Chinese gay dating IPO makes rainbow connection 23 Jun 2020 BlueCity, valued at $300 mln in 2014, wants to go public in New York. Its Grindr-meets-Facebook app caters to low-key but thriving LGBTQ communities. Fast growth has enabled founder Ma Baoli to expand in Asia. Sustained success depends on shifting political and social attitudes.
The gayest Davos in history still isn’t gay enough 20 Jan 2020 Adding an LGBTQ panel to the annual outing and giving an award to a transgender artist beats the “don’t ask, don’t tell” posture of the past. But with 70 countries still persecuting same-sex relations, and many WEF corporate sponsors supportive of equality, more can be done.
Viewsroom: What makes companies proud of Pride? 27 Jun 2019 Neither profit nor investor pressure explain U.S. firms lining up to mark 50 years of the LGBT-rights movement. They may simply be doing the right thing. But the nation still has a long way to go. Plus: how the UK prime minister race affects the Bank of England’s next boss.
Pride brings out best in self-serving companies 25 Jun 2019 Big brands are flaunting their support for the LGBT community, including some who once did the opposite. It’s easy to be cynical, but if only short-term profit mattered, such gestures wouldn’t happen. With so much still to do, the support matters more than the motivation.
Hong Kong reveals capital imbalance in LGBT spat 4 May 2018 The city is fighting to stop a lesbian from obtaining a spousal visa. Morgan Stanley, Freshfields and others have backed the woman's case, recognising the value of human capital. Hong Kong favours the financial kind, evidenced by the relaxation of rules to attract more IPOs.
Singapore, Saudi put corporate do-gooders on spot 9 Jun 2016 Banks covet business in Saudi Arabia despite its poor human rights. They can say it’s the direction of travel that counts. Singapore, which just told groups like Goldman Sachs to stop backing a gay and lesbian event, is going backwards. It puts corporate sincerity to the test.