Oliver Pickup
- Founder and Director, Pickup Media Limited
London
As seen in:
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Financial Times,
The Guardian,
The Telegraph,
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Stuff.co.nz,
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New Zealand Herald,
Australian Financial Review
and
Covers:
travel, six nations, olympics, gigs, jazz, football, rugby league, rugby union, world music, food and drink, music, cricket
Doesn't Cover:
finance
Articles by Oliver Pickup
Your Outdoor Office: Rethought
Close to a third of British workers now split the week between home and the office, according to the Office for National Statistics, and in London the figure is higher still.
The Arb’s Father’s Day Hit List 2026
This year, Father’s Day falls on 21 June, which also happens to be the summer solstice.
Wahaca at 20: Still Bringing the Heat
Thomasina Miers’ once-revolutionary street-food spot celebrates two decades with a thoughtful winter menu refresh. Ollie Pickup revisits a former date-night favourite, this time with wife and children in tow… Twenty years ago, Thomasina Miers opened the first Wahaca in London’s Covent Garden, bringing the flavours of Mexican street food to a London audience more familiar with fajita kits (and there is nothing wrong with them) than proper pozole. I remember those early days fondly.
Shoreditch's Sweetheart | The Arbuturian
A new deli, wine bar and bistro named after a much-loved grandmother is already winning over the Shoreditch neighbourhood with its trattoria spirit, serious culinary credentials, and unfussy brilliance. There’s a turntable spinning a soothing Sault album in the corner, shelves groaning with artisan produce, and a counter displaying possibly the most generously proportioned pain au chocolat I’ve encountered this side of the Channel, plus countless other delights.
Financial services firms have built the AI highways – now they need drivers who know the road - Raconteur
Most legacy enterprise data centres were designed to handle fewer than 10 kilowatts of electricity delivered per rack. The latest AI servers demand closer to 100 kilowatts. That tenfold gap captures the central challenge facing financial services leaders trying to scale AI in 2026. Modernising data centre infrastructure thus becomes an imperative.
Go Flux Yourself: Navigating the Future of Work (No. 23)
TL;DR: November’s Go Flux Yourself marks three years since ChatGPT’s launch by examining the “survival of the shameless” – Rutger Bregman’s diagnosis of Western elite failure. With responsible innovation falling out of fashion and moral ambition in short supply, it asks what purpose-driven technology actually looks like when being bad has become culturally acceptable. Image created on Nano Banana “We’ve taught our best and brightest how to climb, but not what ladder is worth climbing.
How smart water stewardship is redefining sustainability leadership
The United Kingdom finds itself in deep water when it comes to sustainable hydration. While the nation enjoys some of the world’s safest tap water, new Culligan UK research reveals a striking paradox: 85% of Britons own reusable bottles, but 66% cannot name a single local refill station. This disconnect between abundant supply and patchy access reveals why water stewardship is emerging as sustainability’s next battleground.
AI in financial services: from internal gains to external value
What happens when the cost of intelligence sinks to zero? This question, posed at a recent industry roundtable hosted by Cognizant and Raconteur, cuts to the heart of the financial services industry’s transformation challenge. When artificial intelligence can write reports, conduct research and generate ideas instantaneously, traditional ways of working – including customer relationships – face fundamental disruption.
From darkness to light – unlocking the potential of technology-enabled supply chains - Raconteur
For centuries, supply chains have mainly operated in the dark. Even in our hyper-connected era, supply chain visibility and sustainability remain critical challenges, with the latest Proxima Supply Chain Barometer revealing that 86% of chief executives see significant hurdles with supply chain resiliency. This is driving a growing sense of urgency, with 55% of CEOs planning to dedicate more time to supply chain topics than in the last year.
The Arb's Christmas Hamper Selection 2024
Hampered by which hamper to choose this year? Hamstrung by the choice on offer? Feeling ham-fisted as to where to start? Fear not, the Arb’s indefatigable lord of lifestyle, Ollie Pickup, has selflessly scoured the land for the best on offer, and brings you this hammed-up round-up… Give the gift of DukesHill’s praise-worthy Star of Wonder hamper Granted, £225 is a hefty outlay but – my goodness! – DukesHill’s ‘Star of Wonder’ Christmas hamper is quite the festive feast.
Go Flux Yourself: Navigating the Future of Work (No. 10)
TL;DR: October’s Go Flux Yourself explores the dark and light sides of AI through Nobel Prize winners and cybersecurity experts, weighs the impact of disinformation ahead of the US election, confronts haunting cases of AI misuse, and finds hope in a Holocaust survivor’s legacy of ethical innovation … Image created on Midjourney with the prompt “a scary megalomaniac dressed as halloween monster with loads of computers showing code behind him in the style of an Edward Hopper painting” The...
Shaping the future of work for people, purpose and performance
Niki Turner-Harding, senior vice-president & country head, Adecco Jorge Aisa Dreyfus, executive vice-president of talent, capability & culture, Sage Theresa Palmer, global head of diversity, equity & inclusion at BAE Systems Digital Intelligence Anna Purchas, vice-chair and London office senior partner, KPMG UK Mark Wilson, group people director of talent acquisition, Babcock Anna Wisniowski, people business partnering director, Tesco The modern workforce has been transformed by the...
Go Flux Yourself: Navigating the Future of Work (No. 7)
TL;DR: July’s cheery (!) Go Flux Yourself considers the end of knowledge and culture as we know it thanks to artificial general intelligence, technology-induced ‘relationship decay’, HR dissonance, and the breathtaking beauty of human skill … Image created on Midjourney with the prompt “a massive meteor with an evil AI face about to crash down on Earth while ignorant people look at their smartphones in the style of an Edvard Munch painting” The future “The realisation of artificial general...
A Helicopter Ride with Aerial Photographer Donn Delson
From entertainment mogul to photographer, the Donn Delson has carved a unique path in the art world. Ollie Pickup flies with the man who’s spent over 100 hours in doorless helicopters, capturing breathtaking images that challenge our view of urban landscapes and natural wonders… It’s 10:33am on a Tuesday in May, and possibly the best email I’ve seen this year pops into my inbox. The subject line? “Invitation to Fly in a Helicopter with Aerial Photographer Donn Delson”. The opening paragraph?
Father's Day Gift Guide
This year, Father’s Day in the UK lands on Sunday, June 16.Fittingly, 24 hours after the King’s official birthday (even though Charles III’s actual date of birth is November 14). So, if you want to treat your “papa” – as the monarch would say – from ice baths to designer washbags and AI mice, Ollie Pickup has sourced some royally good gift ideas… Play it very cool with a LUMI Therapy ice bath For over a year now, my social media has been awash with ice-bath content.
Innovation in the Fast Lane at Goodwood
Tim Peake provides stardust for Future Lab, with the theme ‘Technology for a Better World’ likely to open eyes and minds, writes the Arb’s self-appointed tech-correspondent, Ollie Pickup… This summer’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, presented by Mastercard from 11th to 14th July, is revving up to be a spectacular showcase of cutting-edge technology and innovation in the automotive sphere and far beyond. Indeed, with astronaut Tim Peake providing stardust, it’ll be, ahem, out of this world.
New Year, New Gear: Eight Gadgets to Refresh Your Routine in 2024
Ring in the New Year with a reboot of your wellness routine. The Arb’s tech correspondent (and keen runner), Ollie Pickup, has hunted down the hottest fitness tech and handy home devices to spur healthy habits – without skimping style. From illumination for nocturnal workouts to effortless charging, these smart gadgets eliminate excuses to make the most of the months ahead while keeping sustainability in sight. Go on, give yourself a shiny upgrade. You deserve it.
Is 5G the key to a truly digital society?
Nick Gliddon, Vodafone UK’s director of business, argues that 5G is crucial to help both communities and businesses make swift and wide-ranging progress. Earlier this year, Vodafone research calculated that having a best-in-class 5G network in the UK would deliver up to £5 billion a year in economic benefit by 2030. An additional study of 2,000 UK adults suggested Britons believe 5G can improve society more than AI.
Quick fix? Lessons from B&Q’s boss on embracing transformation
As a sports fan, B&Q’s Graham Bell can’t resist making some topical Rugby World Cup analogies to describe his feelings about the firm he’s been leading for the past five years. “If we were a rugby team, we could win the competition because we’re feeling strong, confident and ready to push for success,” he declares.
Quick fix? Why B&Q’s modernisation plan is no short-term project
As a sports fan, B&Q’s Graham Bell can’t resist making some topical Rugby World Cup analogies to describe his feelings about the firm he’s been leading for the past five years. “If we were a rugby team, we could win the competition because we’re feeling strong, confident and ready to push for success,” he declares.
Quick fix? Lessons from B&Q’s boss on embracing transformation
As a sports fan, B&Q’s Graham Bell can’t resist making some topical Rugby World Cup analogies to describe his feelings about the firm he’s been leading for the past five years. “If we were a rugby team, we could win the competition because we’re feeling strong, confident and ready to push for success,” he declares.
The Arb's Top Trumps of Home Tech
Banish post-holiday blues, become more productive, and boost your wellness with The Arb’s self-appointed ‘tech correspondent’ – with his latest recommendations, Oliver Pickup is here to help with that transition back to school… Expand your WiFi connection with the Orbi 960 Mesh System A recent fortnight in a remote French campsite was an unwanted reminder of the utter frustration of having little or no internet access.
How artificial intelligence is making HR more human
How many HR managers acknowledged Artificial Intelligence Appreciation Day on 16 July? It probably passed unnoticed by most, considering the ever-growing list of tasks demanding the profession’s attention. Even if they did have a minute to look up from their work and appreciate the power of this fast-developing technology, is there any reason to celebrate something that’s likely to put millions of people out of a job? ‘Yes’ should be the answer to that question.
Cloud migration: doing more with less
Businesses across all industries have steadily been quickening their march to cloud computing over the last handful of years. Now, in an increasingly digitalised post-pandemic world, they are fully charging. With an economic downturn looming, there is an urgent need to innovate, reduce costs, bolster security, access on-demand scalability, and optimise resource use – all enabled by the cloud.
Sunshine and Sanctuary at the Stowaway Festival
Overwhelmed by Glasto, Reading, Wireless et al, music fiend and unsung DJ, Ollie Pickup, seeks some family-friendly vibes at a boutique music and arts jamboree set in the beautiful Buckinghamshire countryside… This year’s Glastonbury Festival, fringed by a four-metre-high “superfence”, started on 21st June – the summer solstice – marking the beginning of the music-festival season proper in the UK.
'Anti-meaningless work': How Gen Z are redefining traditional career paths
Gen Zers are forcing employers to evolve their ways of working. And rather than lamenting today’s youth, older business leaders would be wise to accommodate the workforce’s youngest generation better. Moving away from traditional career paths to encourage non-linear development makes sense for all parties in 2023. A new approach and fresh thinking are critical. “Logic will get you from A to B,” said Albert Einstein.
How can innovative AI-powered tools optimise customer service in financial services?
The introduction of generative AI has turned the head of many business leaders, eliciting mixed reactions. So, while already-high consumer expectations have been further elevated by recent advancements, how could – and should – financial service operators approach AI-powered customer service without turning people off?
As great resignation trend slows, here’s how companies are enticing ex-employees back
There was muted celebration in HR departments across the U.S. when, on Apr. 4, the latest data release on employment from the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicated that the Great Resignation may have finally slowed down – if not quit – in some so-called knowledge-working industries. However, the trend was still evident in many blue-collar industries.
As great resignation trend slows, here's how companies are enticing ex-employees back
There was muted celebration in HR departments across the U.S. when, on Apr. 4, the latest data release on employment from the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicated that the Great Resignation may have finally slowed down – if not quit – in some so-called knowledge-working industries. However, the trend was still evident in many blue-collar industries.
WTF is Quittok?
You’ve heard of quiet quitting but what about loud quitting? Last year, there was a great deal of noise about quiet quitting — namely, doing the minimum amount required per someone’s job description. Gen Zers led that trend. (Click here for WorkLife’s guide to The Quiet Workplace). Now many young professionals are taking a very different approach to head for the exit, being as loud as possible by live-streaming their resignations on social media. Their platform of choice: TikTok.
Remote working and ChatGPT fuel rise in people doing multiple jobs on the hush-hush
Conditions have never been more favorable for canny workers looking to make the digital equivalent of hay while the sun shines. The work trends precipitated by the pandemic fallout, including a shift to remote working and flexible hours, combined with the launch of generative artificial intelligence, mean that those looking to make a lot of dollars on the sly can do so without fear of incrimination.
Remote working and ChatGPT fuel rise in people doing multiple jobs on the hush-hush
Conditions have never been more favorable for canny workers looking to make the digital equivalent of hay while the sun shines. The work trends precipitated by the pandemic fallout, including a shift to remote working and flexible hours, combined with the launch of generative artificial intelligence, mean that those looking to make a lot of dollars on the sly can do so without fear of incrimination.
WTF are chaos monkeys?
Chaos monkey is a term that’s likely familiar to software teams, where it’s known as a tool to test the resilience of IT infrastructures. And with our reliance on technology in the workplace only increasing, ensuring it can perpetually sustain itself is more critical than ever. But it’s also being applied in a different, broader way across some businesses – to describe either major mindset changes or culture overhauls.
WTF are chaos monkeys?
Chaos monkey is a term that’s likely familiar to software teams, where it’s known as a tool to test the resilience of IT infrastructures. And with our reliance on technology in the workplace only increasing, ensuring it can perpetually sustain itself is more critical than ever. But it’s also being applied in a different, broader way across some businesses – to describe either major mindset changes or culture overhauls.
How generative AI is muddying copyright laws - what businesses need to know
Elon Musk and almost 4,000 high-profile signatories, including engineers from Amazon, DeepMind, Google, Meta, and Microsoft, attempted to halt the giddying acceleration of generative artificial intelligence in an open letter published in late March. “Recent months have seen AI labs locked in an out-of-control race to develop and deploy ever more powerful digital minds that no one – not even their creators – can understand, predict, or reliably control,” read the letter.
How generative AI is muddying copyright laws – what businesses need to know - NewsBreak
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How generative AI is muddying copyright laws - what businesses need to know
This article was first published by Digiday sibling Worklife Elon Musk and almost 4,000 high-profile signatories, including engineers from Amazon, DeepMind, Google, Meta, and Microsoft, attempted to halt the giddying acceleration of generative artificial intelligence in an open letter published in late March.
How generative AI is muddying copyright laws – what businesses need to know | Flipboard
12 hours ago Twitter, once a public square for ideas, is closing the free flow of information and has shut its gates to other platforms, including Flipboard. If you had connected your Twitter hashtags or feeds to Flipboard, you’ll notice those are no longer working. You may see gray tiles or broken links. …
Banning TikTok: Should companies follow the U.S. and U.K. governments?
With government workers in the U.S., U.K., Canada, France, and elsewhere recently banned from installing or having TikTok on their official devices, is it time for companies to follow their lead? With greater awareness of allegedly nefarious data-harvesting activity, the clock is ticking. Political leaders posit that because TikTok is owned by Bytedance, China’s state-linked technology corporation with ties to the Chinese Communist Party, there is a significant cybersecurity risk.
Banning TikTok: Should companies follow the U.S. and U.K. governments?
With government workers in the U.S., U.K., Canada, France, and elsewhere recently banned from installing or having TikTok on their official devices, is it time for companies to follow their lead? With greater awareness of allegedly nefarious data-harvesting activity, the clock is ticking. Political leaders posit that because TikTok is owned by Bytedance, China’s state-linked technology corporation with ties to the Chinese Communist Party, there is a significant cybersecurity risk.
How to create a 25% productivity hike: Lessons from Shopify’s meetings purge
When, at the start of the year, Shopify let loose a so-called “chaos monkey” to disrupt the Canadian multinational e-commerce company’s meeting culture, it was a shock to its 11,600 employees. Initial panic – how would things possibly be achieved without meetings? – was quickly replaced by relief. And new data proved the move was a delightful surprise overall. On Jan. 3, Kaz Nejatian, Shopify COO, posted about the calendar purge on Twitter. “Meetings are a bug,” he wrote.
What ‘human-centric’ tech is fixing HR challenges
Has anyone had it more difficult at work than human resources professionals in the last three years? First, they had to manage and enable a workforce that suddenly couldn’t come into the office due to lockdowns – aside from in industries with increasingly stressed frontline staff, such as healthcare workers, emergency services workers, and teachers.
How to create a 25% productivity hike: Lessons from Shopify's meetings purge
When, at the start of the year, Shopify let loose a so-called “chaos monkey” to disrupt the Canadian multinational e-commerce company’s meeting culture, it was a shock to its 11,600 employees. Initial panic – how would things possibly be achieved without meetings? – was quickly replaced by relief. And new data proved the move was a delightful surprise overall. On Jan. 3, Kaz Nejatian, Shopify COO, posted about the calendar purge on Twitter. “Meetings are a bug,” he wrote.
What 'human-centric' tech is fixing HR challenges
Has anyone had it more difficult at work than human resources professionals in the last three years? First, they had to manage and enable a workforce that suddenly couldn’t come into the office due to lockdowns – aside from in industries with increasingly stressed frontline staff, such as healthcare workers, emergency services workers, and teachers.
Amid cost-of-living crisis, more employees donate their benefits to charities
The late American poet Maya Angelou once opined: “I have found that among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver.” But are these wise words being heeded in 2023? It would be logical to assume that during a cost-of-living crisis and a global financial crash looming, people would be less willing to donate their money to charitable causes.
Amid cost-of-living crisis, more employees donate their benefits to charities
The late American poet Maya Angelou once opined: “I have found that among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver.” But are these wise words being heeded in 2023? It would be logical to assume that during a cost-of-living crisis and a global financial crash looming, people would be less willing to donate their money to charitable causes.
Execs are ignoring the dangers of ‘confidently incorrect’ AI and why it’s a massive problem
This story was first published by Digiday sibling WorkLife Why don’t scientists trust atoms? Because they make everything up. When Greg Brockman, president and co-founder of OpenAI, demonstrated the possibilities of GPT-4 – Generative Pre-trained Transformer 4, the fourth-generation autoregressive language model that uses deep learning to produce human-like text – upon launch on Mar. 14, he tasked it to create a website from a notebook sketch.
Leaders are blindly ignoring the dangers of ‘confidently incorrect’ AI - and why it’s a massive problem
Why don’t scientists trust atoms? Because they make everything up. When Greg Brockman, president and co-founder of OpenAI, demonstrated the possibilities of GPT-4 – Generative Pre-trained Transformer 4, the fourth-generation autoregressive language model that uses deep learning to produce human-like text – upon launch on Mar. 14, he tasked it to create a website from a notebook sketch.
Leaders are ignoring the dangers of ‘confidently incorrect’ AI: Why it’s a massive problem
Why don’t scientists trust atoms? Because they make everything up. When Greg Brockman, president and co-founder of OpenAI, demonstrated the possibilities of GPT-4 – Generative Pre-trained Transformer 4, the fourth-generation autoregressive language model that uses deep learning to produce human-like text – upon launch on Mar. 14, he tasked it to create a website from a notebook sketch.
‘Productivity-sapping vampires’: How to improve the hybrid-meetings culture
In theory, hybrid working is perfect, promising flexibility, convenience and empowerment. However, in practice, many organizations are finding, to their horror, it can be the worst of both in-person and remote working. Its logistical complexity has the potential to restrict collaboration and, ultimately, productivity. And that is largely down to the number and inefficiency of hybrid meetings.
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