EDITOR’S NOTE When the virus brought much of the world to a standstill, it was only natural that we thought that life would be radically and permanently altered but realistically, the world post-pandemic is unlikely to be that different from the one we knew before. So what will be COVID-19’s lasting impact? In this issue, we’re exploring some of the industries that may well have changed for good, from fashion (p.08) to cities’ prioritising pedestrians (p.30). Some longer-term trends were accelerated by the pandemic. We became more reliant on digital services than ever in lockdown and it’s something that the industry noted. Islamic financial products and institutions are cropping all over the world (p.45) and many are using blockchain and fintech to revolutionise the way they do business (p.45). Taipei Fubon Bank has launched Taiwan’s first blockchain interbank transfer sandbox experiment (p.38). Meanwhile, with a third of the world’s wealth under their control, women have become a sizable economic force. We spoke to Boston Consulting Group’s Anna Zakrzewski about managing the next decade of women’s wealth (p.40). It would seem there is certainly a lot to be (cautiously) optimistic about and the recent global stock market gains are proof that many investors see a brighter economic future (p.22). If you know an organisation or individual who are working to make that future a reality and you think they deserve to be recognised, nominate them for an award! Enjoy, Sophie Rasbash
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