push in the global artificial intelligence race. The capital expenditure target is well above analysts’ average forecast of about $115bn, according to LSEG data, and marks another escalation in spending among the world’s technology hyperscalers. The announcement came alongside strong fourth-quarter results. Revenue rose 18 per cent year-on-year to $113.8bn, narrowly ahead of forecasts...

Mark Dixon, the billionaire founder of IWG and architect of the Regus empire, has dismissed calls to ban working from home as “idiotic”, arguing that the future of productivity lies in better management, not compulsory office attendance. Speaking to The Times, Dixon responded to remarks by Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, who recently declared that people are not more productive at home and pledged to scrap the practice if his party ever came to power....

Across digital platforms, visual consistency serves as the quiet representative of brands. When users encounter websites, social media profiles, or marketing materials, they form immediate impressions based on visual elements. This pattern, or lack thereof, directly influences how trustworthy a brand appears. Consistent visual presentation communicates reliability and professionalism. This helps establish confidence among audiences and supports long-term business growth. Individuals notice repeating patterns. When elements like logos, colours, fonts, and images remain the same...

Over 3,907 organizations now manage $1.571 trillion in impact investing assets under management worldwide, according to Global Impact Investing Network estimates. That figure reflects a 21 percent compound annual growth rate since 2019, but the more consequential shift lies not in volume but in structure. Capital once deployed through informal networks and trust-based relationships now flows through institutional channels demanding auditable governance, standardized reporting, and third-party verification. Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum, Chairman of Inmā...

Plenty of businesses nowadays rely on software that used to work well in the past, but now holds them back. They slow down innovation, increase maintenance costs, and make it harder to scale or adapt to changing market demands. However, businesses choose to stay in this “toxic relationship” rather than break free of legacy constraints because the “breakup” is associated with risks, such as potential system downtime, data loss, disruption of fragile business logic, security...

Ford Motor Company has been overtaken in global vehicle sales for the first time by Chinese electric car giant BYD, underscoring the dramatic shift under way in the global automotive industry. Ford’s sales slipped 2 per cent last year to just under 4.4 million vehicles, while BYD sold 4.6 million, climbing to sixth place in the global rankings of car manufacturers. The milestone is symbolic for an industry shaped by Ford’s legacy. Founder Henry Ford...