Winning Leadership: Lessons from 50 Years in Business is a business book with a difference. It is written by an author who can claim that old adage, “been there, done that”, and I suspect he has got the tee-shirt! The author, Ralph Pickles, has half a century of experience in business and has picked up a wealth of knowledge along the way.

JD Sports: New dynamics as Nike re-engages with wholesale and new brands gain fashion relevance; market outperformance is unlikely in mature markets such as the UK and US. Burberry: A real turnaround remains uncertain; while the scarf and trench coat market is smaller than leather goods, selective pricing actions could help improve margins.

Retail sales volumes continued to fall in the year to January, but at a markedly slower rate relative to December – according to the latest CBI Distributive Trades Survey. Retailers anticipate the sales downturn to regain pace in February.

Yesterday's HMRC monthly tax receipts show fuel duty receipts for April 2025 to December 2025 are £18.5bn, which is £0.1m higher than the same period last year. The uptick reverses a two-year downward trend* which had been attributed to more motorists transitioning from petrol and diesel to electric and hybrid vehicles.

Top 10 UK housebuilder, Keepmoat, has announced the appointment of Karl Wiseman as Group Production Director, in a move that further strengthens its executive board.

UK manufacturers remained under significant pressure in the quarter to January, with output and orders declining, capacity utilisation falling and investment plans weak, according to the latest quarterly CBI Industrial Trends Survey. Optimism continued to decline, but manufacturers were their least pessimistic since July 2024.

​SMH Mitchells has announced the successful Management Buy-Out (MBO) of Peak Electrical Supplies, a leading independent electrical wholesaler. The deal was led by Andrew McDaid, Partner at SMH Mitchells, whose specialist expertise in corporate finance and MBO structures played a key role in delivering a successful outcome.

Responding to the latest ONS labour market data, Alex Hall-Chen, Principal Policy Advisor for Employment at the Institute of Directors, said: “Today’s data is evidence of a further weakening labour market, with the number of payrolled employees falling by 0.1% on the month, unemployment up 0.3pps on the quarter, and vacancies flatlining.

Technology recruitment and services firm SPG Resourcing has taken new offices on Park Square in Leeds as it looks to support ambitious growth plans and attract specialist talent. The move to St Paul’s House places the business among a growing cluster of technology-focused companies in one of the city centre’s most historic commercial locations.

Yorkshire mid-market businesses are turning to AI and productivity improvements to drive growth in 2026. Headcount is expected to grow in the region this year, despite reports of weakening hiring intentions. Private equity will play a key role in funding the growth ambitions of Yorkshire businesses.

Leeds-based DS.Emotion, the marketing and placemaking agency, has been appointed to promote Bradford City Village, one of the most significant developments in the city’s recent history. Bradford Council, in partnership with the ECF and Muse Developments, is developing plans to unlock the potential of the former retail and trading heart of Bradford city centre.

Despite employer confidence in workplace provision, women say lack of support is forcing them to cut hours, turn down promotions, or quit entirely - but there are solutions to prevent this

Just when there appeared to be a lull in the tariff storm, President Trump has whipped up fresh economic chaos. He’s meting out punishment to European countries opposing the administration’s demand that Greenland becomes part of the US, either through purchase or invasion.

Ecommerce and logistics specialist Staci has secured a significant contract with Waldencast Brands - which owns the brands Glaze, Whind and Coats - supporting the group as it expands across the UK and EU. The partnership, which began in August 2025, will contribute to Waldencast Brands’s plans to build a global platform for beauty and wellness brands.

Normanton-headquartered specialist in drive technology, SEW-EURODRIVE UK, has appointed a new managing director. Andy Turner, operations director, has taken on the role after 17 years with the company in various sales and operations roles following the retirement of former MD, John Pickup.

With markets stabilising, long-term value will be driven by planning certainty, sustainable placemaking and well-promoted housing sites across the region according to Peter Garrett, Managing Director of Keyland Developments, the property trading arm of Kelda Group and sister-company to Yorkshire Water. Having written a number of “year ahead” outlook pieces over t…

Businesses are entering one of the most precarious periods of the year, with the weeks following Christmas often proving decisive for companies already under financial strain. That's the view of a leading insolvency expert, who has highlighted that the start of the new year is when “hidden problems come to the surface”.

UK eeks out growth of 0.3% in November, after a contraction in October. Activity was boosted by a 1.1% increase in the production sector and a 0.3% lift in the services sector. A rebound in car production following Jaguar Land Rover attack appears to have helped. Monthly construction output is estimated to have fallen by 1.3% in November. Budget fears made some firms cautious, but there was increased activity across IT and R&D. Wealth Club survey of high-net worth investors show pessimism about the 12 months head. With the Budget in rear-view mirror and interest rates on a downward path more optimism is due.