Grid

I saw a few people talking about the challenges of working from home over the last few days, particularly if you work for a bank. As a tech guy, I’ve been used to working  from home for over two decades. However, most people don’t work remote or from home. For …

The travel bans across Europe hit last week, we were told to stay at home, we are advised to self-isolate, our children’s schooling is cancelled, the supermarkets are working with face masks and social distancing … the world has changed. As a result of so many people losing short-term income …

The main blog headlines are … #Coronavirus, cash and the breakup of the Eurozone I’m sitting staring at the wall. It’s been a long time now since being in a face-to-face meeting, conference or catching a flight. I’m staring at the wall. Thinking. Thinking. Thinking … what’s the meaning of …

For a while, I presented the idea that our world is a fiction. It is a fiction based upon beliefs. We have shared beliefs. We believe the world is the way the world is. But the world isn’t this way. Borders. Borders don’t exist. We – humans – created borders. …

It’s very strange times. I’ve taken travel for granted. For years, I’ve been used to open borders, easy connectivity and access to airports. The internet then fuelled that ease of movement and connectivity. Suddenly, via social media, my friends are in Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur, Sydney, Mumbai, Lagos, Paris, Milan, New …

I’m getting a lot of people asking questions about what I think the coronavirus will mean long-term in the financial markets, so I’ve tried to jump forward to look back. Obviously, the big thing about a pandemic is that people are being told to stop meeting each other. Conferences, events, …

I’m sitting staring at the wall. It’s been a long time now since being in a face-to-face meeting, conference or catching a flight. I’m staring at the wall. Thinking. Thinking. Thinking … what’s the meaning of all this? What’s the meaning of life? What’s the meaning of money? Money is …

I was a little distraught over the weekend. With absolutely no warning, the Polish government closed the country’s borders. All flights and train travel banned. No inbound access at all, unless you are Polish or could provide Polish residency. No outbound access and, if you do leave and return, immediate …

The main blog headlines are … “Are you willing to take the risk of investing in bullshit?” “Are you willing to take the risk of investing in bullshit?” Interesting headline. It’s not mine btw. It’s a question from a leading banker. The question, in this case, related to investing in data …

On Sunday, Mark Carney leaves the Bank of England after almost seven years at the helm. There’s an interesting review of Mark Carney’s tenure as Governor of the Bank of England on Bloomberg. Joining the Bank back in 2013, before the Scottish referendum and Brexit vote, it charts his seven …

Woke up with a sore throat, stuffed nose and cough. OMG, have I got the coronavirus???? After President Trump’s ban on Europeans last night, the coronavirus madness continues. I know that coronavirus is boring – as it’s non-stop in the news, media, office and coffee shop – but it goes …

I’m getting really fed up of the number of research papers, videos, blogs, headlines and more screaming: “banks will die”. Sure, sure, you’ll immediately go: “but you say that all the time Chris” but, if you check back on what I’ve written, I’ve only ever said that banks will die …

Some of you may know that I write a monthly column for The Banker magazine, and have been doing this for almost twenty years! But The Banker goes back way longer than my column. In fact, it began in January 1926 when the first issue was published and is now almost a century old. …

“Are you willing to take the risk of investing in bullshit?” Interesting headline. It’s not mine btw. It’s a question from a leading banker. The question, in this case, related to investing in data mining … but you will probably find it’s a question asked about any major project. It’s the …

The main blog headlines are … What does ‘digital transformation’ really mean? Buzzwords. We have a lot of them. Artificial, autonomous, augmented. Big data, blockchain, bilateral. Crypto, currency, consensus. Distributed, decentralised, democratised. I’m tempted to write the ABC of technology buzzwords, but know there cannot be any that start with …