About Me

An urbanist and writer, I have fifteen years of political and economic journalism experience and now specialise in urban policy and communications. Formerly head of the economic service for The Associated Press in Paris and Bloomberg’s chief political reporter in France, I have covered a breadth of industry sectors and political issues working across the globe. Recently, I have focusing on London and West Africa in policy and communications roles for organisations including the Centre for London think tank, the Financial Times and the Town and Country Planning Association. I have an RTPI-accredited masters in spatial planning from the Bartlett (UCL), where I specialised in regeneration with a focus on London’s East End and the Olympic Park area. You can follow some of my thoughts and actions in the planning blog on the right hand side of this page. Underneath the photo, you can click for a link to my CV (with details of how to contact me if you would like to employ me for freelance writing, research, PR or advisory work), or click on journalism for links to sample articles and information about my 2007 book on French politics 'Schizophrenie Francaise.'

Saturday, October 13, 2012

Tech City and the EU



Just back from a lovely trip to Brussels for the Lisbon Council think tank's 2012 Single Market Entrepreneurs Summit. I was invited after contributing an article on Tech City for the SMEs in the Single Market:A Growth Agenda for the 21st Century publication. 

It was interesting to see how London's efforts to attract the cream of European (and elsewhere) tech and creative talent is regarded in the heart of Europe. Alex Farcet, co-founder and managing director of Startupbootcamp, said London is raising the game everywhere. However Richard Pelly, chief executive of the European Investment Fund, said cities should be realistic about their competitive advantages. Don't just compete for the sake of it, he urged, as that will only lead to wasted public money. As I waved the flag for London, a lady from Dublin heckled at the back. Meanwhile in Stockholm, the Nobel peace committee was gearing up to award a unity prize to the European Union.....

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