Where the money goes

For every £100 spent in the UK, this is where the cash goes: Government £20 Retailer £26 Brand £21 Shipping £4 Software £4 Manufacturing £5 Semiconductors £18 IP £2 He told the audience that it's important for companies to be in the right part of this 'food chain'. The right part, in his opinion, is a fabless supplier to the consumer electronics sector. By coincidence, Imagination fits this profile quite well. But he makes a useful point and his words underlined part of last year's ESCO Report, which called for more global businesses to be built in the UK. "We need to invest in new products which excite the consumer," he said. "That's what successful brands are doing. And we need to create international UK brands." All very well in theory, but can it be achieved? It's a discussion which has been in progress for some time now, but with no visible progress. There is general agreement that the UK has good technology, but very few of those companies are growing at a rate which would propel them onto the global stage. And when they do, they are often acquired – the recent purchase of Wolfson is just one example. So how do you grow an international UK brand if the sentiment is for investors to take the money at an early opportunity? Answers, please, on a postcard.