Like many serial entrepreneurs, Luke Johnson believes in getting off your behind, facing down the risks and rising to a challenge. Never more so than in 1992, when he was living on an overdraft in order to help finance a reverse takeover of Pizza Express. It was a transformational moment, which he relives here as the latest subject of Grant Thornton’s My Big Decision series.
There are signs of life in the UK media sector as investors look to new growth areas and M&A activity picks up. Grant Thornton’s 35-page research report reviews the investment environment with a particular eye on digital. Read on to download a free copy of the report or to find out more…
Here on Elevate blog, we write for and about those dynamic entrepreneurs and business leaders who have already ‘made it’ and are heading up successful companies, many in the corporate mid-market. But our next My Big Decision interviewee has got us thinking about how these CEOs started out and how a new wave of entrepreneur clubs and support networks is supporting British enterprise.
Finance directors aren’t normally the face of the company but they are playing an increasingly critical role in its success, as our recent What makes an outstanding FD? report, researched in conjunction with Directorbank, shows. Here, we interview three business leaders – including Directorbank’s MD John Pearce (below) about the growing importance of the FD .
UK businesses have lowered expectations for 2011 as business confidence weakened once more in Q4, according to the latest ICAEW/Grant Thornton UK Business Confidence Monitor (BCM). This suggests that economic growth next year will be slower than forecast with companies reluctant to invest and back the recovery.
Scott Barnes, CEO of Grant Thornton UK, reviews the National Business Awards mid-cap finalists for common denominators that may have helped them survive recession and thrive in recovery
The Grant Thornton-sponsored Financial Times Commercial Property Conference brochure is now out – packed with insights and expert comment from business leaders and financial analysts. Here’s what you’ll find inside and how to get hold of your free copy…
Last night, TelecityGroup – Europe’s largest data centre provider by revenue and fourth largest provider globally – was crowned Mid-Cap Business of the Year 2010 at the National Business Awards in London, beating nine other finalists in Grant Thornton’s sponsored category. Here’s a first look at the winners…
A selection of views from senior-level delegates at the recent FT Commercial Property Conference in London, which was lead-sponsored by Grant Thornton. Here are the questions they address in the video… continue reading for quick jump links to the different questions.
This was one of the hot topics of discussion at the recent FT Commercial Property Conference in London, sponsored by Grant Thornton. It’s also the question we posed to six directors, managers and business commentators attending the conference. Continue reading for more conference videos.
Clare Hartnell, Head of Property and Construction for Grant Thornton, gives an overview of the main themes at the recent FT Commercial Property Conference, which was lead-sponsored by Grant Thornton and held in London on 29 September 2010. Continue reading for a text summary…
Selling a business is usually a one-time-only deal, so owners are often unaware of what to expect, the potential pitfalls or how to get the most out of the sale. In our new series telling ‘The Story of the Deal’, we go behind the scenes of our work to explain what’s involved. Our first case study is RDG’s £9.3 million sale to United Business Media in August 2010…
If you didn’t catch it at the weekend, the Sunday Times HSBC Top Track 250 list, sponsored by Grant Thornton, was published. The Fast Track league table features UK companies ranking just below the top 100 private firms for sales, provided they have also either increased sales or operating profit. Here is the lowdown…
Grant Thornton has been working with the Directorbank Group to answer this very question. We asked nearly 350 directors, chairmen, chief executives and executive directors to nominate the best finance directors (FD) they’ve worked with. We then interviewed a final 25 on what it takes to get to the top - and asked what advice they have for their peers in the current economy…
The National Business Awards, UK’s premier business awards, are taking place on 9 November. Here’s a preview of 10 of the best mid-cap businesses in the UK – all finalists in Grant Thornton’s sponsored category.
What are the consumer trends? What growth strategies are food and drink companies considering in the next 12 months? And where do they stand on innovation and NPD? Here’s a summary from Grant Thornton’s new food sector survey.
Our recent business risk report shows widespread complacency in risk management processes. Check how your risk levels measure up with our quick online tool.
Grant Thornton’s latest research report, Targeting growth: Challenges and opportunities for the UK Food and Beverage sector, reveals the state of play for UK businesses in this sector. Here are some of the key issues and findings…
