The Times Raconteur supplement
Finbarr Toesland
Journalist
United Kingdom
Journalist specialising in technology, business and economic issues
United Kingdom
Journalist specialising in technology, business and economic issues
The Times Raconteur supplement
Vinyl has undergone a resurgence that few in the music industry were fully prepared for, with year-on-year sales growing by 53 per cent in 2016, to total more than 3.2 million, according to the BPI. This revival contrasts starkly with sales of CDs and downloads, which are plummeting.
The growth of the internet of things (IoT) is drastically changing how consumers interact with their cars, homes and appliances, but the aptly named second digital revolution has major implications for industry too. From machine-learning, machine-to-machine communication to artificial intelligence, the industrial internet of things (IIoT) takes IoT technologies and directly applies them to industrial concerns and in the process improves efficiency and productivity.
Few industries have been left unscathed by ambitious digital startups disrupting long-established companies. From digital-only challenger bank Atom to ride-hailing app Uber, innovative technologies are being used to revolutionise customer experience and create new business models, tailored to tech-savvy consumers. The property industry is no exception.
Africa
Before the collapse in a range of commodity prices over the past few years, bumper demand for resources that are plentiful in Africa boosted the economies of numerous countries on the continent.
Mobile phones may not be a silver bullet, but across Africa they are going a long way towards addressing long standing deficiencies in the region’s healthcare systems.
The continued contentious trade of Africa's cultural heritage puts Western museums and galleries under fire as African collectors fight back. Among the images of sapeurs and nightclub divas of the highly successful ' Beauté Congo' exhibition at Paris's Fondation Cartier is an unusual canvas by Chéri Samba.
Football is undoubtedly Africa's most popular sport. Millions tune in every week to watch the stars of the world's biggest clubs compete. It is difficult to find an office, restaurant or bar on the continent that is not broadcasting some sort of football game at any given time.
Lifestyle
A new breed of young art patrons and influencers say the UAE needs more formal art institutions to sustain the industry Finn Toesland A new breed of young art patrons and influencers say the UAE needs more formal art institutions to sustain the industry Enticing notoriously flighty millennials to spend their time and money supporting galleries and museums has proved a difficult task for many established arts organisations, with developing the next generation of patrons becoming a key focus...
All eyes were on Milan this year as the latest Universal Exposition came to town. Although Expo 2015 closed at the end of October, it left a revitalised city in its wake. During my visit, many changes were clear to see, in the form of new buildings, construction sites and the heavy investment in infrastructure.
Tucked away in an exclusive corner of Mayfair, only a brisk walk away from Buckingham Palace, lies Dukes Hotel. Stroll down St James's Street and take a side-street to enter the minute courtyard to find this discreet spot.