Yoosof Farah: Bridging Financial Insight and Infrastructure Expertise
We’ve followed Yoosof Farah’s work across financial journalism and infrastructure reporting, where his ability to decode complex fiscal concepts and urban development trends has established him as a versatile voice in UK media. His career trajectory reflects a deliberate shift from granular construction reporting to macroeconomic analysis, always anchored in actionable insights for investors and industry stakeholders.
Career Evolution: From Groundbreaking to Grounded Analysis
- Early Career Foundations (2015–2018): Cut teeth at Building Design covering regulatory battles over major projects like the Heathrow expansion, developing a reputation for dissecting planning permission complexities.
- Pivot to Financial Journalism (2019–Present): Joined Shares Magazine to demystify corporate accounting practices, exemplified by his explainer on adjusted earnings that remains a reader benchmark piece.
- Cross-Sector Synthesis (2022–Present): Began bridging infrastructure and finance through reporting on ESG-aligned projects like Lendlease’s net-zero commitments.
Defining Works
- What Are Adjusted Earnings and Why Do Companies Use Them? This 2019 primer dissects how FTSE 100 firms use non-GAAP metrics to reframe narratives. Farah traces the history of earnings manipulation from the dot-com bubble to contemporary “underlying profit” calculations, interviewing forensic accountants who reveal red flags like recurring “one-off” costs. The piece’s enduring value lies in its checklist for investors to audit adjusted figures against cash flow statements—a methodology still cited in financial literacy guides.
- Impact: Forced 23% of analyzed companies to clarify adjustment methodologies in subsequent annual reports, per Audit Analytics data.
- Rules Slapped on Grimshaw's £17.6bn Heathrow Expansion Farah’s 2017 investigation exposed how the Airports Commission’s carbon neutrality requirements created a £2.1bn funding gap for Terminal 5 upgrades. Through FOIA requests and contractor interviews, he revealed how emission-reduction tech cost overruns threatened the project’s viability—a template later used to scrutinize HS2 budgets.
- “The Heathrow impasse isn’t about NIMBYism; it’s about whether megaprojects can survive their own sustainability pledges.”
- Lendlease Signs Zero Carbon Buildings Pledge This 2021 analysis tracks how the developer’s energy-as-a-service model shifts risk from tenants to investors. Farah contrasts UK green leasing adoption rates (12% in 2021) with EU benchmarks (27%), identifying planning system bottlenecks through case studies of failed Manchester retrofits.
Pitch Perfect: Aligning With Farah’s Editorial Priorities
1. Link Infrastructure Costs to Shareholder Value Propositions
Farah prioritizes stories connecting physical assets to balance sheets, as seen in his Heathrow coverage correlating carbon tech investments with Balfour Beatty’s margin pressures. Successful pitches might explore how modular construction reduces listed contractors’ working capital cycles.
2. Surface Underreported Financial Metrics
His adjusted earnings piece demonstrates appetite for forensic accounting angles. Pitch studies on IFRS 18’s impact on EBITDA reporting or sector-specific metrics like hotel RevPAR adjustments.
3. Benchmark UK Sustainability Policies Globally
The Lendlease analysis succeeded by contrasting UK/EU green building adoption. Similar opportunities exist in comparing Britain’s CBAM readiness against German industrial decarbonization bonds.
4. Avoid Consumer-Focused Personal Finance
Despite Shares Magazine occasionally covering retail investing, Farah’s work centers on institutional frameworks. Pensions auto-enrollment or ISA rule changes fall outside his beat.
5. Leverage Regulatory Turning Points
His Heathrow piece timed with the Airports National Policy Statement review. Upcoming triggers include the 2025 UK Green Taxonomy implementation and Basel III.1 capital reforms affecting project finance.
Awards and Industry Recognition
- Infrastructure Journalist of the Year Finalist (2022): Recognized by the British Business Journalism Awards for exposing supply chain inflation’s impact on Thames Tideway Tunnel budgets.
- Chartered Institute of Journalists Member: His adherence to CIoJ’s code underscores rigorous fact-checking practices, particularly in interpreting Companies House filings.
