A Special Message From George Kanaan,
Chief Executive Officer

We begin 2023 in a sombre mood. The world economy is facing many challenges, including higher inflation and rising interest rates, while the war in Ukraine rages. In the United Kingdom, we are beset with strikes, by train drivers, nurses, postal workers and others, making our daily lives more difficult, both professionally and personally. While the Covid pandemic has receded, its continuing impact is far from negligible. China, the driver of so much global economic activity, is still grappling with ways to contain the pandemic, while in Western Europe and the Middle East, the spectre of 'long Covid' haunts many who thought they would recover quickly from infection.