The Friday Fix

What really matters to fund managers? What can smaller companies do to improve their chances of winning investment? And how is the ever-growing influence of retail investors challenging industry norms?Find out in this episode of the Friday Fix, as Jamie Constable, market strategist at Singer Capital Markets, joins Powerscourt senior director Nick Dibden to talk IPOs, delistings and perceptions of UK capital markets in the year ahead.

Ever wondered what its really like on the ground at the UN Climate Summit? Powerscourt's Leighton Barnish, Head of Sustainability and Christie Wanstall, Sustainability Analyst give us the lowdown on the COP28 conference in Dubai, where over 80,000 people gathered from 190 nations in a truly extraordinary display on the international climate stage. We also hear from business leaders helping facilitate the move to a better, greener future. What more must be done to drive the innovation needed to achieve our collective climate targets and what challenges face businesses trying to lead the charge? Topsoe CEO Roeland Baan, Carbonaires advisory board member Anna-Marie Slot, and Foresight Solar Fund Managing Director Ross Driver join us to discuss the critical importance of ensuring climate commitments translate to tangible action.Hosted by: Michael KeatingProduced by: Michael Keating, Isabel Ralphs, Io Kidson & Georgia WayEdited by: Ollie Beckwith Artwork by: Demi-Marie Barnard

“The push coming from the private sector is very palpable.”How can governments and industry work together to navigate the green transition? Should there be a proper price on carbon? What will the energy mix look like in a decades time?In this week's episode of the FridayFix, Powerscourt's Peter Ogden sits down with Roeland Baan, President and CEO of Topsoe to get the answers to all of this and more.With COP28 just around the corner, Roeland explains how Topsoe is leading the charge in developing technological solutions to support the green transition in some of the hardest to crack sectors, and shares his hopes and expectations for this year's climate forum in Dubai. 

How does the media impact a fight for justice?In the first episode of our new podcast series, Powerscourt Perspectives, we hear from four individuals who've had to face the tricky dynamics of the media in their personal battles for justice.Former England cricketer Azeem Rafiq, ex-CNN journalist Saima Mohsin and criminal justice campaigners Zainab and Ruki share personal experiences of their fights – and explain the pivotal role that PR can play in supporting their campaigns in this week's episode.**Content Warning: This episode contains discriminatory remarks which are offensive; listener discretion is advised.** The Friday Fix: Powerscourt Perspectives is our new monthly series exploring the most pressing questions and interesting opportunities of today's communications landscape. Each month, we will draw together interviews from across our network of business, media and political experts, bringing you deeper insights and a wider viewpoint on the issues that really matter.Hosted by: Michael KeatingProduced by: Michael Keating, Isabel Ralphs, Io Kidson & Georgia WayEdited by: Ollie BeckwithArtwork by: Demi-Marie Barnard

Ahead of next week's DSEI conference at London's Excel, one of the largest exhibitions of military and security equipment in the world, the latest Friday Fix episode sees Powerscourt's James White talk to Kevin Craven, CEO of ADS Group, the trade organisation representing the UK's aerospace, defence, security and space industries. Together, they explore some of the big themes that we're likely to see at next week's show, what is next for the UK defence industry and how we might expect warfare to change in the next 20 years.

The Founder & CEO of AI firm Eigen Technologies, Dr Lewis Z. Liu has concerns about the direction of generative AI. As this technology becomes more and more powerful, how do we answer the questions it poses around intellectual property and creation? What lessons can policymakers learn from the struggle to regulate social media? What manner of threat could machine learning pose to society?Join Dr Liu alongside Jane Glover, from Powerscourt's Technology practice, for an urgent, timely discussion on this week's Friday Fix. Listen to all episodes on our website.Follow Powerscourt on Twitter and LinkedIn.

The aviation industry is gaining altitude in its quest for a sustainable future. What steps are being taken towards change? When will we see hydrogen and electric planes? And could the government be doing more to support this agenda?Russ Lynch, Director at Powerscourt and former Economics Editor at The Daily Telegraph, interviews Oliver Gill, the paper's Chief Business Correspondent, on the challenges aviation faces on its sustainability journey. Tune in for exclusive insight into an industry that faces scrutiny and pressure to do better.    

Recent months have seen naysayers in the markets and media call London's position in the global capital markets into question. But what's the truth behind the headlines: are fears of transatlantic migration overblown? Justin Griffiths, Partner at Powerscourt, interviews Bod Buckby, Head of Primary Markets North at the London Stock Exchange to hear how London stacks up against the international competition. Can we expect a rebound in IPOs? And will radical reforms proposed by the Financial Conduct Authority make London more competitive than ever?

Chris Blackhurst, distinguished business journalist, spent decades in the engine room of the British media. In this week's episode with Victoria Palmer-Moore, Chris conjures the changes wrought on Fleet Street by the death of the 9-to-5 - and the dawn of the information age. From journalists to business leaders, corporate affairs directors to newspaper proprietors, Chris describes the seismic influences which shaped an industry previously known for typewriters and long lunches into today's press powerhouses, battling to make money in an era of free content.Listen to all episodes on our website.Follow Powerscourt on Twitter and LinkedIn.

This week's Friday Fix delves into the complex world of AI, courtesy of Carolyn Esser from cyber security company Darktrace. Powerscourt's Elly Williamson, Partner and Head of TMT, quizzes Carolyn on what separates large language models like ChatGPT from Darktrace's self-learning AI, and how we can build trust in emerging technologies.Listen to all episodes on our website.Follow Powerscourt on Twitter and LinkedIn.

What is DE&I? It's easy for businesses to see these terms - diversity, equity, equality, inclusion and belonging - as buzzwords. How can businesses move beyond this mindset to create real change? Ria Kalsi, founder of Matriarch Ltd, talks to Keira Marron from Powerscourt's HR team about how to have difficult conversations about racial inclusion - and why organisations should care about anti-racist work.Listen to all episodes on our website.Follow Powerscourt on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Does the British monarchy have a comms issue? Steve Marinker, Head of Powerscourt 360, talks to Powerscourt's Georgia Way about the Coronation, and the PR winners and losers of the 6th May 2023. Media coverage of this historic occasion has been positive, but social media has told a vastly different story. Is the traditional media - and the Royal Family - at odds with the British public over the future constitution of the United Kingdom?Listen to all episodes on our website.Follow Powerscourt on Twitter and LinkedIn.

The boards of 2023 face the challenges of a complex, interconnected world: cybersecurity, geopolitical risk, and ESG transparency and action. Are they hiring the right board members to protect themselves against future risks? This week's guest is Alice Breeden, Partner at Heidrick & Struggles, which has just released its 2023 Board Monitor UK. Powerscourt's Victoria Palmer Moore hears how boards fared on diversity in 2022, and whether boards have the diversity they need to meet diversified modern risks. Listen to all episodes on our website.Follow Powerscourt on Twitter and LinkedIn.

The UK's local elections are taking place on 4th May. As more than 8,000 seats at 230 councils are contested, what could the result tell us about the prospects for the Conservatives and Labour, as the runway for the General Election comes into view?Mark Leftly, Powerscourt's Head of Public Affairs, talks to his colleague Harold Amoo to discuss what constitutes a good result for each party in the current political environment.Listen to all episodes on our website.Follow Powerscourt on Twitter and LinkedIn.

As the private equity “wall of money” eyes up deals in the UK, and public companies face ever more requirements, do the costs of being listed outweigh the benefits?Mervyn Metcalf, founder of Dean Street Advisors, argues that onerous reporting requirements and nervy markets make listing less attractive than private equity ownership. Is it better to have a committed private equity owner? And what can the government and the regulator do to ease the burden on UK plc and attract IPOs?Victoria Palmer-Moore, Managing Partner at Powerscourt, interviews Mervyn Metcalf in this week's episode of the Friday Fix.Listen to all episodes on our website.Follow Powerscourt on Twitter and LinkedIn.

One banking collapse might be seen as isolated - but does two indicate a systemic issue?Andy Smith, Powerscourt's in-house banking expert, examines the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and the rescue of Credit Suisse in the context of the 2008 financial crisis. Are these isolated or related events? What was the root cause? What causes a bank run? And is there anything communicators can do to reduce the risk? Managing Partner Victoria Palmer-Moore poses all these questions and more on this week's episode.Listen to all episodes on our website.Follow Powerscourt on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Does London still have momentum as a great capital market – and what can be done to address the cost and complexity of listing? What needs to change to connect companies with capital on the public markets? This week's episode of the Friday Fix covers the MiFID II, Silicon Valley Bank, and everything in between.Russ Lynch, Director at Powerscourt, turns the tables on his former boss, James Ashton, CEO of the Quoted Companies Alliance, for a wide-ranging interview about the City. Did the Chancellor deliver a Budget for growth? Listen to all episodes on our website.Follow Powerscourt on Twitter and LinkedIn.

“This is a place marking budget.. setting a platform from which you can have a crack at limiting the damage at the next general election.” Mark Leftly, Head of Public Affairs at Powerscourt and former economics editor at The Telegraph, Russ Lynch, look ahead to next week's Spring Statement from Chancellor Jeremy Hunt. With the Conservatives still struggling in the polls, can the Budget offer any hope of a turnaround?Listen to all episodes on our website.Follow Powerscourt on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Developing stories to catch the attention of the media is an art form, “not rocket science”, according to Russ Lynch, Powerscourt's ex-journalist hosting this week's podcast. But how does one FTSE100 company, Auto Trader, generate consistent media interest in an age of overstretched newsrooms? Auto Trader's Director of Communications, Laura Harvey, talks through the secret ingredient: data.Listen to all episodes on our website.Follow Powerscourt on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Simon Olsen, Partner in Deloitte's Equity Capital Markets team, worked on his first IPO back in 2002, and knows what sets the successes apart from the failures. This week James White, Director in Powerscourt's Industrials team, gets up to speed with the importance of business preparedness and the outlook for 2023.  Listen to all episodes on our website.Follow Powerscourt on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Nicola Sturgeon's resignation as First Minister of Scotland has come as a surprise to even keenest political pundits. What's next for the nation and party which have grown used to her steady hand on the tiller? Powerscourt's former political journalists, Mark Leftly and Stephen O'Brien, consider the future for the independence cause and a resurgent Labour in Scotland.Listen to all episodes on our website.Follow Powerscourt on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Be sure to join the webinar on 21st February.

As Political Correspondent at GB News, Olivia Utley is at the forefront of the conversation around the future of news media. While print newspapers contend with the realities of 24/7 news, newcomers like GB News have a loyal and growing viewership on Twitter and YouTube. Is it time for the channel's critics to revise their opinion? Interviewed this week by Georgia Way, Consultant at Powerscourt.Listen to all episodes on our website.Follow Powerscourt on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Did you know that the buildings are responsible for an astonishing 40% of global emissions? To bring our homes and offices in line with net zero targets, they need to be made more energy-efficient as a matter of urgency – but are the world's major economies doing enough to create a built environment fit for the future?In this week's Friday Fix, Ludo Baynham-Herd, Director in Powerscourt's 360 team, talks to Michael Lord from sustainability consultancy 3Keel about the inaugural Global Retrofit Index, a major new study on the G20's policies to make buildings more energy-efficient.Listen to all episodes on our website.Follow Powerscourt on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Five decades of business experience are condensed into one hot take in our interview with Sir Martin Sorrell. Elly Williamson, Powerscourt's Head of TMT, sat down with the Sage of Soho himself for frank insights into the business landscape in 2023.Listen to all episodes on our website.Follow Powerscourt on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Stephen Jones has had a ringside seat on the financial markets for 30 years. As Head of Investment Banking at Panmure Gordon, he's seen the FTSE rise and fall and weathered the stormiest markets of active stock picking. Will the perils of 2023 prove too complex for businesses to navigate, or will they spur them on to innovation and transformation? Powerscourt's Jane Glover holds the microphone for this fascinating take on the year ahead.Listen to all episodes on our website.Follow Powerscourt on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Three generations of leaders at J. Murphy & Sons have helped build our energy infrastructure, but today's construction landscape would barely be recognisable to the John Murphy who founded the firm in 1951. At a time when energy is front and centre of the global agenda, Powerscourt's James White asks today's guest John Murphy: what support is needed to create a secure, decarbonised energy future?Listen to all episodes on our website.Follow Powerscourt on Twitter and LinkedIn.

"I think this bill, however imperfect, will be great progress".Earlier this year, Powerscourt partner Justin Griffiths spoke to Mishcon De Reya managing associate Harry Eccles-Williams about efforts to make the online world safer. As MPs again consider the reach of online legislation and how social platforms could be held responsible for users' content, the pair return to examine proposed amendments to the Online Safety Bill.Listen to all episodes on our website.Follow Powerscourt on Twitter and LinkedIn.

In this week's Friday Fix Podcast, Sam Austrums speaks to Charlotte Caldwell, a leading campaigner and mother of Billy Caldwell, the boy who changed the law on medical cannabis. Charlotte recaps on the milestones she and Billy have achieved in revolutionising access to medical cannabis in the UK. Charlotte and Billy are working to provide financial respite for families paying expensive medical cannabis bills this Christmas. To support this worthy cause, please visit the IAMBilly JustGiving page: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/iambillyschristmaswish

Please note that listeners may find the topic of this episode distressing. However, we believe this important issue is essential to discuss.This week, we speak with Maggie O'Kane, a former award-winning war correspondent with The Guardian. During her journalism career, she covered the wars in Bosnia and Iraq. She now oversees the Global Media Campaign to End FGM, a charity that funds frontline activists using local media to end FGM in 28 countries worldwide. Powerscourt Managing Partner Victoria Palmer-Moore talks to Maggie about her vision for ending FGM by 2030 and the role that media can play in raising awareness and influencing change in the 28 countries where the practice remains prevalent. The Global Media Campaign supports grassroots activists and community leaders with media training with specially developed media masterclasses, both in-country and online. Activists are trained to run powerful anti-FGM campaigns which includes powerful influencers such as religious leaders and doctors speaking out in the media. To support the campaign, please visit GMC's donation page here: https://globalmediacampaign.org/donate/

“Business news is about people as much as it is about numbers”: Chris Williams, Business Editor at The Daily Telegraph, talks to his former colleague Russ Lynch about the stories that make it into those coveted column inches. What are readers really looking for? How is data influencing the editorial agenda? And what's next for business in 2023?Listen to all episodes on our website.Follow Powerscourt on Twitter and LinkedIn.

This week, MPs began debating amendments to the Official Secrets Act, but one potential new clause was conspicuously absent. A public interest defence for responsible whistle-blowers was not selected by the government for consideration in the House of Commons despite strong cross-party support. Powerscourt consultant Harold Amoo, who has been working on this legislation with director Mark Leftly since late 2020, speaks to political analyst Michael Keating about MPs' reactions and the potential next steps for their campaign.  Listen to all episodes on our website.Follow Powerscourt on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Have developing nations had a meaningful seat at the table? Will the midterms affect Biden's climate agenda? And are the world's largest emitters taking responsibility? Speaking from Sharm el-Sheikh, Sustainability team member Jourdan Webb tunes into the mood music at COP27, discussing these questions and more with Georgia Way from Powerscourt 360.Sign up to receive our COP27 wraps hereListen to all episodes on our website.Follow Powerscourt on Twitter and LinkedIn.

This week's Powerscourt Friday Fix looks at COP27, the annual UN climate conference which begins next week. This year is all about implementation: how will nations, businesses, scientists and civil society make headway on those environmental commitments made in previous years? What is “loss and damage”, and why is it expected to make headlines? Our team of sustainability experts, Leighton Barnish and Jourdan Webb, sit down to discuss the latest climate research and what to expect from this year's COP. Sign up to receive our COP27 wraps hereListen to all episodes on our website.Follow Powerscourt on Twitter and LinkedIn.

During the cost-of-living crisis, businesses are facing profound challenges communicating price changes, financial performance, remuneration and sustainability. How can communicators strike the right tone, avoid pitfalls, and strengthen reputations?Powerscourt campaigns director and ex-Telegraph economics editor Russ Lynch spoke to an expert panel about how companies should navigate these difficult times. Listen to the insights of Tracey Boles (Deputy Business Editor, The Times), Amanda MacKenzie OBE (CEO, Business in the Community) and Simon Read (freelance money writer and broadcaster) to find out more.

Powerscourt's Gilly Lock, Director in the Financials team, and Mark Leftly, Head of Public Affairs, react to the political chaos which saw Liz Truss become the shortest reigning Prime Minister in British history. They discuss what's next in politics and markets, the likely Conservative leadership contenders, and the outlook for the next General Election.Listen to all episodes on our website.Follow Powerscourt on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Powerscourt's head of financials Justin Griffiths is joined by Global Counsel's Joe Armitage, UK politics and policy practice lead analyst, to discuss whether the Government is talking an increasingly interventionalist approach to M&A involving sensitive UK industries, including some advice for companies who might find themselves within the scope of the Act.Listen to all episodes on our website.Follow Powerscourt on Twitter and LinkedIn.

This week's political events have been somewhat tumultuous. Hearing from Larry Elliott (Economics Editor of The Guardian), Mehreen Khan (Economics Editor of The Times) and Rebecca Park (Senior Practice Director at Global Counsel) on the subject from the Powerscourt Webinar ‘All Trussed Up'. The expert panel answer the questions we are all asking: Is Liz Truss's government a lame duck? Will we see it make good on any of the big proposals its leader-in-waiting promised over the summer? And Can Kwasi Kwarteng deliver the supply side changes promised to get the UK's economy growing again? Watch the full webinar here.Listen to all episodes on our website.Follow Powerscourt on Twitter and LinkedIn.

“The business community has clearly moved to the Labour Party, reminiscent really of the way the business embraced New Labour in 1997”: After another turbulent political week, Powerscourt public affairs director Simon Petar is joined by our founder and CEO Rory Godson. They share their take on this year's Labour conference amidst the new Truss government's economic woes.Powerscourt's Comms & the Cost of Living webinar  registration link: https://secure.emincote.com/client/powerscourt/powerscourt007Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Powerscourt partner Victoria Palmer-Moore speaks to Alex Cole, founder of the Ithaca Center for Corporate Affairs Leadership, about her experience managing communications during Kraft's 2010 takeover of iconic British brand Cadbury.Follow Powerscourt on Twitter and LinkedIn.Listen to all episodes on our website.

With the final two Conservative party leadership candidates selected, Russ Lynch and Mark Leftly cast their critical eyes over their standing within the selectorate, and look at how the Conservative party got to where it is today. This is the last episode in this series of The Powerscourt Friday Fix. Until we return after the summer, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

“The business community is probably about as divided as the Tory Party is at the moment”: Jim Armitage, business editor of The Sunday Times, sits down for breakfast with Russ Lynch to tell him what he is hearing  from the business community about the conservative leadership contest. 

“What is extraordinary is the gall of Boris to try to hang on when so many of his Cabinet and his backbenchers wanted him to go”: Gina Miller, leader of the True & Fair Party, shares her thoughts on the collapse of Boris Johnson's government and what the Conservative's next steps might be. Interviewed this week by Mark Leftly, head of politics at Powerscourt. Follow Powerscourt on Twitter and LinkedIn

“I received a press release about the stress of being the target of multiple emails – and then there was a follow up email saying ‘Did you receive my email about the stress of receiving so many emails?'”Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday business editor Ruth Sunderland speaks to Russ Lynch about combining newsrooms, the shifting gender balance in business journalism, and her most burning frustrations with the PR world.Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

"I believe there is a huge demand for business and finance news and analysis being done in a different way": Graham Ruddick, former deputy business editor at The Times, lifts the lid on his switch to newsletter subscription platform Substack and what drives him to challenge the status quo of contemporary journalism. This episode is hosted by Russ Lynch, a director in Powerscourt's campaigns team.

"Everybody is affected, every single employer is thinking about how they use the office": Charlie Green, co-founder & co-CEO of The Office Group (TOG) speaks to Justin Griffiths about how the pandemic has reshaped how and where we work. The office is far from dead - it is alive and kicking, just not as we used to know it!Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

"There are half a million customers playing in the black market. They're spending over £3 billion where there is no protection, no interaction, no intervention in any shape or form": Grainne Hurst, director of corporate affairs at international sports betting and gaming company Entain, shares her hopes and concerns ahead of the governments' long-awaited Gambling Act review.Interviewed this week by Powerscourt's Rob Greening, Partner & co-head of Consumer Industries.Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

“Fraud accounts for 42% of all crime against individuals. It's the most commonly experienced crime in England and Wales”: Baroness Nicky Morgan speaks to Powerscourt's head of politics Mark Leftly about her work chairing the House of Lords Select Committee on Digital Fraud.Follow Powerscourt on Twitter and LinkedIn

“There's a kind of logical dissonance to dismissing the fact that the protocol is in itself a consequence of Brexit”: Powerscourt alumnus Matthew O'Toole, Social Democratic and Labour Party MLA for Belfast South, discusses the current challenges of the Northern Ireland Protocol with Powerscourt CEO Rory Godson.Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn

“Hopefully the stigma is starting to relax”: James Short, CEO of Celadon Pharmaceuticals, speaks about changing public perceptions of medical cannabis in the UK.Interview by Sarah MacLeod, head of healthcare at Powerscourt.Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

“We want to protect people who hold information of wrongdoing but think carefully about how they disclose that in a really targeted way”: Mishcon De Reya's head of politics and law Katy Colton discusses Powerscourt, Mishcon and Matrix Chambers' campaign for a public interest defence in the Official Secrets Act.This episode is hosted by Russ Lynch, a director in Powerscourt's campaigns team.Follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter