More and more, I count my blessings that I’m not a thrusting young thing, eager to make his way in the world of business, because so much of the language in the sector leaves me in a fog of bewilderment.
I mean, consider the following from Accenture, a “multinational professional services company that provides services in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations”: “Make your wise pivot… New isn’t on its way. We’re applying it now. See how we bring the new to life with our clients in every industry, in every country, each and every day.”
Or this from another no doubt cutting-edge company: “In the specialty segment, a burgeoning 5th Wave of scaled artisan concepts continues to grow and promote market-wide premiumisation. Department of Coffee and Social Affairs acquired several independent café businesses to increase its portfolio to 22 stores in 2018. London-based Grind continues to develop its travel hub partnership with SSP, and Caravan has expanded its portfolio with private investment firm, Active Partners.” It must take a special kind of talent to come up with a word such as “premiumisation”, don’t you think?
It’s such a relief, therefore, when a word that had seemingly been consigned to the scrapheap makes a welcome reappearance, as happened last week with the announcement that St Bartholomew’s hospital in London is to hire a priest in the ancient role of hospitaller, almost 350 years after the title was abolished.
Said position involves being a chaplain for patients and a cleric for worshippers, a proper and good pursuit, I should have thought.
• Jonathan Bouquet is an Observer columnist
