Podcasts about why london

Welcome back to the Alt Goes Mainstream podcast.Today's guest is an expert in financial services and capital markets who has experience as both a strategic investor and a VC.We welcome Rana Yared, a General Partner at Balderton, where she co-leads their Growth Fund. She came to Balderton in 2020 from across the pond, where she was a Partner at Goldman Sachs, first in the Principal Strategic Investments Group, a balance sheet investing team, and later in GS Growth, when the group became part of the GS Growth efforts that began to take in outside LP capital. At Goldman, Rana oversaw investments in Financial Technology and Enterprise Technology as well as the commercialization of Goldman's technology assets in both NYC and London. She represented Goldman on the boards of Tradeweb, NAV, Vestwell, New York Shipping Exchange, and Swapclear @ LCH. She currently serves on the board of Tradeweb in an independent capacity.Coming off of a fundraise of $1.3B in new capital across early and growth stage funds at Balderton, Rana and I discussed what LPs were interested in and why Europe is a compelling investment ecosystem. We had a fascinating discussion about:Revolutionary and evolutionary innovations in financial services and private markets, including the likes of iCapital, Tradeweb, Revolut.Why global tech companies can be built in Europe, with Revolut, a Balderton portfolio company, as an example.Why London and Europe are compelling fintech and financial services ecosystems.How LPs should look at the European investment opportunity.Differences and benefits / drawbacks of being a strategic / permanent capital investor versus being an independent VC fund.The importance of being a risk manager in venture.Thanks Rana for coming on the show to share your wisdom and views on Europe, venture, and private markets. We hope you enjoy.A word from AGM podcast sponsor, Ultimus Fund SolutionsThis episode of Alt Goes Mainstream is brought to you by Ultimus Fund Solutions, a leading full-service fund administrator for asset managers in private and public markets. As private markets continue to move into the mainstream, the industry requires infrastructure solutions that help funds and investors keep pace. In an increasingly sophisticated financial marketplace, investment managers must navigate a growing array of challenges: elaborate fund structures, specialized strategies, evolving compliance requirements, a growing need for sophisticated reporting, and intensifying demands for transparency.To assist with these challenging opportunities, more and more fund sponsors and asset managers are turning to Ultimus, a leading service provider that blends high tech and high touch in unique and customized fund administration and middle office solutions for a diverse and growing universe of over 450 clients and 1,800 funds, representing $500 billion assets under administration, all handled by a team of over 1,000 professionals. Ultimus offers a wide range of capabilities across registered funds, private funds and public plans, as well as outsourced middle office services. Delivering operational excellence, Ultimus helps firms manage the ever-changing regulatory environment while meeting the needs of their institutional and retail investors. Ultimus provides comprehensive operational support and fund governance services to help managers successfully launch retail alternative products.Visit www.ultimusfundsolutions.com to learn more about Ultimus' technology enhanced services and solutions or contact Ultimus Executive Vice President of Business Development Gary Harris on email at gharris@ultimusfundsolutions.com.We thank Ultimus for their support of alts going mainstream.Show Notes00:00 Introduction and Ultimus Sponsor Message01:59 Introducing Balderton Capital Partner, Rana Yared04:16 Rana's Journey from Goldman Sachs to Balderton04:25 Transition from Investment Banking to VC06:26 Insights on Financial Services and Market Structure06:37 Investing in Market Structure09:05 Disruptive vs. Evolutionary Innovations in Fintech12:53 Partnering with Incumbents14:31 The Importance of Durability and Product Velocity18:11 Strategic Investing vs. Venture Capital21:21 Investing in the European Ecosystem27:06 The Exciting Potential of Revolut and European FinTech27:21 FinTech Giants in Germany27:54 European Companies' International Advantage28:55 Investor's Perspective on European Expansion29:48 The Role of Venture Capital in Europe29:22 Challenges and Strategies for European Investors30:20 The Importance of Local Presence30:55 The Future of European Ecosystems31:28 US VCs Entering Europe32:15 Bridging the Talent Gap34:02 Mentorship and Expertise35:52 The Role of LPs and European Investment Opportunities37:23 Challenges for European Pensions and Endowments38:49 Innovations in Fund Structures41:27 The Impact of Governmental Participation in Venture42:22 Exciting Opportunities in European Venture43:10 FinTech's Massive Potential43:59 Europe's Unique Financial Services Advantages44:53 Geopolitical Concerns for Investors45:51 Lessons from War Studies Applied to Investing47:11 The Future of Retirement Investments in Europe49:13 The Importance of Patience in Investing

Welcome to "Navigating the Financial Frontier," where we dive deep into the lives and careers of finance leaders shaping the future of SaaS technology in one of the world's financial capitals—London. I'm your host, Adrian Lawrence, and in this podcast series, we'll explore the unique challenges and opportunities faced by Finance Directors in the dynamic and fast-paced world of SaaS. In today's episode, we're setting the stage by discussing what it means to be a Finance Director in a SaaS company. How is this role different from traditional finance leadership roles? What makes it exciting? And why is London such a hotspot for this industry? Segment 1: The Role of a Finance Director in SaaS Host: The role of a Finance Director in SaaS is a multifaceted one. Unlike traditional finance roles, where the focus might be on cost management and profitability, a SaaS Finance Director has to think strategically about growth, scalability, and customer retention. SaaS companies rely heavily on recurring revenue models, meaning financial planning, forecasting, and risk management are more complex and crucial. But what does this look like day-to-day? Let's break it down. Revenue Recognition: SaaS companies recognize revenue over the life of a subscription rather than at the point of sale. This requires a deep understanding of complex accounting standards like ASC 606. Cash Flow Management: With recurring revenue, cash flow can be more predictable, but it's also tightly linked to customer acquisition and retention. The Finance Director needs to ensure that the company has enough cash to fund growth initiatives while managing churn rates. Growth Strategy: The Finance Director often works closely with the CEO and the leadership team to set financial targets, secure funding, and make decisions on investments in product development, marketing, and international expansion. Compliance and Regulation: Operating out of London, a global financial hub, brings its own set of regulatory challenges. From GDPR to corporate governance standards, the Finance Director ensures that the company stays compliant while scaling. Segment 2: Why London is the Perfect Hub for SaaS Companies Host: London is not just a global financial center; it's also a vibrant hub for technology and innovation. The city offers a unique blend of access to capital, a deep talent pool, and proximity to both European and global markets. For SaaS companies, this combination is ideal for scaling operations. Finance Directors in London-based SaaS companies benefit from: Access to Funding: London's financial ecosystem is one of the best in the world. From venture capital to private equity, finance leaders have access to a wide range of funding sources to fuel growth. Talent Pool: London attracts top talent from around the world, particularly in finance, technology, and business development. This makes it easier to build a strong leadership team that can drive the company forward. Networking Opportunities: The city is home to numerous industry events, conferences, and meetups. For a Finance Director, this means constant opportunities to network, learn, and stay ahead of industry trends. Segment 3: Challenges Unique to SaaS Finance Directors in London Host: While the opportunities are plentiful, there are also unique challenges that Finance Directors in SaaS companies face in London. Brexit and Regulatory Changes: The impact of Brexit has created uncertainty in regulatory frameworks, affecting everything from data transfer to tax compliance. Navigating these changes requires agility and foresight. Currency Fluctuations: Operating in a global market means dealing with multiple currencies. The Finance Director must hedge against currency risks and manage the financial impact of exchange rate fluctuations. FD Capital are leading recruiters for SaaS businesses in London.

Hat Tip to this week's creators: @krishnanrohit, @EconSteveM, @abracarioca, @jasonlk, @HarryStebbings, @DavidStreitfeld, @PranavDixit, @amir, @waynema, @ingridlunden, @odsc, @seancaptain, @JacobERobbins, @Kantrowitz, @Ryan_S_Gladwin, @EricNewcomer, @maddierenbarger, @gruber, @paulgContents* Editorial: * Essays of the Week* Whither Utopia?* 1% of VC backed startups will make it past $100M ARR* From $1 to $100m revenue: Scaling VC backed SaaS with Notion Capital* China's $47B semiconductor fund puts chip sovereignty front and center* Chinese scientists develop cure for diabetes, insulin patient becomes medicine-free in just 3 months* Video of the Week* Harry Stebbings and Jason Lemkin on Seed Investing* AI of the Week* If A.I. Can Do Your Job, Maybe It Can Also Replace Your C.E.O.* OpenAI CEO Cements Control as He Secures Apple Deal* OpenAI signs 100K PwC workers to ChatGPT's enterprise tier as PwC becomes its first resale partner* Why London is a Powerhouse in Artificial Intelligence* AI May Dominate Billionaire Family Investments* Generative AI seed funding drops 76% as investors take wait-and-see approach* VC Says "Chaos" Coming for Startups, Ads, and Online Business as Generative AI Eats Web* News Of the Week* Ethereum ETFs: BlackRock Gets $10M Seed Investment and Grayscale Adds Coinbase Custody* Sequoia's Elon Play* Salesforce: We Need 50% More Pipeline Than Before To Hit the Plan* Startup of the Week* New from Lux, makers of Halide:* X of the WeekEditorial: Stand Back, Think Big, Dig DeepWe need big and deep thinkers with bold ideasI used Suno to create a theme song for this newsletter. You can download the MP3 to see how limited my creative skills are, even when using advanced AI.The lyrics are mine and include the following:[Verse]That Was The Week No time to be Meek The goal is to Seek The Next Big Thing [[Chorus]That Was The Week That Was The Week Stand Back Think Big Dig Deep That Was The WeekI'm starting with this in honor of the essay of the week written by Rohit Krishnan - “Whither Utopia”. Rohit charts the rise of utopian ideas (before that was a pejorative term), and the fall of utopian thinking. Toward the end of the essay he states:Instead of grand narratives the focus became on micro narratives, skepticism of rational progress, and, perhaps consequently, a reliance on technology to be the answer.Micro narratives pervade technology today, while macro narratives are frowned upon or described as dangerous. OpenAI has become a magnet for hostility to big ideas and transformative technologies.Rohit points out that technology may have obviated the need for large social thinking about organizing the world. I think that may be a temporal anomaly. As AI improves productivity and frees humans to have more leisure time (in the negative lexicon, “eats jobs”), the macro narrative around wealth distribution is likely to raise its head loudly.So the theme this week is “Stand Back, Think Big, Dig Deep.”It seems very likely that AI, or at least the LLM version we are experiencing now, will remove hours and hours of monotonous work from many humans each week. It seems very likely that the world will become cleverer as Apple introduces AI to the iPhone in Junes WWDC, and Android follows suit. Billions of us will have a ready-made, multi-skilled assistant. Increasingly, it will be able to carry out tasks and report results. It also seems likely that physical beings running computers with this AI embedded, will be capable of real-world tasks. And it seems likely that we will be able to raise science to a new level, as the Chinese diabetes technology reported below demonstrates. Oh, and the entire world will have access to these new skills and tools. The trend will be towards them being free.We are on the verge of an era of enormous advancement in what we can collectively do.So, this is not a time for fear, complaints, or accusations. it is a time to get stuff done.PWC adopting ChatGPT and Apple reportedly doing so are early signals of a new technical revolution.China's $47 billion semiconductor fund (see below) will undoubtedly be able to leverage AI to make advanced semiconductors faster than we made the first ones.The new world will challenge all of today's institutions and require new social arrangements, both globally and locally, as the earth flattens from an economic and demographic point of view and human demands regarding work are reduced.You can't have rapid technical s***s without equally dramatic social s***s. Rohit's historical survey of utopian thinkers demonstrates that all greatly impacted how societies evolved. This generation needs to ask some big questions, dig deep for answers, and do so from an overview of where we are and where we want to go. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thatwastheweek.com/subscribe

More than half of all London roads now have 20mph limits. Do the stats back the low-speed zones? Air quality, MPG and community benefits explained. Our City Hall and Transport Editor Ross Lydall and Jeremy Leach from 20's Plenty For Us discuss the rationale behind the 20mph zones, and whether they're working for London. In this episode:How do we know that 20mph zones work?Why London drivers are opposed to the low-speed zonesMayor Sadiq Khan's ambitions targets for collisionsCould 20 become the new 30 everywhere?Follow us on X or on Threads. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we're joined by none other than Isadore (Issy) Sharp, the founder of The Four Seasons. We're talking about one, if not the most iconic luxury hotel brands in the world. His story is incredible. From growing up and working in construction. To how he met his wife that's he's still with over 70 years later. This episode was so damn good we had to split it into two parts. In part one, you'll learn what Issy's upbringing was like, why Issy has never felt fear, the most important concepts that made the Four Seasons successful, and arguably the best investment of all time.  — Where To Find Big Shot:  Website: ⁠bigshot.show⁠  YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@bigshotpodcast⁠   TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bigshotshow⁠    Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/bigshotshow/⁠   Harley Finkelstein: ⁠https://twitter.com/harleyf⁠  David Segal: ⁠https://twitter.com/tea_maverick⁠ Production and Marketing: ⁠⁠https://penname.co — In This Episode, We Cover: (00:00) Welcome to Big Shot and meet our guest Issy Sharp (05:45) Learn about Issy's upbringing and the influence his parents had on him (12:40) Why every Four Seasons design still goes through Issy to this day (14:33) How Issy met his wife over 70 years ago and his ability to never have fear  (22:50) How Issy had the chutzpah at even a young age (24:25) The story of Issy's first hotel project and how he built the Four Seasons (30:00) Arguably the best investment of all time  (33:15) Why it was named the Four Seasons (37:05) The key concepts that made the Four Seasons so successful (45:29) How the Inn on the Park was designed on the architect's deathbed  (51:59) How Issy got a $600k loan to take the Four Seasons to the next level (55:25) Why London became the prototype and catalyst for the Four Seasons  — Referenced: ITT Corporation: https://www.britannica.com/topic/ITT-Corporation  Ford Thunderbird: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Thunderbird_(second_generation)  Tanenbaum Family: https://search.ontariojewisharchives.org/Permalink/accessions24895  Inn on the Park: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inn_on_the_Park  Peter Dickinson: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Dickinson_(architect)  WZMH Architects: https://www.wzmh.com/about/history/  Dorchester Hotel: https://www.dorchestercollection.com/en/london/the-dorchester/ 

Are you looking to invest in a property overseas? Maybe somewhere in the United Kingdom? Here's an outlook for the property market in the UK this year.  On Culture Club, Drive Time's Elliot Danker and Timothy Go also speak with Emma Cariaga, Joint Head of Canada Water and Head of Residential, British Land to find out “Why London” for Singapore investors who are looking for opportunities out of Asia post-pandemic. The team also finds out more about Canada Water, one of the largest and most sustainable London projects.     See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

UK Space Agency reacts to Virgin Orbit mission failure. Meanwhile, SpaceX plans the largest launch in history next month. Why London is the most congested city in the world, and is the iPhone SE gone forever? Also in this episode:Scientists map cellular changes linked to endometriosisAmazon to close down three UK warehousesHow coral reefs are ‘under threat' from hidden heatwavesPlans to build the UK's first nuclear medicine facility producing cancer-fighting substances UK residents ‘stunned' by huge meteor spotted in night sky Follow us on Twitter #TechScienceDaily Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ed Bazel – The London SessionsAired Monday, November 7, 2022 at 11:00 AM PST / 2:00 PM EST / 7:00 PM GMT / 8:00 PM CETFor many years there was a voice guiding Ed Bazel. A red thread. A dream that called the composer to record in London. Why London, and not LA, where he had spent his first 20+ years as a solo pianist? Was it the luscious sound of the grand piano that had its home on Abbey Road? The good vibes? Discover how musical memories speak to us. Join Kara Johnstad and Ed Bazel in a heartfelt conversation about what led him to record in Abbey Road Studios' Studio 2, following in the footsteps of musical greats: The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Adele, Ed Sheeran, etc. Listen in as we talk about the creative process, the healing benefits of music, and the beauty the piano has to soothe our souls.Connect with Ed Bazel at https://edbazel.com#EdBazel #VoiceRising #KaraJohnstadTo get in touch with Kara, go to http://www.karajohnstad.com/Visit the Voice Rising show page https://omtimes.com/iom/shows/voice-rising/Subscribe to our Newsletter https://omtimes.com/subscribe-omtimes-magazine/Connect with OMTimes on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Omtimes.Magazine/ and OMTimes Radio https://www.facebook.com/ConsciousRadiowebtv.OMTimes/Twitter: https://twitter.com/OmTimes/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/omtimes/Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/2798417/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/omtimes/

We chat Nik Coppin, a veteran comedian of over 20 years, who is the founder of both shaggers. He has performed many solo shows at the Edinburgh and Adelaide Fringe Festivals, New Zealand and Melbourne International Comedy Festivals. Whats more, he can be described as a comedy traveller, he has performed in Germany, Spain, Ireland, Hungary, Poland, France, Denmark and Norway. He has also frequented Southeast Asia doing shows in Singapore, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Hong Kong and The Philippines. He is an overview of what we discussed: [02:25] How Spiderman influenced me to do comedy [10:01] How to avoid making comedy therapy [12:26] How the circuit used to be [18:48] Why London comedy circuit is sh•t [26:24] How I became a comedy teacher what teaching and doing comedy taught me [37:30] Adjusting to different comedy scenes [46:48] How I set up shaggers If you would like to know more about Nik Coppin, you can find out about him and his projects on his website at https://www.nikcoppin.com/ (https://www.nikcoppin.com/) or you can watch his Edinburgh show at https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/nik-coppin-shark (https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/nik-coppin-shark). If you enjoyed the episode you can help support the podcast by donating to the Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/thecomediansparadise (https://www.patreon.com/thecomediansparadise) or follow Marvin through his Linktree at https://linktr.ee/theflopmaster?fbclid=IwAR0rA0Ybj-P-sF1jpUdbl22JNpY8stfnZtM0QswrTea3frDvNl3sP0H6V1Q (https://linktr.ee/theflopmaster). 

In this episode we take you on a journey through London from three very different perspectives. You'll benefit from the insider travel tips from celebrated Blue Badge guide Katie Wignell from Look Up London, explore London by bike with American expat and long-time Londoner, Martin T Sherman, and find out about the fascinating subculture on London's canals. Riverboat dweller, John Kenton tells us about the history and lifestyle of London's canal barge community. 01.00 - Learning London by bike Our love letter was written and delivered by actor, writer and inventor, Martin T. Sherman (with Bespoke Voices). 07.10 - London's canal boats John Kenton is a singer-songwriter, a much loved London boater, and owner of the Thames Queen. 18.55 - Why London is best explored by foot Katie Wignell, Blue Badge London guide and owner of the award-winning walking tours outfit, Look Up London Feeling that wanderlust? Longing to hear more Love Letters from locals? Please subscribe and give your rating for our podcast, it makes an enormous difference to our listenership. Follow us for travel updates on Instagram and Facebook. Producer: Tasmin Waby Presenters: Belinda Dixon & Simon Richmond Sound editing: Belinda Dixon & Tasmin Waby Thanks also to Doug Murray & Kate Armstrong Theme Music: Instant by Nettson Sound credits: Cycling and breathing, Creative Commons Piccadilly circus, talking, horns, siren, cars, Creative Commons Busy London cafe, Creative Commons Road sounds & Big Ben, Creative Commons Construction sounds (jackhammer), Creative Commons Nightclub and siren sound, Creative Commons Nightclub techno music, Creative Commons 8-bit Electro, Creative Commons Tube from Tower Hill to Aldgate East Tube sounds, recorded by Tasmin Waby 3 April 2021

The latest episode features Tracy Halliwell, Director of Tourism & Convention Bureau for London & Partners, in conversation with EventMB deputy editor, Angela Tupper.   In this episode titled, “Why London's Event Industry Is Booming Again,” Tracy Halliwell discusses how London's meeting and event sector is growing exponentially, and how this rebound relates to larger industry trends. Topics include: Whether revenge attendance is already happening How London's sustainability initiatives are changing the game When global business travel will return to pre-pandemic levels How to pick hybrid-event-friendly destinations The value of government programs like subvention and event insurance

Today's guest is Ed Glaeser, a Professor of Economics at Harvard University, and he joins us to talk about urbanization and urban planning. Ed has written, or co-authored several books, including The Triumph of The City, and more recently, Survival of the City: Living and Thriving in an Age of Isolation, published this year with David Cutler. Our conversation begins on the subject of the rapid urbanization of parts of the developing world such as India and Sub-Saharan Africa. We explore what lessons can be learned in this regard from the urbanization of Latin America in the 1960s. Our exchange moves to touch on ways of urbanizing without industrialization or via services rather than manufacturing. Shifting onto the topic of urban governance, we hear Ed's thoughts on the 15-minute city concept, how to overcome political constraints to construction such as vetocracy, and how to push back against cars when they stand as status symbols to the newly rich. We also get into why the schools in big US cities are failing and how to deal with the rising carbon emissions that come as developing countries urbanize. We then talk about COVID-related challenges to productivity and the supply chain, before wrapping up on the subject of whether charter cities are a way of experimenting with pro-entrepreneurship institutions. Key Points From This Episode: •   The lessons to be learned from Latin America's urbanization regarding transport and more. •   Countries that have become urbanized without being industrialized. •   The connection between urbanization and moving out of poverty. •   Perspectives on manufacturing versus service-led paths toward transformation. •   Whether there is a distinction between urban migrants who arrive due to ‘pull' versus ‘push' factors. •   Ed's thoughts on whether secondary cities can be as productive as primary ones. •   The contrast between entrepreneurship and poor living conditions in Mumbai's Dharavi slum. •   Under which conditions private provision (PPP) works best and worst. •   What we can learn from large urban infrastructure projects built in the 1970s. •   Whether there are examples of cities that are good at combatting vetocracy. •   The leaders behind cities that have experienced massive urbanization. •   Why Ed thinks the 15-minute city is a dead-end concept but agrees with some aspects of it. •   How to push back against environmentally damaging status symbols for the newly rich as a planner. •   The factors that contribute to suburbanization and whether China is headed that way. •   How to deal with the rising carbon emissions that come as developing countries urbanize. •   Why large cities in the US are failing on the schooling front and Ed's thoughts on a solution. •   Ed's thoughts on a land-grant university model in developing countries. •   How to grapple with current COVID-related supply chain challenges. •   Productivity after social distancing in light of the connection between density and productivity. •   Why London and New York are still the only truly global cities. •   Whether charter cities are a way of experimenting with pro-entrepreneurship institutions.   Links Mentioned in Today's Episode: https://scholar.harvard.edu/glaeser/home (Ed Glaeser) https://www.nber.org/ (National Bureau of Economic Research) https://www.amazon.com/Triumph-City-Greatest-Invention-Healthier/dp/0143120549 (Triumph of The City) https://www.amazon.com/Survival-City-Living-Thriving-Isolation-ebook/dp/B08V896ZD6 (Survival of the City: Living and Thriving in an Age of Isolation) https://scholar.harvard.edu/cutler/home (David Cutler)... Support this podcast

This week we’re turning the episode over to editor in chief Arnie Weissmann, who spoke last month with three major travel advisor players in London. Why London? The group was there at the invitation of a group of hoteliers who were mulling different ways to get the word out to Americans that London was “open” for travel. Their solution was to turn to the agency consortium Virtuoso, headed by Matthew Upchurch, and one of Virtuoso’s preferred suppliers, a tour company called Noteworthy that specializes in special access and exclusive experiences. In this episode you’ll hear from Weissmann, Upchurch, Vanessa McGovern, co-founder of Gifted Travel Network and Rob Karp, the founder of MilesAhead, about “process fatigue,” why travelers should choose a travel advisor as well as why travel advisors should be choosy about their travelers – and why it’s never been a better time to be a traveler. Overtourism. Customer service. And you’ll hear about experiences developed by Noteworthy and the guests’ coolest experiences in London. Sponsor: Our sponsor for this episode is Hurtigruten Expeditions. As a bonus to this episode, Hurtigruten Expeditions CEO Asta Lassesen chats with Travel Weekly's senior vice president of marketing Mary Pat Sullivan about the line's return to Antarctica, growth in expedition cruising and more. Listen through to the end of the episode. Related reading: Arnie Weissmann's From the Window Seat column on traveling to London with Virtuoso: https://www.travelweekly.com/Arnie-Weissmann/The-UK-89-percent-vaccinated-calls-for-help-Virtuoso-responds-with-41-advisors See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join me as I talk with fellow Harry Potter fan, Amelia, about their experience moving abroad to England, some of the similarities and differences between the US and the UK, and that crazy British weather.In this episode we talk about:Why London is a great place to be an expatThings to remember when living abroadWhat benefits for her family she has seen in their time abroadAmelia Brame is originally from St. George, Utah- but has since lived in Poland, Texas, Mississippi, Virginia and now England. She has a Masters degree in Dance Education and LOVES to move and teach creativity in K-12 public education, but is currently on hiatus while she enjoys her stint abroad. She is passionate about photography and runs a small business on the side. She loves beauty and finding beautiful places around the world to capture. She loves to be outside, tease her five year old, watch Netflix with her husband, and eat all the European chocolate.Follow her expat adventures: @thebramesabroad Follow her photography instagram: @emersonannephotography

Craving Peking duck and pancakes, Robert and Suresh are out in Chinatown for some food when they 'accidentally' stumble into Susanne Chishti from FINTECH Circle. The new party head off to a nearby restaurant to discuss everything Fintech from: - The orgins of the term Fintech - Where the next stage of Fintech innovation will take place? - Why London has been so successful in 'raising' Fintech unicorns and start ups - The rising talent gap

This week on the PRmoment Podcast, in the latest of our life stories series, I’m pleased to welcome CEO of Golin Jon Hughes.Global PR firm Golin has a fee income of about $240m. Jon has been at Golin for about 14 years, he spent six years in the UK as co-managing director alongside Matt Neale, before moving to Hong Kong to head up its international business. He became CEO alongside Matt Neale and Gary Rudnick in 2017.Here are some of the highlights of what Jon and I discussed: [00:01:15] How Jon went from working in IT sales and ended up as global CEO of a top-ten global PR firm. [00:04:28] Whether Jon has Jon got more “PR royalty” mates than anyone else? [00:06:04] Why Jon “didn't really know” Matt Neale before they became joint UK MDs of Golin. [00:07:59] Why the sector experience of Matt and Jon combined to mean that they together were the right combination to take Golin forward [00:08:52] Why Golin in London had lost its identity before Matt and Jon took over in 2005. [00:09:50] How Fred Cook's management style gave Matt and Jon "headspace" which allowed them to do things that ordinarily they wouldn't have done. [00:11:08] Why London is a hub of innovation not just for Golin, but for PR as an industry. [00:12:12] How Golin in London has grown from 25 people in 2005 to 200 today - Jon talks us through how an agency business can go on such a prolonged period of growth. [00:12:33] Why all agencies go through cycles of success and then have to reinvent.[00:12:56] Why one of Al Golin's mantras "fix it before it breaks" is on Jon's office wall.[00:15:35] Why winning the Orange pitch meant Golin was able to hire some great consumer talent in 2006 - Bibi Hilton! [00:17:47] Why agencies need "that freshness and that hunger at scale - that's when you know you're on the money." [00:20:58] Why the client "Palm" was a critical part of the story that lead to the renewal of Glolin as a global firm.[00:22:33] Jon talks us through the G4 model ten years on.[00:26:44] Why PR firms trying to be all things to all people ends up in a vanilla proposition.[00:26:53] Why Golin has recently rebranded as a PR agency. [00:28:30] Why, when PR people run out of conversation, they either talk about PR trade bodies or the definition of PR. [00:28:51] Why some people have seen Golin rebranding itself as a PR firm as a regressive step. [00:30:29] Why Jon took the president international job in Hong Kong in 2005 despite him originally thinking that Matt Neale was going to get it.[00:32:46] Why Jon enjoys building businesses and managing change.[00:34:35] Jon compares the working styles of India, China, Singapore and Taiwan.[00:35:22] Jon talks us through Golin’s buying criteria for when it makes an acquisition.[00:37:17] Why (as the acquirer) you have to expect the unexpected when you do acquisitions.[00:38:01] Why holding groups don't acquire for revenue, they acquire for the specialism and talent.[00:38:54] Jon talks us through where Virgo Health is today, following its acquisition of Golin in 2012.[00:39:45] Following Golin's acquisition of Magic, Jon talks us through what it's like trying to buy a business in China.[00:41:30] Jon talks about how he sees the PR agency market heading from an acquisition perspective.[00:43:33] Jon discusses his favourite memories of Al Golin.

This week I'm interviewing Aaron Kwittken, founder of KWT in the latest of life stories podcasts. Aaron started KWT, formally Kwittken, 13 years ago. Before this he followed a big agency career path working at MSL, Ketchum, Fleishman, Cohn and Wolfe and Havas. KWT has a fee income of $12 to $15 million dollars and around 80 employees including 12 in London. Aarron sold KWT to MDC Partners in 2010 and still owns a minority stake in the firm. MDC Partners also owns Allison Partners, Hunter PR and Sloane & Co. Here is a summary of what Aaron and I discussed: Why having spent 13 years working for some of the world's biggest PR firms he decided to launch Kwittken. 0.59 mins Why mediocrity can hide at big agencies in a way in can't in smaller firms. 01.19 mins Why it's wrong that the more senior you get in a large agency the further away you get from actually serving clients. 01.43 mins How Aaron defines the difference between practice areas and specialisms, and why it's an important consideration in how you organise an agency. 02.05 mins Why the need for more of a collaborative approach means agencies must rid themselves of departments and fiefdoms. 02.53 mins How KWT is set up so that junior staff don't have a vertical specialsm, it's a matrix structure. 03.09 mins Why the greatest mark of success of a business is not what an employee does while they're with you, but what they do when they leave. 04.08 mins Why matching people's passions to the clients they work on is really important. 04.30 mins Whether Aaron regrets selling KWT at such an early stage (when it had eight employees, it now has 80). 05.54 mins How MDC Partners merged KWT into a digital agency and then KWT "spun themselves back out". 05.59 mins Why there will be 2 types of PR firms - earned media shops and brand marketing agencies. 07.51 mins What impact the financial difficulties of KWT's owner and holding company MDC Partners has on the business. 09.56 mins Why London still is such an important place for US firms to have a presence. 11.17 mins What has Aaron learnt from acquiring PR agencies? 14.06 mins Why Aaron looks at agencies like shopping malls. 15.31 mins Which areas Aaron wants to make acquisitions in in London next year. 16.38 mins and 28.39 mins Why short-term earn outs in PR don't work. 17.34 mins Why KWT is bigger now than if Aaron had not taken investment from MDC Partners. 19.40 mins Why Aaron never wants to grow KWT beyond 150-200 people. 21.06 mins Why agencies need a purpose. 24.07 mins Why the dots on the map approach to international PR firms is outdated. 24.48 mins How Aaron took up Ironman in 2008 after his dad passed away from congestive heart failure. 31.26 mins Why Aaron's best thinking is done when he's swimming. 33.45 mins Why Aaron isn't worried about Brexit. 36.15 mins Why firms that have multiple offices spread their risk. 37.05 mins

Jordan McRae walks us through his incredible journey setting up Mobilus Labs and mindblowing CommTech revolutionising the way humans communicate. In this episode, we talked about how Mobilus Labs are revolutionising communication, their near-fatal origin story, Why London is the perfect place to set up a tech startup, How to recruit an all-star team who aren’t afraid to challenge you, how to build diversity in your team.   Subscribe to our newsletter on our website: www.letstalktech.io Powered by talent.io - Great jobs for great developers

Today I'm joined by a previous guest from Session 001 — Pedro Fernandes from Arqui9 in London. Pedro's story spans Australia, Portugal, and London. We talk about his days as an architect in Australia and Portugal, and his gradual move toward visualization as he was teaching fellow architects in the Lisbon office about rendering, only to find out that he loves doing visualization. Upon seeing that fork on the road, he went right and never looked back. We dive into the Arqui9 way of making images, discuss why London is the best place for this, and talk about Arqui9 Learn teaching. The Long Progression to Arqui9 Starting out at university, Pedro always had a passion for visually demonstrating the work he was doing. He really began cultivating his passion for 3D after internships in Lisbon and, and as his interest grew, so did his experimenting. He joined forces with three friends to create architecture, 3D, and design. As more information became available on the internet, he sourced as many tutorials as he possibly could, including many of the blog, which can be found here. This started in 2008, when the economic downturn gave him the opportunity to depart from architecture and focus more on 3D design. After sending his portfolio all over, he started at Vyonyx in London and eventually formed his own company. The Drive Behind the Work After working for several companies in different countries, Pedro decided to work for himself, and he never looked back. He gets to do what he loves, working for clients he loves, and he considers himself among the luckiest people on earth. He has always worked toward the goal of working with certain people, and that desire has driven him to keep working harder and better, even on the days when he wishes that he'd never started down this road. Crafting Visuals at Arqui9 Pedro creates unique images that always catch my attention, and have been featured on the blog several times as “Best of the Week.” On this session, we discuss how he has passed his unique vision on to his team, where he gets his inspiration, and how he incorporates the talents of each artist into the work that they do. He appreciates that his work isn't better or worse than anyone else's, and appreciates the differences in visuals. Recognizing this has helped him identify what he wants to accomplish with his work, and pushes him to achieve it. You'll be inspired when you hear about this and more — including why London is the best place for ArchViz and the why behind Arqui9 Learn — in this session of The SpectRoom with Pedro Fernandes. Key Takeaways [1:46] The gradual progression from Uni to 3D design. [6:38] If you study architecture, you'll be prepared for anything your career may bring. [9:22] Why Australia? Pedro details the lessons he learned down under. [14:58] From Lisbon to Arqui9 — how Pedro decided to take a risk on himself. [18:10] The dream client in the elevator won't see much from Pedro. [20:21] The driving factor for Pedro starts with luck and love. [25:18] The approach for crafting visuals at Arqui9. [31:16] The workflow among their 7-person team is a collaborative one. [37:00] Mixing still images and technology. [42:35] Selecting a new artist starts with finding a good, moral person. [46:37] Why London is the best place for ArchViz. [48:58] Pedro highlights the managerial skills he gained in Australia. [52:55] All about Arqui9 Learn. [59:28] How you can connect with Pedro. Main Quotes “Being able to show your ideas how you want to have always seduced me.” — Pedro Fernandes “We are some of the luckiest people on earth.”  — Pedro Fernandes “You're going to have good days, bad days, and days when you wish you'd never done this.”  — Pedro Fernandes “The magic is the artist instilling their own experience into the image.”  — Ronen Bekerman “The 3D program may not seem like an essential thing, but it's very essential.”  — Pedro Fernandes “I'm not gonna lie — good work gets you far.” — Pedro Fernandes Software & Hardware Mentions SketchUp Kerkythea 3DS Max Wacom Photoshop V-Ray Corona Renderer Name Dropping Arqui9 Arqui9 Learn Arqui9 on Youtube Pedro Fernandes Vyonyx 3D Symposium Barcelona Sponsors Quixel / Megascans AXYZ Design  

In this episode, you’ll hear about: -Why simulations have advanced in recent years, and why enterprises should utilize them for more scenarios than ever before -How Simudyne plans to first go after the financial services market while other sectors’ technology catches up -Why London has the best ecosystem for startups with a financial focus, even over New York, and why it’s not just due to the close proximity to banks -Jonathan’s experience teaching math after attending Cambridge, and why he was chosen as head of the department -How helping others for a few months and attending hackathons built Jonathan’s London network -The early days of Simudyne pre-Techstars and the office perils they originally endured before entering the program After Jonathan shares some colorful stories about office life, be sure to listen to the end, where he tells me a London startup he loves and the founder he’d most want to interview.

In this episode, you’ll hear about: -Automata’s product progression and the early surprises Mostafa and his cofounder uncovered when Eva was first introduced -The most common use cases Automata sees and how companies evaluate whether a robot could be useful for its business -Why London is the ideal location to create a company, particularly for highly technical startups -Mostafa’s experience growing up in Dubai, and how living there inspired him to pursue architecture -The software component that accompanies Eva, and the “teach by example” approach Automata uses to train the product -Why Mostafa and his cofounder Suryansh ultimately decided to leave architecture and join Entrepreneur First to pursue their dream Catch the end of the show, where I ask Mostafa some new questions, in addition to, of course, hearing the person he’d most want to interview and why.

In this episode, you’ll hear about: -Why it was important for Cleo to have a personality, and the opportunity Aleksandra sees in the space -Growing up in Poland and how her father helped foster her early interest with -technology  -How, as a child, computer science felt like wizardry, where scripts were spells and programs were magic -Why Aleksandra was not deterred by not having prior leadership experience (and why learning by doing is critical to success) -Why London is the perfect locale for launching a new venture -The importance of having balanced personalities between cofounders Check out the end of the episode, where Aleksandra talks about the future of VR and why it’s critical to not be afraid of who you are (and who you want to be).