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Maker or taker? The UK’s AI crossroads
This week’s UK-US tech pact was hard to miss. Microsoft, Google, Nvidia and others are pledging £31 billion into UK data centres, AI...

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3 min read
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The rise and rise of the Chief Transformation Officer
Once an outlier juggling micro changes with more fundamental shifts, the role of Chief Transformation Officer (CTrO) is fast becoming a...

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3 min read
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From timekeeper to time traveller - the COO’s transformation
Over the past five years, there’s been a seismic shift in the role of the COO. Traditionally focused on the operationalisation and...

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4 min read
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‘This is the stupidest these machines will ever be.’
These are the words OpenAI CEO Sam Altman remarked when being interviewed by Bill Gates at the beginning of last year; honestly, it was a...

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4 min read
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Challenger brands, stream jumping and the super app dilemma
Why Octopus and Revolut will take the world of mobile by storm. It’s every brand’s nightmare. And every entrepreneur's dream. A category...

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4 min read
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How Blank Street Coffee roasted the competition
In a landscape dominated by coffee giants, Blank Street Coffee went from zero to hero in just a couple of years. Rethinking the coffee...

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3 min read
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citizenM rewrote the rules. Marriott paid the $355m price.
When the business launched in 2008, the safe assumption was that travellers valued marble lobbies, pillow menus, and a good loyalty...

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4 min read
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Big bets, bricks and behavioural signals
In late 2020, British Land made a move that many in the property world thought was madness. The media was calling time on the office....

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4 min read
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From sugar to seaweed - an inspirational transformation
For a brand best known for sugar and Golden Syrup, Tate & Lyle could easily have stayed in the comfort zone of familiarity. But comfort...

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3 min read
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HMV’s bold moves - a masterclass in smart strategy
If you’d asked a retail analyst in early 2019 whether HMV had a future, most would have shrugged and pointed to its recent collapse into...

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5 min read
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Redefining the run: How bold innovation is transforming athletic footwear
In a category long dominated by Global players and established niche brands, it seemed the door was surely closed to new entrants. So...

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3 min read
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Black signets, provocations and building muscle memory
We’ve been discussing a topic that fascinates and often perplexes even the most seasoned business leaders: Black Swan events. These rare,...

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2 min read
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The extraordinary power of breaking things that aren’t broken
Imagine your favourite pair of running trainers. They're the epitome of comfort, have journeyed with you for miles, and they seem to fit...

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3 min read
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2024: The year of the planarian
Despite 2023 being a challenging year, it ended with a hint of optimism for business, with a surprise, bigger-than-expected drop in...

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5 min read
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From stagnation to innovation: Why your business mindset matters
In her influential book, 'Mindset,' Carol Dweck introduced the concept of fixed mindset versus growth mindset, emphasising the hindrance...

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2 min read
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Hype-cycles, risk and the need for responsible AI governance
While AI and machine learning have been in existence for over 50 years, a giant leap in public consciousness took place when Open.AI...

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3 min read
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Empathy as a business strategy: building bridges in the corporate landscape
In the fast-paced world of business, where metrics often take centre stage, there's a silent force that has the potential to...

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3 min read
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