Chief Executive, Next
Search every verified Wolfson Guise interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. In a 2014 interview, Lord Wolfson stated that the economy was "on the mend," citing record employment, returning consumer and mortgage credit, normalizing housing transactions, and a slowdown in the decline of real wages. He also expressed caution, warning that growth risked being channeled into asset price inflation, particularly in house prices, rather than into real infrastructure projects like new homes, shops, and roads. Wolfson argued that the government's role should be to "liberate the economy" rather than direct it, and that the free market, including builders and merchants, should determine what homes to build. He advised the merchant community to engage with local planners and media to advocate for projects, stating that people "will listen to reason" if arguments are made publicly. Wolfson also emphasized recruiting for "attitude" and training for skill, suggesting that businesses should prioritize hiring trainees with the right mindset over requiring graduates.
“the economy is definitely on the mend employment is at record levels consumer credits coming back into the economy mortgage credits coming back into the economy housing transactions are back at more normal levels real wages are beginning to stop declining so that people aren't getting poorer at the rate they were over...”
“what government should do is allow the economy to grow in the way that it wants to grow and that doesn't involve politicians sitting down and telling people where to build houses or what houses to build it involves quite the opposite it involves releasing land and then letting the free market and the collective intelli...”
Following Simon's key note speech at the BMF members' day, the Chief Executive talked to ACO on Air about the excellent results in retail, including merchants, and how the economy, as a whole, is on the mend. Despite this, Simon explains that we can't relax. To keep up-to-date with ACO on Air videos, visit the ACO on Air page - http://bit.ly/ACOonair - or follow ACO Water Management at http://bit.ly/ACOTwitter
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