United Kingdom: Economic Analysis

Leicester is evolving into one of the East Midlands' most dynamic knowledge economies, creating opportunities for both businesses and the professional services firms that support them. Senior Partner Tim Gladdle explores the city's economic transformation, the growing demand for specialist legal advice, and why Rothera Bray continues to invest in Leicester's future.

The EU Data Act introduces new access by design requirements for connected products and related services, fundamentally changing how IoT providers must handle product data accessibility. As the first anniversary of the Act's general applicability approaches, manufacturers and service providers face critical compliance deadlines that will reshape data access standards across the smart device market.

UK retailers face mounting pressure as they navigate structural headwinds including inflation, tax burdens, and global volatility in fuel and food prices. With peak trading season approaching and the upcoming Budget looming as a potential turning point, the question remains whether government intervention will provide meaningful cost relief or if retailers must rely solely on data-driven personalization strategies to sustain growth through back-to-school and Christmas trading periods.

The world will look different within two to three years, and investment decisions need to account for that reality. By the end of the decade, many of today's political leaders will be leaving office, facing succession challenges, or governing with weaker mandates. Donald Trump will have left office by January 2029, closing a chapter in which American politics was defined by his influence.

Global enterprise AI spending will surpass $2 trillion in 2026, yet 95% of AI pilots fail to deliver measurable P&L impact. For CFOs, the challenge isn't whether to invest in AI, but whether their organization's structure can convert that investment into tangible results through deliberate operating model redesign and change management.

For many of our clients, the next twelve months will be a turning point in how they think about passing on wealth. The nil-rate band remains frozen at £325,000, with the residence nil-rate band fixed at £175,000 until at least April 2031. From April 2026, 100% agricultural and business property relief has been capped at £1 million of combined value and from 6 April 2027 most unused pension funds will be brought into the scope of inheritance tax for the first time.

On 12 May 2026, we hosted a webinar in collaboration with Eco Intelligent Growth on Circular Economy: From Regulation to Real Business Value, exploring how circular principles...

Premium industrial manufacturing faces commoditization as Chinese competitors rapidly advance along the value chain, leveraging cost advantages and access to critical materials.

The Henry Royce Institute has unveiled a comprehensive Materials Map that quantifies the advanced materials sector's economic impact across UK regions, revealing a distributed network of innovation clusters.