Here we are nearly at the end of another year. We have been asking a few people from the business world how they see 2022 shaping up and what their personal goals will be over the next 12 months.
Simon Nicholas, partner, KPMG
What a crazy year, but even in the madness (and lockdowns) I managed to meet my 2021 resolution - finally getting control of my weight and fitness - two stone down with more to go.
2022 is to be a year of focus on the environment for me, my family, KPMG, our staff and my clients. COP26 inspired many and Attenborough’s speech regarding the ’point of no return’ really hit home as a father of two.
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In my day job with leading Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) for the region, I’m fortunate to be in a position where I can make a real difference and I can see changes are already being made for the better. And, as a father, I’m keen to teach my children how we can make a positive difference and be a force for good.
Jim Mellon,
investor and author
Stock market wise, 2021 was pretty good, with markets awash with freshly printed money and economies learning to live with Covid. 2022 will be much harder, and already some markets, notably the US, are displaying signs of being at a peak.
Investors should look beyond the obvious themes of electrification and search out new areas. I am particularly interested in the burgeoning science of longevity, where the science of improving ’healthspan’, or our years of healthy living as well as outright lifespan, is catching up with the aspiration of most people to live longer, and healthier.
I am also interested in the new food revolution underway, including the culturing of food and materials in laboratory conditions. I also think watching the growth of quantum computing is worthwhile.
Covid will start to recede completely by the second half of next year, and although I think markets will be rocky, there are some areas not to be missed.
Aidan Davin,
managing director of corporate services provider JTC
I’m full of optimism for 2022 and hope that we will continue to see a gradual normalisation of both our personal and corporate lives. Having had a break from travel for much of 2021, I’m really looking forward to catching up with both professional contacts and some old friends over the coming months.
Growth is definitely on our agenda for next year, so recruitment will be a key focus for me, and I’m looking forward to meeting all our new starters and reinvigorating our office environment.
Although remote working will continue to be a feature of our work patterns, that togetherness and opportunity to collaborate is something I’m really looking to nurture as we redefine what ’the office’ means for us all.
Skills and professional development will also be a big focus for me in 2022, and in the coming year I want to ensure that I’m available to help and support all my colleagues in their career development.