Getting our finances in shape

It’s now almost a week since Chris Huhne published his much-anticipated industry white paper, setting out his flagship policy on Electricity Market Reform (EMR), and all talk continues to centre on one issue – a short term increase in electricity prices.

No one need be surprised. For the cost-conscious consumer, any talk of bigger bills inevitably creates chaos, as media columnists and commentators pull apart the numbers and look for the governmental gaps.

However, from an industry perspective, such analysis can all too quickly become a distraction and we need to be careful about just how much we get pulled back into the fray.

There are lessons to be learnt – particularly regarding the implications of an increasingly price sensitive consumer – but we do need to recognise where our responsibilities begin and end.

Perhaps then, it’s time for our efforts to be focused on the more immediate future. More specifically, on ways in which we can continue to invest and spend money within the European markets, while ensuring that we get the best bang for our buck. Indeed, as Nigel Verdon, Chief Executive of FX Capital Group outlines in his article discussing foreign exchange above, before we start looking for further industry investment, let’s ensure that we’ve got our own finances in order first.