Editor's Picks
Back to homepage
Walter Owen Bentley: Refinement Delivered at Speed
Born in 1888 in Hampstead, Walter Owen Bentley was the youngest in a family of nine children. Fascinated to near-obsession by mechanical precision and speed, W.O. – as the Benjamin of the Bentley family was known affectionately – burst forth
Read More
José Mujica: At Long Last – A Politician to Admire
The South American country of Uruguay does not often make for headline news. It’s a relatively well-developed and prosperous place that quietly goes about its business without making any fuss. Uruguay enjoys a moderate, but sustainable, rate of economic growth.
Read More
Bassem Youssef: Confronting Power with Laughter and Ridicule
“You can’t laugh and be afraid at the same time – of anything. If you’re laughing, I defy you to be afraid.” An elegant an explanation as any of the power of satire, coined by US comedian and television host Stephen Colbert. In March
Read More
Ai Weiwei: Free Expression in Art and Politics
Curiosity may have killed the cat, but that doesn’t deter Ai Weiwei from asking questions, ruffling feathers and expressing opinions through his peerless art. Apparently, this makes Mr Weiwei a most dangerous man. Chinese authorities seem to consider Mr Weiwei
Read More
Robert Shiller: Making Sense of the Irrationality of Markets
The question of what motivates a trader to buy or sell shares at any particular moment is probably as old as the stock market itself. Given that trading securities often is a pursuit largely devoid of rational behaviour – though
Read More
Cristiano Ronaldo: Football Virtuoso Equipped with Class and Modesty
The embodiment of the superlative, striker Cristiano Ronaldo gathers titles by the dozen: Most Expensive Football Player in History; Most Goals in a Single Season; Fastest Player to Reach 50, 100, 150 and 200 Goals, etc. He’s also a most
Read More
Mehriban Aliyeva – With Azerbaijan at Heart: the First Lady Reaches Out For a Better World
When Azerbaijan first lady Mehriban Aliyeva travels internationally, minds, people and hearts come together – East and West meet – and good deeds spring out. Mehriban Aliyeva symbolises tireless outreach to women and children. She aims to change the world
Read More
Michael Joseph: Banking for the Masses Fuels Mobile Networks
M-Pesa, mobile money, is the lasting legacy of Michael Joseph’s decade-long term as CEO of Safaricom, the largest mobile network operator in Kenya. M-Pesa allows mobile phone users to send each other small amounts of money, and access a host
Read More
Fatema Mernissi: Beyond the Veil – A Seismic Shift in Islamic Society
An Islamic feminist may seem a contradiction in terms, but Fatema Mernissi is anything but. This Moroccan author and sociologist has made it her life’s work to question the alleged sayings of Muhammad that for some still justify the subordination
Read More
Inez Murray: Women in Business – Bankers Advised to Take Note
Getting banks to notice women is quite the challenge. Whereas research consistently shows that women are exceedingly good at managing money and budgets, banks often ignore the female demographic or fail to put processes in place that facilitate the financial
Read More