0 Have your say We asked what is the biggest challenge between us and our fintech goals. These are the voices from across the industry. Louise Smith, head of design, personal and business banking, Royal Bank of Scotland, and a fintech envoy for ScotlandThere are a number of challenges we need to overcome to enable Scotland to become a global top five fintech hub. This is my “big five” to make the top five:Persistent and targeted investment (partners and public funding)Attract and importantly retain talent across the broad spectrum of digital roles i.e. much greater fluidity between design and creative industries as well as data engineers, data scientists and digital engineers. There is a good platform to build from across a number of cities now but we need to ensure we continue to connect it with a clear and consistent engagement planContinued partnering with tech and fintechs in Scotland and ensure we talk about successes. FreeAgent is a good example and there … [Read more...] about How can Scotland become a global fintech hub within five years?
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The road to a TB-free world
By Michel Sidibé and Lucica Ditiu When Mabruka was 18, she came home from school one day and started coughing up blood. She had been feeling sick for about two months, and when she went to a health clinic, she described symptoms such as weight loss, fatigue, shortness of breath, fever, night sweats, chills, loss of appetite, and pain when breathing and coughing. Mabruka was diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB) and prescribed a daily regimen of 9-10 pills. The treatment lasted six months, and during that time she could not attend school. Shockingly, Mabruka’s experience was almost the same as that of someone contracting TB in the 1950s, when the first treatments were discovered. Owing to a lack of therapeutic innovation since then, poor living conditions, and widespread poverty, millions of people around the world are still being deprived of their right to live free of TB. More than ten million people contract the disease each year. Despite being preventable and … [Read more...] about The road to a TB-free world
These 22 firms prove Plymouth is a tech industry hotspot
Plymouth is becoming a hotbed for tech companies as the city contributes to a 42 per cent hike in new businesses set up in the South West. New analysis by RSM, the leading audit, tax and consulting firm, has revealed 503 new software development and programming businesses were incorporated in the South West in 2017. That’s a 42 per cent increase on the 354 companies set up in 2016. Plymouth has played a part in that rise, with the city featuring in the annual survey of the UK’s top tech centres for the first time in 2017. Tech Nation 2017, styled as the most comprehensive analysis of the UK’s digital tech economy, was criticised in 2016 for leaving Plymouth off its digital map. But after Plymouth tech sector rallied and highlighted the growing strength of the digital economy for the city, report authors relented. And when they drilled into the figures they found the digital tech industry is giving Plymouth’s economy an £82million surge every year – … [Read more...] about These 22 firms prove Plymouth is a tech industry hotspot
Adopting a Culture of Ethics: Leadership, Ethics and Governance
Within the month of March 2018, issues relating to leadership and governance were brought before and were adjudicated by the Courts.It was interesting to read the legal arguments and reasoning given by the Courts. Whilst these decisions may be subject to legal proceedings (appeal), a discussion on Leadership, Ethics and Governance is appropriate. Interestingly, a Member of Parliament has come out publicly to state that certain actions within Parliament can be deemed to be bribery or are bribes.What is Ethical Leadership? Leaders are defined in the Leadership Code Act and ethical leaders can be defined as leadership that is directed by respect for ethical beliefs and values and for the dignity and rights of others. It is thus related to concepts such as trust, honesty, consideration, charisma and fairness. Ethics is concerned with the kinds of values and morals an individual or a society finds desirable or appropriate. … [Read more...] about Adopting a Culture of Ethics: Leadership, Ethics and Governance
Vote for your favourite writer as they examine today’s rail sector
Talented journalism students at Glasgow Clyde College have been asked to write an article that tackles one of three topics: the role women play the male-dominated rail sector; an engineering skills gap or the challenges of developing a young workforce. Below are their submissions and a poll to vote for your favourite article. By Lauren Brownlie One of the UK’s leading rail contractors, QTS, is encouraging young kids as well as women to pursue a career within the rail work force in order to full fill an engineering skills gap within the sector. The family owned business that was founded in 1990, by managing director Alan McLeish, provides specialist services in rail engineering, infrastructure and training. Over the next 10 years the UK’s rail network will need an extra 1.8 million engineers due to an extensive shortage, according to Network Rail. Mark Craig, Design Manager and Civil Engineer, was supported by QTS through a part time university degree and has worked for … [Read more...] about Vote for your favourite writer as they examine today’s rail sector