Warren Buffett Announces Retirement: A Masterclass in Succession Planning

In a historic moment at the end of his annual Q+A session at the Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting (the "Woodstock for Capitalists") in Omaha, Nebraska, Warren Buffett announced his plan to step down as CEO of Berkshire at the end of the year. His chosen successor Greg Abel, who wasn't told about the announcement beforehand (neither were most of Berkshire's directors bar two of Buffett's children who are also directors), will lead the conglomerate into its next chapter.

The Future and Viability of Virtual Currencies

In recent years, we have seen the start up of virtual currencies such as "Bitcoin". However, we have to question the viability of these currencies and question whether or not they have a long term future.

Cash, Debt and Business Investment

In recent years, the economic slowdown coupled with lower business confidence has seen business investment become more subdued. This was caused in part by lower consumer spending resulting in more subdued revenue growth and downward pressure on company profits. This has increased the uncertainty surrounding future performance reducing the confidence needed for businesses to invest and boost the UK's economic recovery.

British Economy Series: Town Centres and the Changing Face of Business

In recent years, and accelerated by the recent downturn, we have seen out town centres change significantly. This includes the decline of the small local shops and libraries and the rise of the coffee and charity shop. This begs the question, what is the purpose of our town centres and what will they look like in the years to come?

Gender in the Boardroom: An Opinion Against Quotas

Women currently make up 19% of the membership of UK boardrooms, up from 12.5% in 2010. This is compared to 26% in Sweden and 35% in Norway. Currently both Sweden and the UK maintain a target based system with the UK having a target of 25% by 2015. This is while Norway currently has a legally enshrined quota of 40%.