Business

Greater adoption of agentic artificial intelligence could help rejuvenate Britain’s sluggish economy, according to business and technology leaders speaking at an AI summit held at the House of Lords.

The event, chaired by Steven George-Hilley, founder of Centropy PR, brought together senior figures from the technology, legal, financial services and cybersecurity sectors to examine how AI is reshaping economic growth, jobs and boardroom decision-making.

A central theme of the summit was the role of agentic AI systems, autonomous tools capable of acting on goals with minimal human intervention, in helping small and medium-sized enterprises access advanced capabilities that were previously out of reach. Speakers argued that AI-driven sales, customer management and decision-support systems could level the playing field for SMEs and unlock productivity gains across the economy.

Participants also warned of a looming “skills cliff edge” as AI adoption accelerates, particularly among smaller businesses that lack the resources to retrain staff at pace. Without targeted support, the UK risks widening the gap between large enterprises and the SME sector that underpins much of the economy, the summit heard.

Rupert Osborne, UK chief executive of Capital.com, said AI could play a crucial role in improving financial decision-making by making complex market data easier to understand.

“Used responsibly, AI can organise data, explain market movements and make uncertainty more visible, so decisions are informed by context and risk, not just price,” he said. “Many people default to traditional savings products because investing feels opaque or intimidating. AI can help form the building blocks of a more practical approach to financial literacy in the UK.”

Cybersecurity was also high on the agenda, with speakers stressing that AI-led transformation must be matched by robust safeguards.

Graeme Stewart, head of public sector at Check Point Software, said AI had the potential to transform public services such as healthcare and local government, but warned that security could not be an afterthought.

“We’ve already seen how ruthless hackers can be when it comes to targeting vulnerable organisations,” he said. “Cyber resilience must be built into AI strategies from the outset to ensure public trust and protect sensitive data as adoption accelerates.”

From a financial services perspective, Jan Tlaskal, chief data engineer at Galytix, argued that domain-specific, high-trust AI systems were becoming a strategic necessity.

“With geopolitical fragmentation, rising regulatory complexity and mounting compliance demands, agentic AI is not something to shy away from,” he said. “It is a strategic risk-management advantage that can improve data accuracy, enable faster investment decisions and support sustainable growth.”

The summit concluded that while AI will inevitably reshape jobs and workflows, agentic AI offers a significant opportunity to boost productivity and competitiveness, provided skills, security and responsible deployment are treated as core priorities rather than secondary concerns.

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House of Lords AI summit urges agentic AI to ‘rejuvenate’ UK economy

The UK Government is facing renewed pressure to freeze hotel business rate revaluations, after Northern Ireland moved to halt the process following an outcry from hospitality operators.

Hotel owners and advisers warn that without similar action in England, Scotland and Wales, many operators will be hit with unsustainable cost increases from April 2026, on top of higher employment taxes and rising operating expenses.

Frazer Callingham, managing director of Starboard Hotels, said the contrast with Northern Ireland could not be starker.

“After an outcry from hotels and pubs in Northern Ireland, there has been a halt in the rate revaluation process,” he said. “The UK Government must follow suit, as many hotels can ill afford a further increase in costs.”

Callingham pointed to the impact on one of Starboard’s hotels, where the rateable value is set to rise sharply under the current UK revaluation timetable.

“From 1 April 2026, the rateable value of one of our hotels will increase from £250,000 to £780,000,” he said. “That translates into a rise in rates payable of nearly £300,000 a year. In Northern Ireland, 2027 business rates will be calculated using current valuations, meaning any increases will be far smaller.”

He added that the valuation freeze in Northern Ireland gives hospitality businesses time to challenge assessments properly, while in the rest of the UK transitional relief merely forces operators to adjust to what he described as a “new normal” of permanently higher rates and taxes.

“If the UK Government will not halt the revaluation process, then it should at the very least extend business rates relief across the whole hospitality industry, not just pubs and live music venues,” Callingham said. “Hotels and other hospitality businesses have been explicitly excluded, even though they face the same pressures.”

Tax experts have echoed those concerns. Darsh Shah, partner at Blick Rothenberg, said recent government comments suggesting pubs faced a different situation to the rest of hospitality were deeply flawed.

“The comment by Rachel Reeves that ‘the situation the pubs face is different from other parts of the hospitality sector’ is beyond ridiculous,” Shah said. “Hotels are facing the steepest average increases in business rates across the sector.”

Shah argued that a comprehensive rates relief package covering all of hospitality should be considered, warning that the industry risks long-term contraction if policy does not change.

“The hospitality sector is the seventh largest in the UK by number of registered businesses,” he said. “At this rate, this government will be responsible for its long-term decline. I would not be surprised if it falls out of the top ten sectors altogether in future.”

While pubs are set to benefit from a £100 million annual support package until 2029, Shah said that assistance alone would not be enough to stabilise the sector and predicted further policy reversals following last autumn’s Budget.

The calls come as hotels continue to warn that rising business rates, employer national insurance contributions and wage costs are converging into a severe financial squeeze, threatening investment, jobs and the viability of properties across the UK.

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Calls grow for UK to freeze hotel business rate revaluations as costs soar

The government has announced a £150 million cash injection for struggling high streets across the UK, but small business owners and industry leaders have warned the funding risks being little more than a “trivial sticking plaster on a gaping economic wound”.

The funding, unveiled as part of a forthcoming High Streets Strategy, will be targeted at town centres hit hardest by years of shop closures, rising costs and declining footfall. Ministers said the money would help revive high streets blighted by boarded-up units and the loss of essential local retailers such as butchers, grocers and bakers.

Further details on how the £150 million will be allocated and which areas will benefit are expected to be announced in the coming months.

Steve Reed, the communities secretary, said the investment marked an important step in reversing the decline of town centres.

“Our high streets are the beating heart of Britain, where communities come together and local businesses can grow,” Reed said. “Town centres have suffered from high streets falling into decline, and that is why we’re taking action to turn the tide with this crucial investment and more to come.

“We have listened to what people are telling us and that’s why we’re giving them the power and control to breathe new life back into our high streets and restore the sense of pride communities feel.”

However, many business owners say the scale of the funding is dwarfed by the pressures facing high street firms, particularly rising business rates, higher wages and weak consumer spending.

Jess Magill, co-founder of Powderkeg Brewery, said the government was acknowledging the problem but failing to address its root causes.

“While it’s great that the government is recognising the problem, the level of funding is nowhere near enough,” she said. “With business rate hikes, the government is taking away with one hand and throwing crumbs back with the other.

“Many towns are stuck with run-down retail centres owned by private property firms happy to leave units empty. Add to that the squeeze on household budgets and it’s clear we need far more than this to stop shops, pubs and restaurants closing.”

Others questioned how far the money would stretch once divided across the country.

Clive Bonny, managing director of Strategic Management Partners, said the numbers did not stack up.

“The UK has around 325,000 small independent high street retailers,” he said. “£150 million spread across them works out at only a few hundred pounds per business. We need transparency on who gets this money, how it will be spent and what return on investment the government expects.”

The most scathing criticism focused on the broader economic context facing high streets.

Rohit Parmar-Mistry, founder of Pattrn Data, said the funding failed to address the underlying causes of decline.

“This initiative is a trivial sticking plaster on a gaping economic wound,” he said. “You can repaint shop fronts and open community hubs, but if local people have no disposable income, businesses will still fail.

“The decline of the high street isn’t cosmetic – it’s systemic. Real regeneration comes when people have money in their pockets to spend. Until that’s addressed, this is just managing decline with a smile.”

The criticism comes amid mounting pressure on the government from retailers and hospitality firms warning that rising taxes and the withdrawal of pandemic-era support risk accelerating closures in town centres. While ministers insist the £150 million is only the start of a wider strategy, business groups are calling for deeper reform on business rates, rents and consumer affordability if high streets are to recover sustainably.

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High streets to receive £150m boost – but business leaders warn it is “a sticking plaster on a gaping wound”

The billionaire brothers behind Betfred have topped the Sunday Times 2026 Tax List, after paying an estimated £400.1 million to the UK Treasury, making them the country’s biggest individual taxpayers.

Fred and Peter Done, founders of the betting empire, took the top spot in the annual rankings, with around half of their contribution linked to gambling duties generated by Betfred’s nationwide chain of betting shops.

The list, now in its eighth year, highlights the scale of tax paid by Britain’s wealthiest business figures and celebrities, even as concerns grow over a steady migration of high-net-worth individuals overseas.

Pub tycoon Tim Martin ranked eighth, with a personal tax contribution just under £200 million. His company, JD Wetherspoon, operates 794 pubs and paid a total of £837.1 million in taxes last year, averaging more than £1 million per pub across corporation tax, VAT, business rates and gaming duties.

Martin, who owns 26.7% of the group, said he had no complaints about his personal tax bill, describing taxation as a political choice for voters rather than a personal grievance.

Other leading contributors in the top ten included financiers Alex Gerko, Chris Rokos and Peter Hargreaves, alongside retail figures such as Mike Ashley of Sports Direct, Tom Morris of Home Bargains, the Perkins family behind Specsavers, and Stephen Rubin, a major shareholder in JD Sports and owner of Speedo.

Among public figures, Harry Styles emerged as the highest-contributing celebrity, ranked 54th overall, with an estimated £24.7 million tax bill. Most of his contribution stems from touring and merchandise income generated through his company, Erskine Records.

He finished ahead of fellow singer Ed Sheeran, who paid just under £20 million in tax after receiving a £41 million dividend last year.

At 72nd on the list, Erling Haaland became the youngest entrant. The Manchester City striker, whose earnings exceed £500,000 a week before bonuses and image rights, is estimated to have paid £16.9 million in UK tax.

Other notable names included JK Rowling, the Timpson family, Dyson founder James Dyson, and Douglas and Iain Anderson of the GAP Group, which supplies infrastructure for festivals and major events.

The 2026 list coincides with what the Sunday Times describes as an ongoing exodus of wealthy individuals from the UK. Fourteen of those featured are now resident overseas, with several based in Monaco, Jersey, Guernsey, Portugal, Cyprus, Dubai and the United States.

Despite the trend, Peter Done, 78, said he had no intention of leaving Britain. “We owe this country,” he told the newspaper, adding that successful entrepreneurs have a responsibility to pay tax where their wealth was created.

According to HMRC data, the top 1% of earners in the UK — those earning more than £219,000 before tax — currently contribute around 26.6% of all income tax receipts. While still significant, that share has fallen from 30.7% in 2021–22, partly due to frozen income tax thresholds and the relocation of some high earners abroad.

The Sunday Times Tax List is compiled using the most recent company accounts filed up to 10 January and includes a broad range of levies, from corporation and dividend tax to capital gains, income tax and sector-specific duties such as gambling and alcohol taxes.

Read more:
Betfred brothers top Sunday Times tax list with £400m bill as stars and entrepreneurs pay record sums

Rising taxes and operating costs forced more than one in five UK small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to make redundancies last year, underlining the growing strain on business owners as financial pressures mount.

A survey commissioned by Rathbones, one of the UK’s largest wealth and asset management groups, found that 21 per cent of SME leaders were compelled to cut staff in response to higher costs and tax burdens. The poll of more than 1,000 founders, owners and senior executives paints a picture of businesses being squeezed at both the corporate and personal level.

Overall rising costs were cited as the biggest threat to business by 70 per cent of respondents, while 58 per cent said rising taxation and regulatory burdens were among their most significant challenges. Business rates and employer national insurance contributions were singled out as particular pressure points.

The survey also highlights how closely intertwined business and personal finances are for many entrepreneurs. More than a quarter of SME leaders said over 25 per cent of their personal wealth is tied up in their business, meaning higher operating costs are increasingly spilling over into household finances.

This strain is being compounded by a rising personal tax burden. Frozen income tax thresholds continue to push business owners into higher tax bands, while cuts to capital gains and dividend allowances, alongside higher CGT and dividend tax rates, are eroding post-tax income. For many SME owners who extract profits via dividends, these changes are forcing a reassessment of long-established financial strategies.

Faye Church, senior financial planning director at Rathbones, said entrepreneurs were facing a “double whammy”.

“We consistently hear from business owner clients that they are determined to grow, hire and contribute to the wider economy,” she said. “But heightened tax pressures are increasingly stifling those ambitions. Entrepreneurs are being squeezed from both sides, higher taxes at the business level and rising personal tax bills, making it extremely difficult to plan, invest and build for the future.”

Church added that for most entrepreneurs the boundary between business and personal finances is thin, making it essential to consider both together in an increasingly complex and unpredictable tax environment.

Despite the pressure, some SMEs are adapting by reshaping their workforce. The research found that 9 per cent have increased their use of freelancers or contractors, while another 9 per cent have shifted towards more part-time or flexible roles to manage costs.

Confidence in government support remains low. Nearly two-thirds (62 per cent) of SME leaders said they believe the government does not understand the needs of entrepreneurs. More than half (51 per cent) said targeted measures such as business rates relief or changes to employer national insurance contributions would directly support growth and investment.

The impact is particularly severe in hospitality. More than 35 per cent of hospitality SMEs reported making redundancies last year, well above the SME average, and 69 per cent said increased taxation or regulation is now one of the biggest threats they face.

The findings come as pandemic-era business rates relief has been scaled back from 75 per cent to 40 per cent and is due to expire entirely in April. While ministers have announced further support for pubs, hospitality groups warn that restaurants, hotels and other venues risk being left out.

“Calls from the hospitality sector for targeted relief highlight the increasingly painful pressures facing these businesses,” Church said. “Without action, the mounting tax and cost burden risks stifling the very growth, innovation and local regeneration the UK economy urgently needs.”

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One in five SMEs cut staff as tax and cost pressures intensify, survey finds

British manufacturers are scaling back exports to the United States as uncertainty caused by President Donald Trump’s shifting tariff policies disrupt trade and supply chains, according to new industry research.

A joint study by Make UK and DHL Express found that 20 per cent of UK factories have already stopped or reduced exports to the US in response to tariff uncertainty. A further 16 per cent said they plan to reduce their reliance on the American market, meaning more than a third of manufacturers now view US tariffs as having a negative impact on their business.

The report also found that many British factories rushed shipments into the US in early 2025 to beat a potential rise in import levies, highlighting the stop-start nature of trade policy over the past year.

Trump has imposed a blanket 10 per cent tariff on UK imports, one of the lowest rates applied to any country. However, Britain was among a group of nations threatened with tariffs as high as 25 per cent if they opposed Trump’s stance over Greenland, a move he later rowed back after discussions with Nato allies at the World Economic Forum in January.

Stephen Phipson, chief executive of Make UK, said the constant shifts in trade policy were forcing manufacturers to rethink long-established relationships.

“Tariffs and trade friction in global markets are creating uncertainty and disrupting longstanding customer and supply chains,” he said. “Many businesses are responding by diversifying exports, adjusting supply chains or scaling back activity to manage rising costs and delays.”

John Cornish, chief executive of DHL Express UK, said manufacturers were adapting rather than abandoning international trade altogether.

“The research shows that UK manufacturers aren’t retreating from global trade, they are recalibrating,” he said. “After years of disruption, businesses are taking a more deliberate and strategic approach to where and how they export, balancing risk while still pursuing growth overseas.”

Despite the pullback, the US remains a critical market for British industry. The study found that 60 per cent of manufacturers continue to trade with America, underlining its importance as an export destination.

However, the uncertainty is accelerating a shift towards sourcing closer to home. So-called “friendshoring” and “nearshoring” are gaining momentum, with 63 per cent of manufacturers saying they expect to buy more UK-produced inputs over the next five years, up from 49 per cent in 2020.

The findings suggest that while US trade remains vital, tariff volatility is reshaping how and where British manufacturers sell and source, with long-term implications for export strategy and domestic supply chains.

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British factories cut US exports as Trump tariff uncertainty bites

HM Revenue & Customs is preparing to embark on a technology spending programme worth more than £2 billion over the next two years, as long-running efforts to modernise its ageing IT estate continue to run into delays and rising costs.

According to HMRC’s latest procurement pipeline, the tax authority will begin with a large-scale data warehouse transformation programme, expected to be worth around £410 million. The contract will combine the running and modification of existing systems with the migration and eventual decommissioning of legacy data warehouse platforms.

Procurement documents state that HMRC intends to award a single contract to deliver the transformation of its legacy data warehouses, replacing no existing agreement. The legacy technology is widely understood to include SAP’s ECC Business Warehouse, which sits at the centre of HMRC’s wider enterprise resource planning overhaul.

SAP has already secured major uncontested contracts with HMRC, including a £246 million ERP modernisation deal and a separate £275 million upgrade to core tax systems, both awarded without a competitive tender.

One of the largest upcoming procurements is a £350 million contract for public cloud computing services with Amazon Web Services, replacing an existing AWS agreement of the same value. The pipeline also highlights a £306 million contract for “Digital Platforms Run and Change Products”, covering IT services to support live application services, including legacy platforms. This would replace a contract awarded to Accenture in May 2024, also valued at £306 million.

Beyond these headline projects, HMRC has a further series of large procurements planned, each exceeding £200 million. These include a £250 million mobility and workplace services contract to support staff devices and helpdesk functions; a £250 million deal for digital platforms supporting systems such as the Government Gateway and customer insight tools; and a £220 million data centre services contract.

Another significant agreement is the £214 million “Legacy – Retained HMRC Services Contract”, which HMRC has flagged as a direct award. This will replace the existing Core Business Platform Support and Maintenance Services contract, previously awarded to Capgemini for £214.5 million without a competitive process. That deal was later extended, again without competition, by a further £107 million.

In the 2024–25 financial year, HMRC spent £1.16 billion on IT and telecommunications while collecting £858.9 billion in tax revenues. Under the government’s most recent Spending Review, departments were required to undertake a Zero-Based Review of budgets, with a strong emphasis on digital transformation. As a result, HMRC has been allocated an additional £1.6 billion between 2026–27 and 2028–29 specifically to modernise its IT and data infrastructure.

However, the National Audit Office has warned that progress has been slower and more expensive than anticipated. In a report published in November 2025, the NAO said HMRC was taking longer than planned to exit legacy systems and had yet to realise the expected efficiency gains from its digital services programme.

“HMRC has not yet achieved the anticipated efficiencies from its digital services,” the watchdog said, raising questions about value for money as spending continues to escalate.

A spokesperson for HMRC said: “We’re investing in new technology so we can provide better services for our customers. We follow government procurement rules when awarding these contracts to ensure value for money for taxpayers.”

With billions more set to be spent on technology modernisation, pressure is mounting on HMRC to demonstrate tangible improvements in efficiency, service quality and system resilience as it attempts to finally move away from decades-old infrastructure.

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HMRC plans £2bn technology spending spree as legacy systems prove stubborn

UK unemployment is expected to rise to its highest level in five years in 2026 as previously announced tax increases begin to weigh on growth and hiring, according to new forecasts from the EY Item Club.

The forecasters warned that joblessness could peak at 5.2 per cent in the first half of this year, up from the current 5.1 per cent and the highest level since January 2021, as modest economic growth is constrained by tighter fiscal policy and global uncertainty.

The EY Item Club said tax rises announced by Rachel Reeves in her first Budget are set to have a more pronounced impact this year, dampening both consumer spending and business investment. Employers were already hit by a £25 billion increase in national insurance contributions last spring, a move that business groups have warned would curb hiring.

Matt Swannell, chief economic adviser to the EY Item Club, said the effects of fiscal tightening are only now starting to filter through the economy.

“Further tax rises may not be expected in 2026, but previously announced measures will begin to raise revenues,” he said. “At the same time, the government will need to rein in borrowing and keep public spending broadly flat to meet its fiscal rules.

“This tightening of fiscal policy, alongside ongoing global uncertainty, is expected to drag on UK growth over the next year or so.”

Economic growth is forecast to remain subdued. The EY Item Club now expects UK GDP to grow by 0.9 per cent this year — slightly higher than its previous estimate of 0.8 per cent, but still weaker than in 2025. Growth is then projected to recover modestly to 1.3 per cent in 2027 and 1.4 per cent in 2028.

Reeves announced a further £26 billion of tax increases in last November’s Budget, although, as with her earlier package, many of those measures will not take effect for several years. Even so, the cumulative impact of higher taxes is expected to weigh on confidence.

The EY Item Club said global risks remain a major headwind. Trade tensions and tariff disruption, particularly linked to the policies of Donald Trump, are expected to continue undermining private sector sentiment.

Financial markets were unsettled in January after Trump tested Nato alliances and announced plans to nominate Kevin Warsh as the next chair of the Federal Reserve, adding volatility to currency and commodities markets. Concerns have also lingered around inflation and public spending commitments in major economies, including Japan.

On monetary policy, the EY Item Club expects the Bank of England to hold interest rates steady at its meeting this week, before cutting again in April. Rates were reduced four times last year, falling from 4.75 per cent to 3.75 per cent.

Despite slower growth and rising unemployment, pay growth is expected to remain relatively resilient. The EY Item Club forecasts average salaries will rise by around 3 per cent this year, though that will translate into only modest improvements in living standards as higher taxes and prices continue to erode household incomes.

The outlook suggests that while a deep recession is not expected, the UK faces a period of weaker growth and rising labour market pressure as fiscal tightening and global uncertainty converge.

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UK unemployment set to hit five-year high as tax rises begin to bite, EY warns

The Bank of England is widely expected to keep interest rates on hold this week after inflation rose for the first time in five months, although markets believe the door remains open to a cut later in the spring.

Analysts expect the Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to vote to maintain the base rate at 3.75 per cent when it announces its decision on Thursday. The rate is already at a three-year low following four quarter-point cuts last year, which brought borrowing costs down from 5.25 per cent since July 2024.

The expected pause follows data showing inflation climbed to 3.4 per cent in December, moving further above the Bank’s 2 per cent target. While policymakers have signalled that rates are on a downward path, the latest inflation reading has strengthened the case for caution in the near term.

Markets are still pricing in two rate cuts this year, with the first potentially coming as early as March. Economists view February’s meeting as a brief pause rather than the end of the easing cycle.

The nine-member MPC has been closely divided in recent meetings, reflecting differing views over whether inflation is set to fall back quickly or remain stubbornly high. In December, the committee voted 5–4 in favour of a cut, with governor Andrew Bailey casting the deciding vote.

Analysts at UBS said they expect Bailey to back a hold this time. “After swinging the vote in favour of a cut in December, it is likely governor Bailey will vote for keeping rates on hold,” the bank said.

Meanwhile, economists at Morgan Stanley said labour market data could prove decisive for the next move. “We would expect Bailey to focus more on incoming jobs data, where we see a further uptick in unemployment. This could ultimately lead to a March cut,” they said.

EY Item Club also expects no change this week, describing a hold at 3.75 per cent as a “near-certainty”. The forecaster said the MPC is likely to signal that while another cut is possible, the rate-cutting cycle may be approaching its end.

The central bank will publish updated economic forecasts alongside Thursday’s decision, setting out its latest expectations for growth, inflation and unemployment. Bailey is also likely to face questions about recent volatility in global financial markets, driven in part by erratic tariff announcements and geopolitical tensions linked to Donald Trump.

In December, Bailey said he expected inflation to return to, or close to, the 2 per cent target by April. Price growth is forecast to ease as household bills fall following measures announced by Rachel Reeves, including the removal of some green levies and a freeze on rail fares.

For now, economists believe the Bank will opt for patience, balancing early signs of cooling inflation against lingering price pressures and uncertainty in the global economy.

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Bank of England set to hold rates as inflation rise cools cut expectations

Gary Mazin is the owner and principal lawyer of Mazin & Associates, a Canadian personal injury law firm known for its steady, client-focused approach. His career reflects a mix of discipline, long-term thinking, and practical leadership.

Born in the former Soviet Union, Mazin moved to Canada with his family at the age of four. He grew up in humble beginnings, an experience that shaped his work ethic and view on responsibility. “When you start with little, you learn quickly that effort and consistency matter,” he says.

Mazin built a strong academic foundation. He earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Toronto, a law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School, and later an MBA from the Schulich School of Business at York University. This combination of law and business training allows him to think beyond individual cases and focus on sustainable firm leadership.

As a personal injury lawyer, Mazin is known for his structured and analytical approach. He focuses on clear communication, careful preparation, and realistic outcomes. “Clients need clarity more than noise,” he notes. “My role is to guide them through complex situations with honesty.”

As the leader of Mazin & Associates, he has translated big ideas into practical systems that support both clients and staff. His leadership style values process, accountability, and long-term growth over quick wins.

Outside of work, Mazin enjoys chess, swimming, travelling, and time with his family. He is also committed to giving back, supporting healthcare initiatives, including sponsoring a room at the University Health Network Hospital.

An Interview with Gary Mazin: Building a Career with Structure and Purpose

Q: Gary, let’s start at the beginning. How did your early life shape the way you think about work and business today?

I left the Soviet Union when I was four years old and came to Canada with my family. We started from very modest circumstances. That experience stays with you. You learn early that stability is built, not given. I think that’s where my focus on structure and consistency comes from. When things are not guaranteed, you value planning and discipline.

Q: Was law always the goal, or did that come later?

Law was not an instant decision. I was interested in ideas, systems, and how decisions affect people. That led me to study arts at the University of Toronto. Law became appealing because it combines reasoning with real-world consequences. It is not abstract. What you do matters to someone’s life.

Q: You later added an MBA to your legal education. Why was that important to you?

I realised early on that practising law and running a law firm are not the same thing. Osgoode Hall Law School gave me a strong legal foundation. But business education at Schulich helped me understand operations, leadership, and long-term planning. I didn’t want to rely on instinct alone. “Law teaches you how to analyse,” I often say. “Business teaches you how to build.”

Q: Why did you choose personal injury law as your focus?

Personal injury law is very grounded in reality. Clients are often dealing with physical injuries, stress, and uncertainty. There is very little room for theory. You need clarity and patience. I was drawn to that responsibility. You are guiding people through difficult moments, and that requires care and precision.

Q: What lessons did you learn early in your legal career?

One key lesson was that communication matters as much as legal skill. Clients do not want noise or complexity. They want to understand what is happening. I learned to slow things down, explain processes clearly, and set realistic expectations. That approach built trust over time.

Q: What prompted you to start Mazin & Associates?

I wanted to create a firm that reflected how I think about work. Clear systems. Accountability. A calm, professional environment. Starting a firm forces you to turn ideas into daily practice. It is not just about cases. It is about people, processes, and standards. “A firm is built one decision at a time,” and those decisions compound.

Q: How would you describe your leadership style as a business owner?

Measured and structured. I believe consistency is underrated. Big ideas are important, but execution is what makes them real. My goal has always been to build something sustainable. That means focusing on process, not shortcuts. Growth should be deliberate, not rushed.

Q: Many people associate leadership with constant visibility. You seem more reserved. Is that intentional?

Yes. I don’t believe leadership needs to be loud. Results come from systems that work quietly in the background. I prefer to focus on how things function day to day. If clients are supported and staff are clear on expectations, the rest follows.

Q: Outside of work, how do you maintain balance?

I enjoy chess, which mirrors how I think about strategy and patience. Swimming helps clear my head. Travelling gives perspective. Most importantly, I value time with my family. Work can expand endlessly if you let it. You need boundaries to stay effective.

Q: Philanthropy also plays a role in your life. Why is that important to you?

Giving back feels like a responsibility. I’ve supported healthcare initiatives, including sponsoring a room at University Health Network Hospital. Healthcare intersects closely with my work. Many clients rely on that system. Supporting it felt practical and meaningful, not symbolic.

Q: How has your definition of success changed over time?

Earlier in my career, success was about progress and achievement. Now it is about stability and impact. Building a firm that lasts. Treating people fairly. Making decisions I can stand behind. “Success is not speed,” I remind myself. “It’s durability.”

Q: Looking back, what connects all the stages of your career?

Intentional growth. From education to practice to business ownership, I tried to make thoughtful choices rather than reactive ones. Coming to Canada as a child taught me that progress is built step by step. That idea still guides how I approach my career today.

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Gary Mazin on Building a Law Firm with Structure and Purpose