The world is changing fast and to keep up you need local knowledge with global context.
By Alec Hogg DAVOS – Jeanette and I love coming to the WEF a day early. The quicker you can get into a regular sleeping pattern, the better. Sleep soon becomes treasured for those of us who travel to Davos during late January. Our early arrival was more valuable than usual this year. The Registration … Read more
From Reuters * Q4 emerging markets sales up 8.4 pct vs 5.9 pct in Q3 * CEO – no change in strategy, accelerating investments * Full-year earnings, sales top analysts expectations * Shares up 3.5 pct By Martinne Geller LONDON, Jan 21 (Reuters) – Unilever said it would stick to its emerging markets growth strategy as a … Read more
Professional investors can find money-making opportunities in just about anything, from weather forecasts to fine wine before it is ready to leave the barrel. After a year of roaring returns, they are turning their attention to shorting publicly listed stocks in the US. This essentially entails selling shares you don’t have and buying them later when the … Read more
Many people have worked in unhappy offices. But how many of us have ever been asked to share our views on what’s wrong and right with the way things are being done in a company? Generally, we’re ushered on our way, and end up getting things off our chest with people who have no power … Read more
By Alec Hogg* Returning to the highest town in Europe is a reminder of how much the World Economic Forum keeps transforming Davos. Every year there seem to be more cranes. They’re building infrastructure only properly used one week a year. Those last few days of January when the world’s rich and powerful gather … Read more
This is my 10th successive Davos. Each year it’s an honour to have been invited back again. Once again I’ve been included in events arranged for a small group where one gets to participate in a very special agenda. The programme originally had actors Kevin Spacey and Matt Damon hosting the annual dinner, but one’s … Read more
The World Economic Forum says its purpose is to improve the state of the world. Much has been achieved after more than 40 annual meetings since a small gathering in Davos got things started. For most of the year, the WEF staff invest enormous effort in assessing global risks and analysing the best way to … Read more
Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff has big Davos shoes to fill – her predecessor Lula da Silva was a star attraction at many World Economic Forum annual meetings. Apart from this being her maiden visit, Rousseff’s challenge is compounded by a perception that Brazil is botching its big opportunity (hosting the FIFA World Cup) and that … Read more
From Reuters * Assets in BRIC investment funds down sharply from 2010 * Economic growth may not convert into stock market gains * Goldman’s BRIC fund down 20 percent in past three years * Acronyms are economic, not investment concepts – inventor * MINT countries offer young, growing populations – O’Neill By Carolyn Cohn … Read more
When Nigeria knocked Bafana out of CHAN – The African Nations Championship – on Sunday [3-1], it was just another in a long line of disappointing exits suffered by the national team who either can’t or don’t care about winning big tournaments. By Michael Marnewick South African soccer has failed to sustain the early successes … Read more