Sign of The Times

I have just returned from The Times CEO Summit. This was my third time and the event was no less impressive than in previous years. CEOs of some of the UK's biggest and best businesses rubbing shoulders with representatives of smaller businesses as well as other entrepreneurs.

This year we covered topics such as intellectual property, zombie companies, overseas markets and energy supply. We were addressed by both the Chancellor and the Shadow Chancellor (but not at the same time) and we kicked off wish a debate about whether the UK should stay in or out of Europe.

The Europe panel took place at the dinner then evening before the main event as has been the case in previous years. In 2011 the dinner was held at The Times's offices where around 120 of us sat around a very long table. Last year we had the pleasure of dining at St James's Palace on a wet and miserable evening. This year The Times surpassed itself and the dinner was on the 40th floor of The Gherkin at St Mary Axe.

The Gherkin is one of those iconic buildings that defines the City of London. Curved at every point, in fact the only actual curved piece of glass in it is right at the top. Apparently this "lens" (image above) is supposed to represent the iconic glass dome on the Baltic Exchange, the building occupying the same site until the IRA bombed it in 1992. Now they are taking no chances. It is slightly easier to board an aircraft that get into The Gherkin, requiring a full scan of one's person and bags.

You can actually get right to the very top of this building because the lift mechanisms are not at the top. You take a lift to the 34th floor at 6 metres per second and then get into another lift which pushes you up to floor 39. Stepping out is a remarkable. A feeling like floating over the top of the whole of London. It does feel quite surreal and there is certainly no sense of fear of being so high up.

Our dinner was on 40th floor, reached by a short flight of steps. At 163 metres from the ground this is the highest dining space in London and is also a space with incredible views. With its distinctive window frames it feels a bit like being in a giant airship.

This was a truly amazing venue and a fitting start to a great event. However, I was intrigued to see the notebook given to delegates the following day.

In 2011 we received a Moleskine notebook as well as a matching Moleskine iPad holder. I am a big fan of these notebooks as they convey an appreciation of quality as well as a suggestion of creativity. The next year we got a Castelli notebook. Whilst not exactly a Moleskine, it is very similar and with its elasticated pen holder perhaps a little more sophisticated. This year we were given a simple spiral bound pad, not a patch on previous years and not something you would particularly want to take home, other than to recover the notes you may have taken.

So whilst the dinner venues really have gone from strength to strength, the same cannot be said of the notebooks. Could this be a sign of The Times?