Champion of better capitalism
The Indian state of Kerala has an impressive record for running a good education and health system. It was no surprise to learn that its system of health was on top of Covid 19 from the start. When a man arrived back from Dubai showing … Continue readingLearn from Kerala: Decentralisation is the key to delivery
This week, thanks to an excellent article by Judy Samuelson of the Aspen Institute, I learned that American Airlines was seeking a US government bailout, having just spent 96% of its positive cashflow on stock buybacks. Before the virus crisis broke, the papers were full … Continue readingDrugs, planes and houses – how public companies short-change the public
This is the text of a lecture I gave at Liverpool John Moores University on Match 11th: George Goyder – practical prophet and early champion of the responsible company Introduction Good morning. Great to be in Liverpool this morning to share with you the ideas and … Continue readingGeorge Goyder – practical prophet and early champion of the responsible company
How do we make sense of what is happening in China? Last week was privileged to listen to four wise people talking about China, its past and its future. The occasion was a seminar organised by Oxford University’s Faculty of History as part of its Lessons … Continue readingMaking sense of what is happening in China
On the radio on Saturday UK Cabinet Minister Michael Gove was asked about his party’s promise to plant 50000 trees. The interviewer points out that his government had failed to deliver on similar promises made in both 2015 and 2017. So why should we believe … Continue readingThe La-La Land of Election Promises – and why no-one talks about implementation
As I commented in a recent piece (Unicorns or Monsters) I vividly remember my visit to Silicon Valley in 1994. Entrepreneurs with ideas were closely connected to nearby venture capitalists with money to invest. That money had been made by the previous cohort of … Continue readingWhy Big Tech Has Become Like the Banks – the new cloud on the horizon
I shuddered reading the report last week of the Boeing CEOs testimony to Congress. I heard the old, old story. Emails to superiors from a long-standing employee worried about catastrophic risk. Employee fatigue under management pressure to override safety priorities without delay. Executives and the … Continue readingBoeing – a case study in failed stewardship
Stewardship offers practical and entrepreneurial solutions to the shortcomings of capitalism according to new business book ‘Entrusted’ ‘Entrusted – Stewardship for Responsible Wealth Creation’ offers workable ideas and approaches by which investors and companies can resist short-termism and tackle escalating social, economic and environmental … Continue readingEntrusted
Another investor, Natasha Landell-Mills of Sarasin and Partners, reinforces the case for better stewardship in yesterday’s FT. (Asset managers must use their votes to tackle climate change) She asks why so many fund managers won’t vote for change. Short-termism is the reason. ‘Too many fund … Continue readingInvestors get fiduciary duty wrong and the climate suffers
Climate breakdown is a violation of the rights of the unborn. In an excellent Guardian article (Bad ancestors: does the climate crisis violate the rights of those yet to be born?) Astra Taylor describes lawsuits now in the US courts in which plaintiffs not yet … Continue readingThe future is undervalued – in democracies and in wealth creation