FT Business

Loeb asks Sony to trim down

Tue, 14 May 2013 23:00:48 GMT

Sony may be best known for its flat-screen televisions and PlayStation games consoles, but in recent years its core electronics business has lost billions of dollars. The FT's media editor Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson explains activist investor Daniel Loeb's call for Sony to sell off part of its film and music business

Container shipping: the world in a box

Tue, 14 May 2013 15:32:36 GMT

Containers transporting everything from shoes to aerospace parts make over 200m journeys a year by ship, truck and train. In the second video in the FT's 50 Best Business Ideas series, David Pilling, Asia Editor, explains how standardised containers revolutionised world trade by minimising transport costs

Amazon workers down tools

Tue, 14 May 2013 04:06:00 GMT

Staff at three of Amazon's logistics centres in Germany have gone on strike, as the trade union Verdi calls for more pay for the company's staff in the country. 850 workers had joined the picket lines by lunchtime, with more expected to join them later in the day. James Wilson, the FT's Frankfurt correspondent, reports on the causes of the industrial action, and the implications for the US retailer.

Alternative credit on the rise

Thu, 02 May 2013 04:42:00 GMT

With complaints about the UK's five biggest banks on the rise, Elaine Moore reports on the rise of the alternative credit sector, from peer-to-peer lenders to payday loans and credit unions.

Duplicating Silicon Valley?

Sun, 12 May 2013 16:23:46 GMT

Since the 1960s, innovators have flocked to towns such as Palo Alto in the San Francisco Bay Area to build start-ups in the hope of changing the world – and making a fortune in the process. Now cities from Kansas to London are trying to find ways to attract young tech entrepreneurs and replicate the Valley's technology formula.

Racing's future track

Thu, 09 May 2013 17:02:27 GMT

The new Formula E championship, which launches in September 2014 in London, will answer many of the key questions about the sustainability of Formula One. James Allen reports

Non-executives need tools for job

Thu, 02 May 2013 05:59:00 GMT

The average length of a FTSE 100 board pack is 288 pages and would take more than nine hours to read. Jennifer Sundberg, founder of Board Intelligence, a company that specialises in helping boards, says having the right people round the table is not enough. A clear brief will enable the right conversation.

Ferguson leaves big hole at Man Utd

Wed, 08 May 2013 17:19:27 GMT

Sir Alex Ferguson is to retire as manager of Manchester United football club after nearly 27 years in the job. Daniel Garrahan speaks to FT experts about how Sir Alex will be remembered and the effect his decision will have on Man Utd the business.

IT and the boardroom

Wed, 08 May 2013 14:19:17 GMT

Kim Stevenson, chief information officer at Intel, discusses with Paul Taylor, the FT's Connected Business editor, her definition of the modern CIO and how the fastest-moving nature of technology has made her a key player in the business decisions taken by the company.

Microsoft to reverse course on Windows 8

Tue, 07 May 2013 03:36:00 GMT

Microsoft is preparing to perform a U-turn over key aspects of its much-maligned Windows 8 operating system. Andrew Hill, management editor, talks to the FT's Daniel Garrahan about why the company finds itself in a situation where it might have to promote a product it has moved on from.

Open-source behind government's digital drive

Mon, 06 May 2013 14:54:40 GMT

Governments are turning to online and digital means to communicate with citizens. The UK government's website recently won the Design Museum's Design of the Year award and was built using open-source technology. Tom Loosemore of Government Digital Service and Bryan Glick of Computer Weekly talk to the FT's Seb Morton-Clark about the potential of open-source software to be deployed in other aspects of governance.

Hardware returns to Silicon Valley

Sun, 05 May 2013 21:24:05 GMT

With the advent of crowd funding and a dramatic reduction in the cost associated with prototyping, the FT's digital media correspondent Tim Bradshaw explores how entrepreneurs are moving away from software and returning to hardware in California's Silicon Valley.

Specialized's electric bike venture

Fri, 03 May 2013 11:19:00 GMT

California bicycle brand Specialized has brought out an electric bicycle that joins a new generation of ebikes with sleek, integrated designs. Chris Nuttall dons the special cape and saddles up for a super-charged bike ride.

Not your usual office space

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 04:31:00 GMT

Entrepreneurs in London are finding a variety of untraditional workplaces to run their businesses - from battleships to period portakabins. Jonathan Moules, enterprise correspondent, visits some of the city's creative more working quarters.

China auto sales hit by anti-graft drive

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 15:09:40 GMT

Watch this FT video for free: China has been the bright spot in the luxury car universe for years, but in the first quarter of this year growth slowed to only 4 per cent. The FT's Patti Waldmeir reports on how the Chinese government's anti-corruption drive and a slowing economy are hitting luxury car sales.

Making money from mobile

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 17:35:46 GMT

As consumers take to smartphones globally, business is looking to find better strategies to make money out of the mobile phenomenon. The FT's digital media correspondent Robert Cookson finds out how Unilever, Buzzfeed and Google are tackling the move to mobile. He spoke to them at the FT's Digital Media conference in London.

Indian outsourcing 2.0

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:09:13 GMT

Bangalore is the centre of the world's IT outsourcing industry, where companies like Infosys help run the back end of many of the world's corporate computer systems. But as other countries catch on to the possibilities of outsourcing, India's entrepreneurs are finding new ways to use India's talent and experience in the field. The FT's James Crabtree looks at how the outsourcing industry is moving beyond software and bringing a wide variety of skilled jobs to India.

Eyes on cyber security

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 00:35:38 GMT

Ed Stroz and Eric Friedberg - founders of Stroz Friedberg, a consultancy that specialises in cyber security - talk to the FT's Connected Business editor Paul Taylor about cyber crime and the best way for companies to ensure they keep risks to a minimum

The man who would monetise the web

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 04:12:00 GMT

Watch this FT video for free: Jaron Lanier is a computer scientist who first rose to fame for his work on virtual reality. Once a devoted advocate of the free content model of the internet, he now believes that without a comprehensive monetisation of the network and the information it transmits, the future is bleak for consumers and technology companies.

Japan carmakers cannot escape island spat

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 07:14:13 GMT

This year's Shanghai auto show could be make or break for Japanese automakers in China. The FT's Patti Waldmeir reports on how Japan's automakers are pinning their hopes on winning over Chinese drivers with new releases and a more harmonious diplomatic relationship between Beijing and Tokyo.

Change for commodities

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 05:02:00 GMT

There was a sense of adjustment among chief executives at the FT's Global Commodities Summit in Lausanne this week. In addition to the usual geopolitical debates much time was given over to issues of increasing transparency and the threat of more regulation. The FT's Seb Morton-Clark reports from Switzerland on an industry in transition.

Bond markets lure trading houses

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 13:46:56 GMT

Pierre Lorinet, chief financial officer at Trafigura, tells Javier Blas, the FT's commodities editor, about the company's recent perpetual bond issuance. He says that trading houses are increasingly relying on bond markets to finance their operations and believes that with the right conditions - low interest rates in particular - the practice is likely to spread.

Noble Group: Transparency best

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 23:09:21 GMT

Yusuf Alizera, chief executive of Noble Group, says the discipline that comes from being a public company is the right way to run a business. He tells FT commodities editor Javier Blas at the Financial Times Global Commodities Summit that in the future, having access to capital markets will also be a competitive advantage.

The history of Formula One

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 16:36:06 GMT

Rohit Jaggi visits the Brooklands Museum to explore the connections between the funding of F1 today and how the teams kept the races going in the 20th century.

Spotting the trends

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 04:36:09 GMT

Oliver Bussmann, chief information officer of SAP, the world’s biggest maker of business software by revenues, talks to Paul Taylor, the Connected Business editor, about the evolving role of the CIO, in-memory technology and how the rise of tablets is changing the industry.

50 Best Business Ideas

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 14:45:48 GMT

Aviation changed with the birth of the jet age, allowing commercial air travel to become a reality. Michael Skapinker, Special Reports editor, explains that jet travel is one of the ideas that changed business and the way in which it is conducted, but which other inventions and innovations have helped to create today's business world?

Smart meters signal new era for utilities

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 15:49:28 GMT

Household consumption of electricity is being measured by smart metering technology, changing the relationship between supplier and consumer. Marc England of British Gas and Bryan Glick of Computer Weekly talk to the FT's Daniel Garrahan about how the technology is transforming the energy sector, and whether concerns over privacy and data protection are justified.

Pay debate distracts boards too much

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 06:10:00 GMT

The boards of the UK's listed companies are too distracted by the debate over top pay, argues Murray Steele in this personal video opinion for a new polemical series on "Better Boards". An experienced chairman and non-executive director, and former senior lecturer at Cranfield School of Management, he says boards get pay right largely and should focus on value creation more.

Damning verdict for HBOS

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 23:08:45 GMT

A parliamentary report on the failure of HBOS in 2008 has calculated that the cost of bailing out the bank reached close to £30bn. Much of the report's criticism was aimed at the group's management, with the investigation calling on them to be blackballed by the City. The FT's banking editor Patrick Jenkins digests the commission's findings with Daniel Garrahan.

Uncorking Italy's SMEs

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 06:28:00 GMT

Barriers to financing, poor infrastructure and an opaque corporate culture weigh heavy on Italy's small and mid-sized companies. Rachel Sanderson, Milan correspondent, visits one of the country's success stories - the bottletop manufacturer Guala Closures - and hears how Milan's stock exchange is easing access to capital.

NY Auto Show: smaller, more diverse luxury

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 01:44:49 GMT

US luxury carmakers are seeking to woo younger, less affluent buyers. The effort is pushing manufacturers to produce a wider range of products and focus less on their big flagship vehicles, as Robert Wright, US industry correspondent, finds out during a visit to the New York Auto Show.

Transparent technology

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 18:14:34 GMT

David Giambruno, senior vice-president and CIO of the cosmetics maker Revlon, talks to FT's Paul Taylor about the benefits of deploying an internal cloud. He says IT has to be flexible and adapt to the business needs, not the other way around.

Imagination despite doldrums

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 08:49:01 GMT

This year's Boldness in Business Awards have seen some impressive advances by companies pursuing technological and environmental achievements. Co-chairs of the awards Lionel Barber, Financial Times editor, and Lakshmi Mittal, chief executive of ArcelorMittal, speak to the FT's Seb Morton-Clark about this year's shortlists.

3D printing takes technology prize

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 00:47:15 GMT

3D Systems, the three dimensional printing company, has won at the Boldness in Business awards in the technology category. Abe Reichental, chief executive, explains to the FT's Seb Morton-Clark why 3D printing is a "disruptive technology" that will change the way the world manufactures.

Lives saved by economies of scale

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 00:45:22 GMT

Bangalore-based Narayana Hrudayalaya Hospitals was set up 10 years ago with the aim of offering high-tech healthcare to all Indians - including the poorest in society. Dr Devi Shetty, founder, tells the FT's Seb Morton-Clark why this model is the way forward.

Start-ups tap into open data

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 11:28:00 GMT

Can businesses be based on bus timetables and weather reports? Maija Palmer visits the Open Data Institute to learn how entrepreneurs are exploiting valuable government data.

Tough times for mines in S Africa

Wed, 06 Mar 2013 03:53:00 GMT

The FT's southern Africa correspondent, Andrew England, reports on the modern issues that face one of the continent's oldest industries.

Baking in IT

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 10:28:15 GMT

Leo Minervini, chief information officer of Carlo's Bakery, explains to Paul Taylor, the FT's Connected Business editor, how he used cloud-based IT to transform the wedding cake business and improve customer service.

Executive recruitment picks up

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 03:27:00 GMT

Recruitment is a multi-billion dollar industry that can tell us a lot about the world economy, regional growth and corporate trends. Albert Ellis, chief executive of Harvey Nash, a London-based global professional recruitment consultancy, tells the FT's Peter Whitehead he is more optimistic about global growth than he was a year ago.

Technology transforms high street

Fri, 08 Mar 2013 05:06:00 GMT

Technology is changing the way retailers do businesses with some brands combining analytics and mobile apps to learn about their customers. Scott Morrison of Diesel UK and Bryan Glick of Computer Weekly talk to the FT's Bede McCarthy about giving customers something in return for their data.

Mobile money keeps Kenya economy moving

Wed, 06 Mar 2013 10:43:00 GMT

Kenya has led Africa's innovative and revolutionary embrace of mobile telephones, and the country's technology sector has grown faster than all others in east Africa's regional economic hub. Bob Collymore, chief executive of Safaricom, parent company of the mobile payment system M-Pesa, talks to Katrina Manson, east Africa correspondent.

Too many stores, not enough shoppers

Sat, 02 Mar 2013 02:12:11 GMT

A disappointing Christmas season coupled with another round of increased gains by online retailers have left the retail sector frantically looking to find a way into the future. The FT's Christopher Booker speaks with retail correspondent Barney Jopson about how retailers are responding to the increasing pressure.

The power of mobile technology

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 03:13:08 GMT

Eric Slavinsky, chief information officer at Louisville Gas and Electric and Kentucky Utilities, speaks to Paul Taylor, Connected Business editor, about the importance of mobile devices for his employees and how he sees himself more as a business person rather than a technologist.

Connected life - everything becomes 'smart'

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 15:37:22 GMT

Mobile connectivity is already changing how we live, a fact being shown like never before at this year’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Daniel Thomas, telecoms correspondent, reports on how the industry’s biggest companies are changing the world.

The mobile operating system battle

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 16:48:12 GMT

Apple's iOS and Google's Android are by far the two biggest smartphone operating systems but the race is on for third place. Daniel Garrahan reports from the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on the new players entering the market and whether they can compete.

Mobile internet reaches rural Indonesia

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 04:08:37 GMT

Only 40 per cent of Indonesians have a bank account, but over 90 per cent have a mobile phone. For both entrepreneurs and multinationals, that represents a big opportunity. The FT's Ben Bland visits rural West Java to see for himself how mobile commerce is spreading

The battle over bankers' bonuses

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 11:35:00 GMT

The European parliament wants to cap bankers' bonuses to no more than a year’s fixed salary. Britain is firmly opposed to the plan but it is in the minority among EU states. Daniel Garrahan reports on why Britain is under pressure to fall into line and what the cap would mean for the City of London.

Migrants fuel entrepreneurialism

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 06:57:00 GMT

Many of the world's best entrepreneurs have been immigrants, so what is it that links being an outsider to business success? Ravi Mattu, Business Life editor, talks with three immigrant entrepreneurs at different stages of their careers to hear what has driven them and the challenges they have faced.

Guiding easyJet through tough times

Mon, 18 Feb 2013 04:39:00 GMT

Carolyn McCall faced several problems when she joined easyJet as chief executive in 2010. The FT's Rose Jacobs reports on how Ms McCall guided the budget airline through a slowdown in the once-skyrocketing growth of budget air travel to the brink of joining the FTSE 100.

Big data bring attention to retail

Mon, 18 Feb 2013 16:23:47 GMT

Duncan Robinson discovers how established retailers such as J Sainbsury and young companies such as Made.com use data analytics to increase sales