“Talent supply is a key concern among companies today and it continues to be a growing concern. It will inform proactive organizations who will need to invest in reskilling; to what extent individuals will seek changes in their employer choices or careers decisions; and how organizations use alternative workforces to access the skills and capabilities they need.” – Bert Miller, President & CEO, MRINetwork
EMEA
According to a report issued by Deloitte, the Eurozone is moving toward a robust bounce-back after a disappointing first quarter in 2021 and a difficult second one. A growth rate of 4% is expected in 2021 in its baseline scenario, which would be the highest since the Eurozone’s inception. However, while an even stronger consumer boom, driven by accumulated savings, is a clear upside scenario, risk factors persist, observes the report. The Delta variant of the coronavirus has spread in Europe, especially in the Netherlands and Spain, where some restrictions had to be reintroduced. If rising infection rates lead to a new round of lockdowns and new travel restrictions, the Eurozone’s growth prospects would fade substantially. Also, continued shortages of semiconductors and other inputs pose a risk. Despite these factors, the economic situation and the outlook for the Eurozone look better than at any time during the COVID-19 crisis.
Read the entire article, written by Dr. Alexander Boersch, an economist with Deloitte based in Germany, at Eurozone Economic Outlook | Deloitte Insights, which also discusses the EU recovery fund, consumer confidence and inflation in the region.
ASIA PACIFIC
As reported in the Asia Pacific News, the United States and China were encouraged to put aside their differences to help maintain cooperation in combating climate change. The request was made by United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, ahead of the UN COP26 climate change conference next month. The relationship between the two largest economies in the world is currently at its lowest in decades due to issues, including the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic and human rights.
The COP26 meeting, to be held in Glasgow, Scotland, is considered a key opportunity to gain the wider commitments of countries to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, as well as to ensure that the average global temperature increase remains below 2 degrees Celsius for the remainder of this century.
Read the full story at For sake of climate change, UN asks US, China to set aside differences | Asia Pacific News.
THE AMERICAS
SoftBank Group is committing $3 billion to kickstart a second fund focused on investing in start-ups in Latin America, according to an announcement this month from the Japanese tech conglomerate as reported by CNBC. After a dismal stretch in 2019 that culminated in the scrapped IPO of WeWork, SoftBank has reemerged as a major tech investor across the globe and is now bolstering its bet on a region that’s seeding a growing number of valuable companies.
Venture investors poured $9.3 billion into Latin America in the first six months of 2021, compared with $5.3 billion all of last year. Brazil’s Nubank was recently valued at $30 billion, putting it among the most valuable venture-backed companies in the world. The company is expected to go public soon.
SoftBank’s Latin America Fund II will focus on investing in companies utilizing technologies like artificial intelligence and scout deals in e-commerce and digital financial services as well as blockchain projects. SoftBank has already committed $3 billion to the fund, which will operate out of Miami, Sao Paulo and Mexico City.
Read the full story at SoftBank announces second Latin America fund with at least $3 billion | CNBC.