As I plan for the year ahead I am trying to form an opinion of what may be some of the dominant themes for 2019 and beyond. It is proving to be somewhat harder than in previous years and more than anything I feel greater uncertainty than usual about the forces that will come to […]
I promised in my last blog (Decoding the Russian enigma) a further post dealing with my expectations for the Russian property markets. I have also been considering giving my thoughts on what to expect in general terms (i.e. they cannot be held against me in specific valuations!) for 2018 year end valuations. We are approaching […]
Russia seems to be hewing ever closer to Churchill’s aphorism: as a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma. It is increasingly difficult to predict what may happen next. A mixture of outside events and curious self-defeating actions, at least from an external perspective, have effects that are extremely uncertain. It may seem then […]
Russia’s nascent economic recovery from the 2014-2016 recession and recent stabilisation have been disrupted by fresh US sanctions. The April round has shifted the USD/RUB exchange rate by about 7% weaker, to c.62. The combined impact of the draft bill introduced by a number of US Senators led by Lindsey Graham on 1 August and […]
The global economy went through another round of central bank policy meetings. The US Federal Reserve (Fed) expectedly hiked its policy rate by 25bp to 1.5-1.75%, the European Central Bank (ECB) and the Bank of England (BoE) stayed on hold, while the Bank of Russia (CBR) cut its key rate, also by 25bp, to 7.25%. […]
The Bank of Russia (CBR) has just announced the Board decision to cut its key rate by 25bp, from 7.75% to 7.50%. The move was broadly anticipated, although following the January inflation print, some market analysts had called for a 50bp rate cut. Inflation dropped to a new historical low of 2.2% YoY in January […]
Office environments are changing – the way they look and how they are managed. Many organisations have long understood and appreciated the power of workplace in driving productivity, employee loyalty, and brand value. Workplace has become a critical component of what an organisation can offer to its current and prospective employees, shaping attitudes to work […]
Knowledge of the blockchain was once restricted to a select few members of IT crowd. Whilst the technicalities of the blockchain still remain a mystery to many, there is growing awareness of its implications. Industries of all types, from financial services to manufacturers, from retailers to healthcare, are waking up to its disruption potential. […]
Despite the overwhelming business uncertainty created by recent political events, UK law firms reported increasing UK income in 2016 (PwC, 2016). In the new reality of evolving customer demands, rapid technological change, and disruptive business models, law firms are looking to strengthen their positions in the market, broaden expertise, improve client offerings, and increase geographical […]
Today, coworking is hardly breaking news. Shared work spaces have been springing up in Europe since mid-90s, and it is safe to say the movement has now established itself in many parts of the world, including the UK. Originally, coworking spaces were set up to offer start-ups and freelancers a productive, yet sociable, and affordable […]
Most people would agree that more efficiency is a good thing. In the workplace more efficiency, or workplace optimisation in Corporate Real Estate (CRE) speak, means cost savings for businesses. Making more efficient use of existing offices through co-working or hot desking, for example, can reduce the need for floorspace and thereby property costs. Incorporating […]
A little over a year ago I made my first ever visit across that big pond and immediately upon visiting London, was told to “Mind the gap” by the polite, omnipresent voice on the Piccadilly line. Excuse me? You mean “Watch your step”, right? Utterly confused, I trekked on to JLL’s office for a friendly […]
Imagine if you awoke in the morning and instead of stepping out the front door to start your usual daily routine of fighting your way onto a packed train or bus with thousands of other commuters and hustling your way into the city office, the only place you had to be was home. Technological change […]
Whichever news outlet you looked at over the Christmas period, one thing dominated… the weather: From a continual onslaught of flooding in the UK, severe storms and tornadoes in the U.S. to a searing heatwave in Australia. With the recent warning from NASA that the current El Nino weather phenomenon could be as bad as […]
A chance to work from JLL’s City office for the day last week filled me with fervour – it was a change of scene and a chance to expand my horizons and broaden my network. As we proceeded with our meeting, a colleague acknowledged that variety is the spice of life, I casually laughed it […]
While speculations about the future of oil prices and the industry in general continue to grow, energy companies are thinking about today and the new reality they have to operate in. Albeit positive in the long-term (after all the world energy consumption is projected to increase and technological innovation should gradually drive the production costs […]
