Sector Performance Awards 2015

SECTOR

performance

Crossing Cultural Barriers Winning ‘Best in Sector: China-US Business Insurance, Benefits, and Risk Management’ is Claudia Lin Margolis of Lockton Companies. She spoke to us about her role in bringing Chinese investment into the US, and about working across these two exciting economies.

Selling Success Winning ‘Best in Sector: Sales Training - USA’ is Richard Tyler International, Inc.®.

Their CEO, Richard Tyler spoke with us about his approach to achieving excellence in selling and how this mentality is the key to success across all sectors.

www.acquisition-intl.com/2015-sector-awards

foreword With the recent economic downturn proving that private equity deal volumes are particularly susceptible to negative trends in the wider economic community, firms – particularly buying firms – are seeking to decrease the risks and put themselves at the head of the pack through increased sector knowledge and focus.

It goes without saying that there are many sizeable benefits to be had from taking such an approach. For example, in deal generation, this in-depth knowledge marks out a firm as a serious player, attracting key players within the industry and upping the quality of deal flow. Not only that, but when it comes to due diligence, it increases a firm’s ability to identify the right deals, and following an acquisition, it allows a firm to quickly set the right strategy, build value immediately and attract the right talent.

In short, almost every element of a business’s success, from targeting the right market to laying the foundations for an effective exit strategy, is dependent on maximum sector focus and knowledge, and these awards are intended to congratulate and publicise both established and up-and-coming firms from across a vast range of industries who share this commitment to expertise.

We want to honour the businesses and individuals at the top of their game in their sector, and get an inside look at how they not only deliver but exceed expectations for their clients. Spanning a diverse range of sectors, and covering all four corners of the globe, these awards have placed the spotlight firmly on some outstanding teams and individuals who have truly excelled over the past 12 months.

Honouring these esteemed exemplars is the result of a rigorous selection process from our in-house awards team. This dedicated team left no stone unturned and explored all avenues necessary to ensure that the winners were selected based on their proven performance over the past 12 months.

As a result, all award winners were chosen purely on merit and can take pride in the knowledge of being selected as a leading light in their industry.

contents Claudia Lin Margolis - Lockton Companies

Michael Wolkind QC - 2 Bedford Row

Advanced Medical Research Institute of Canada

Best in Sector: China-US Business Insurance, Benefits, and Risk Management / Page 4

Best Criminal Defence Barrister / Page 6

Best in Sector: Medical Science Technology / Page 8

Sustained Excellence in Industrial Engineering & Award for Innovation in Engineering Services / Page 10

BIA Separations GmbH

Dartmouth Partners Limited

Davenport Solicitors Limited

FTHM - Les associés

Best in Sector: Monolith Chromatography / Page 12

Best in Sector: Litigation Support / Page 14

Recognised Leader in Employment Law / Page 16

Management Consultancy Firm of the Year 2015 / Page 18

GBQ Consulting

Jabre Capital Partners SA

Jamaica Public Service Co. Ltd.

KBS Corporate

Best in Sector: Financial Services & Independent Accounting Firm of the Year / Page 20

Best in Sector: Multi-Strategy Investments region / Page 22

Best in Sector: Renewable Energy Development / Page 24

Leading UK Dealmaker 2015 / Page 26

Lloyds Banking Group

Richard Tyler International

Titanium Contracting Inc

Turner Little Limited

Best in Sector: Retail Banking & Best in Sector for Motor Vehicle Finance / Page 28

Best in Sector: Sales Training- USA / Page 30

Best in Sector: Heavy Equipment / Page 32

Best Global Company Incorporation Agent 2015 / Page 34

APS InterTech/APS Engineering

Sector Performance Awards 2015 / 3

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Best in Sector: China-US Business Insurance, Benefits, and Risk Management

Claudia Lin Margolis - Lockton Companies Lockton is the largest privately held insurance broker in the world, with US$21bn in premium volume worldwide, and 65 offices serving clients in 146 countries. We got in touch with Claudia Lin Margolis, who heads up Lockton’s team responsible for serving businesses and entrepreneurs from Greater China (China, Hong Kong, Taiwan) who are coming into or now operating in the United States, to talk about her experience of working within these two exciting economies and the challenges and opportunities it presents to her business.

As you can imagine, recent years have seen very strong growth in Chinese Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into the U.S. Conventional estimates say that Chinese FDI in the first half of 2015 alone has already topped US$6.5bn. Moreover, this figure understates the actual flow as it omits residential real estate, as well as certain indirect investment flows, including certain jurisdictions through which funds might be routed, such as the Cayman Islands and the British Virgin Islands.

Geopolitical tensions and market corrections notwithstanding, the flow of Chinese FDI into the U.S. is likely to increase in the coming years. China’s long-term policy goals require promoting investment into other countries’ economies, as trillions of dollars of cash is sitting in Chinese bank accounts while opportunities for achieving good returns in domestic Chinese investments are declining. Furthermore, economic instability in China promotes a strong interest in diversifying into stable foreign markets (of which the U.S. is the largest and most attractive), and many large Chinese companies are in the early stages of executing long-term investment and growth strategies in which the U.S. is a prominent target.

All of this Chinese investment is going into assets and activities that create risk which needs to be managed, and into enterprises that hire employees. This is where we come in, as there is now a fast-growing market for the insurance, risk management and benefits services that we provide.

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At the same time, Chinese decision-makers often have a very different view of insurance and risk management to home-grown U.S. executives. Executives everywhere manage with instincts born of their personal experience, and risk in Greater China has very different characteristics to risk in the United States. Typically, for example, financial liability in the U.S. is orders of magnitude greater than in China for the same kind of conduct. Thus, Chinese executives managing the U.S. subsidiaries of Chinese companies will typically have blind spots in their perception and appreciation of risk in the U.S. Often they will not be aware of entire sectors of risk (the need for Cyber Liability and directors & officers insurance is commonly overlooked.) or will greatly underestimate the amount of protection needed (often buying minimum coverage bearing no real relationship to the size of the potential liabilities, or working with insurance brokerages that lack the capabilities to handle the sophisticated risks in play). There is also a common view that insurance policies are interchangeable and can be compared primarily on price, but differences in the fine print create dramatic differences during claims processing and payment.

These differences in business cultures and points of view between China and the U.S create a need for specialized expertise in advising cross-border ventures.

Name: Claudia Lin Margolis Company: Lockton Companies Email: cmargolis@lockton.com Web Address: www.lockton.com Address: 725 S. Figueroa St., 35th Floor, Los Angeles CA 90017 Telephone: +1-213-689-2468

Consistent with its business model of planning for the future and investing in client-driven resources, Lockton has developed a skilled team to address exactly this need. As head of Lockton’s team serving inbound business from China, having been born and worked in Taiwan, I draw on my own fluency in the Chinese language and my knowledge of Chinese business culture, including my deep familiarity with the risk-management blind spots of Chinese executives and proven strategies for overcoming them. Lockton’s team includes dozens of other Chinese-fluent professionals in offices across the United States meaning that we are uniquely qualified to serve the insurance, risk management, and benefits needs of companies and entrepreneurs from Greater China who are coming into and operating in the U.S. Lockton’s global footprint and deep industry expertise allow it to deploy world class resources and create solutions for clients’ needs wherever the business risks may be. Although the company has grown to be the tenth largest broker in the world by revenue, and in some specialties such as D&O and governance, its ranking is top four in the world, Lockton has avoided many of the disadvantages of size by embracing a client-centric service model: the team dealing with a client generally remains constant throughout the lifetime of the relationship, permitting a family service relationship similar to that often seen in smaller brokers, but with access to the industry-leading senior level expertise that only a large firm can provide.

Lockton’s client-centric model contrasts with other top global brokers, where the service may be shipped from a sales team to a marketing/submission team (for securing the best quotes and programs with carriers) and ultimately to a separate service team. Moreover, most large brokers’ service teams are centralized, which allows internal costs to be cut (increasing profit for the broker) but also tends to make service personnel less familiar with individual clients.

As the world’s largest privately owned insurance broker, Lockton is free from the need to generate short-term profits for public stockholders. Instead, Lockton plays for the long term, investing all but a small slice of revenue into its associates.

Our fast global growth results from a culture of planning for the future, building for the long term, and investing into resources that will serve clients better. For the past decade, Lockton has been the fastest growing U.S. broker, with 10.3% organic growth -- two times that of our closest global competitor.

Lockton’s clients around the world range from Global 1000 enterprises that are household names in many countries to middle market companies with a domestic focus. Services that Lockton provides include: commercial insurance, risk management, employee benefits, retirement services, surety, affinity programs and many others.

Lockton also takes good care of its team members. Consistently hiring and retaining top experts in the fields of insurance, risk management and benefits, Lockton has been named best place to work in insurance for six consecutive years. Our motto – “We Live Service” – is a proven fact: Lockton’s client retention rate is 10% higher than industry average, at 96+%.

As a leading broker, we are also constantly looking at any emerging trends or developments in our sector.

Specifically in my area, Chinese investment into US insurance companies is already occurring, and it is very likely to accelerate in the future. More generally speaking, a heightened awareness of data security and cyber liability continues to be prevalent going forward.

In terms of the award, it is always humbling to be honoured for success, and this really stems from the hard work of a wonderful team. We can confidently say that Lockton’s commitment to serving Chinese businesses and entrepreneurs operating in the U.S, and the global team that stands with me in that service, are second to none.

Sector Performance Awards 2015 / 5

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Best Criminal Defence Barrister

Michael Wolkind QC Michael Wolkind has acted as counsel of choice in a wide range of high-profile and notorious criminal cases. In particular, he has established a formidable reputation thanks to his performances in a number of well known murder and terrorism trials.

Michael brings a sharpness and innovative approach to his representation of any defendant, whatever the charge.

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A thousand years ago, or at least in the last Millennium, I was appointed Queen’s Counsel I had officially become one of the Glamour Boys of the legal profession. This is an important comfort when I stay up all night working and as I travel the country, rescuing the falsely accused. Obviously it’s my pleasure to argue in Cardiff, Preston and Doncaster, but sometimes I also have the burden of appearing in courts in places such as the Cayman Islands. On these occasions, I gamely resist the trip for several seconds before succumbing to my overwhelming sense of duty. I accept my fate and see out the venture with spirit.

Since I was called to the Bar in 1976, I have practised almost exclusively in crime. On the very rarest of occasions I have trespassed into the Family Division. In crime I only defend. I have never prosecuted, taking the view that the State already has enough in its favour without me on its side. When my daughter, Rikki recently graduated with a Double First from Cambridge, it was an extra special pleasure for me, as I do not have a degree. I am, however, saving up to buy one from the Internet. In the 70’s, you could be called without having succeeded at university. With curious timing, the rules changed the year after I started.

Company: 2 Bedford Row chambers Name: Michael Wolkind QC Email: mwolkind@2bedfordrow.co.uk Web Address: topqc.net Address: 2 Bedford Row, London, WC1R 4BU Telephone: 07473 053074

People are so kind with feedback. When a client wrote after acquittal that “there is no doubt that this exceptional and caring man has a ‘divine presence’ in court,” it would simply be rude to disagree. I do a fine line in false modesty as well.

I have appeared in many high profile cases, winning the Tony Martin murder appeal, acting successfully for the main defendant in the 7/7 conspiracy and gaining the acquittal of a number of Greenpeace protesters who climbed a power station tower to daub anti-nuclear slogans.

Satisfaction comes from success in little cases as well. My reward for the Not Guilty verdict for a Libyan accused of planting bombs across London, on behalf of Colonel Gadaffi, was the brief to act for an Embassy diplomat’s wife. She went shopping in a supermarket and many items jumped off the shelf, unzipped her bag, jumped in and concealed themselves. The Magistrates simply could not resist my address that “if I hear it said one more time, that foreign persons cannot get a fair trial in front of Lay Justices, I shall scream”. It was a small price to pay and even though they may not have fallen in love with me personally, they acquitted through clenched judicial teeth.

Certain moments in court are a reward as well. A jury once refused to convict my client even after he changed his plea to guilty of manslaughter in front of them. They saw the tragedy within the killing of his brother but also the fact that, by ordinary standards, it was an accident and the ‘ordinary’ people are more important than lawyers. This result remains unique.

The Law was changed some time back and so I am not allowed to win every case. However, I am compelled to give my everything in every single case: my hard work, my instincts and judgement, and my alleged humour.

When I pick up a new set of papers, I immediately know ‘the way home’ or I can tell the closest that I will get to arriving there.

Straight line thinking in this profession should be banned. I am on no search for novelty but the client deserves a lot more than advocates’ clichés. If you are not born a genius, I can only imagine you must study and become one. The best of us can make a real difference. What a privilege for a practitioner. I am not quite a fireman, but to hear clients or family members talking about you saving someone’s life is to be heard reflectively.

When I meet people they must be in trouble. If I provide a happy ending that’s the most I can do - but it would be better still if they had never needed my services I have defended in hundreds of murder trials. Long before family liaison officers appeared, it was my practice to talk to the bereaved family. Never once was my approach rejected. However tough the trial process may have been for them, they can always tell the difference between the very strongest defence style and anything which was gratuitous in presentation. I enjoyed a number of years as a bereavement counsellor in my non-existent spare time. I had the role of listening, and empathy not drama is centre stage.

2 Bedford Row is the leading set of criminal chambers. We are headed by the universally respected Bill Clegg QC and clerked by the best in the business, John Grimmer. From time to time I remind John that he owes me six weeks’ worth of respect - the difference in our ages.

The traditional structure of a solicitor instructing counsel is changing. The majority of my work now is Direct Access - the defendant finds me and funds me. The Bar has traditionally followed a cab rank principle but that does not apply to direct access instructions, so I can freely choose cases that interest me.

This award is a wonderful recognition of my performance in the cases I select.

Sector Performance Awards 2015 / 7

www.acquisition-intl.com/2015-sector-awards View at Birch Island located at Sudbury Ontario Canada

Best in Sector: Medical Science Technology

ADVANCED MEDICAL RESEARCH

INSTITUTE OF CANADA

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AMRIC was created three years ago with the intention of bringing together researchers, industry, clinicians and regulators to ensure the continued uptake of promising therapeutics targeting infectious and chronic diseases. AMRIC is an independent, non-profit corporation governed by a board of directors that includes representation from the parent hospital, Health Sciences North (HSN) in Sudbury Ontario.

AMRIC provides a strong research platform designed to complement traditional existing strengths in healthcare and teaching. At creation it was understood that research is an investment augmented by in-kind contributions, funding agencies, charitable foundations and revenues generated by commercialization of biotech products and the provision of services to the pharmaceutical industry (clinical trials). AMRIC increased research capacity in Sudbury, resulting in HSN’s recognition as a top 40 research hospital in Canada.

Company: The Advanced Medical Research Institute of Canada Name: Dr. Francisco Diaz-Mitoma, CEO and Chief Scientist Email: fdiazmitoma@amric.ca Web Address: www.AMRIC.ca Address: 41 Ramsey Lake Road, Sudbury, ON P3E 5J1 Telephone: 705-523-7100 x3655

Medical research and development is an extremely competitive area. There are many bright minds working in the sector and it is extremely difficult to attract talent to a place with no tradition for research. Despite this hurdle, AMRIC has been able to attract world class talent to a greenfield medical research operation. The hiring of talent has been definitely a key ingredient of AMRIC’s success and it has defined its competitiveness for the attraction of new researchers and grant funding.

The other aspect that has allowed AMRIC to maintain its funding and a healthy growth is its capacity to focus on one area of research. The research enterprise needs to be strategically directed to an area of research where a critical mass of bright minds works to find solutions to global health problems. In AMRIC’s case the area is vaccine research and development. The opportunity resides in the development of vaccines for which there is a global need. The Institute has partnered with the Canadian National Research Council to develop a vaccine against helicobacter pylori, an infection that affects more than half of the world’s population. It is the cause of peptic ulcer disease and gastric cancer. This would be the first vaccine candidate coming from AMRIC, which will be tested in clinical trials. We will then be carrying out clinical trials for other vaccines such an anti-addiction vaccine against nicotine to combat tobacco use. These programs are attracting attention of public funding agencies as well as private investors. The investment will continue to attract jobs and will build momentum in our research community.

Our organization has been able to adapt quickly to changes in the research ecosystem. National funding agencies have changed their approach to grant funding, which has made it very difficult for small research operations to compete with larger research institutes. However, AMRIC has focused its funding efforts on regional organizations and local foundations. The support of these regional funding agencies has been critical to the growth and success of our research program.

AMRIC receives significant funding through the ministry in charge of the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario (FedNor), as well as the Ministry of Natural Resources, with contributions towards a new, state of the art 12,000-square-foot research laboratory. The province contributed also last year toward the $15m project.

Research Institutes such as AMRIC and the Sudbury Neutrino Laboratory are putting the city of Greater Sudbury on the world stage. The funding has helped build a lab that will support a growing medical research cluster in Sudbury. The new lab is expected to create 35 new full time jobs and 28 part time jobs, as well as 30 jobs during the construction phase. Research being done by AMRIC on vaccines and their commercialization will be an economic engine for the regional development of northern Ontario.

We distinguish ourselves from our competitors through the belief that research is not separate from patient care but rather research is patient care and it can increase its quality. The number of staff members is expected to grow to 160 in the next few years and AMRIC is also expected to generate $23m for the local economy.

The progress made by AMRIC researchers is an important milestone in the progress of medical health research in Sudbury and AMRIC has also entered into agreements with a number of companies for specific research projects to help offset operation costs of the research lab.

Our clients are physicians working in the hospital and the community. They provide the care for our patients and we bring the research with the transformative new treatments. AMRIC does that by also collaborating with other research organizations or with the pharmaceutical industry and other industries, such as medical devices and software companies. These collaborations between doctors, their patients, researchers and industry are what bring value to the medical research enterprise. It offers the best value to our patients.

Sector Performance Awards 2015 / 9

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Tilburg, The Netherlands TonyV3112 / Shutterstock.com

Sustained Excellence in Industrial Engineering & Award for Innovation in Engineering Services

APS InterTech/APS Engineering Officially founded in 2007, APS InterTech began life as an industrial engineering firm, operating primarily in the fields of cost engineering, cost estimating and total plant control. Although founded in The Netherlands/Benelux area, the business now operates globally, thanks to the virtual office service Regus. We caught up with them to chat about the range of services and expertise they provide for their clients.

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APS InterTech is active in various projects, where we focus on the offshore (upstream), oil/gas/ (downstream) and process industries. Generally speaking, APS InterTech works on the cutting edge of business processes and industrial informatisation. More specifically, the industrial projects in which APS InterTech participates are a combination of process, project and cost engineering issues.

APS InterTech regularly works with established engineering companies as well as direct end customers (i.e. oil companies and tank terminals). Certified by a number of organisations (i.e. MACostE) and dedicated to continuous training, we guarantee an excellent level of expertise and service to our clients. As a result of this commitment to continuous improvement and the enviable reputation we have built, we have worked for and alongside a wide range of leading companies, such as Daniel Fluor, Jacobs, ExxonMobil, Vopak, BP and Heerema.

HQ Benelux Office Hart van Brabantlaan 12-16, 5038 JL Tilburg, The Netherlands Tel: +31 (0)6 21828372 Internet: www.apsintertech.nl E-mail: roland@apsintertech.nl UAE Office Correspondence and info Office Building 3, Plot 598-676 Dubai Investment Park, Green Community Dubai 212880 United Arab Emirates Tel. General: + 31 621828372 Fax. General: + 97 148019101 Internet: www.apsengineering.eu E-mail: dubai@apsengineering.eu

Although we started purely as a cost engineering firm, we now provide professional consulting and engineering services, all related to the offshore, oil and gas and process industry. The services we provide include, but are not limited, to the following: - Cost engineering/cost estimating and total plant control - Project procurement and AFC/EPC(I) contracting (FIDIC), - BI/ERP(Frango/Outlooksoft, SAP, IFS)/MES data integration, - Product data (Life Cycle) management, - Interim and project management (Prince2 related), - R&D construction technology and methods.

- Identifying energy envestment allowance (EIA) possibilities.

Our clients greatly appreciate the level of service and devotion we give to their projects. As a result, APS InterTech has received the 2014 Sector Success Award for ‘Best in Industrial Engineering’, the 2014 Jacobs Masterbuilder Award and numerous others. This award in Acquisition International’s 2015 Sector Performance Awards is further testament to the quality of service we provide.

We are a forward thinking company who are always trying to innovate and implement new services for our clients. As a result, we are featuring at the 2015 Tank World Expo in Dubai, as well as the TWE 2016. The 2015/2016 outlook, key issues and main programs we are working towards are: - The roll-out and optimization of the product, Scan-4d - The roll-out of a new web based risk integrity tool The roll-out of Scan-4d will be carried out by separate limited liability company (APS Engineering BV). This concept is based on 3D laser scanning, which produces a large amount of data in the form of a ‘point cloud ‘.

This point cloud will be translated into a database, after which the data will be processed in a plant engineering design system.

The possibilities of this new technology are endless and future potential applications include: - Training of new staff - Better planning for shut-in and shutdown times, - Advance understanding on upgrade an installation etc.

- Also applicable for other (non-offshore, oil and gas) industries.

The Risk Based Integrity program gives you a tool in which the integrity of tank and piping equipment can be calculated and the program is fully compliant with all required industrial standards and guidelines (EEMUA 159, API 653 (tank terminals) and API 570/571, ASME B31.3 (Piping)). The studies contribute to the optimization of the reliability and profitability of storage tanks in general. The information from this tool can be used and integrated in a cost estimating tool and vice versa.

Both solutions will be demonstrated at Dubai Innovation week, running from the 22nd to the 28th of November 2015 and the Tank World Expo 2016 Exhibition. We are very excited about showcasing these products, and look to continue to innovate and develop our services in the future.

Sector Performance Awards 2015 / 11

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Best in Sector: Monolith Chromatography

BIA Separations mission is to become the leading supplier of technologies and products for gene therapy, human plasma proteins, biosimilars and vaccines development and production.

Our company has already been recognised as one of very few disruptive technology providers in bioprocessing in the report “Bioseparations systems for global biopharmaceutical markets,” published by Trimark publications LLC. At present, the disruptive technologies we offer include: - CIM® Monolith technology that is developed to resolve stubborn difficulties encountered by existing traditional particle based chromatography. This results in significant improvements in quality, speed and costs when purifying large biomolecules such as plasmid DNA, complex proteins (e.g. IgMs), phages, viruses and viral vectors.

- CIMmultusTM housing based on composite materials (epoxy resin reinforced with carbon fibres) with properties which are similar to stainless steel but much cheaper (1/3 of the price) and considerably lighter (1/5 of the weight).

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CIMacTM analytical columns developed in co-operation with Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) for in-process (PAT) monitoring and to control the production process for product quantity and purity, as well as levels of impurities, upstream and downstream.

BIA Separations products are now used in more than 60 clinical phase I to III studies and in two market supply projects. Furthermore, our monolithic columns are already used for the production of gene therapy based drug, influenza vaccine and four biosimilar drugs.

In all of these production processes, BIA Separations monolithic columns play a key purification step and allow for cheaper and more efficient production. Our technology is the key element in the development and production of gene therapy active substances, both based on viral vectors delivery or naked plasmid DNA.

Company: BIA Separations Name: Dr. Aleš Štrancar, CEO Email: marketing@monoliths.com Web Address: www.biaseparations.com Address: Mirce 21, 5270 Ajdovščina Telephone: +386 59 699 500

Our CIM monolith technology allows for separation of full and empty viral capsids (adeno, adeno associated, lenti, virus based) and as a consequence reduces the risk of patient immune response when treated with a gene therapy drug. This separation of full and empty capsid has so far not been possible to reach on an industrial scale. In addition BIA Separations technology allows for purification of larger plasmid DNA (Greater than 20 kbp), again not efficient by using any other technology or product. As a result of these processes, BIA Separations technology can be regarded as an innovation for such gene therapy treatments.

In terms of the clients we deal with, our business requires us to deliver serious commitment and build long-term relationships as our customers would be using our products for 20-30 years, which is the typical life-span of a biopharma product.

As a relatively small company, it is not easy to be accepted in our market unless we have highly innovative products. As a matter of fact, one of our clients pointed out that he would only be willing to take BIA Separations products on board if their performance would be at least an order of magnitude better when compared to our competition or if BIA Separations product is the only product that can solve their problem.

In terms of the major trends in our industry, the following projects are currently getting preference over their previously established competitors: • Ribeiro et al. tested different particle-based and monolithic anion exchange resins for the purification of recombinant FIX (rFIX) from cell culture supernatant. Four different supports, namely monolith CIM® QA, Sartobind® Q, Q Sepharose® and Fractogel® TMAE, were used for screening and a pseudo-affinity elution with calcium chloride was developed. CIM® QA rendered the highest dynamic binding capacity in comparison to the other resins, namely 4.6 mg/mL of monolithic support.

• Herwig et al. “Summarizing, the CIM®-DEAE tube monolith describes a highly interesting alternative to SEC as a polishing step for partially purified recombinant HRP isoenzymes. Compared to the PF of around 2.0 which we achieved for the recombinant HRP isoenzyme C1A using SEC before, the flow through step applying an anion exchange monolith presented here is not only advantageous in terms of flow rates, sample volumes and thus process time, but also gave a 5-fold higher PF of nearly 11.0” • Hernandez et al “In this work three anion exchange chromatographic supports (gel, membrane, monolithic) were evaluated in the capture step of the recombinant erythropoietin purification process.

As a conclusion, the evaluated supports are technically suitable to capture EPO with adequate recovery and good purity. However the monolithic column admits higher operating velocity, showing the highest adsorption capacity and productivity.”

In terms of our values, it gives us great satisfaction to share our combined expert knowledge and accumulated experience in biomolecule purification and method validation with our customers. We are committed to serve them with the most accurate solutions and cater to their individual needs.

It is our mission to help them with any kind of problem regarding the development of chromatographic methods, purification processes, or installation of CIM® monolithic columns. We believe that communication is key, and provide support via email, phone calls, Skype, or on-site technical support.

The culture within BIA Separations demands a strong commitment from all of our employees in helping customers and solving any problems that may come along the way. Our team’s aim is to try solve a problem before it happens and teach the customers in detail about our services. Above all, we never leave the customer on their own when a problem may appear.

As for the award, we are very proud and honored to have been recognised. This achievement is primarily due to the combined effort of all of BIA Separations’ staff. Every single one of them has put their heart and soul into BIA Separations for it to become the best company it can be, and providing the best service in every way we can.

Sector Performance Awards 2015 / 13

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Best in Sector: Litigation Support

DARTMOUTH PARTNERS LIMITED

Dartmouth Partners Limited is a boutique litigation support, business valuation, transaction advisory and corporate finance firm headquartered in MontrĂŠal, Canada with additional offices in Chicago, Illinois and Hong Kong.

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Company: Dartmouth Partners Limited Name: Drew Dorweiler, FRICS, CPA•ABV, CBV, ASA, CBA, CVA, CFE, MBA Email: drewdorweiler@gmail.com Web Address: www.drewdorweiler.com Address: 308 Square Saint-Louis, Montreal, Quebec CANADA H2X 1A5 Telephone: 1 (514) 962 6896

Our firm was founded by Drew Dorweiler, a world renowned business valuation professional who has testified as an expert witness in more than two-dozen cases before the Québec Superior Court, Ontario Superior Court of Justice, U.S. District Court, Tax Court of Canada, Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta and arbitration panels in high-profile, complex financial litigation and valuation matters.

Dartmouth Partners Limited possesses over 30 years of experience in the valuation of hundreds of privately and publicly held companies and in litigation support and corporate finance mandates on a global basis.

Our firm has frequently participated as a financial advisor to corporate mergers and acquisitions (buy and sell-side), divestitures and start-up businesses, and in sourcing financing throughout North America and internationally. We are generalists in terms of industries served, but have achieved particular global distinction in sports business advisory.

In our experience, litigation support thrives on the ability of the successful professional to be able to provide an expert opinion that is based on detailed knowledge and evidentiary support while being entirely objective and independent. As clients and attorneys are typically biased and may exert significant pressure on the litigation support professional to arrive at a desired conclusion, it is incumbent upon the expert to provide an opinion that is entirely her/his own, objective and supportable. If a litigation support professional unflinchingly adheres to these standards, they will rapidly be able to develop a stellar reputation as a successful expert witness.

In order to stay up to date in the worlds of litigation support, business valuation, corporate finance and sports business advisory, the onus is ever-present to keep ahead of developments. Dartmouth Partners Limited maintains this by attending conferences, networking with colleagues, competitors and clients, and reading. Of course, if you are passionate about your profession, these activities are exhilarating in their own right.

Dartmouth Partners Limited focuses on offering creative solutions to clients while maintaining integrity of reputation. Our firm’s competitive advantage arises from its global breadth of professional expertise in litigation support, business valuation, mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, sports business, accounting, economics and fraud prevention/detection. Moreover, our Managing Partner, Drew Dorweiler, has served on the pre-eminent leadership organizations in the North American valuation profession: Board of Trustees of The Appraisal Foundation (USA) and Board of Directors of The Canadian Institute of Chartered Business Valuators (Canada). Consequently, our company is able to leverage his considerable acumen and experience at the forefront of the business valuation and litigation support fields.

Competitive advantages of boutique firms, such as Dartmouth Partners Limited, over their larger competitors include the ability to provide more direct and personalized responsiveness to clients, as well as a more nimble, flexible approach to creativity and decision making in the process of serving our customers.

Integrity is paramount at Dartmouth Partners Limited. The reputation of our professionals, as measured by honesty and performance, supersedes the need for profit.

Moreover, intellectual curiosity and creativity are prized attributes that are encouraged to thrive among members of our firm. A successful litigation support professional must be an innovative problem solver, given that each of the mandates we engage in is unique; a formulaic approach will thus be insufficient.

Finally, the client is not always right. As our expert opinions are required to be independent and objective, it is imperative that our professionals develop and display a sceptical approach to their work, obtaining sufficient third-party information in order to corroborate and support client representations.

Litigation support practices are currently contending with heightened demands for broader offerings of expertise, despite constrictions on fee structures. In particular, globalization trends in most industries have necessitated that successful litigation support professionals establish cognizance of international issues and markets.

To take advantage of these market demands, Dartmouth Partners Limited is opening an office in in Hong Kong in 2015. The plan is to serve as an advisor linking the North American and Asian markets and enhancing the business valuation and litigation support professions in Asia by introducing western standards and methods to regional clientele.

I am both honoured and humbled for my firm to have been awarded this prestigious distinction. Aside from the various mentors in my professional career and compelling academic influences, I could not have achieved this success without the inspiration, love and support of my parents and wife, Maranda.

Aside from the satisfaction of receiving this recognition of distinction amongst one’s peers, such awards inspire other professionals to innovate and achieve excellence in their own work.

Sector Performance Awards 2015 / 15

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Recognised Leader in Employment Law

Davenport Solicitors Limited Davenport Solicitors are a London-based specialist HR and employment law firm. We represent employees and employers on a range of contentious and non-contentious matters. Our highly experienced lawyers work with a range of clients ranging from individuals to multi-national companies. Our company is committed to resolving employment issues in the best interest of our clients. Whether you are an employer or an employee, our comprehensive employment law and HR services will provide you with practical advice and assistance on all employment law and HR matters.

Company: Davenport Solicitors Limited Email: contact@davenportsolicitors.com Web: www.davenportsolicitors.com Address: St Clements House, 27-28 Clements Lane, London, EC4N 7AE Telephone: +44 (0)20 3207 9031

Having an employment or HR issue hanging over you can cause many problems and will more than likely become stressful and time consuming. We tailor our services and support, to meet the specific needs of our clients and successfully guide them through the HR and employment law minefield, no matter what issue they face.

At Davenport Solicitors, we believe that prevention is better than the cure. Our mantra, “Prevent, Protect and Prosper” echoes this! We strive to provide an exceptional level of service to our clients and consistently offer straightforward practical legal advice and a personal, dedicated service throughout. We aim to build strong, close and trustworthy relationships with our clients so that they feel at ease when working with us.

We understand that employment and immigration laws in the UK are continually changing, evolving and updating. This can make it extremely difficult for businesses to stay ahead of current regulations that apply to them. We take great pride in providing a service that will ensure that you and your business can remain fully informed in respect of all employment and immigration matters that apply to your business so that this aspect of running a business is taken care of on your behalf.

At Davenport Solicitors, we work hard to ensure that we cater to all of our client’s needs, regardless of the size or stature of their business. As employment law specialists, we understand that we have a duty to our clients and we will always offer a fair and honest appraisal of any situation or circumstance that you find yourself in.

Our team includes some of the most experienced lawyers within the industry. Our staff members share the same passion and determination when striving for excellence and innovation. Our success has been built by our ability to understand our clients and to ensure that we are always able to serve their HR and employment law needs.

We work closely with you to ensure that we know what your aims are, hopefully helping to provide you with a resolution that ends the matter as fairly and as amicably as possible, but also which allows you to move forward with confidence. We are very proud to be named ‘Recognised Leader in Employment Law’. We believe that this success is due to the high level of service that we offer to our clients at all times. We maintain a professional but approachable level of service while practising both employment and business immigration law so that our clients can feel in a secure place when working with us.

Sector Performance Awards 2015 / 17

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Management Consultancy Firm of the Year 2015

FTHM Consulting was founded in 1994 and now has over 20 years of experience in helping businesses achieve optimum performance. Currently based in Antananarivo, Madagascar’s capital city, its reputation is well known throughout Africa.

Our Partners are: Thierry RAJAONA, Co-founder and Associate Partner Thierry RAJAONA graduated from HEC Business School Paris and has more than 25 years of experience in banking, industry and strategy and management consulting (ACCENTURE, FTHM Consulting). He has worked for a number of multinational companies and international agencies both in Europe and Madagascar and has participated in several missions related to strategic studies.

He has a wealth of experience in economic and sector analysis, focused on FDI and strategic domestic investment and also possesses extensive experience in negotiation with various stakeholders, including senior government and private sector representatives.

Xavier MICHEL, Managing Director Xavier MICHEL has over 17 years of experience in the financial sector and consulting and has worked in France, Mauritius and Madagascar (CIC Banks, CCF-HSBC, Accenture and LOM Consulting).

As a partner at FTHM Consulting, he has strong project management experience - particularly in development issues - process optimization and company reengineering assignments. His main expertise is in banking, mobile banking and technology.

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Alain PIERRE BERNARD, Partner Alain PIERRE BERNARD has over 30 years of professional experience. A statistician, Alain graduated from the Institute of Statistics of the University of Paris (ISUP) and as an engineer economist from the French Institute of Petroleum. He is a specialist in strategy, organization, change management, governance and international trade.

FTHM has grown significantly to become one of the leading consulting firms in Africa, with a customer portfolio bringing together a huge number of large national/multinational companies and governments.

The firm has rapidly developed a portfolio of various services and sells its expertise both nationally and internationally (especially in the Indian Ocean area, Africa, America and France). Specialized in two core business segments - namely strategy consulting and management services (project management, financial engineering, human resources, economics) and outsourcing (BPO or business process outsourcing), the company assists businesses in their creation and development.

Company: FTHM Consulting Name: Thierry RAJAONA Email: trajaona@fthm.mg Web: www.fthmconsulting.com Address: Immeuble ARO Antsahavola, BP 7631, 101 Antananarivo Madagascar Tel: +261 20 22 631 86 / +261 32 07 631 86

In addition to corporate clients, FTHM has conducted many missions on behalf of or funded by national and international institutions: the World Bank, International Finance Corporation (IFC), European Union, USAID, COMESA, the Malagasy Government, Governments from Comoros, Congo, DR Congo, Cameroon, the GEM (trade association of Malagasy companies).

With its recognised expertise and its ISO 9001 certification, FTHM Consulting carried out several missions throughout Africa, in countries such as Comoros , Mauritius, Kenya, Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo, Cameroon, Angola, Ivory Coast and now in the Americas (Haïti).

The company now boasts more than 80 permanent consultants and collaborates with numerous national and international partners of high reputation who bring additional expertise.

Thanks to 20 years of existence and a turnover reaching €4m in 2013, FTHM Consulting is now aiming to become the leading consulting firm in Africa.

The company works regularly on tenders launched by donors such as WB or AFD, in diversified sectors and has, over the past few years, seen a definite evolution in the required expertise in sectors like public finances, renewable energy, climate change, WASH or inclusive finance. With this in mind, the firm works closely with experts possessing up-to-the-minute experience in these sectors.

FTHM’s mission is to provide high quality services to its clients and their companies. Those services meet all international standards and in 2007, FTHM was awarded the ISO 9001:2000 certification for all its services. As such, it is the first management consulting firm in Africa to have ever received such a distinction. This certification was renewed in June 2010 and March 2013. In addition, as a member of MGI worldwide network, FTHM Consulting belongs to one of the world’s top alliances of independent audit, tax, accounting and consulting firms.

Being ISO 9001:2008 certified, FTHM Consulting’s priority is always on fully satisfying its clients. For its quality values, the consulting firm has adopted the following motto: Listening – Commitment – Results. This means the company listening to its clients’ needs, remaining committed to proposing the best tools, means and human resources to achieve its assignments, and achieving the results that add value wherever possible.

It is FTHM Consulting’s aim to become the leading consulting firm in Africa and the company is currently making a huge effort to win more and more assignments in all African countries, not only in Madagascar. All staff contribute to this ongoing success and the firm’s recruitment is founded on a culture of excellence, with staff benefitting from regular training and education.

As the African continent transforms itself to become an emerging economy, investors from around the world are starting to flock and search for better investment opportunities. It appears that some countries that were inside-looking for a long time are now opening their economy to foreign investment and this is a good opportunity for business development in the finance industry.

As far as Madagascar is concerned, the country has just exited a five-year political crisis that hampered the development of the economy. It is hoped that the return to increased stability following the outcome of both presidential and legislative elections in 2014 will bring in more and more business opportunities and increase investments.

Thanks to the increased political stability, the situation in Madagascar should evolve for the better in the consulting industry and FTHM will undoubtedly have a large part to play in these developments.

Sector Performance Awards 2015 / 19

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Best in Sector: Financial Services & Independent Accounting Firm of the Year

GBQ Consulting GBQ Consulting is a national consulting firm that provides advice and assistance to clients through our valuation, financial opinion, dispute advisory and forensic advisory services. Our consulting team is made up of dedicated professionals who are all experts in their respective areas.

We serve corporations, law firms, private equity firms, CPA firms, insurance companies, boards of directors, ESOP fiduciaries, financial services entities, and government organizations. With offices in Ohio, Indiana, New York and Pennsylvania, we work with both privately held and publicly traded companies across all industries and geographies.

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Through our ability to provide world class valuation quality and services, GBQ has grown to become a national practice. Our experienced professionals possess extensive experience in the valuation of businesses, complex financial instruments and intangible assets of both privately held and publicly traded companies. Our valuations are performed for the purposes of financial reporting, transaction advice, succession planning, estate and gift taxation and ESOPs. We also specialize in fairness opinions and solvency opinions.

Because we help companies of all sizes, across all industries, the challenges we face often involve a wide variety of strategic imperatives. Though often challenging, this also affords us the opportunity to add value and really make an impact for our clients.

Thanks to our taking up of leadership roles and speaking engagements with all the national players in the industry, GBQ’s team is at the forefront of any changes or developments in the industry. We take continuing education seriously and our staff includes accredited members of the CFA Institute (CFA), the American Society of Appraisers (ASA), the National Association of Certified Valuation Analysts (CVA), the Institute of Business Appraisers (CBA), and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (CPA/ABV).

Company: GBQ Consulting LLC Name: David Bookbinder Email: dbookbinder@gbq.com Web Address: www.gbqconsulting.com Address: 1515 Market Street, Suite 802 / Philadelphia, PA 19102 Telephone: 215.568.2303

Although there may be several constituent parties associated with a particular client’s matter (audit firm, SEC, IRS, board of directors, investors), in the final analysis, the client’s needs should be what motivates outcomes.

The outcome (or deliverable) is important, but the process and path to the outcome can make a difference with regards to the experience for all stakeholders and by proactively resolving issues as and when they arise, we strive to create a win-win situation.

While others only think about the “project,” GBQ is able to tap into a vast network of experts in other fields and we make this knowledge and expertise available to our clients. We help clients resolve challenges that impact their day-to-day operations by connecting them to resources that are skilled in those particular areas.

Yes, we are valuation experts, but our clients and the referral sources that recommend us think of us as more than that; they think of us as partners and problem solvers.

GBQ Consulting’s approach to client service is ‘holistic’. Because our team consists of seasoned business professionals, we are able to look beyond the task at hand. We ask insightful questions and proactively identify problems and provide creative solutions. Client service is paramount and the trusted advisors that introduce us to opportunities know that we always offer our best advice to their clients whether or not we end up doing business together. It’s about doing the right things for the right reasons all the time and by always putting the client’s needs first, great service is a natural outcome.

GBQ’s founders built a firm where associates were given ample room for personal career growth and were supported by partners who truly cared about the individuals who worked at the firm. While the firm has changed dramatically over the years, we have retained our focus on the individual associates. Personalized career development plans mean that associates are motivated to do a great job and to take care of our clients.

“Entrepreneurial spirit, independent expertise” is more than just a marketing tagline at GBQ – it’s in our DNA. We encourage people all across the firm (not just at the highest management levels) to think and act as entrepreneurs. The firm wants people to bring forward new ideas about client service, personnel development, new service offerings and other growth and improvement initiatives.

Much like our clients, we are an entrepreneurial company and not only do we understand the challenges that business owners and management teams often face but we need to be at the cutting edge of what’s happening in our industry at all times.

The most prevalent trends over the past 12 months include the evolution of certain valuation and accounting treatment of matters pertaining to privately held companies, the impact of the JOBS Act on liquidity and the increased complexities around performance-based compensation metrics associated with transactions.

GBQ is thrilled and honoured to have been awarded ‘Best in Sector’. It is always special to be acknowledged by an independent organization and it is particularly gratifying to be recognized for the efforts outside of our core market. We believe that we owe our success to the dedication of our professionals and their commitment to providing a broad range of world class valuation services to our clients. Our practice has achieved exponential growth and success, and as we continue to strive for excellence, we anticipate a continuation of our remarkable growth trend.

Sector Performance Awards 2015 / 21

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Best in Sector: Multi-Strategy Investments

Jabre Capital Partners SA Jabre Capital Partners is an alternative asset management platform that was founded in 2006. The group offers a diversified range of investment management services and products, including Cayman-based collective investment schemes, UCITS IV regulated strategies, and individually managed accounts, to a broad network of institutional and high net worth clients. In addition, the group provides discretionary investment management and advisory services to private clients.

Company: Jabre Capital Partners S.A Name: Philippe Jabre Email: info@jabcap.com Web: www.jabcap.com Address: 1 Rue des Moulins 1204 Genève, Switzerland Telephone: +41 22 556 2200

Jabre Capital Partners S.A. is an independent asset manager based in Geneva, Switzerland. The company was established in 2006 by Philippe Jabre, CIO and Founding Partner, and is regulated by the FINMA. The firm specialises in both hedge fund and traditional investment strategies, with over 40 employees, managing in the region of $2bn. Philippe Jabre has over 30 years investment experience and leads a team of highly experienced investment professionals. The firm’s investment objective is to target capital appreciation with an absolute return focus through a top-down investment approach, expressed through a number of broad strategies including Equity Long/Short, Convertible Arbitrage, Emerging Markets, Event Driven & Macro. The Portfolio Managers’ macro view will determine the strategies’ asset allocation, and both long and short investments may be made across asset classes, although mainly in equity and debt securities. The investment team is supported across the firm by a robust risk management facility and an institutionalised infrastructure. Jabre Capital Partners Group has also added a UCITS platform which runs alongside its suite of offshore funds.

Philippe Jabre, Chief Investment Officer Philippe founded Jabre Capital Partners S.A. in December 2006. He completed his Masters in Business Administration at Columbia University, New York in 1982 after which he trained at JP Morgan. In 1983 he joined Baii Asset Management (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Banque Nationale de Paris) where he developed significant understanding of equity-linked fixed income products. He became a Managing Director and Head of Portfolio Management in 1986 and transferred to the London-based business of Baii Asset Management.

In 1997 he joined GLG Partners, then a division of Lehman Brothers International (Europe), to take over responsibility for asset allocation and managing global Convertible Bonds and Equity-linked investments. In September 2000, Philippe co-founded GLG Partners LP and managed a hedge fund and long-only absolute return products.

Carl Tohme, Portfolio Manager Carl Tohme joined Jabre Capital partners at inception and has since been in charge of the Emerging Markets portfolio. Prior to joining Jabre Capital Partners S.A. in January 2007, Carl spent six years at HSBC Investment Bank (London) initially as a trader on the Emerging Markets market-making desk. In 2004 he was appointed head of that desk and was responsible for managing a team of 20 market-makers based in London and other regional offices. Carl ultimately moved to HSBC’s proprietary desk for the last two years where he ran a profitable EMEA proprietary operation. Carl holds a Bachelor’s degree in economics and a MBA in finance from McGill University.

Roberta Ventura, Head of Equity Research Roberta joined Jabre Capital Partners S.A. in January 2007 and focuses on global equity investments. Prior to this, Roberta spent seven years at Credit Suisse in London working in pan European Equity sales, and before this she spent two years at UBS in European Equity sales. Roberta started her career as a reporter with Reuters in 1996 after graduating from Bocconi University in Milan with a degree in Business Administration.

Sector Performance Awards 2015 / 23

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Best in Sector: Renewable Energy Development

Jamaica Public Service Co. Ltd.

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Jamaica Public Service Company Ltd. (JPS) is an integrated electric utility company and the sole distributor of electricity in Jamaica. The company is engaged in the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity, and also purchases power from five independent power producers. JPS currently has approximately 600,000 customers who are served by a workforce of 1,700 employees. As the sole electricity distributor, the company provides for the electricity needs of a range of customers including residential, commercial, industrial and governmental.

Company: Jamaica Public Service Company Ltd. Email: calljps@jpsco.com Web: www.myjpsco.com Address: 6 Knutsford Boulevard, Kgn. 5 Telephone: 1-888-935-5577 or 1-888-225-5577

JPS is the dominant player in the electricity sector, however, our firm faces increasing competition and pressure due to the increasing use of renewable energy units by customers. Presently, we do not possess official data on the extent of the use of renewable energy units, but it is clearly a trend that we are studying and will need to react to as we move forward. Another significant challenge facing the sector at this time is the industry’s overdependence on oil. The flip side to this, of course, is that we now have an opportunity to bring down the cost of electricity and increase energy security through diversification. We were pleased in 2014 to commission our ninth hydroelectric power plant at Maggotty in St. Elizabeth as part of this aforementioned diversification. Now we look forward to bringing liquefied natural gas to Jamaica as part of that move.

We keep connected to and up to date with what is happening globally through numerous sources. Since I (Kelly Tomblin) have been in the industry all of my life and have worked for very large international companies, I have a strong network, which I am constantly broadening through my serving on the board of Carilec. As an organization, we use user groups, industry publications and conferences to stay connected and we have international owners (Marubeni and EWP) who bring a lot of global knowledge and experience.

I and JPS are willing to take risks. Utilities are normally risk adverse and we have decided we have to move beyond that. Our vision is “Leading an Energy Revolution” and our mission is “Finding a Solution for EVERY Jamaican.” There are BHAGs. To help ensure that our company always possesses exactly the right people with the most suitable skill sets, I also hire outside the industry, which is something that utilities don’t often do. Not only this but, for people within the firm, we teach relationship management as a science and an art, focussing on being healthy and smart without shying away from the hard questions about who we are and what are bringing to the world.

JPS pursues a customer-focussed approach to business. The company is continually seeking to improve its service and reliability, enhance business processes and make interfacing with the organization more satisfying, adapt structures which optimize service levels for customers and measure progress at intervals. Consequently, our customer satisfaction levels have been improving year on year.

Our culture is one of our firm’s distinguishing attributes. The JPS Culture is very purpose driven and we know what our product means to the lives of our customers. We are open learners and are growing in our risk comfort. JPS also fosters a culture of resilience meaning we don’t give up. We are currently working on tearing down our previous hierarchy and giving everyone an opportunity to weigh in and, consequently, there is a new openness propelling us forward. We have a strong JPS spirit and are proud of each other and our company.

As previously mentioned, the most prevalent trend in the industry today would be a movement toward the increased use of renewables and generally more focussed energy conservation efforts - both on the part of residential and commercial customers. This of course sits within the larger context of an ongoing conversation about how to bring down local energy costs and improve energy security.

We have to have supportive and fair policies and we have to optimise their integration. Utilities have a vital role to play in fuel diversity and environmental protection and I think this award is a result of the fact that we not only invest in renewables, we make it happen in a way that serves the greatest number of customers.

I think it is important to recognize leadership in this important area. It represents the future.

Sector Performance Awards 2015 / 25

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Leading UK Dealmaker 2015

KBS Corporate Established for almost 20 years, KBS Corporate acts on behalf of company owners looking to sell their business, and over the past two decades has completed literally hundreds of company sale transactions across a wide variety of industry sectors.

We provide tailored exit strategies to help clients realise a complete exit or partial sale through an all service offering which integrates specialist marketing techniques with award winning technical Corporate Finance expertise. We aim to deliver multiple competitive offers to our clients by utilising an extensive range of nationwide and international target buyer routes.

Focused on the Corporate Finance Advisory and Company Sales sectors, KBS Corporate have over the past 12 months, been undertaking a number of initiatives that are all geared towards the expansion of our customer base, increasing brand awareness and further improving services to clients. Ultimately, this activity has led to the company achieving a 59% growth in turnover for 2015.

Our people are at the core of our success, taking great pride in providing a service of the highest quality to all of our clients. We operate with an extremely professional team of vastly experienced and dedicated people who are qualified in a variety of key disciplines, including accountancy, corporate finance, business management and marketing, in order to guarantee that a comprehensive range of skills will be utilised throughout any project to achieve maximum value for our client.

Company: KBS Corporate Name: Simon Daniels – Director Web: www.kbscorporate.com

Our goal is to lead the way in innovation, presentation, technical expertise and buyer reach while still remaining at the forefront of the UK company advisory and Corporate Finance marketplace. We are committed to continuously improving our services to enhance our client’s experience.

Our client-centred approach is paying off with the company seeing a 33% increase in transactional activity over the previous year and the completion of a number of high profile company sales which have seen the KBS Corporate fee income record broken four times in this period. This increase can be attributed to significant investment in both people and technology, two areas upon which KBS Corporate places great emphasis.

The company’s recent investing of over £200,000 in business intelligence software, provides us a significant resource that will play a big part in providing wider research throughout both the UK and international markets.

There are many reasons that we feel that KBS Corporate stands out form our competitors. Firstly, we do not adopt a ‘one size fits all’ strategy concerning the sale of a business. Each of our clients receives a tailored exit strategy that aims to exceed all objectives and expectations, an approach that has led to a large increase in the amount of completed sales that we have achieved.

We offer a director-led approach from start to finish, operating in close partnership with our clients throughout.

The professional network that our directors have developed over many years allows us to offer a full global reach and has culminated in relationships with M&A partners located in 54 countries throughout the world.

This reach, coupled with our emphasis on continued staff training and development, allows us to offer a superior service and client experience.

Sector Performance Awards 2015 / 27

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Best in Sector: Retail Banking & Best in Sector for Motor Vehicle Finance

Lloyds Banking Group Lloyds Banking Group are a financial services group with millions of UK customers and with a presence in nearly every UK community; they are familiar both on the high street and with over 1 million businesses through their portfolio of brands. We spoke to them about how their strategy helps Britain continue to prosper.

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Company: Lloyds Banking Group Web: www.lloydsbankinggroup.com

Lloyds Banking Group are behind many household names like Lloyds Bank, Halifax, Bank of Scotland and Scottish Widows. We are a leading UK-based financial services group providing a wide range of banking and financial services, focused on personal and commercial customers.

The Group’s main business activities are retail, commercial and corporate banking, general insurance, and life, pensions and investment provision. One of our major responsibilities is operating the UK’s largest retail bank, Lloyds Bank, which has a large and diversified customer base.

Customers are at the heart of our strategy. By using our skills, resources and people effectively we believe we can help Britain prosper and deliver superior and sustainable returns for shareholders.

In June 2011 the Group announced a strategy with the aim of becoming the best bank for customers and shareholders. Our success in transforming the Group since that time is the result of our relentless focus on the delivery of this clear and customer-centred strategy, putting customers truly at the heart of everything we do.

This strategy has enabled us to create a stable, well-funded Group with a leading position in UK banking.

Since 2011, we have succeeded in simplifying, reshaping and strengthening the Group to become a low cost, low risk, customer focused UK retail and commercial bank. Coupled with a focus on our core business, and investment in our iconic brands, this has put us in a stronger position to support the UK economic recovery, and that strategy has returned us to profitability.

In October 2014 we announced the next phase of this strategy, designed to build on the significant progress we’ve made over the last three years, with our vision and purpose to become best bank for customers and shareholders and to help Britain prosper still at the core.

Over the next three years, our focus will be to adapt to the changes in financial services brought about by shifts in technology, changing customer behaviour as well as the evolving competitive and regulatory environment. Our strategy through to 2017 has three priorities; creating the best customer experience, becoming simpler and more efficient, and delivering sustainable growth.

We will create the best customer experience by continuing to rebuild trust with our customers, providing a reliable, consistent and convenient service. We will transform our digital capability, providing customers with simpler, seamless interactions across online, mobile and branches, and improving the efficiency of products and services.

Moreover, we will retain a leading network of branches which will evolve to reflect our customers’ changing preferences, integrating the role of branches with digital and telephony as part of a seamless multi-channel approach.

As we develop our digital capabilities throughout the business, branches will continue to play an important role in our multi-channel approach. We are committed to ensure that over 90 per cent of Lloyds and Bank of Scotland customers will continue to have a branch within five miles of their home while the Halifax branch network will be maintained.

We will become a simpler and more efficient business which can respond rapidly to changing customer needs. We will continue to simplify how we operate for customers by investing in our digital capabilities, further improving our service. We will also continue to reduce our operating costs, enabling investment in our business for future growth. A more efficient business will deliver benefits for our customers.

Furthermore, we will deliver sustainable growth by seeking growth opportunities from across the Group. Our multi-brand strategy will allow us to grow and serve customers in areas where we are currently underrepresented. Through this we will grow returns sustainably for our shareholders. In 2014, we helped more first time buyers than any other Group and we are committed to doing so again in 2015, 2016 and 2017.

We will increase our lending to core customer segments including to small businesses, and will continue to support and benefit from the UK economic recovery.

Winning ‘Best in Sector: Retail Banking’ and ‘Best in Sector for Motor Vehicle Finance’ is a testament to the outstanding services we have provided. To be recognised for our dedication and commitment to delivering the best service is a great honour and will motivate us to continue developing and innovating our services.

Over the next three years we expect to commit over £30 billion in additional net lending to UK personal and commercial customers by growing in line with the market in our key retail business lines and growing above the market in areas where we are currently underrepresented.

This will help us achieve our aim of becoming the best bank for our customers and our shareholders while continuing to help Britain prosper.

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Best in Sector: Sales Training- USA

Richard Tyler International, Inc.速

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Providing the best service is such a cornerstone of Richard Tyler’s philosophy that he has trademarked the phrase ‘Commitment to Excellence®’. A bold move, perhaps, but in his opinion, this mindset is not only responsible for the considerable success he has achieved in his sector to date, but is also an essential tool in his achieving stellar results across all sectors. We spoke to him to find out more.

Richard Tyler is CEO of Richard Tyler International, Inc.®, one of the world’s top sales training and management consulting firms. The company has received international acclaim for its renowned sales education programs and management consulting services, and for over a quarter of a century, its team of proven professionals have successfully taught success philosophies and techniques in areas such as sales, leadership, management, customer service and quality improvement.

One of the defining characteristics of his philosophy involves looking at what he calls ‘on the street selling’.

“What I mean by the ‘on the street selling’ is that there are tremendous number of organizations that talk about the theory of sales and talk about how things are supposed to look in an enterprise,” says Tyler.

“There are very few people in the world who have on the street knowledge and have gone into business, knocked on the doors, made the sales themselves and built their philosophies on the back of that. The reason why our sales training is so powerful is that it’s real stuff that works on the street when you’re talking to people face to face.

“My philosophy is based around human interaction and looks at what triggers people to make decisions. Our goal isn’t to get someone to buy a product or service that they don’t want, but rather to help people make decisions.

Name: Richard Tyler Company: Richard Tyler International, Inc. ® Web: www.RichardTyler.com Address: 5773 Woodway Dr. Suite 860, Houston, TX 77057, United States Phone:+1 713-974-7214

“The reason why we’re the world leader in this category, with our Sales ImmersionTM Program being the top ranked program in the world, is that we give people the skills and knowledge that allow them to help people to make decisions and do it in a way that has a science behind it.”

Tyler’s philosophy on management consultancy is also built upon the emphasis on making decisions, but at the same time structuring a business in a way that creates a culture that is revenue driven across the board.

While many organizations limit this mentality to their sales department, Tyler maintains that the key to success is extending this mentality across the entire organization. “Most businesses have a sales department that is revenue driven but the organization as a whole doesn’t have a revenue driven culture,” explains Tyler. “They think that each person in there is performing a function in their department, when actually every person in there should be geared to the mindset that their role is to generate revenue whatever the area it is that they are involved in. This involves having a sales mentality permeate the entire organization.

“This mindset involves asking yourself ‘is each activity that we do getting us closer to or further away from the goals of our client?’ If it’s getting them closer to the goals of their client, then it’s more likely than not to generate revenue. If you look in any organization, you can see all kinds of activity going on but if you ask them how it gets to the bottom line of generating revenue for the company, most people won’t know. It may very well be that what they’re doing is generating revenue, but they haven’t been taught on how they fit into this revenue driven picture. Consequently, they view their work in isolation instead of their work as part of the bigger entity that requires it to be profitable to be able to grow and stay in business.”

As winner of ‘Best in Sector: Sales Training- USA’, Tyler is delighted to have been recognized but at the same time is driven towards even greater success: “Awards such as these are important to individuals who are looking to consistently perform at the best level that they can. It shouldn’t stop there though, and should simply be a validation that you are heading in the right direction and you need to continue down that path.”

Alluding to his trademarked phrase ‘Commitment to Excellence®’, Tyler explained that achieving excellence is an ongoing process: “I don’t even think excellence is achievable, “says Tyler. “ You may then ask why I trademarked the phrase and built a company around it. You see, excellence would only be achievable if the world stood still. A commitment to excellence is a commitment to the pursuit of constantly doing the best that you can in any given situation, evaluating that performance, and making whatever adjustments needed to be made in order to move forward. That commitment is no matter how difficult it is, no matter how uncomfortable it is and no matter how stressful.”

Richard Tyler is a best selling author. He has written fifteen books, including his new best-selling books Success Today, and Boom!. Both books are available on his website at www.RichardTyler.com As Richard says, “Remember, your success tomorrow is in direct proportion to your ‘Commitment to Excellence®’ today.”™

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Best in Sector: Heavy Equipment

Titanium Contracting Inc Titanium Contracting Inc. is a heavy equipment general contractor company that caters to mostly government and municipal clients, working on projects both large and small. What draw us to our projects are the unique challenges they pose. TCI has specialized in a lot of in-water works over recent years due to the high volume of in-water culvert projects we have worked on. We also work on noise walls and sound barriers, as well as landscaping projects, such as large-scale tree planting.

Company: Titanium Contracting Inc. Name: Stephen Foster Email: sfoster@titaniumcontracting.com Web: www.titaniumcontracting.com Address: 4001 Weston Road, Toronto ON Telephone: 416-745-2662

The heavy equipment sector that we work in is a highly competitive one with many companies fully aware of each other and the skill sets they possess. Maintaining a diverse work force within this sector is a huge challenge but also presents us with a great opportunity. Managing to achieve this successfully means that our highly competent team are able to approach a wide variety of jobs without the risk of losing job opportunities due to over specialization.

Our field is constantly changing from one job to the next. Therefore we try to stay at the forefront of what’s happening in and shaping the sector and we try to learn as much as we can from every contract that we work on, taking this knowledge and these skills as we move forward onto future projects.

In our industry, it’s important that we stand out from the crowd and we do this through diversity, not only in the projects that we take on, but in the ways in which we acknowledge and tackle each unique situation. There is no such thing as a normal day at TCI and making sure our adaptability and performance in diverse settings are well known throughout the industry keeps us distinct from our competitors.

The biggest thing TCI can offer our clients is open communication. By keeping a client in the know at every step of the way, we can alleviate much of the stress and many of the concerns that frequently plague large projects and it’s important that our clients always have a Titanium representative on hand to answer any and all questions they may have. Constant communication is all also extremely important because a client can only find out they are getting the best service if they are aware of the services they are receiving. Updates and scheduled progress reports ensure that all parties are on the same page and all expectations are being met.

TCI started small but has grown to be a commanding presence within our marketplace. The people behind this success have come together to create a team-oriented environment, both in the field and in the office where results are the goal and credit is shared. Our team members do not hope for each other to fail so that they can succeed, success is shared as a company. This means the full weight of Titanium Contracting is behind each and every project we do and clients get the best result possible at every turn.

It is a great feeling to be recognized for our hard work through this award for ‘Best in Sector: Heavy Equipment’. To achieve ‘Best in Sector’ is a tangible way to demonstrate to employees that their hard work and efforts have resulted in something noteworthy for the company. Additionally, it shows potential clients that we are capable of more than our competitors give us credit for. Surpassing expectations and winning an award such as this instils company pride and the desire to continue to prove ourselves and this achievement is accredited to each and every member of TCI. Awards like this are a great way to foster dedication within a company, but they also excel at creating competition within the industry. Wanting to showcase skills, talents and achievements is a driving force of competition in any industry and leads to innovation, creativity and development, both within a company and across the industry as a whole.

Titanium Contracting Inc. is grateful for this recognition and opportunity to showcase the skills of our employees.

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Best Global Company Incorporation Agent 2015

Turner Little is an established Company Formation Agent with over 25 years’ experience in helping its clients with company formations both in the UK and offshore. The company’s expertise enables it to deliver anything from the simplest UK business to the most complex corporate structure. As well as incorporating companies, Turner Little provides all the essential infrastructure a company requires including registered office facility, company secretary provision, banking arrangements, trademark advice and registration and trust and foundation provisions.

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Its specialist knowledge and experience mean that it is able to provide a fast, efficient, and professional service, and one which has, to date, provided the foundations for thousands of successful businesses. Using bespoke software systems, developed in house, Turner Little is able to incorporate companies electronically not only in the UK, but also in several overseas jurisdictions. Its team of dedicated specialist consultants is able to provide advice and support on a wide range of subjects, be it in relation to the opening of a single bank account or the intricate detail of the most complex corporate structure.

Essentially, Turner Little is a business which operates in the legal services sector both in the UK and overseas and as such it is essential that it maintains a detailed knowledge of the many and complex changes which occur in legislation in relation to company law, tax law and other legislation not only in the UK but across all the overseas jurisdictions in which it operates.

As a regulated company, Turner Little ensures its own and its clients’ compliance with all relevant legislation including anti-money laundering legislation; an area to which significantly increased resources have been dedicated over the past number of years. One of the most important areas within the business is the compliance department which takes the lead on obtaining all relevant client information and this is essential to the firm being able to provide an efficient and professional service.

Company: TURNER LITTLE LIMITED Name: JAMES TURNER Email: james.turner@turnerlittle.com Web Address: www.turnerlittle.com www.turnerlittleblog.com Address: Regency House, Westminster Place, York, YO26 6RW Telephone: 01904 783101

When it comes to choosing the right service provider compliance with stringent legislation, longevity and the number of long term clients that a business is working with are good indicators of legitimacy and expert knowledge, and these factors coupled with a totally confidential, professional and expert service are what really set Turner Little apart from its competitors. As a business it sets the very highest standards of service, ethics, honesty and integrity and continually strives to deliver all its clients’ requirements to the very best of its ability. Turner Little is dedicated to providing the very best service for its clients and the team continually goes the extra mile to deliver the right solutions, offering expert advice and sharing best practice based on their in-depth industry knowledge.

As an ethical business it strives to offer the very best advice and will never advise any course of action that is inappropriate or illegal and will not hesitate to recommend specialist third party legal or accountancy advice wherever it is deemed appropriate. Turner Little’s clients are its most valuable asset and this simple ethos coupled with the quality of its own people are at the heart of everything it does. Being a relatively small company operating with a small tight-knit team the culture within the company is professional, friendly and efficient.

Promotions have always come from within with no senior positions recruited from outside the business.

Where it is necessary to work with external professional partners, Turner Little chooses firms of leading experts including top lawyers, accountants and tax advisors as well as working closely with various official bodies and subscribing to relevant reference journals to ensure that as a business it stays constantly abreast of any development which may affect its clients.

One of the most challenging areas over the last five years has been related to business banking which is arguably more difficult to manage than Government Legislation, which involves a series of rules established through statute, which can be either relatively simple or extremely complex.

In contrast to this, banks can often change their strategies and policies at short notice and for short periods including increasing costs, changing the nature of business they will accept, or even finding themselves suddenly unable to deal in particular currencies. In addition various governments, notably the US, the UK and the EU often use their powers over banks to cut off or control the movement of money between particular countries to an alarmingly damaging extent. With this in mind, a key responsibility of Turner Little is to work on behalf of its clients to find a way of working around and limiting the negative impact of these changes. In simple terms, when certain governments apply restrictions on international transactions to prevent money laundering or even to cut off the supply of funds to a particular jurisdiction, many legitimate businesses operating internationally can suffer as well as the intended targets.

With the requirement to stay ahead of the constant changes to legislation and the significant pressure that can be exerted by external stakeholders such as banks and the media there is no doubt that the last few years have been extremely challenging. Concentration has been focused on consolidation and keeping a firm hand on the tiller whilst necessary operational and structural changes have been implemented so it is a special pleasure to have emerged from this period as a successful business and to be awarded the title of ‘Best Global Company Incorporation Agent 2015’.

It is always extremely gratifying to win an award particularly as an acknowledgement of the work and effort put in by everyone in the company to achieve consistently high standards of service for its clients. The ‘Best Global Company Incorporation Agent 2015’ award is extremely important to the business both its clients and its employees. It is also a measure of the company’s stature within its sector.

Looking ahead, the company plans to open a London office which will ultimately be the base for the company’s sales and marketing teams and will provide a more practical and accessible base for overseas clients visiting the UK. In addition Turner Little is in process of changing its relationships with overseas providers and will continue to expand on their use of established and associate agencies overseas. In addition there will be an increased focus on the United Arab Emirates, China and Russia where there is a significant increase in personal as well as corporate wealth and a desire from individuals and businesses to protect that wealth by forming corporate structures in the UK and elsewhere.

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