It is kind of nice when the biggest event on the planet is brought to your doorstep – in my case literally.

Read more

EBRD’s own Andriy Maksymovych brought the Olympic torch to work to let people have their picture taken with it and to raise some money for charity. He raised about £1000 for Marusia, a Ukrainian girl with cancer currently treated in London (more at http://www.mfa.gov.ua/uk) Hundreds of bankers queued for hours! He plans other events with the torch in London, to raise money for equipment for Ukrainian children’s hospital – I will announce when more details are known.

Read more

Olympics in Tower Hamlets smells of rotten fish and fresh manure. Fish smell greets me every morning as I walk to Whitechapel tube; but manure is something new. If I wasn’t in a rush, I’d look around for signs that police horses had been there earlier in the morning.

Read more