Champion of better capitalism
Why do organisations do stupid things? I asked myself this question in December when I read that NatWest Bank had been fined £265m for failing to prevent the laundering of nearly £400m. Over five years a company with an annual turnover of £15m had deposited … Continue readingHow do we stop organisations doing stupid things?
A recent Panorama programme described the failings of care homes under private equity (PE) ownership. BBC Social Affairs Editor Alison Holt BBC suggested to veteran PE investor Jon Moulton that this was a sector PE should not be involved in. He didn’t agree. His reasons? … Continue readingHas Private Equity lost its way?
‘I would not only invite those at the top to spend their money as a resident . I would invite them to spend six months as a carer doing personal care just so that they can actually see what is funding their lifestyle…I don’t think they’d … Continue readingListening is okay. Acting on what you have heard is harder
Remember Midas? Professor Stuart Russell did In his first BBC Reith Lecture about Artificial Intelligence last week. Midas had asked the gods that everything he touched be turned to gold. So it was, leaving Midas gasping for food or drink. Then there was the sorcerer’s … Continue readingGuilty – of reshaping someone’s mind?
A few weeks ago, after reading ‘English Pastoral’ by James Rebanks, I commented that Today the language of organisations, and of economics, is increasingly naturalistic… I then asked: But does this thinking penetrate our decision-making? Two recent controversies have suggested that it doesn’t. The first … Continue readingMore foxes please
How our understanding of corporate governance is holding us back Corporate governance has for a long time felt remote from the real world of wealth creation? Why? One reason for this sense of unreality, which I discussed last week, is the assumption that companies are … Continue readingWhere’s the pulse?
It started on a high altitude skiing expedition. Scientist and doctor Tim Spector found that he was rapidly losing his sight. The cause turned to be a small stroke. This prompted him to focus his research on the causes of strokes. In particular he began … Continue readingGovernance – my gut instinct
I made a bad decision last week, whilst walking in the Lake District. It was one of those experiences that make one cringe and then ask ‘Will I ever learn?’ I set out to climb a demanding mountain in the Western lakes. I had looked … Continue readingMake the journey your own
This week I am off to Cumbria for some autumnal fell-walking in the Western Lakes. This will take me back over 40 years to a happy year spent as a Personnel Manager (yes that’s what we were called!) in a GEC factory. I vividly remember … Continue readingOur better nature
‘I don’t think the passengers will notice any difference’ said Transport Minister Grant Shapps as he announced that South Eastern Railways would be taken back into state ownership. This must have prompted a simple question in the minds of those passengers. What have we been … Continue readingOn behalf of which people?