• UK M&A deals of the week: 22 August 2025

    UK M&A activity spanned semiconductors, fintech, property, advisory, and aerospace. Five key transactions defined this week, led by Haylo Labs’ security-approved purchase of Plessey, alongside Starling’s acquisition of Ember and Leonard Curtis’s stake sale to Pollen Street Capital, highlighting national-interest sectors and private capital momentum.


  • A continent divided: Europe recovers — but UK remains cautious

    Eurozone businesses show growth as UK company confidence remains fragile. Fresh data reveals continental factories and services gaining pace, while UK surveys highlight costs, labour pressures, and deep uncertainty. But why is Europe moving forward while Britain struggles to find momentum?


  • Ex-EU chief warns of green backsliding — but businesses call for more ambition

    Europe is losing climate ground, warns the bloc’s first commissioner. Former EU climate chief Connie Hedegaard has warned that political and corporate complacency is eroding the European Union’s environmental leadership. Her remarks follow a series of policy rollbacks and investor concerns over the credibility of Europe’s net zero transition.


  • BRICs and the new rules of global commerce

    Tariffs have become geopolitical weapons of trade warfare in 2025. The US is targeting BRICS countries with sweeping levies, forcing businesses to rethink supply chains, risk planning, and resilience in a fragmented trade order.


  • Faraz Khan and the business of flexible work

    Flexible work has shifted from perk to business norm. Hybrid models, AI platforms, and changing workforce expectations have redefined how and where people work. Against this backdrop, MeetingRoomz founder Faraz Khan is positioning his platform — and his leadership philosophy — at the heart of the sector’s next phase.


  • UK M&A deals of the week: 15 August 2025

    UK M&A activity spans bread, LNG, and aerospace this week. Deals include ABF’s planned Hovis acquisition, Centrica’s LNG investment, Evelyn Partners’ sale plans, Boeing’s merger clearance, and EG Group’s international divestments.


  • Hotels sue Booking.com over best‑price terms — pan‑European legal push unfolds

    More than 10,000 hotels are suing Booking.com over “abusive practices”. The class action alleges years of restrictive pricing terms that eroded hotels’ margins and autonomy — an escalating battle over platform power and marketplace fairness.


  • Eurozone’s spending reset: modest growth meets lasting behaviour shift

    Analysts expect modest recovery in this week’s Eurozone retail data. But behind the numbers lies a deeper transformation in consumer priorities. As trust, transparency, and value redefinition take centre stage, Europe’s B2C leaders are rethinking how to compete — and what it means to stay relevant.


  • Specialist’s gambit: Steve Flavell, LoopUp, and the art of the strategic pivot

    LoopUp’s strategic pivot is a masterclass in modern business resilience. Steve Flavell led the company through disruption, delisting, and reinvention, turning a near-collapse into a new growth story. As cloud communications gets smarter, LoopUp’s challenge now is to match operational excellence with innovation in a rapidly shifting market.


  • UK late payment crackdown targets ‘risk multiplier’ for small businesses

    New powers for the Small Business Commissioner aim to tackle late payments. The average UK SME is owed more than £20,000, according to FSB data. Chronic late payment is now a defining risk, amplifying the impact of high costs, inflation, and energy prices for small businesses.