India’s economy… the rollercoaster ride from superpower to steep decline and back again
I’ve been writing for RasGas magazine on India’s economy. Ravaged – almost destroyed – by the British in the colonial era, it’s had a rollercoaster ride in recent years. It’s one of the BRIC economies and seemed unstoppable, but then hit a massive downturn. Forecasters were gloomy; political inertia and weak domestic demand seemed too […]
What our East of England MEPs really think about the Eurozone
What do our MEPs and business really think about Europe? It turns out that there’s a strong view in favour of staying in Europe (more than 90 per cent of local businesses think that leaving Europe would be bad for business). I’ve been interviewing our local MEPs for their views on Europe and the Eurozone, […]
How to transform a national economy: from bankrupt to boom in just three steps
Here’s my first story for Qatar’s RasGas magazine. It’s the remarkable story of South Korea, known as the ‘miracle on the Han River’. Today it’s among the world’s most prosperous economies but only fifty years ago it was one of the poorest nations on earth. It has few natural resources, so how did it turn […]
Is there a high street renaissance?
I’m researching a story about the fate of the high street and quickly discovered that it’s not all doom and gloom here in the East of England. But some cities and towns are much more successful than others. It’s not enough to have a wonderful historic centre; there’s got to be more to it than […]
Tomorrow’s workforce – where are we going to find the talent?
Every business wants to grow. But with an acute skills shortage in Norfolk and Suffolk, where are we going to find new workers? I’ve been talking to New Anglia LEP’s Iain Dunnett, and followed that up with the Skills Summit in Norwich this week. I wanted to know why we’ve still got a skills shortage, […]
Are some cities more equal than others?
Regional economies depend on the success of their small businesses for growth – but are some cities better placed than others? I’ve been finding out what affects our local cities – Cambridge, Ipswich and Norwich – with some surprising results. You’d think that Cambridge has everything, but there are big disadvantages. I’ve been looking at […]
Decommissioning – big money in the North Sea
I went along to the EEEGR event on decommissioning opportunities in the North Sea, to find out what this could mean for our region. There’s enormous capital investment, more than in recent years, as the ‘dash for gas’ speeds up and the coal-fired power stations run down. It’s a £35bn market, a great opportunity for […]
Diversification pays off for Suffolk farmers
Suffolk farmers produce some of the finest food in the country, and they’re finding innovative ways to survive and thrive in difficult times. I’ve been talking to three farmers who’ve diversified their business: James Foskett, who’s growing organic vegetables and salads for the supermarkets; Jonathan Simper, who’s farming shellfish in the Deben estuary, and William Buchanan, […]
Cultural tourism – how can Suffolk (and Norfolk) build on the ‘Britten impact’?
Benjamin Britten’s centenary is big business for Suffolk’s tourism industry this year, but how can the momentum be maintained year-on-year? I aimed to find out how it could be done. It’s a topic that’s been debated hotly in the New Anglia LEP community, with good reason: Norfolk and Suffolk have a wealth of cultural assets to […]
Branding – evolution or revolution?
Developing a brand for your business is hard work. How do you make sure your rebrand isn’t an expensive disaster? I’ve been talking to Pete Waters, a man who knows about brands and rebranding. He’s dealing with that challenge himself as Brand Manager for Visit Norfolk. “After product, branding is the most important aspect of […]