The Bigger Picture: About
Expert insider analysis, insights, forecasts and highlights from the world of technology, media, stock-markets, regulations, politics and other snippets
1. What underpins it…
A holistic view
Companies and sectors don’t operate in bubbles so it’s important to look at things holistically. Often that includes areas such as finance, the economy, stock markets, politics regulation and the consumer. And then I connect the dots.
Deep knowledge and expertise
I spent over 20 years as an analyst in the financial markets, running the numbers and analysing companies and sectors in-depth. I will be bringing this wealth of expertise and knowledge to the service.
New areas that impact
I’ll take you into areas that perhaps have not been your natural habitat, but which do impact your company, your industry and your job.
2. What you get by signing up…
Ad hoc updates
I am deliberately not committing to daily or weekly pieces for a variety of reasons, not least of which is that it encourages a mentality of sending out items for the sake of it.
However, there will be times when I do send out ad-hoc pieces, for example:
- selected company results that I find particularly interesting and / or which I have covered for many years and still keep a close eye on
- developments or items that are interesting in themselves and warrant a synopsis (for example, the piece I wrote on why Deliveroo’s IPO performed so badly or why Ohio’s moves to classify Google as a public utility may be important).
So you will get pieces in between the monthlies, quarterlies and yearlies but I will just make sure that I do not bombard you with information.
Visit this page to see an example of some previous ad hoc updates.
The monthly white paper
An in-depth look at a particular topic, dissecting what is happening, the numbers, the implications and what it means to help you see the bigger picture from a different angle that you won’t find elsewhere. For example:
– Sectoral analysis
– In-depth company analysis.
Visit this page to see an example of some previous monthly updates.
The quarterly white paper
This consists of two parts:
1. A wrap-up of what has been happening across the TMT space and it’s implications moving forwards. I look at what companies have reported during earnings season to consider their performance and guidance, and what insight that gives into their priorities. This is usually in the format of an 8-10 page report.
2. A macro overview of the main economic, stock market and political / regulatory trends. This is to put the wrap-up into context and look at how things are influenced by and fit within the outside world. This is usually in the format of a presentation with accompanying recording.
Visit this page to see an example of some previous quarterly white papers.
The yearly white paper
This brings the themes together within the TMT Sector and the bigger picture to make sense of what has happened and what that means for the future. My aim is to help you step back and see the direction of travel. Like the quarterly update, it consists of two parts:
1. A written report going through the main themes
2. A bigger presentation outlaying the major trends I see going forwards and the implications.
Follow-on questions
I recognise that you may have follow-on questions from some of my pieces, which I am more happy to answer.
I also realise that you may have more in-depth questions or topics that you would like solving, and/or on which you need advice. If this is the case I am also available either as a consultant or longer-term advisor. I like to add value and I hope that I can do the same for you. Click here to view my other services.
I will continue to post there as I think it is a very valuable forum, but I will be restricting these to more newsflow style items going forward.
3. Why is this different to other subscription services?
There is an obvious question of why sign up to another subscription service when there are already many around. I subscribe to many myself (and there are some excellent ones) including a myriad of newsletters, alerts, trade publications and other information services. And that means I know the feeling of drowning in a constant flow of information, which never seems to stop and which can be extremely hard to absorb, never mind interpret.
That’s why I’ve made this different and here’s how it will help you…
a. I'll help you see the bigger picture and not get lost in the detail...
Yes, detail is crucial, but for me, many services focus too much on the “what” and not the “what does it mean?”.
Focussing too much on the short term means it’s hard to step back and see the bigger picture as to what is happening and more importantly, where it is leading.
So instead of sending something out every week for the sake of it like many subscription services, I’ll focus more on in-depth monthly, quarterly and yearly articles (more on those below), plus ad hoc communication when I think something else is genuinely useful and/or interesting and/or timely.
b. I'll help you identify future trends and what they mean, rather than looking at where we are now
My reputation in the City was built off identifying the critical topics driving a company’s or sector’s likely success (or failure), and then concluding what that meant for its future prospects.
It is why, for example, I was the only mainstream analyst to highlight the structural dangers to Pearson from over-reliance on its US Higher Education business and predict it would lead to profit warnings or, in 2015, where I warned on the threats to the Agencies’ profitability from a reliance on their Media businesses.
There are some good services out there that tell you where things stand now and where they stood in the past but, for me, the value to businesses lies in thinking ahead.
c. I'll help you get behind the numbers and approach what is happening from the standpoint of a financial analyst
In my experience, one of the best ways to understand what is going on in a company or a sector is to examine the priorities of the CEO, CFO and the Board, and that often means looking at factors such as shareholder value, meeting guidance and the performance of the share price.
Understanding what drives their decision-making process is half the battle won.
d. I'll help you in what you do and help you create greater value
My purpose is to give you insights that you are unlikely to find elsewhere which stimulate further discussion and actions.
By nature, I tend to take a contrarian position, not for the sake of it but because I tend to find that many consensus views are driven not so much by the evidence because it is where people feel comfortable and those gaps create opportunities.
As an aside, I am also active in betting on political events: my two biggest wins were on wins for both Brexit and Trump in 2016, ironically both at the same odds on the day of 6/1. Ironically, my biggest loss was following the consensus in 2017 – thank you Theresa May.
4. frequently asked questions
How will The Bigger Picture be delivered?
The Bigger Picture will be delivered by email to the address you provide when registering (let us know if you need to update this).
Shorter updates and thought pieces will be included within the body of the email itself.
Longer updates, articles and reports will be accessed here on my website in a secure area only available to active subscribers.
Please be sure to add my email address after subscribing and to check your spam folder so as not to miss anything. Full details will be sent when you first subscribe.
What happens if I have any questions after reading an article?
I’m always happy to answer any quick questions you might have which arise from the content of The Bigger Picture. Please send these questions by email and I will respond as soon as I’m able to.
If you have more in depth questions or require specific help or advice, I also offer a consultancy service and am available on a retainer. Please visit my Services page for more information.
How much does it cost?
If your organisation is interested in a corporate subscription, please get in touch for more details.
What if we want to subscribe for multiple people in my organisation
I’m happy to accommodate corporate subscriptions – get in touch to discuss this further.
How can I cancel my subscription
You will receive an email before each payment is due to be taken. You can cancel at any time by giving at least 30 days’ notice by email to ian@ianwhittakermedia.com. No refunds can be given for pro-rated periods in the event of mid-term cancellation.
The Bigger Picture is not investment advice
As you would expect, any information within The Bigger Picture does not constitute investment advice and should not be taken as such. For specific advice tailored to your needs please contact me.