As we continue the journey through the COVID-19 pandemic, we’re seeing many clients firmly focused on the future and the opportunities for growth. But what are their key priorities? Our recent 2021 CEO outlook survey reveals a picture of great optimism and a greater sense of purpose, with confidence in growth reaching pre-pandemic levels and a strong appetite for M&A.
And there is evidence to support that confidence. Our UK Economic Outlook shows that, while the period of recovery may be uneven across the UK, now is a time of opportunity to recover lost ground. And is hybrid really the future of work? As remote and hybrid working has seen the need for physical office spaces decline, our latest The Future of Cities report explores the true impact of new ways of working.
There is plenty of capital available to support those businesses who navigate new challenges. Our Q3 2021 Venture Pulse report found that UK scaleups continued to attract funding from across the globe with investors prepared to pay premium prices for strong UK innovators with a proven track record. Now could be the perfect time to join Access, our "access all areas" bespoke experience supporting ScaleUp businesses in their growth journey.
On the topic of fast-growing businesses, our search for global future tech titans culminates in the Global Tech Innovator 2021 Final, on Tuesday 02 November. Along with our judges, you too can help crown the inaugural Global Tech Innovator by taking part in our People’s Choice vote on the day.
And finally, this month we will be eagerly awaiting the Autumn UK Budget 2021. Although the Spring Budget brought significant changes, it was notably silent on several other revenue raising initiatives. Register for our discussion on the impact of the Budget on international and domestic businesses, employers, and individuals.
I hope you find this edition interesting. As always, please reach out to me or my colleagues to discuss any of the challenges you are facing.
In this edition:
- 2021 CEO Outlook Report
- Yael Selfin’s UK Economic Outlook
- Venture Pulse, Q3 2021
- The redefining of the UK business landscape
- Access Your Vision
- Scaling Business Ambition
- Autumn Budget 2021 Discussion
- Tech Innovator Global Final Virtual Event
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2021 CEO Outlook
Much has been, and will continue to be said about the future of business in the post-pandemic world, but what are CEOs looking to prioritise for their businesses over the next three years? Our recent 2021 CEO Outlook report revealed newfound levels of confidence among UK CEOs, the acceleration of digital transformation and closer scrutiny on their ESG agendas– but it’s supply chain resilience and the agile workforce that dominates the current conversation. How will businesses look to attract, retain, and develop the best talent in a hybrid working world? Is the future of work really hybrid? And what will the resilient supply chain function of the future look like?
Yael Selfin’s UK Economic Outlook
As we continue our emergence from the pandemic, all signs point to a period of robust recovery. For some sectors, a lot of ground has been recovered but for sectors such as hospitality and personal services, the big times are now. It’s likely to be an uneven recovery across the UK, which may provide an opportunity for the government to target investment to improve the long-term prospects of poorer regions, as part of its levelling up agenda. Yael Selfin, KPMG in the UK’s Chief Economist, explores how there may be increased focus on the new needs of local people and the range of areas that require support, from education and skills to technology infrastructure, housing, and social amenities.
Venture Pulse | Q3 2021
The latest KPMG Venture Pulse report has just been released, showing a record high of over £6.5billion being invested by Venture Capital in UK scaleups over the summer. After two extraordinarily high quarters in 2021, UK scaleups continued to attract funding from across the globe in Q3 21, with investors prepared to pay premium prices for strong UK innovators with a proven track record.
Corporate Venture Capital (CVC) investment in UK innovators also reached a new high of £2.8bn in Q3 21 - a 9% increase in value from Q2 21 - as innovation continues to dominate boardroom priorities following the pandemic.
The redefining of the UK business landscape
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we work, but is it permanent? With lesser need for physical offices, the increased availability of space in the larger business hubs could see businesses access a larger pool of workers, suppliers and clients. Homeworking could drive demand for local services and create booming residential towns and neighbourhoods. Read our latest report, The Future of Cities, to find out what these changes might look like, and how you can prepare.
Access your vision
We’re looking for companies who want to make big moves and big decisions. If you’re looking at raising your first major investment, scaling fast and want to lay the right foundations to turbocharge your growth, then we want to hear from you.
Our global Emerging Giants Centres of Excellence were built because we believe in you and what you can achieve. We believe in businesses that will provide the courage and innovation to solve the biggest and most pressing issues out there.
With Access we offer the very best ScaleUps an "access all areas" bespoke experience with KPMG. Join one of our themed ScaleUps Cohorts for a 12-month journey of growth as we support you through the most exciting and critical phase of your business journey.
Scaling Business Ambition
Our Backing Business Ambition series, in partnership with Insider Media, concluded with our National Conference - Scaling Business Ambition. Our panels of prominent business leaders explored topics ranging from the business benefits of having an authentic ESG strategy to how best to structure growth plans and the opportunities and challenges of true digital transformation.
Events
Autumn Budget 2021 | 29 October 2021 |12:00 - 13:00 | Register today
The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, will present the second UK Budget of 2021 on 27 October. The Spring Budget, on 3 March, was most notable for the introduction of the ‘super-deduction’ for capital expenditure and the forthcoming corporation tax increase but it was silent on a number of other initiatives that could be explored to raise revenues – will the forthcoming Autumn Budget be different?
Join us on the 29 October as we discuss the impact of the Budget on international and domestic businesses, employers, and individuals
Tech Innovator Final | 02 November 2021 |17:30 – 20:00 | Register today
Over the last few months, we’ve been searching far and wide for the top tech innovators across the globe. Seventeen future tech titans representing most regions of the world have amazed us with their inspiring stories, innovation, and ambitious growth plans.
Almost 700 applications and 17 country finals later, we’re ready to crown the KPMG Private Enterprise Global Tech Innovator winner!
Join us for an exclusive preview of some of our future market leaders at the global final and help the judges crown the inaugural Global Tech Innovator by taking part in our People’s Choice vote. Taking place held (in person and virtually) on Tuesday, 2 November, from 17:30 to 20:00 GMT.
KPMG Private Enterprise: From early stage funding advice to planning an exit, KPMG Private Enterprise (KPE) teams support privately owned businesses with their growth agendas. Our latest business insights can be found here.
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