CEO - David Alterman takes a moment to reflect on looking up

A couple of weeks ago we went for a walk around Kings Cross with a wonderful Blue Badge guide, Karen. I come through Kings Cross most days on the train – often eat out there or go to the cinema or shops. But normally I’m head down oblivious to everything around me.

Karen pointed out the extraordinary architecture that has emerged there in the last 15 years, allied with some beautiful existing structures, the history of the ‘coal drops’, the grain stores, the gasholders and many more.

I learned a lot, but more than the nuggets of information I can now casually drop into conversation about the length of the new Google ‘Landscraper’ (longer than the height of the Shard), or the history of the German Gymnasium (easy one this one), I was reminded of how many remarkable things are hidden in plain sight.

We are so lucky to live and work in and around London where surprises lurk around every corner if you just stop to look.

And I guess there are some bigger learnings to be had.

So much of our life is spent looking down, focusing on the small things in front of face we miss out on the bigger picture. There is a lesson for market researchers in there!