Friday High Five – the news this week

I don’t know you if you’ve spotted, but I’ve been doing a video version of this weekly message that’s been shared on Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok.

Thanks for the comments about my background artwork and the quality of the production. I try and get it under a minute, which speaks volumes about modern day concentration spans, but also what content platforms require.

The top end of the news this week has been drama, drama, drama.

There can be no bigger fall from grace than that of former Co-op Bank chairman Paul Flowers, the crystal Methodist, who has been jailed for fraud.

Pets at Home is supposedly on the brink of a corporate raid from a predatory private equity bidder. It all makes sense, as I’ve repeatedly said, but in hindsight maybe this week’s share spike was much ado about nothing.

B+M and Unilever are both losing their chief executives amidst profound questions over their performance. The world seems to be changing at pace and some of the commentary around these stories hinges on what businesses need to do differently to be a winner.

The Sacha Lord story isn’t going away. The self-styled champion of the hospitality sector says he never personally benefited from a flawed application for a £400k grant, but with respect that it isn’t the question.

Also a moot point is that the Arts Council have said they want the money returned, but as the business has gone bump, then they are going to have to direct their queries to the liquidator.

Taking all these individual dramas on board, I’m reminded that so many business decisions come down to how individual people make choices, based on how they interpret consumer trends way beyond their control. The crisis in hospitality is real, but so too is the trend towards abstinence amongst young people. This morning I’ve written a story about how Total Fitness is doing really well amongst under 25s.

As I plan my questions for the interviews and panels at our Rainmakers conference in a month’s time, these big hairy societal questions will be on my mind. That, and how I can sum it up in a jaunty video.