Champion of better capitalism
Yesterday’s discussion about the role of the chairman led me back to work Tomorrow’s Company did five years ago. It took the form of letters from different people to a new chairman. So the finance director, the General Counsel, the CEO, the Senior Independent Director, … Continue readingWhy the mandate matters
This morning I am joining a panel at KPMG to discuss: what makes a good Chairman of a company? and what are the biggest challenges? On my way to the event my main thoughts are: Ensuring that the right CEO is selected … Continue readingWhat Makes a Good Chairman?
Three separate items of ft.com news today illustrate the gaping hole that exists where the UK’s political parties should be offering their vision and agenda for stewardship to encourage long term wealth creation. First there is all party concern about the Melrose takeover bid … Continue readingPay, Nationalisation and Takeovers: How Our Politics is Failing Wealth Creation
UK Governance Reforms – Why Doesn’t Government Start By Taking Its Own Medicine? There are many ironies in the UK government’s review of corporate governance, as a new article on ft.com makes clear. It all started with the Prime Minister’s instincts that people … Continue readingUK Governance Reforms – Why Doesn’t Government Start By Taking Its Own Medicine?
Three big beasts in Aldeburgh For those who haven’t been there, Aldeburgh is a small town on the UK’s Suffolk (East Anglian) coast which is most often mentioned in despatches for its association with the composer Benjamin Britten and the quality of its fish … Continue readingBooks, wind and waves in Aldeburgh
For the last few weeks I’ve been bemoaning the lack of a positive vision of wealth creation from our political leaders. Today I’ve just listened to an inspiring BBC Radio 4 interview with Ailie Macadam, a senior Vice President of Bechtel and the woman … Continue readingA giant among pygmies
The good news is that Labour has listened to the voice of business, and its employees. It has recognized that customs union membership is the essential platform for supply chain effectiveness, business continuity and future investment in long term wealth creation. Not to mention the … Continue readingCorbyn’s Coventry Speech – the good news and the bad news
Over 25 years ago I spent a fascinating week in Silicon Valley, invited by an English venture capitalist to go and meet Intuit and Sequoia Capital and other important valley people. I was struck by the way the law firms and investment advisors worked for … Continue readingCarillion and its advisors: partners or observers in adversity?
In spite of all the hullabaloo about Oxfam, let’s remember first that the appalling behaviour in Chad and in Haiti does not suddenly make the organisation a bad organisation. Oxfam does wonderful work on behalf of the poorest and in the face of terrible … Continue readingDig deeper