Elevate - for business leaders

Women in the boardroom world map (infographic)

Wednesday, March 31, 2010 | Posted by: Fiona Cullinan
Categories: Infographic, Thought Leadership, Women in business | Tags: business, entrepreneurs, statistics, research, Ros Simmons, infographic, women in business, CEO, data, chart, IBR, boardroom, women, management, senior management, PHBs, discrimination | Total Views: 16722

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How many women made the C-Suite last year? Which countries are currently topping the list for employing female senior-level female executives? Find out in
Grant Thornton’s latest infographic, which maps figures from 24 countries. On a shocking note, neither the UK nor the US even makes the top 20…

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Risky e-business, green gurus and the Thinkers 50 – entrepreneur roundup

Wednesday, October 28, 2009 | Posted by: Fiona Cullinan
Categories: Environment | Tags: business, entrepreneurs, links, entrepreneur, awards, success, leaders, failure, gurus, CK Prahalad, thinkers | Total Views: 14411

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What makes an outstanding FD?

Thursday, October 14, 2010 | Posted by: Fiona Cullinan
Categories: Financing , Thought Leadership | Tags: business, statistics, finance, research, report, survey, growth, talent, FD, Directorbank, finance director, competition, people, communication, director, recruitment, | Total Views: 13583

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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…

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Do your loan notes hold a nasty surprise?

Tuesday, January 11, 2011 | Posted by: Fiona Cullinan
Categories: Business advice, Tax | Tags: entrepreneurs, capital gains tax, CGT, buying a company, loan notes, QCBs, corporate bonds, non-QCBs, deferred payment, entrepreneurs' relief | Total Views: 12165

With cash in scarce supply, loan notes provided an excellent method of deferring the cost of buying a company. But recent changes in tax laws mean that they are now less appealing and holders of existing loan notes are likely to be in for a nasty surprise, says Senior Tax Manager Nadine Elliott.

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Who’s winning the global race to economic growth? (Infographic)

Friday, January 15, 2010 | Posted by: Fiona Cullinan
Categories: Economy, Infographic, Thought Leadership | Tags: recession, infographic, chart, GDP, recovery, economic growth, race | Total Views: 11422

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Predicting when an economy will grow or shrink is an inexact science, but Grant Thornton’s latest infographic takes the pulse of 14 recession-hit economies around the world to assess their economic fitness. It looks at GDP figures between 1997-2009 to see how countries such as the UK, France, Germany and the USA have performed – and to see who’s winning the race back to economic growth…

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Financing improves but mid-market remains frustrated

Wednesday, May 25, 2011 | Posted by: Fiona Cullinan
Categories: Business advice, Financing , Thought Leadership | Tags: finance, research, report, survey, growth, strategy, CEO, data, FD, CFO, analysis, banking, funding, financing, FDs, mid-market, financial crisis, refinancing, David Ascott | Total Views: 10468

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The engine room of the UK economy is gearing up to pump again with more than half of our surveyed CEOs and FDs expecting it to become easier to finance their business activities in the next 12 months. But with the funding taps mostly being turned on for larger, blue-chip companies, many are facing another year of frustration and/or creative growth strategies. Grant Thornton’s latest survey maps the financing needs and wants of the UK mid-market.

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Story of the deal: NeutraHealth plc bought by Indian pharma company

Wednesday, January 26, 2011 | Posted by: Fiona Cullinan
Categories: Financing | Tags: M&A, due diligence, corporate finance, acquisitions, Story of the Deal, cross-border, buying a business, subsidiary, buying a company | Total Views: 10141

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Our second case study telling ‘The Story of the Deal’ goes behind the scenes of an international acquisition. What happens when a fast-expanding pharma company from India seeks the buyout of a UK vitamin and food supplement plc? Our

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When corporate hospitality could equate to bribery -and other new risks arising from new Bribery Act

Wednesday, July 07, 2010 | Posted by: Fiona Cullinan
Categories: Business advice | Tags: governance, report, survey, risk, emerging markets, compliance, Bribery Act, risk management, competition, bribery, corruption, anti-corruption, liability, ethics, FCPA, bribe, hospitality, criminal | Total Views: 10050

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The UK Bribery Act became law in April 2010 and will come into force later this year, creating a host of fresh risks to business and commercial organisations, and presenting a complex ethical conundrum. And yet, our survey suggests senior management frequently turn a blind eye to business conducted abroad at local or ground level in order to grease the wheels of industry.

So, exactly what are the risks – and more importantly how can you mitigate them?

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Tool: Assess your company’s risk maturity level

Monday, October 04, 2010 | Posted by: Fiona Cullinan
Categories: Business advice, Thought Leadership | Tags: business, recession, governance, report, survey, strategy, risk, data, business models, Simon Lowe, risk management, questionnaire, tools | Total Views: 9972

Our recent business risk report shows widespread complacency in risk management processes. Check how your risk levels measure up with our quick online tool.

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R&D tax relief review – threats and opportunities for UK plc

Wednesday, December 08, 2010 | Posted by: Fiona Cullinan
Categories: Business advice, Tax, Technology sector | Tags: innovation, business, tax, research, report, technology, relief, incentives, consultation, R&D, review, development, Dyson, Sam Vanags, Samantha Vanags | Total Views: 9843

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The Government recently announced that it was reviewing the ways in which it incentivises investment in research and development (R&D).  This raises a number of questions over the future of R&D tax relief. Technology partner Samantha Vanags explains the issues and responds with Grant Thornton’s recommendations on R&D tax incentives.

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My Big Decision: George Davies on why launching GIVe was his toughest decision yet

Sunday, February 21, 2010 | Posted by: Fiona Cullinan
Categories: My big decision, Retail sector | Tags: entrepreneurs, retail, My Big Decision, business leaders, George Davies, George, Next, GIVe, per una | Total Views: 8298

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George Davies is big in women’s clothing – so to speak. He launched Next, George at Asda and per una at Marks & Spencer. But, says Britain’s ‘King of the High Street’ – the latest subject in Grant Thornton’s

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Grant Thornton wins Accountancy Firm of the Year at M&A Awards and HealthInvestor

Wednesday, May 26, 2010 | Posted by: Grant Thornton
Categories: Financing | Tags: finance, M&A, awards, AIM, corporate finance, Simon Davies, Stephen Baker, Healthcare, Takeover Code, Geoff Davies, AMTECH, Housing 21, Rutland Partners, CeDo, Primary Capital, Katie Derham | Total Views: 8203

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Grant Thornton has added two more awards to its growing trophy cabinet: Accountancy Firm of the Year at the M&A Awards on 20 May 2010 and Accountant of the Year at the HealthInvestor Awards ceremony on 27 May 2010.

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Google+, Twitter, Facebook Connect…is your business cashing in on social media marketing in 2012?

Thursday, January 12, 2012 | Posted by: Alex Connock
Categories: Media sector, Technology sector | Tags: business, Alex Connock, strategy, Twitter, social media, Facebook, Google, marketing, content, SEO, business drivers, social business, real-time, content marketing, search, GooglePlus | Total Views: 8151

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Like it or not, your company now has a permanent +1 in every customer interaction – via social media. How can you deal with that? Alex Connock reviews the 2012 social media, search and content marketing landscape and offers some advice for business leaders on how to navigate it…

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Grant Thornton QCA shortlist announced

Wednesday, December 30, 2009 | Posted by: Fiona Cullinan
| Tags: Grant Thornton, awards, Quoted Company Awards, shortlist, QCA, turnaround | Total Views: 8120

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As the proud headline sponsor of the Quoted Company Awards awards since 2005, Grant Thornton is pleased to announce that the 2010 awards have been re-titled as the Grant Thornton Quoted Company Awards. The ceremony will be held in London on 29 January and here are details of the shortlist…

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Optimism Index of 36 economies in 2010 (infographic)

Monday, March 01, 2010 | Posted by: Fiona Cullinan
Categories: Economy, Infographic, Thought Leadership | Tags: recession, infographic, chart, recovery, forecast, International Business Report, privately held businesses, revenues, optimism, double-dip | Total Views: 7875

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Can you guess which country is the most economically optimistic in the world right now? Would China be top of your list? Or perhaps India? If so, then you’d be wrong on both counts. Grant Thornton’s latest infographic reveals which economies are smiling, which are po-faced and which are downright unhappy about their projected revenues. Here’s how we put it together…

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Fall in business confidence indicates slow-down in economic recovery

Friday, August 27, 2010 | Posted by: Grant Thornton
Categories: Economy | Tags: business, tax, recession, investment, CEO, budget, ICAEW, Scott Barnes, recovery, Michael Izza, BCM, Business confidence monitor | Total Views: 7657

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Confidence among businesses has fallen according to the latest ICAEW/Grant Thornton UK Business Confidence Monitor (BCM), indicating that the economic recovery will slow in the second half of 2010. Despite uncertainty as to the impact on the recovery of the Coalition Government’s plans to reduce public spending, the BCM’s financial performance indicators suggest that the financial health of UK businesses continues to improve.

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Best paid CEOs, social media demographics and why women are so good in the boardroom – April links

Friday, April 16, 2010 | Posted by: Fiona Cullinan
Categories: Media sector, Women in business | Tags: links, women in business, Twitter, boardroom, energy, social media, Facebook, LinkedIn, CEOs, demographics, London Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Digg, Ford, carbon emissions | Total Views: 7642

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Which business stories are getting the most hits on the web this month? Read on and discover Elevate blog’s pick of the links for big business – from benchmarking your chief exec’s salary to the high cost of leaving company PCs switched on, and more… 

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Story of the deal: RDG sale to United Business Media

Thursday, November 04, 2010 | Posted by: Fiona Cullinan
Categories: Financing , Media sector | Tags: business, tax, risk, debt, corporate finance, value, Story of the Deal, disposal, selling a business, case study, negotiation, Ali Sharifi, RDG, grooming, warranties, United Business Media | Total Views: 7483

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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…

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Tom Peters: in search of great leadership

Thursday, November 12, 2009 | Posted by: Fiona Cullinan
Categories: Business advice | Tags: business, Richard Branson, success, leaders, leadership, future, Napoleon, Nelson, Chris Alden, Tom Peters, revenue stream, Jack Welch | Total Views: 7280

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Is the modern business leader dogged or clever? What’s the best focus for making money in difficult economic times? Business management guru

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Naked entrepreneurs, CEOs on Twitter and the UK’s 100 smartest businesses – entrepreneur links

Wednesday, December 30, 2009 | Posted by: Fiona Cullinan
Categories: Media sector | Tags: innovation, business, entrepreneurs, links, recession, growth, women in business, CEO, Twitter, women, charity, Richard Branson, social media, equality, iawards, Deborah Meaden, Michael Birch, Nude Tech Calendar, Bebo, Dragons’ Den | Total Views: 7155

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What are the most popular stories in business this month? From the London entrepreneurs who are stripping for charity to a mission to find the UK’s next big business, here’s what the Elevate team has been reading about this month…

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