The City View - City AM's Daily Podcast

In this episode Christian talks to Jean Stephens, global CEO of RSM International, the world’s 6th largest audit, tax and consulting network. Jean reflects on her own leadership during the last few months and how she's adapted, having previously spent 70 per cent of her time on international flights. Jean also identifies growth opportunities for the network and says that while flexible working will clearly play a big role in the future, the general mood among her staff is that "they can't wait to get back into the office."

Also in this episode, Christian looks at KMPG's new global CEO survey; Downing Street's reluctance to encourage people back into offices; and the prospect of a freshly minted UK-Japan trade deal.

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In this episode Christian talks to Joanna Swash, chief executive of the customer services and office support provider Moneypenny, which has 20,000 corporate clients in the UK and US. Joanna talks about the impact of the early stages of lockdown on her company and explains how she transitioned 1,000 staff to work from home in just three weeks. With call volumes and business activity now higher than the pre-lockdown period, Joanna shares her leadership and management approach, saying businesses can either hide, survive or thrive. She thinks it's time to discover some confidence, embrace the changes and thrive. 

Also in this episode, Christian looks at a new survey suggesting Londoners are particularly keen to get back to the office; John Lewis moving beyond its 'never knowingly undersold' slogan; and JP Morgan's ambition to launch a UK retail bank.

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In this episode Christian is joined by City A.M.'s comment editor, Rachel Cunliffe, who expands on her forthright column from earlier in the week, criticising the education secretary Gavin Williamson. Rachel talks about the failure of leadership and accountability surrounding the A-level marking fiasco, and considers what the controversy tells us about the caliber of our politicians and the capabilities of agencies and Whitehall departments.

Also in this episode, Christian looks at dire warnings from clubs, bars and music venues being hammered by pandemic restrictions; construction giant Mace's plans to get staff back in the office; and Mike Ashley's latest financials. 

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Today Andy Silvester is joined by Havas London CEO Xavier Rees. The ad land boss offers his thoughts on the return to work, the value of creative ideas in the office, and why he’s changed the company’s articles of association to become a “B Corp”.

Andy also looks at Heathrow complaints about quarantine rules, Matt Hancock’s call for people to return to the office and Monzo’s latest setback.

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In this episode Christian talks to Adam Marshall, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, about the state of the economy and the prospects for a recovery. Adam believes that when government support schemes are withdrawn they must be replaced by more targeted schemes and that businesses must be supported by tax reform and incentives to hire. With the latest survey from the business group pointing to deep-rooted nervousness among firms, Adam says there is a real risk that simply switching off support, such as the job retention scheme, could lead to widespread hardship in the business community.

Also in this episode, Christian looks at the latest bank lending figures; the success of the chancellor's Eat Out to Help Out scheme; and Amazon's plans to hire thousands of people - and take on more office space.

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In this episode Christian talks to music industry veteran Merck Mercuriadis, a former manager of acts including Elton John and Beyoncé whose FTSE-listed investment firm has just hit a £1bn market cap after snapping up the rights to hits including Livin’ on a Prayer, Back to Black, Uptown Funk, Single Ladies and Don't Stop Believing. Music rights is big business, and Merck's company Hipgnosis counts heavyweight Investec, Schroders and Aviva as shareholders. He discusses the growth potential of streaming services; the criteria for selecting an investable song; and why he believes his operation is good for investors as well as song-writers. 

Also in this episode, Christian reflects on his own return to the office in the City of London.

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In this episode Christian is joined by Lawson Muncaster, co-founder and managing director of City A.M., to discuss the challenges posed by the last five months and the decision to return to print for Monday 7 September. Lawson discusses how the company adapted to survive; what life could look like in the Square Mile come the autumn; and how City A.M.'s agility helped it navigate unprecedented challenges.

Also in this episode, Christian looks at the plans for London's latest multi-million pound film studio; Tesco's response to the threat from Amazon; and how the pandemic has brought an end to a centuries-old tradition at a Soho pub. The episode also ends with a brief cameo appearance from Christian's three year old son, Chaplin.

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In this episode Christian is joined by Euan Blair, co-founder of tech firm Whitehat which matches apprentices with employers including Facebook, Morgan Stanley and other blue chip giants. Euan is on a mission to change the way people think about apprenticeships and to provide opportunities for disadvantaged young people and those who feel university isn't for them. He also discusses the role of the controversial apprenticeship levy; how employers can start bringing apprentices onboard; and what the exam grading fiasco tells us about education and the options facing school leavers.

Also in this episode Christian looks at Sadiq Khan's warning on a hollowed-out London; a new survey by Aviva showing optimism among employees returning to work; and the surge of holiday bookings for summer 2021.

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In this episode Christian talks to former energy and climate change minister Greg (now Lord) Barker, who currently sits as executive chairman of Russian energy and metals giant EN+ Group. Lord Barker begins by assessing the current economic conditions and says there is a compelling case to extend the multi-billion-pound furlough scheme. He also calls for more targeted financial support for businesses. Turning to infrastructure, he makes the case for a greater market value for low-carbon aluminium (as opposed to heavy carbon Chinese aluminium) and talks about his work rolling out electric vehicle fast-charging points. Finally, he answers questions about the debate surrounding members of the House of Lords with links to Russian businesses and, mindful of the controversy around his own current role, says there is a case for greater transparency and reform.

Also in this episode, Christian discusses the latest economic data and what can be done to aid the recovery; Natwest's job cuts; and Doc Martens' decision to return the furlough money they called upon during the lockdown.

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In this episode Christian talks to Kevin Ellis, chairman and senior partner at audit and consultancy giant PwC. Kevin talks about why he's kept his company's offices open and why so many of his staff are keen to get back in, even if just for a couple of days a week. Kevin says we've all got used to working from home and that people may need to "give the office a try" before rediscovering its value. He also discusses their latest survey of CEOs, which reveals some surprising characteristics of UK business leaders at a time of crisis and change. 

Also in this episode, Christian looks at the latest ONS jobs data; a warning on employee burnout from Robert Walters; and a bullish position on the future of the office from landlord Derwent.

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