That's true, Sue. What we're seeing is an acceleration of a trend to reduce office and employee costs. There's a number of variables here, and Brexit adds another complication. Many jobs did move offshore but there have been issues with this - security ones that Talk Talk experienced, unfamiliarity with systems leading to the the RBS/NatWest meltdown a few years ago, or just language/cultural differences, etc. So some jobs have moved back to the UK or customers deal exclusively with a computer with no direct human interaction. However, at the other end we have the gig economy where one's working environment may mean a working environment of a delivery bicycle, a smart phone and your bedsit for shelter. I believe Johnson wants to turn the UK into a high tech centre of excellence. That model may be out of date for high tech companies - remote working means that tech companies can recruit the best from around the world and using local subsidiaries and state of the art communications base them in their usual location. At that level of knowledge and expertise salary variances probably are a major consideration but where it is the borders aren't an issue. Using local subsidiaries means no visa issues or relocation costs. Where there is a need to meet for decision making or collaboration then those locations with fewer border guard issues will be favoured - so the EU and Canada could be preferred to the US or UK.Unfortunately, the UK relies on substantial services income. Financial and data services for EU citizens will require equivalence with appropriate EU regulations and directives; something the EU commission has to grant outside of any trade deal and not necessarily viable by this December - although the EU is quite good a doing fudges if it's to their advantage (for example, the US Privacy Shield arrangement now ruled invalid by the ECoJ). Although aspects of the US trade proposals could prejudice data equivalence.I wouldn't like to predict where it will end - a lot depends on the US election result and if/what trade deals the UK achieves with the EU and US, and how Chinese global influence change. Interesting times!
Michael Ixer ● 2046d