Zaid Saidely

Our Chief Economist @Sebastianburnside delves into the insights from our latest Regional PMI Report to discuss economic growth trends, cost pressures and business output across all nations and regions of the UK. https://lnkd.in/e2HMr8bu

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Really interesting to read about TISA's new select ID scheme. Allowing customers to select their preferred Digital ID provider, this will not only simplify the customer jounrey and reduce fraud but forge the future of Digital ID within the industry. http://spr.ly/6044ewNTj

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Lending to UK SMEs has fallen by 20% in real terms over the last 10 years. This means a funding gap of 22 billion pounds (US$ 28bn). This directly impacts the growth and productivity of these businesses and consequently the economy. Recently formed #SMEFinanceTaskForce chaired by Centre for Finance, Innovation and Technology (CFIT) and supported by Open Banking secretariat released its first report "Smart Data: Improving SME lending to drive economic growth". Report highlighted that increasing access to high-quality data will enable SMEs to expand and receive funding to grow and scale. Data combined with advancements in technology and AI can help 5.5 million SMEs in UK create more jobs and thereby support economic recovery. #smefinance #economicgrowth #accesstofinance

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Our latest article, in collaboration with UKTN, provides great insight into the opportunities and challenges the fintech sub sector is facing into and how fostering regional hubs across the UK will help continue to drive investment within the subsector. Key takeaways from me: 💰 Fintechs aren't immune to the drop in investment we have seen across the Tech sector. 💳 The UK remains the strongest European fintech hub (only behind the US) in terms of investment and remains the leader in payments innovations. 🏙 While London continues to dominate for funding, there is plenty of regional fintech innovation with clusters and cities across the UK providing unique opportunities. 👏 The ecosystems and hubs that support the local regions are essential in driving engagement and growth. 🎉 Focusing on the regional opportunity will allow the UK to tap into additional markets and ensure less reliance on London to drive growth - while spreading talent & capital more evenly across the country. Lloyds Bank is supporting the fintech sub sector in a number of ways, including: 💵 Our Fintech Investment team is helping to bring the benefits that these innovative companies provide to the Group and our customers and clients, while supporting the sector to grow. 📈 Launch is our collaborative innovation programme aligned to specific business challenges and designed to fast-track experimentation for companies who are interested in running a proof of concept ​ 💻 Our Innovation Sandbox is a safe, external digital environment that allows us to test and evaluate technologies. ​ 📩 Please contact Stephen Harris, Head of Tech, to find out how we can support your banking and financing needs https://lnkd.in/eTUpRnvJ Kirsty Rutter Luke Cornish Sharon Geoghegan Keith Softly Stuart Clarke MBE FinTech Scotland FinTech North FinTech East FinTech West FinTech Wales Fintech South Janine Hirt Tech East Oksana S. Katie Curtis

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Current account customer satisfaction tables are often interesting! No major surprises here, as fintechs Monzo Bank, Starling Bank and Chase do well, as does Nationwide Building Society. With Virgin Money and The Co-operative Bank plc doing badly, I wonder how the takeovers by Nationwide and Coventry Building Societies will impact their performance?

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Our latest SME Growth Tracker highlights that September’s rise in construction activity among SMEs is a clear sign that demand is rebounding, driven by new contracts and a renewed willingness to invest after the election. Among SME manufacturers, while we’ve seen that a drop in output and new orders is certainly a challenge for them, it’s encouraging to see that the reduction in staffing remains modest, and confidence in future growth remains. Great to have chatted through the latest findings with our Chief Economist, Sebastian Burnside #ukconstruction #shoutaboutukmfg

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🚀 The UK Consumer Duty: Redefining Project Management Deliverables for Long-Lasting Impact 🚀 In the world of financial services, the introduction of the UK Consumer Duty has brought about a significant shift in how businesses approach their operations. It’s no longer just about meeting the bare minimum—it’s about ensuring that every action leads to real, measurable outcomes that benefit the consumer. For those of us in project management, this outcomes-based approach isn’t just a regulatory requirement—it’s an opportunity to reshape how we deliver value. Effective project management is now more crucial than ever. With the emphasis on longevity and sustainability, we’re tasked with creating deliverables that don’t just tick the boxes today, but also stand the test of time. It’s about planning for the future, anticipating needs, and ensuring that every project aligns with the broader goals of consumer protection and business integrity. Over the last year, I’ve had the privilege of leading Consumer Duty-related initiatives, and it’s been a game-changer. The focus on longevity and sustainability means we’re tasked with creating deliverables that don’t just meet today’s needs but are built to last. The impact of this is profound. We’re not just managing projects—we’re contributing to shaping the culture of entire organisations. By integrating Consumer Duty principles into our project management frameworks, we create a holistic approach that brings teams together, fosters collaboration, and builds a shared commitment to doing right by the consumer. The future potential here is truly exciting. As we embrace this outcomes-based approach, we’re setting a new standard for what project management can achieve. We’re moving beyond deliverables that meet short-term goals, toward creating projects that drive lasting, positive change. It’s a challenge, but one that promises to elevate our industry and deliver real, tangible benefits for consumers and businesses alike. 💼💡 Let’s continue to lead with insight, foresight, and a passion for excellence—together, we’re shaping the future of project management! #ProjectManagement #ConsumerDuty #OutcomesBasedApproach #Leadership #Fintech #Innovation

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At Barclays Eagle Labs we recently published another thought leadership report in partnership with Beauhurst, which is funded by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. The report examines the current state of the UK's growth infrastructure. 📈 The report reviews the availability of office and laboratory spaces. As well as suitable spaces for compute technology: hardware, software and data systems. In addition to energy infrastructure. 📃 It features insights from various scaleup companies and also covers some great insights from Microsoft. 💻 You can read / download your own copy here: https://lnkd.in/eFrz37fF Key takeaways from the report are: ▪️The UK's laboratory landscape is primarily concentrated within the 'golden triangle of London, Oxford and Cambridge. 👨‍🔬 ▪️London is home to the highest number of high-growth life sciences companies of any region. 3,888 companies are located in the capital. Manchester, Birmingham and Edinburgh, then follow suit. 📊 ▪️The UK is home to 889 life science academic spinoits overall. 💡 ▪️Equity investment into companies dependant on high-performance computing (HPC) reached a record total of £9.94bn in 2021. Despite investment levels dropping following the pandemic, 2024 investment levels are still projected to reach a significant £7.20bn. 💷 You can read more reports from Barclays Eagle Labs here: https://lnkd.in/ecvGVCJV #Growth #Infrastructure #DigitalGrowthGrant #Barclays #ThoughtLeadership #Report

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Interesting read on Starlings SaaS and how it is helping new banks launch.

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Exciting session sharing insights on the future of IT with a brilliant group of GCSE and A-level students at IBM office in London! 🎓 We explored some of the most transformative trends in technology today: ☁️ Cloud Computing: How the cloud (Private, Public and Hybrid Cloud) is reshaping business infrastructure and enabling remote possibilities. 🤖 AI & ML: The role of artificial intelligence and machine learning in solving complex problems and enhancing decision-making. 🔐 Cybersecurity: The importance of securing our digital landscape as we expand our tech capabilities and how AI is playing role in this space ⚛️ Quantum Computing: A glimpse into the future with quantum’s potential to redefine what’s computationally possible and how Quantum Safe computing will be critical for businesses going forward. I also had the chance to share how IBM is pioneering advancements in each of these areas, paving the way for students who are interested in careers at the forefront of tech. Seeing their curiosity and ambition reminded me of the importance of nurturing future talent to drive our industry forward. A big thank you to Paul Briscoe and Shyamal Saha for organising the session. The future of IT is in great hands! 🙌 #IBMCareers #IBM #FutureOfTech #CloudComputing #ArtificialIntelligence #Cybersecurity #QuantumComputing

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Thrilled to join our client Winking Studios for its first day of dealings at the London Stock Exchange this morning. A huge congratulations to Johnny and his exceptional team. Well done to all those involved and we look forward to supporting Winking in its growth plans. 🎉Winking Studios successfully listed on the London Stock Exchange at 8:00 AM (GMT)! Not only have we become the first Asian gaming company to list in the UK this century, but we are also the first gaming company in the world to be dual-listed in both London and Singapore. The London Stock Exchange is one of the four major international stock exchanges, with a strong reputation built over centuries and a highly respected regulatory framework. It has an excellent track record of hosting global industry leaders, particularly in the gaming outsourcing. Following our listing on the London Stock Exchange, Winking Studios will further attract investment from Western capital markets in the fields of technology and innovation, internationalizing its shareholder structure and laying a solid foundation for deeper penetration into Western gaming markets. According to the independent research report by the well-known market research firm, China Insights Consultancy, the global game art outsourcing market is growing at a faster rate than the global gaming market itself, revealing a significant trend where the global gaming industry is improving development efficiency through specialized outsourcing partners. The report also shows that Winking Studios is currently the fourth-largest game art outsourcing company globally. Winking Studios' founder and CEO Johnny Jan stated, "Although our roots are in Asia, we have always been a company with a global vision. Today marks a new milestone for Winking Studios. Listing in London will further support our global ambitions and accelerate our growth. We will leverage the UK's position as a global hub for game development and innovation to attract more talent and teams, creating a mature platform for global game art outsourcing and game development services." hashtag #WinkingStudios hashtag #LSEG hashtag #Listing

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NatWest Group and Lombard, has issued the first bond by a UK bank that’s dedicated to financing and re-financing electric vehicles – the NatWest Electric Vehicle (EV) Green Bond* This comes after Lombard recently won the accolade of ‘Best Business Motor Finance Provider’ at the 2024 Business Moneyfacts Awards, cementing its place as the UK’s largest asset financier**and an advocate of sustainable investment for our customers***. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/eNVwetbP To find out more about transitioning to EVs search Lombard Electric Vehicles *The EV Green Bond is intended to finance or refinance Eligible Assets in the form of leases (financial and operating), hire purchase agreements, loans and other arrangements to finance the use and purchase of electric vehicles. The green label of this bond derives from the inclusion of electric vehicles as Eligible Green Assets under the “Clean Transportation” category defined in NatWest’s Green, Social & Sustainability Financing Framework and the ICMA Green Bond Principles “Clean Transportation” category. NatWest is not claiming that this “green” or “clean transportation” categorisation necessarily meets others’ expectations or requirements for describing or classifying activities, products or assets as “green” or transportation as “clean”. **Asset Finance UK Top 50, 2024. ***For more information on how we define climate and sustainable funding under our CSFF criteria see: Climate and sustainable finance. Security may be required. Product fees may apply. Subject to status. Business use only

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Our Chief Economist @Sebastianburnside delves into the insights from our latest Regional PMI Report to discuss economic growth trends, cost pressures and business output across all nations and regions of the UK. https://lnkd.in/e2HMr8bu

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ScaleUp Summit is coming to Glasgow on 13th May during #GlasgowTechWeek. Register for free at the link below 👇 👇 👇 The Summit will delve into; - funding landscape and options to raise capital in 2024 and beyond - providing insights on new initiatives to tap into private capital and access a broader and deeper investor pool, including institutional capital in an easier, simpler way whilst remaining private while you grow - opportunities to access markets and R&D opportunities through collaboration with Innovate UK both at home and abroad - provide tips and insights on developing an effective board and advisory network to support scaleup growth #Investment #ScaleUps

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** Speaking announcement ** Digital Transformation Week Global as part of #TechExGlobal IN-PERSON EVENT | 5-6 FEBRUARY 2025 Olympia, London 1:40 PM - 2:20 PM Panel: The shift from Customer Experience to Human Experience: How can we go the extra mile? – As businesses continue to evolve, the focus is expanding beyond traditional customer experience (CX) models to a more holistic and empathetic approach: Human Experience (HX). This shift emphasizes understanding customers not merely as consumers, but as individuals with unique emotions, needs, and expectations. – In this session, we will explore how businesses can elevate their CX strategies by putting human connection at the forefront. We’ll dive into actionable insights on how to foster deeper relationships, create personalized interactions, and build trust with customers—ultimately going beyond satisfaction to deliver meaningful and memorable experiences. Join us to discover how to not just meet but exceed expectations, by embracing the full spectrum of the human experience. Alongside myself, My fellow panellists are Leanne Lynch, Chief Information Officer, ISS 🔴🟠Varun Kumar 🔴🟠, Executive Vice President, Customer Connectivity, Mastercard Ravi Jay, Head of Agile Delivery, Jaguar Land Rover

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Satisfaction among UK SMEs with the level of innovation experienced at their main bank has stagnated. This is leading 2 in 5 to consider switching their main bank in the next 12 months to access better digital capabilities. A question we often get asked is.. What does innovation really mean to SMEs? In short, solving SMEs pain points beats reinventing the wheel. Reach out to access and discuss further insights. #SMEs #SMEbanking #innovation #digitalbanking #switching

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# Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone ## Barclays PLC Acquires Tesco's Retail Banking Business, Forges Strategic Partnership 💼🌟💪 #HSA #Investing #Healthcare #Health #Family #Wellness In an exciting development, Barclays PLC \(BCS\) has successfully completed the acquisition of Tesco Personal Finance plc's retail banking business. This strategic move was announced earlier in February, and it marks a significant milestone for Barclays in expanding its presence in the financial sector. The acquired business includes credit cards, unsecured loans, savings, and mortgage products. This new venture provides Barclay's UK division with a unique opportunity to enhance its offerings and serve a broader customer base. As part of this transformative deal, Barclays UK has established a long-term strategic collaboration with Tesco Stores Limited. This partnership is set to drive innovation and create synergies between the two companies, ultimately benefiting customers by offering more comprehensive and tailored financial solutions. For investors looking to grow their Health Savings Account \(HSA\), this acquisition and partnership present a promising avenue. By leveraging the expertise and resources of Barclays PLC, individuals can seize the opportunity to invest and diversify their HSA portfolios, aligning their financial strategies with the ever-growing healthcare industry. Don't miss out on the potential benefits this collaboration offers! Act now to explore investment opportunities that align with your financial goals and ensure a secure future for yourself and your loved ones. Invest wisely, embrace the power of HSA investing, and take charge of your financial well-being today! 💰📈💪

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