Borough Business Summer 2017

BOROUGH

BUSINESS The voice of Kingston’s business community

Kirsten Henly - the Future looks bright for Kingston p24

Issue 5: Summer 2017

p18

The Royal Borough of

Kingston Chamber of Commerce Spotlight on Chessington p9

Expo2017 p18

A day in the life of... p33

WELCOME TO

BOROUGH BUSINESS

26

The Kingston Chamber of Commerce magazine for all Businesses in Kingston 31 which, although only one of many, will, hopefully, restore some confidence and begin to create a better environment for businesses to move forward.

Last month the Chamber held its 23rd Annual General Meeting where the President was delighted to report that, despite 2016 being a challenging year in a number of respects, the Chamber recorded an increase in both its financial surplus and its membership. However, maintaining our performance in both these areas will be even more challenging in 2017. Membership growth remains a key priority for this year, not only in increasing membership numbers outright but also in attracting new members from all the district centres across Kingston. To do this we are organising a number of open networking events around the borough during the rest of the year, the next being in Chessington on 13th July. (For booking details see P.22)

Welcome to our latest edition of Borough Business which has been published just in time for this year’s Kingston Business Expo at the Kingston University Business School.

Now established as a key event in the business calendar across South London, full details of the event are included in our article on P.18 Uncertainty is probably one of the most difficult challenges business owners have to face when making decisions about the future and, at a national level, we have certainly had enough of this to deal with since the EU referendum 12 months ago. By the time you open this magazine, however, the 2017 General Election will have concluded and the U.K. will have a new Government to lead us into the next decade. So, at least this is one area of uncertainty decided upon

The Royal Borough of

Kingston Chamber of Commerce

The Kingston Business Excellence Awards 2017 launched on 3rd May and with some new sponsors and a new, larger venue for our Gala Awards Dinner, this year’s competition promises to be the biggest and best ever. Some new awards categories mean there is an opportunity for all types of businesses to enter, showcase themselves and be recognised for excellence in their sector. The competition finalists and winners will be announced at the Gala Dinner in October, this year hosted

by Ravens Ait and the awards ceremony, for the first time, will be followed by a celebration party. (For details and how to enter see the Article on P.5) Finally, I do hope you enjoy this edition of Borough Business and if you would like to contribute to the next issue, please do contact us at the Chamber or our publishers, Benham Publishing.

Jerry Irving

CEO Kingston Chamber of Commerce

34

Welcome to New Members 4 Chamber News 5-7 Spotlight on Chessington 9-11 Skills Update 12-13 Members News 14 Ask the Expert 17 Expo 2017 18-21 Chamber Events 22 Inspirational Leader 24-25 International 26-27 Health & Wellbeing 28-29 Focus on Finance 30-31 Economy 32 A Day in the life of ...

33 Starting Up 34 Editorial and General Enquiries Guildhall, High Street Kingston upon Thames. KT1 1EU. 020 8541 4441 Email: office@kingstonchamber.co.uk Web: www.kingstonchamber.co.uk Chief Executive: Jerry Irving Publisher: Ian Fletcher Benham Publishing 3tc House, 16 Crosby Road North, Crosby, Liverpool L22 0NY Tel: 0151 236 4141 Fax: 0151 236 0440 Email: admin@benhampublishing.com Web: www.benhampublishing.com Published June 2017 © Benham Publishing and Kingston Chamber of Commerce Advertising and Features Karen Hall Tel: 0151 236 4141 Email: karen@benhampublishing.com Production Manager Mark Etherington Tel: 0151 236 4141 Email: mark@benhampublishing.com Media No.1589 Disclaimer Borough Business is published for Kingston Chamber of Commerce and is distributed without charge to Chamber members. All correspondence should be addressed to Kingston Chamber of Commerce. Views expressed in Borough Business are not necessarily those of Kingston Chamber of Commerce. Reprinting in whole or part is forbidden except by permission. © 2017. Please note that submitting an article does not guarantee publication.

Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of material published in this journal, Benham Publishing and its agents can accept no responsibility for the veracity of claims made by contributions in advertising or editorial content.

Benham Publishing cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies in web or email links supplied to us.

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

3

Welcome to our new members 360 TV Laurence Koe www.360tv.media

Defence Lab Training Carlos Rubio www.defencelabtraining.co.uk

Gilbert-Hart Associates Peter Gilbert

Hampton Court Palace Golf Club David Griffin www.hamptoncourtgolf.co.uk

Jackson + Rye Ivanna Matsyupa www.jacksonrye.com/ locationreservations/kingston

Kingston CoWork Laura Ercolani www.kingstoncowork.com

LeBoo Media Limited Martin Booth www.leboomedia.com

MadeToB Benedicte Cormier

Milano Barbers Rebecca Barr www.milanobarbers.co.uk

The Deltic Group Ltd Ellena Barnes-Weston www.pryzm.co.uk/kingston-upon-thames

4

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

chamber news Biggest & best ever Business Awards opens for entries at Chessington Kingston’s premier business awards is open for entries after a major launch event at one of the Royal Borough’s leading international visitor attractions.

The awards sponsors at the launch.

The fifth annual Kingston Business Excellence Awards 2017 kicked off in style with an inspirational breakfast at Chessington World of Adventures, the famous wildlife zoo and theme park.

Kingston’s Deputy Mayor, Councillor Rowena Bass urged all local businesses to enter

And there was a lot to go wild about, as founding partners Kingston Chamber of Commerce, Kingston Council and Kingston First revealed that the Royal Borough is one of the best places in the UK to do business.

Research on behalf of Kingston Council to develop the new Economic Growth and Development Strategy, to assess how the Council and its partners can support local businesses and identify growth opportunities, has found that 1,800 new businesses were set up in the borough between 2010 and 2016.

This brings the total number of companies operating in the borough to over 8,000 – an “impressive” 46 firms for every 1,000 people living in Kingston.

“As a council we recognise that the business community is crucial to the economic wellbeing, vibrancy and future prosperity of the borough,” said Kingston Council’s Director of Place, Roy Thompson as he The Royal Borough of

Kingston Chamber of Commerce

welcomed the role the awards play in showcasing Kingston businesses.

“One of the highlights of the Economic Growth and Development Strategy research we are undertaking is that Kingston is a great place to start and grow your business - we are high in the national rankings for entrepreneurship.”

Kingston’s Deputy Mayor, Councillor Rowena Bass urged all local businesses to enter the 2017 awards, which feature 11 business categories, as well as the overall Kingston Business of the Year.

She also thanked all the sponsors who made the awards possible.

“These awards bring together and champion all that’s best of the borough’s businesses by celebrating all your hard work achievements and successes,” said Cllr Bass. “They really help to showcase that Kingston has lots of talent and entrepreneurship and encourage the new starters and fledgling businesses.”

Kingston Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Officer Jerry Irving announced that this year’s glittering Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony on 12th October, will be held at Ravens Ait, a luxury two acre island venue on the River Thames at Kingston.

“The Kingston Business Excellence Awards celebrate what is truly excellent about business in the borough and are a fantastic way of doing this – they really do demonstrate enterprise and entrepreneurship right across the business spectrum,” said Mr Irving.

“So we have pulled out all the stops to bring you a fantastic awards process and venue for the awards ceremony this year.”

Kirsten Henly, Chief Executive Officer of Kingston First, the Business Improvement District for Kingston upon Thames town centre, commented: “We are proud to have supported the Kingston Business Awards since its launch four years ago, and this year we will once again be sponsoring the Independent Retailer of the Year category.

Previous winners in this category come from a range of specialisms and are awarded for their excellence in customer service, business performance and plans for business growth. Kingston’s town centre is home to over 150 diverse independent retailers who form part of the excellent retail offering we have that continues to drive visitors to the area and highlight Kingston as one of the UK’s leading town-centres.”

Organised in partnership with Kingston Council, Kingston Chamber of Commerce and Kingston First, the award categories are sponsored by Kingston University, McDonalds, Bentalls, CNM Estates, Kingston College, Antoinette Hotels, Exchange@Kingston and NatWest, and supported by Kingston Burrowes.

Following a rigorous and impartial judging and shortlisting process, the winners will be announced at the Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony. The premier award, The Kingston Business of the Year, will be chosen from all the shortlisted companies. The closing date is Friday, 30th June.

The 2017 Kingston Business Excellence Awards categories are: • Apprentice Employer of the Year • Best Business for Customer Service • Best Business for Food, Leisure & Hospitality • Best Business for Marketing & Social Media • Best Business for Staff Training & Development • Best Charity or Social Enterprise • Best SME Business • Best Start Up Business • Commitment to the Community • Entrepreneur of the Year • Independent Retailer of the Year • Business of the Year For more information about the awards or to register to enter visit: www.kingstonawards.co.uk

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

5

chamber news Celebrating the unsung heroes

Variety the key to a fulfilling job Natalie Crew, reports on her new role as Membership Development Manager.

Who knew that networking was actually good fun?! When I joined the chamber I thought it was all going to be terribly serious and formal. I couldn’t have been more wrong!

So far, I have had fed a giraffe at an awards launch, partied late at a black tie ball in a swanky hotel, had breakfast overlooking the riverside, played golf at Hampton Court palace, dined in a historic house, saw the GE17 candidates get a grilling at a hustings and met lots of local movers and shakers at a dynamic range of networking events laid on by the Chamber team.

In just 8 weeks, I have met hundreds of new people, from all walks of life, all professions, ages

By Guy Fallows, President of Kingston Chamber of Commerce

and backgrounds. I have met aerial film makers, journalists, artists, designers, web developers, marketing wizards, retailers, writers, printers, hoteliers, kitchen table entrepreneurs, printers, barristers, publicans, photographers, event organisers, copy writers, night club managers, auditors, boat builders.

While our members are all unique in terms of their talents and offering, they all have one thing in common, a strong desire to meet other people to help them grow their businesses.

People ask me what my new job is like. I say it’s not really work, it’s fun.

To find out more about how to grow your business, get in touch with natalie@kingstonchamber.co.uk

Getting down to business On Monday May 22nd, The Kingston Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with Kingston College, hosted an election hustings with a focus on business issues in the Borough of Kingston. debate, asking questions about opportunities for young people.

Chamber of Commerce CEO, Jerry Irving said: “It’s crucial that local businesses have a voice. We’re passionate about representing our members and the wider business community on things that matter, and a business focussed hustings was a fantastic opportunity to quiz our candidates.”

Members of the local business community quizzed parliamentary candidates for the Kingston and Surbiton constituency in a question time style forum. The debate was chaired by Kingston College Principal Peter Mayhew-Smith. Borough business owners asked about candidates’ policies and proposals on subjects as diverse as fairness of borough business rates (Mark Attwater, Direct Colour, Chessington pictured) and the impact of Brexit on Kingston.

Students from the Kingston Academy and Kingston College joined in the

The Chamber is committed to helping our members with issues affecting local business. We get asked to assist on a wide range of challenges, from parking to security, from business rates to anti social behaviour outside premises. Our excellent relationships with local and central government, Kingston First, Kingston Futures, The London Mayor’s office, plus business forums mean we can effectively lobby on behalf of our members.

If your business has a concern you would like our support on, please get in touch with the Chamber team on 020 8541 4441.

I’m delighted to have been ‘sworn in’ as this year’s president of Kingston Chamber of Commerce at its recent AGM. I’m very much looking forward to tackling the challenges, and taking advantage of the opportunities, that face the chamber.

In my ‘day job’ as principal of Fallows & Company Chartered Accountants I’m proud that my team support businesses and individuals across the Royal Borough of Kingston and, in nominating my president’s charity, wanted to choose one that mirrored my firm’s borough-wide reach.

Based in New Malden, Kingston Carers’ Network supports nearly 3,000 unpaid carers across the borough and, of these, over 500 carers are between the ages of 5 and 18. KCN’s model of support aims to meet the five outcomes of the National Carers Strategy that carers will be: • Not financially disadvantaged • Mentally and physically well; treated with dignity • Recognised and supported as an expert care partner • Enjoying a life outside caring • Children will be thriving; protected from inappropriate caring roles I recently met Kate Dudley, KCN’s chief executive, and a number of her dedicated

To find out more about Kingston Carers Network please visit their website: www.kingstoncarers.org.uk If you’re planning a walk, run or swim or some other fundraising activity that you’d like KCN to benefit from please email me: guy@fallowsandcompany.co.uk

“Across a variety of fundraising initiatives, throughout my year as president, I really hope to make a meaningful difference to the work of the Kingston Carers’ Network.”

Photos Trevor Aston Photography

6

team, and was really taken by their dedication and passion to support these unsung heroes around the borough.

Across a variety of fundraising initiatives, throughout my year as president, I really hope to make a meaningful difference to the work of the Kingston Carers’ Network.

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

members news Love Kingston welcomes announcement of support from Mayor Julie Pickering Love Kingston, the community foundation for the Royal Borough of Kingston welcomes the announcement

by Councillor Julie Pickering, the newly installed Mayor of the Royal Borough of Kingston, that she will be supporting Love Kingston during her mayoral year.

The Chancellor signs a “welcome plaque” with Genuine Solutions co-founders Christian McBride and Bav Majithia looked on by Kingston and Surbiton MP James Berry.

Chancellor visits Genuine Solutions on election trail

Left to right: Tessa Kind - Love Kingston, Anna Pickering - Mayoress, Cllr Julie Pickering – Mayor, James Pickering – Consort, Anna Robin – KVA, Edward Bentall – Love Kingston founder Patron

Established in 2012, Love Kingston is a local foundation, raising funds to support groups working with communities across the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, now and in the future. Our vision is a Kingston where local people and local businesses come together to support local need.

Mayor Pickering announced her support during an event on Tuesday May 16, which saw her installed in her role as Mayor. She will be joined in her duties by her husband, James and daughter Anna. Councillor Mike Head has been appointed as Deputy Mayor.

support and this is a Community fund to support the Community.

Mayor Julie Pickering, said: “Having worked closely with Kingston’s community and voluntary sector groups over the past few years, building this fund is close to my heart. We have to ensure we support those locally that need our

Tessa Kind, Community Fundraising Manager for Love Kingston, said:

The Royal Borough of

Kingston Chamber of Commerce

“We have set a fundraising target to be nearing £1m by 2020, as I know how much people care about Kingston and I am confident that together, as a borough, we can do this.“

"Love Kingston would like to congratulate Julie Pickering on her appointment to become Mayor of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon

Thames. We are delighted that the Mayor chose to lend her support to us at Love Kingston. Our aims are united in building a borough where local people and local businesses come together to support local need. To do this we need to focus on engaging with residents, businesses and community groups and encourage them to invest in the future of our borough’s local giving activities, through the Love Kingston Fund.”

“We thank the Mayor for her decision to support Love Kingston and look forward to a happy and fruitful partnership.”

Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond visited Genuine Solutions Group at their UK headquarters as part of his review of British industry on the General Election campaign trail.

The Chancellor, alongside Kingston & Surbiton MP James Berry, congratulated the company on its continued growth and contribution to the communities it serves while observing their industry pioneering operations from the shop floor.

Co-founder and CEO Christian McBride, who accompanied the Chancellor on the visit, said: “This is a crucial time for British organisations like ours that operate globally and I was delighted to be able to exchange thoughts and ideas with the Chancellor as he prepares a vision for British business over the next 5 years.”

Genuine Solutions Group, recently ranked the fastest moving entrant at 35th on The Sunday Times Top 100 Best Companies to Work For, employ more than 100 people in their UK base and pride themselves on their unique approach to the specialist technology distributor sector.

Mr Hammond marked his visit and appreciation of the company’s performance by “signing in” on a specially designed plaque which was placed in the reception of Solutions House, Genuine Solutions’ headquarters.

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

7

8

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

spotlight on...

Chessington

where businesses large and small make a valuable contribution Chessington is an area that mixes major internationally important businesses with small independents to create a vibrant economy.

The area occupies an important place in the borough’s economy, not least because of the contribution made by big names Chessington World of Adventures, which incorporates Chessington Zoo, and the European headquarters of Sega Games.

The Chessington World of Adventures Resort, which offers a theme park with more than 40 rides and attractions including a zoo and sealife centre with more than 1,000 animals, attracts millions of pounds into the local economy every year.

The Royal Borough of

Kingston Chamber of Commerce

The park can actually trace its history back to 1348 when the original mansion was built, probably as a country house named Chessington Lodge.

During the Civil War the original building became a Cavalier stronghold and was burnt to the

ground by Cromwell’s forces and rebuilt after the Restoration.

The zoo was opened in 1932 to showcase a private collection and eventually Chessington World of Adventures opened as a theme park with rides including Dragon Falls, Safari Skyway,

Toadies Crazy Cars and Runaway Train.

Over the years, the park’s owners have added ever-more spectacular rides as well as hotels, a Sea Life centre and other attractions.

In 2014, the resort saw its biggest ever biggest investment with nearly £15 million spent across the estate, including new ride experience Scorpion Express, the Amazu Treetop Adventure and the launch of the Azteca, a hotel with themed rooms.

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

9

spotlight on...

“In 2014, the Chessington Zoo saw its biggest ever biggest investment with nearly £15 million spent across the estate, including new ride experience Scorpion Express, the Amazu Treetop Adventure and the launch of the Azteca, a hotel with themed rooms.”

The big news for 2017 has been the arrival at the theme park of a river ride attraction based on The Gruffalo, one of the UK’s bestloved children’s book characters.

It’s yet another initiative at the park, whose success is key to the local economy, bringing in tourists and providing jobs for people living in the area.

Another major name making a big contribution to the Chessington economy is Sega, a Japanese multinational video game developer and publisher headquartered in Tokyo, with offices around the world.

Sega has developed and manufactured numerous home video game consoles and today is a leading software developer.

Azteca Hotel

10

The company is known for its multi-million selling game franchises, such as Sonic the Hedgehog, Virtua Fighter, Phantasy Star, Yakuza, and Total War. Sonic the Hedgehog is perhaps the best known and its launch in 1991 was one of the most significant events of the decade in the games sector and Sega remains one of the most active, creative, and productive developers the industry has ever known, one that has shaped the lives of millions of people around the world.

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

Away from the big names that grab many of the headlines, Chessington has plenty of other reasons to be confident about its economy, not least its thriving small business community and there a number of areas which are home to a range of companies large and small.

One of them is Chessington Business Centre, which offers flexible serviced office space.

Its professional, stylish and ready-to-use serviced offices provide entrepreneurs with the tools they need, whether they are a start up business, a small company or a large organisation.

Chessington Business Centre has a reception service that handles calls during business hours and is equipped with conference facilities to meet the needs of most business meetings.

Company tackles Card Clash Chessington is home to Koruma, which is tackling the growing problem of Card Clash.

Chessington Garden Centre

Card Clash is when two or more contactless cards incorporating RFID technology (Radio Frequency Identification), for example credit cards and Oyster cards, held in the same wallet or purse, work against each other.

For instance, the reader will indicate a No Entry, negative response, denying passenger access, arbitrarily choose any one of the visible cards to read, resulting in payment being deducted from the wrong card, or read different, random cards in the holder on entry or exit, resulting in double payment.

Koruma are now implementing new design features into their range of wallets and cardholders, isolating RFIDcard technology whilst not

impeding its function, thereby counteracting Card Clash.

Koruma are a manufacturer and a supplier of leather accessories supplied to individual customers, wholesalers, independent retailers and as a promotional or corporate gifts.

They offer a vast range of leather goods including men`s wallets, ladies’ purses, card holders, small travel accessories (passport covers, travel wallets, travel organisers), briefcases and handbags and are known for goods incorporating RFID Blocking features. It can also offer a bespoke product tailored to specific customer branding, this is subject to a minimum order size.

For further details email info@koruma.co.uk.

Barwell Business Park Also supporting local companies is Barwell Business Park, which is located off the A243 Leatherhead Road, providing good access to the West of London via the A3 and the national motorway network via junction 9 of the M25.

The Park offers a diverse range of units from 896 sq ft (83 sq m) workshops to 26,315 sq ft (2,445 sq m) industrial, warehouse and business units and has been able to accommodate many companies as they have grown, relocating into larger units as and when they have become available.

Another part of the business landscape is the local retail scene, which mixes well-known high street names with small independents to provide a good mix of offerings for shoppers

The Royal Borough of

Kingston Chamber of Commerce

One of the retailers that appreciates all that the area has to offer is Chessington Garden Centre, which has been part of the community for more than 50 years, Chessington Garden Centre has seen many changes both in Chessington and the surrounding area and says that the popularity of the area has grown tremendously, largely it says due to booming businesses like the Garden Centre and other leisure facilities nearby.

Jolyon Martin, Managing Director, said: “We are proud to have been established in this thriving community for the last 50 years.

Working closely with other local businesses and charities is very important to us as is supporting the local people through job opportunities. To date, we are one of the largest community supporters and employers in the area.”

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

11

skills Digital skills ever more important to business The British Chambers of Commerce has released survey results that show that 84% of companies believe that digital and IT skills are more important to their business than they were two years ago.

Three-quarters of the businesses said that they are facing a shortage in the skills, with 52% reporting a slight shortage, 21%, saying there was a significant shortage and 3% saying it was critical.

The key findings of the survey are: • The skills most important to companies are basic computer skills (72%), communicating and connecting through digital channels (71%) and management of digital information (69%) • Skills shortages are having adverse effects on many firms including, increasing workload on existing staff (52%), higher operating costs (29%), and causing difficulties in meeting customer requirements (28%) • Businesses regard a lack of time for staff training (41%), difficulty in identifying appropriate training (32%), and the high cost of training (25%), as the leading barriers to rectifying these shortages.

Adam Marshall, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce, said: “The evidence is clear: better digital skills make firms more productive, and a lack of digital skills holds them back.

“Businesses themselves need to do a lot more to tackle the digital skills shortages they face, and their leaders need to be alive to the fact that a failure to tackle this issue will have an impact on their bottom line.

Too many firms are stuck in an unproductive cycle, where the failure to take action has serious consequences.

12

“Training providers can give firms a helping hand, by engaging with companies on their digital needs and helping them to free up resources for growth. Government must help as well, by recognising that some of the high-level digital skills businesses need will come from overseas so a pragmatic immigration system needs to be in place to provide firms with access to the workers required to fill the gaps.”

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

“Businesses themselves need to do a lot more to tackle the digital skills shortages they face, and their leaders need to be alive to the fact that a failure to tackle this issue will have an impact on their bottom line.”

skills Work Experience is a Win Win Creating work experience opportunities within companies for students is a win win for both the organisation and the young person undertaking the work placement. a project you’ve been planning for some time but have been unable to progress due to lack of resources.

Why not have a rolling programme of students all year who can hand over projects to each other?

• Recruitment opportunities– taking on work experience students allows you to trial potential future employees or volunteers before or instead of L to R: Michel Taride, Hertz President; Kingston College student Anissa Ghazi; Kathy Marinello, Hertz investment in recruitment CEO; Nicole Strathdee, Hertz Regional Operations

At Kingston College we work in partnership with employers to ensure that the benefits for both the employer and the young person are maximised.

Any Kingston College student who is required to complete work experience as part of their course, or wants to as part of their personal development, is guided to selecting the most appropriate organisation for their purposes.

To ensure we maintain our excellent employer relationships we fully prepare our learners and, based on feedback received, succeed in recognising the need to fit the right student to the right placement for the benefit of both student and host.

The main benefits to organisations, be they private, public or voluntary sector include: • An extra resource at no cost – a work experience student may be able to support the current staff or undertake

Case Studies DoubleTree by Hilton “We are delighted to be in partnership with Kingston College and part of the local community. DoubleTree encourage us to participate with youth, but we want to really make a difference and a longer lasting impact.

If we can provide students with a background working knowledge or practical experience of hospitality or even plant the seed of a career within hospitality we feel we are giving something back.

We are mindful that the students of today will be tomorrow’s workforce and they may end up working with us in the future too.” Steven Brazil General Manager DoubleTree by Hilton London Kingston upon Thames.

Hertz For the third consecutive year, Hertz London Heathrow Airport hosted a Kingston College work experience student, contributing to talent development from a young age.

The Royal Borough of

Kingston Chamber of Commerce

• Community links – raising your profile as an organisation which supports the development of local young people

Specia l Offer

Take advantage of a free training consultation

Smart Training, one of the UK’s largest and most successful training providers, is offering free training consultations to Chamber members who are looking to get their staff better qualified.

• Staff development – encouraging current staff to mentor or supervise work experience students can motivate them and contribute to their CPD • New ideas and understanding – young people often bring fresh ideas and approaches and may revitalise your organisation.You will also benefit from an increased knowledge of the way they learn and current qualifications possibly helping you target recruitment more effectively To find out more about work experience opportunities Kingston College please email our College Employer Engagement, Apprenticeship and Employability Manager, Karen Wheatley on karen.wheatley@kingston-college.ac.uk

Hertz and Kingston College are connected through their mutual affiliation with the Global Travel and Tourism Partnership (GTTP), a multi-country educational foundation that introduces students to career opportunities in Travel & Tourism.

Hertz has been a GTTP partner for 20 years, with Michel Taride, the Group President of Hertz International acting as Chairman of the foundation’s Advisory Board.

This year, for the first time, Hertz Heathrow added a student, Travel & Tourism student Anissa Ghazi, to its staff for two weeks instead of one, in order to ensure that she could experience all the different areas involved in the car rental process and attended some interesting meetings and workshops.

Nicole Strathdee, Regional Operations Manager Heathrow & Luton said: “Anissa has been amazing. She threw herself into all the activities we gave her and was really helpful with customers.

She also got to meet our CEO Kathy Marinello who came over from the US for her first European visit.”

Staff training is more important than ever before to ensure businesses stay ahead of the game in today’s competitive world.

Apprenticeship training rules have recently changed but whether you are a small business or large organisation subject to the new Government Apprenticeship Levy the team can guide you through the changes and work with you to develop a comprehensive staff training plan.

It’s been proven that staff retention and loyalty are improved through training programmes and Smart Training can help you achieve all those goals with expert training for all staff from those in their first roles up to senior management.

All their tutors are industry experts and they provide a comprehensive range of Government approved, part-time business and management Apprenticeship

and Diploma courses from sales and team leading to data analysis and management.

Smart Training’s Managing Director Kate Stock said: “At least 80% of companies who invest in Apprenticeships report a significant increase in employee retention while 77% of employers believe Apprenticeships make them more competitive.

“On top of that 76% of those employers who employ Apprentices agree they make their workplace more productive.

“We have more than 24 years’ experience of delivering top quality training and would be delighted to share that experience and knowledge with local businesses through a free consultation.”

For more information and to book a free training consultation visit www.smart-training.com

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

13

members news Kingston Pound The local currency for your community The Kingston Pound project was set up to support independent businesses in the Borough and encourage us to spend locally.

Andrew Connolly from Kingston Pound, James Berry MP and Karen Powell from The Creative People

As well as independent shops and eateries who offer diversity and choice in our high streets, many business services in the Borough now also accept the Kingston Pound – these include accountants, designers, printers and photographers – even Kingston Chamber of Commerce!

The result is that less money leaves Kingston, thus creating a fairer, stronger and happier local economy.

The Creative People recently worked with us to produce a printed Guide to the Kingston Pound. This was kindly funded with support from Kingston College, Boom Credit Union, the Rose Café and some of our businesses members.

It is easy to use the electronic version of Kingston Pound and a statement of all transactions is available so you can track where you are spending your money and who is paying you.

If we all commit to using Kingston Pounds as part of our weekly spend and for B2B transactions, we will be taking control over what our money is doing and we will be investing in our own town and community.

14

We look forward to meeting you at the Kingston Business EXPO where we will be on a stand with Love Kingston, who receive 1% from every K£ transaction towards their fundraising fora borough-wide legacy fund.

To download our app visit: kingstonpound.org Key Facts • Business accounts are available to traders that are independently owned and based in or around the Borough of Kingston.

• Kingston Pounds are purchased for sterling and can be spent with business members.

K£1 is equal to £1.

• All money exchanged to Kingston Pounds is held in the Kingston Pound Association bank account with Boom (previously Surrey Save Credit Union), a local and ethical bank covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme FSCS.

First Impressions

By Martin Booth Everyone knows the feeling. You suddenly catch yourself in the middle of a situation and almost laugh out loud as you wonder: “How on Earth did I get here?”

It’s a good job I didn’t laugh out loud because the moment in question arrived halfway through my elevator pitch to about 50 Kingston business people at the Chamber’s networking breakfast in May. I was introducing my consultancy, LeBoo Media, which joined the Chamber less than a month ago, at a challengingly early hour of the day.

The event was, for me, part of an intensive, whistle-stop drive to attract new clients who are looking to upgrade the written element of their marketing materials.

I’m a strong believer in the value that face-to-face meetings play in building lasting business relationships, which has made for an intense, interesting and exhilarating few weeks.

Since joining the Chamber I’ve spent time in the giraffe house at Chessington World of Adventures, posed a question to our local candidates at the Election Hustings For Business session and delivered that elevator pitch more times than I can count.

My overriding first impression of the Chamber is how much support there is on offer for a growing Kingston business.

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

The second is how that support, added to the encouragement of fellow members, drives your confidence that your market place is out there and it will want what you are selling.

But anyway, back to those giraffes. Chessington hosted the launch of the 2017 Kingston Awards and, bolstered by all that confidence, I have since entered several categories – despite the length of my Chamber membership still being measurable in minutes.

To conclude, here’s an offer.

If you want to enter those awards but are having trouble telling your story as compellingly as you want, please get in touch – I’ll be happy to help you get your message across. *LeBoo Media is a Kingstonbased content and design consultancy. Find out more at leboomedia.com or email me on mb_leboo@yahoo.co.uk and follow us on Twitter at @MartinLeBoo1 – and please come and say hallo at the Expo!

LLegal egal ser services vices for for successful s businesses We enjoy business. Getting to know owners and managers, their operations, strategies and particular challenges is our for forte. We have a strong track record of success in finding legal solutions to commercial issues.

We are a personable, full service law firm who will work with you to understand your needs and provide the right cost eff ffec ective solutions.

For further information about our services, please contact Eileen Barry, Partner in our Wimbledon office, on 020 8946 6454 or email eileen.barry@twmsolicitors.com eileen.barry@twmsolicitors.com

Cranleigh • Epsom • Guildffor ord • Leatherhead • London (Chelsea) • London (Fulham) • London (Mayfair) • Reigate • Wimbledon

ttwmsolicitors.com wmsolicitors.com The Royal Borough of

Kingston Chamber of Commerce

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

15

ÂŁ3 disc bers receive a em m r be am h C

servic ount from our

es

A Vintage Inspired

Barber Shop for Todays Modern Gentleman

Milano Barbers www.milanobarbers.co.uk Instagram: @milanobarbers 020 8547 3161 Unit 3, Griffin Centre Market Place Kingston Surrey KT1 1JT

16

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

ask the expert What is required to keep pace with business change?

By Peter Franz, Managing Director, BPM-D

Customers demand change. The buying experience is always shifting, with digitalisation having a major impact. From apps to automation, customers expect new ideas and they expect to see them now.

And that’s a good thing.

Change keeps businesses fresh and dynamic but it comes with its own set of challenges, mainly that every business needs to be able to adapt quickly, reliably and in an agile way to meet these new challenges.

To enable this, organisations must have clarity on who does what and where the changes need to happen. Everyone has to buy into what the company is striving to achieve and understand their role in the process.

It is tough to achieve this unity of understanding when a business is stable. In a dynamic landscape, it is even more difficult.

So how can we develop this understanding of what the business does? For a start, we can give everyone a reference point, where they can see what they need to do and the impact this has across different departments.

It needs to be easy to access and become part of the everyday for the employees.

So, what is this reference point?

The process experts call it a Process Repository, but don’t be intimidated. It's just a way of creating and filing information about how the business operates, a collection of procedures that everyone can access and understand.

Into this you place simple work-flow charts called Process Models. These translate what you do into an easy-to-understand visual representation. No matter how simple or complex the details, all of it can be captured, updated and readily referenced through the models.

Once that structure is in place, you can see what your business does, how your work adds value, who it impacts and where you need to evolve to meet customer expectations.

With this clarity it is possible to analyse what you can do today to identify weak points or identify

opportunities to get ahead of the curve. You can then define these improvements and remodel people’s everyday jobs.

I have seen countless businesses benefit immensely from this approach, called Rapid Process Improvement, which should be a key component in any manager’s toolkit. It allows any business to simply, yet effectively, meet the dynamic demands of the changing world.

It can be daunting to tackle this alone. At BPM-D we run a series of face-to-face training workshops to guide you through this journey.

Designed to deliver an introductory level process management learning experience.

From process modelling, to repository design and even Rapid Process Improvement, our course can arm you with the tools needed to meet your challenges keep pace with business change. No prerequisite experience required.

The next conducts of these workshops in Kingston are as follows: Process Modelling with BPMN 2.0 20 July 2017 Value-driven process repository design 21 September 2017 Rapid Process Improvement 19 October 2017

Visit bpm-d.com/academy or more details call 020 8546 2412

The Royal Borough of

Kingston Chamber of Commerce

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

17

Expo2017

Expo 2017 Holistic Business Growth Once again June sees Kingston Chamber of Commerce hold its annual business Expo.

The event is now in its 5th year and has become one of the highlights of the business calendar.

Over the past years, we have attracted speakers such as; Best of and Entrepreneur's Circle founder Nigel Botterill, author and entrepreneur Penny Power OBE, the NetworKING Brad Burton and last year Apprentice

18

winner and Climb Online founder Mark Wright.

So, to mark our 5th anniversary we were keen to ensure we could exceed our attendees expectations and offer something engaging and

informative which would be relevant to businesses of all sizes. We are therefore extremely excited to be able to announce our partnership with The Digital Garage from Google for our 2017 event.

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

The Digital Garage offers a digital skills training platform to assist businesses in growing their business, career and confidence, online.

Furthermore, a Google digital expert teaches business owners what is needed to gain a competitive advantage in the ever changing digital landscape, so we hope our attendees come prepared to learn and ask questions, too.

We’re proud to be part of

12 - 16 June 2017 The seminar will enable business owners to learn how Google Analytics can help uncover trends about their customers, including how people use your website or interact with your business online.

Alice Mansergh, Director of Google Marketing Solutions for UK and Ireland, said 'Google's products and free digital training are a growth engine for people and businesses up and down the country. So if you live in or around Kingston and you want to boost your career, or turbocharge your business, please join us at our Digital Garage and talk to our experts.

We can help you connect to new customers, help boost your productivity or improve your employability no matter what field you work in.'

Last year's Expo happened to fall on the eve of the Brexit vote and a year later it is taking place just a week after a snap General Election was called. The UK business sectors, however, have just been getting their heads down and producing commendably positive results, remaining ‘strong and stable’ in the face of much political squabbling and uncertainty.

For the city and investors, the general message is to avoid knee-jerk reactions and panic.

Those investors who ride out any short-term volatility are those who are rewarded in the longer term. The FTSE 100 fell 2.5%

The Royal Borough of

Kingston Chamber of Commerce

after the election announcement and, whilst the pound rose sharply, there’s no doubt we will see more stock market fluctuations over the coming weeks. For many small and medium sized enterprises, the EU is by far the biggest trading partner for smaller firms.

The single market accounts for 92% of small business Exports and 85% of imports, (Source; Federation of Small Businesses) It therefore seemed appropriate to include International trade financing as a subject in this year's Expo programme.

We have therefore partnered with Kingston Council, to offer attendees the opportunity to find out more about on accessing finance to do business overseas as part of the Kingston Futures’ international trade events programme.

“Last year's Expo happened to fall on the eve of the Brexit vote and a year later it is taking place just a week after a snap General Election was called. The UK business sectors however have just been getting their heads down and producing commendably positive results, remaining ‘strong and stable’ in the face of much political squabbling and uncertainty.”

The Expo’s biggest asset is that it continues to offer all local business owners, managers and aspiring entrepreneurs an invaluable opportunity to gain expert knowledge, improve their skills and build their network completely free of charge, making it accessible to businesses at all stages and from start-ups to large corporations Kingston Business Expo Wednesday 14th June 2017 8am - 4pm Kingston University Business School, Kingston Hill KT2 7LB

“The Expo’s biggest asset is that it continues to offer all local business owners, managers and aspiring entrepreneurs an invaluable opportunity to gain expert knowledge, improve their skills and build their network completely free of charge.”

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

19

Expo2017 A packed programme at the Expo 2017

Wednesday 14th June 2017 8.00am – 4.00pm

The day will offer engaging and inspirational speakers, workshops and networking opportunities as well as an insight into the latest and greatest business technology.

Kingston University Business School, Kingston Hill Campus KT2 7LB www.kingstonchamber.co.uk/Expo Twitter @KingstonExpo #KingstonExpo

Now in its 5th year, the annual Kingston Business Expo is regarded as the only major business exhibition in the Royal Borough and one of the largest in south west London.It also embodies the single biggest networking opportunity of the year.

Over 600 attendees year on year, and as part of London Technology Week attracts a vibrant professional audience from all areas of business.

The theme for the 2017 Expo is Holistic Business Growth and the event is part of London Technology Week.

The day will start with a networking breakfast in the Centenary Cafe, situated on the first floor of the building behind the Business School. The breakfast will be hosted by our sponsors HSBC and Kingston Council.

This is a great opportunity to get a head start on the day, make contacts and seek out valuable connections while enjoying a delicious choice of breakfasts.

The Expo will officially open at 9.30am with speeches from the President of Kingston Chamber of Commerce and the Mayor of Kingston.

Events include: 10.30am, 12.30pm & 2.30pm – Speed Networking 11.00am – Workshop 5 INSANE {but true} facts about corporate wellness Dr Conor Ward, The Health Elevator, will outline why companies need to evolve the way in which they invest in their employees’ health if they want to get the most out of the biggest asset most companies have; the people who work for them. In this interactive workshop he will share his top 5 lessons on what he has learned from working with

Sponsors:

companies such as Dell, 3M, Hewlett Packard, Panasonic, Hollywell and many more for the past nine years.

12.15pm – Workshop How can Apprenticeships help small businesses?

This workshop is designed for employers who will not be subjected to the apprenticeship levy but will need to navigate the new apprenticeship standards and regulations that have come into force on 1st May. The Kingston College team are also exhibiting on stand A2 in the main Atrium.

Some processes take far more effort than others without generating any real results.

Rapid Process Improvement is a tried and tested approach. It looks at what you do every day, picks out the areas making the difference for your organisation, and shows you how to do it even better.

Learn all about Rapid Process Improvement, and see the difference it has already made for other organisations just like yours!

BPM-Discipline are also exhibiting on stand A18 in the main Atrium

2.30pm – International Trade Finance Seminar

1.00pm – Key Speaker: Google Know your Business with Google Analytics

Following Government statistics revealing that the UK is exporting more than ever, join us for expert advice on accessing finance to do business overseas.

The Kingston Expo is very excited to be partnering up with The Digital Garage from Google – a digital skills training platform to assist you in growing your business, career and confidence, online.

Furthermore, a Google digital expert is coming to teach you what is needed to gain a competitive advantage in the ever changing digital landscape, so come prepared to learn and ask questions, too.

Learn how Google Analytics can help you uncover trends about your customers, including how people use your website or interact with your business online.

2.30pm – 2.45pm: Barry James, CEO of The Crowd Funding Centre 2.45pm – 3.00pm: Wedad Kurukgy, Export Finance Manager, UK Export Finance 3.00pm – 3.15pm: Paul Tappin, Senior Manager, Global Trade Finance, HSBC 3.15pm – 3.30pm: Q&A

2.00pm – Workshop Introduction to Rapid Process Improvement

Organised by Kingston Council, located on stand A1, as part of Kingston Futures’ international trade events.

From the day to day running of your business to marketing and interacting with customers, everything takes time. Even if you are a dab-hand, working out how long to spend on each task to get maximum return is tough – especially for a growing business.

3.30pm – Reception and Open Networking Join us after the Expo to celebrate the day with a glass of wine, network with visitors and exhibitors and reflect on the success of the day.

Organised by: The Royal Borough of

Kingston Chamber of Commerce

20

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

Part of:

Expo2017

Why analytics are so important for businesses One of the big themes at the Expo will be the message that small businesses need to understand the way that digital technology works so that they can get the best results from it.

One of the speakers will be Lucia Asanache, a Google expert with Digital Garage, which has reached over 250,000 people in two years with its programmes explaining how digital technology including analytics works to ensure that businesses benefit from their websites.

The Digital Garage is a digital skills training initiative from Google to assist you in growing your business, career and confidence, online and the talk will identify ways to gain a competitive advantage in the ever-changing digital landscape.

Gori Yahaya, Head of training for the Digital Garage, said “We have reached many tens of thousands of people over the

The Royal Borough of

Kingston Chamber of Commerce

past two years as part of our work to tackle the digital skills gap, many of them sole traders.

“We set out to explain clearly without jargon the things that businesses need to understand about digital technology.”

Gori said that many small businesses were comfortable trading off-line and not aware that digital could open up new opportunities.

Even many of those using the web did not fully understand the benefits so were not getting the best results out of their websites, he said.

Gori said that the key to success for businesses was understanding how their customers interacted with their website.

He said: “We show businesses how analytics can help them find out the information that they need about their customers or would-be customers.

“It can give you information about gender and demographics of the visitors to their website, where they come from, which pages they visit and, crucially, when they leave the website..

“A business may have a web page which is effectively a deadend if it does not give the visitor anywhere to go or any action to take on that page. They might leave the website without helping them achieve their goal. If they add a link taking them to another section of the site or a button to contact them, they may be able to turn them into a customer."

Analytics can provide lots of information on their potential visitors that will help them develop their marketing plan.”

Another key part of the information that Digital Garage imparts is the need to have websites which call visitors to action.

Gori said that a passive website which did not ask the visitor to do anything was more likely to drive the visitor away than one which asked them to do something.

He said: “One of the key things we talk to businesses about is their conversion rate, the number of visitors that turn into customers.

“You do not want to have a website which does not ask the visitor to do anything. You want your website to be a call to action. The best way to achieve that is by defining your online goals and build pages with clear tasks that help your customers achieve your goals.”

To learn more visit g.co/digitalgarage for free online lessons or download the Digital Garage app

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

21

chamber events Menswear Workshop

No.97 Gin Tasting Tuesday 20th June 6.00pm – 8.30pm

Thursday 13th July 6.00pm – 8.00pm Chamber members and their guests are invited to join the team at John Lewis Kingston for a fashion workshop.

Explore the latest fashion trends and beauty brands in a one hour workshop while enjoying some bubbly. Mainly aimed at the men but all welcome if you have an interest in fashion and beauty. You will take away a free goody bag.

John Lewis, Wood Street Kingston KT1 1TE

Join us for our second exclusive Chamber Gin tasting, enjoy a welcome gin and tonic and then learn about and sample different gins.

Finish with some light evening nibbles and a chance to network and socialise in the downstairs private bar.

97 Maple Road, Surbiton KT6 4AW

Dragon Boat Challenge

Networking Lunch at the French Table Friday 30th June A fantastic opportunity to use business as an excuse to experience delicious award winning French cuisine. It’s the perfect destination for superb French cooking in a cosy, welcoming setting while doing business with like-minded local business representatives.

The French Table, 85 Maple Road, Surbiton KT6 4AW

July Networking Breakfast Thursday 13th July 8.00am – 9.30am Join us for our July business networking breakfast for the South of the Borough.

Presentation by Smart Training.

Chessington Garden Centre, Leatherhead Road, Chessington KT9 2NG

Sunday 16th July 10.00am – 6.00pm Kingston Chamber of Commerce will once again be entering a team into the annual Dragon Boat Challenge organised by the Rotary Club of Kingston.

The team will be raising money for our President's chosen charity Kingston Carers.

In this year's festival over 60 teams will be competing to win the Dragon Boat Challenge Cup, whilst raising over £50,000 for charity. Kingston is the largest dragon boat event of this kind in the whole country.

In addition, there will be stalls and bouncy castles to make it a great family day out.

August Networking Breakfast Thursday 10th August A fantastic opportunity to enjoy breakfast onboard one of Turk Launches iconic boats.

What better way to enjoy a breakfast on the river this summer. Presentation by Forbes Low of Forbes Design Associates. Don’t miss the boat!

Turks Pier Kingston, KT1 1PX

To find out more or to book for events visit www.kingstonchamber.co.uk/events 22

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

Thembi Mundanda, 2017 Student Mentee

Be a mentor • Share your knowledge and experience • Encourage a young person to achieve their potential • Broaden your own skills and judgement • Meet other professionals

Being a mentor can change your world as well as someone else’s – and not just because you will feel like you did something that matters.

Sharing your knowledge and experience with a younger person and helping them to open up new paths in their life can help you broaden your experience, improve your own judgement and help you become an even better professional.

Once again this year, Kingston University is offering local business professionals an opportunity to take part in its successful Beyond Barriers Mentoring Scheme.

The programme helps secondyear and postgraduate students from traditionally underrepresented groups achieve their full potential through a tailored one-to-one relationship.

Mentors can be from any background and industry and are only required to volunteer two hours each month over a sixmonth period with face-to-face, telephone and email support.

Full training is provided and, in recognition of their contribution, the University’s Vice-Chancellor presents participants with an award certificate at a special celebration event.

The Royal Borough of

Kingston Chamber of Commerce

Our mentors have benefitted enormously from taking part in the scheme on a professional level as well as the satisfaction gained from 'giving back'.

“My mentor has been extremely helpful in all aspects of life, not just the academic area.

I can attribute most of my progressive change this year to working with him. The help the scheme has provided is tremendous. Not only has it guided me in the right direction, but also challenged me to go beyond my self-imposed limits”.

Thembi Mundanda, 2017 Student Mentee, BSc Business Economics, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences “This is my third year of mentoring students and I’m always excited to see who my mentee is as they are always very different. It’s a relatively short time in which to build a relationship, so I try and make sure my mentee understands what we are doing and why to make the most of the relationship.

I’m also learning from the mentee, so it is a mutually rewarding experience”.

Janis Brumwell, Mentor Human Resources Director, Wellington College “The diversity of the student body at Kingston University is one of our great strengths.

The mentoring scheme has enabled our students to further enhance their potential through the development of new skills including confidence building, learning about the world of work and presentation skills, amongst others. Our mentors come from a range of industry backgrounds, many of whom have participated in the scheme year on year. We are grateful for your continued commitment and dedication”.

Steven Spier, Vice-Chancellor, Kingston University

Be an inspiration: Sign up by 18 September 2017: beyondbarriers@kingston.ac.uk Find out more: kingston.ac.uk/beyondbarriers Organised by: Kingston University, Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Unit

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

23

inspirational leader The future looks bright for Kingston It’s not often that a town can lay claim to having achieved something unique, however Kingston town centre bucks that trend, having helped shape the way town centres are managed today as the home to the country’s first Business Improvement District (BID).

Kingston First was the result of the UK’s first successful vote to install a BID in 2004 by businesses operating in Kingston town centre eager to see improvements made to the area.

Today Kingston First is the collective voice representing over 750 businesses and organisations in Kingston, their objective is to support the commercial success of business in Kingston as well as championing their interests to stakeholders in London and beyond.

A commercially-led, independent, not-for-profit organisation, Kingston First is headed up by Chief Executive Kirsten Henly, who took the role six-months ago bringing more than five years’ experience working in town and city centre BID’s with her – this includes work in Birmingham and more recently in Shrewsbury where she helped to establish the Shrewsbury BID. Kingston First is in its third term and prepares for the next renewal vote on its future in two years. The focus for the first five-

24

year term [2005 - 2010] was to create a safer and cleaner town centre, while the second term, between [2010- 2015] focused on the promotion of Kingston, along with opportunities for community engagement.

The BID’s focus for the third term, running from 2015 to the end of 2019 is to build on past successes and continue to innovate and bring new schemes to the town centre with the primary objective of bringing commercial success to the business community and driving visitor numbers and spend.

Annually, the organisation invests around £1.6 million per annum into Kingston town centre with members having a say into the way the money is invested and the services they would like to see introduced. The company’s Board of Directors is comprised of 21 people representing the sector profile of the town centre.

Kirsten said, “We’ve listened to our business members and we know that they want the visitor experience to Kingston to be exceptional, they also want to feel a real sense of community in the town – and we feel that we can deliver for all of our members across sectors and sizes.

“As we approach our renewal ballot in 2019 we will continue to work hard to introduce innovative services to our members that will support their commercial success. We already provide a life-saving river safety training course free to all members and their staff, and as a result of the valuable feedback from members we will also be running workshops on issues including counter terrorism, social media and employment law among others to help develop staff and employee skills and knowledge.

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

“To ensure we continue to drive visitor numbers and spend, we will be further developing the town’s PR and marketing presence, ultimately adding value to the commercial success of our members.

We know how important it is to deliver professional marketing and PR campaigns that communicate our messages under a single brand, supported by a strong online presence.”

The make-up of Kingston First’s member base is unique as they represent every business and organisation within the town centre boundary and driving down costs where possible for members is important. Kingston First provides a number of cost-saving initiatives to members, from a long standing free recycling service and reduced trade waste collection rates, to offering free and independent consultancy on utilities and telecoms bill analysis. They have also introduced a ‘Keep It Kingston Card’ to showcase local offers and businesses to Kingston employees and businesses to help keep spend local.

“We work closely with the Council. We acknowledge that we both have roles to play and it’s important for us to work together as partners. We both want to see Kingston succeed and prosper and we realise that both organisations bring different skills to the partnership.”

A key part of Kingston First’s role is to bring people together and promote collaboration between all stakeholders in the town centre, including the council.

For many BIDs the relationship with the local council is an important one and that’s no different for Kingston First.

Kirsten said, “We work closely with the Council.

We acknowledge that we both have roles to play and it’s important for us to work together as partners. We both want to see Kingston succeed and prosper and we realise that both organisations bring different skills to the partnership.”

Kingston town centre is on the brink of a period of significant redevelopment and Kingston First take a leading role in working with property owners and developers to ensure clear lines of communication between members enabling ‘business as usual’ to take place. For Kirsten, there are many reasons to feel optimistic about Kingston First’s future as an organisation.

The Royal Borough of

Kingston Chamber of Commerce

Kirsten says, “As the independent voice for businesses in Kingston town centre we will continue to deliver for all of our members.

Over the past year, we have created a robust new brand identity for the town, enhanced and improved the Christmas market offering and introduced a host of innovative services to support the Kingston business community.

“A key part of Kingston First’s role is to bring people together and promote collaboration between all stakeholders in the town centre, including the council. For many BIDs the relationship with the local council is an important one and that’s no different for Kingston First.“

“In 2017 we will further build on these to deliver new initiatives that ensure the future success of Kingston as a place people continue to want to visit and do business in.

“There will always be challenges to face as a town centre, both Kingston specific such as redeveloping and improving our transport and infrastructure, as well as London and UK wide issues such as Brexit – however we are here to support our members and ensure Kingston remains a safe, clean and thriving town centre.”

“In 2017 we will further build on these to deliver new initiatives that ensure the future success of Kingston as a place people continue to want to visit and do business in.”

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

25

international

China:

Huge opportunities for UK companies, but where do you start?

Mark Hedley, china business advisor at China Britain Business Council, explains how UK companies should think about business with China – from understanding the current economic climate there to taking their first steps into the market.

For UK businesses new to the China market, it can be very hard to know where to start. On the one hand, it is adding an economy the size of Switzerland to itself each year but some argue its economy is on a cliff edge.

26

Innovation in China is increasingly more dynamic and globally impactful and yet China is often still regarded by business as a serious intellectual property (IP) risk.

Eye-watering figures numbering in the billions are regularly thrown about and make it hard to understand what is really happening in China and how UK companies of different sizes and sectors can get involved.

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

China’s Economy is changing The massive 10%+ GDP growth figures through last 30 years were built on low-cost manufacturing for export and large-scale asset investment. It is a common path for developing economies but eventually does need to transition, as we have seen in China’s near neighbours.

Since the spring of 2013, the Chinese government has talked about a New Normal – slower, more sustainable growth.

As a result of this shift, some traditionally strong sectors will struggle and there will be uncertainty. But new opportunities are blossoming. And now, more than ever before the UK has the kinds of products and services that China wants – in education, healthcare, professional services, creative and innovative design, advanced engineering – all of which suit the lifestyle of a new emerging middle class in China.

Looking beyond the news headlines Bad news and dramatic headlines sell but business people must be more granular in how they look at the challenges and opportunities.

China’s macro figures are trying to take into account an enormous and diverse economy.

Doing business successfully in China is about understanding the thirst for your goods and services on the ground. It also means understanding the local challenges.

UK-China trade stands at about £60 billion annually; having increased 2.5 times in the last 10 years and opportunities will only increase.

What is also important to note is that in many areas China has leapfrogged traditional distribution channels. This is most relevant online. China is many steps ahead of the rest of the world in how the retail experience is integrated with smartphones, for example. Social media platforms, such as WeChat and Taobao, have become lifepartners for hundreds of millions of people, rather than occasional chatting and browsing platforms.

For any UK company, it is important to realise that China is different – not impossible. It most certainly has challenges for businesses and like all countries has its own political agenda, which does not always align with the status quo.

So where do I start?

It is important to do your homework.

Be clear about what you want to achieve in China. Talk to relevant organisations like the CBBC and the Department for International Trade.

The Royal Borough of

Kingston Chamber of Commerce

They can support with advice and a range of services such as research, trade missions, support to attend trade fairs and more.

Look for other similar companies who already have connections in market. CBBC’s 1000+ members often work together to help each other avoid the common pitfalls when entering the market.

Business in China is done very differently to the west and misunderstandings often have as much to do with culture as language. There is a greater importance placed on relationships, showing proper respect, and avoiding conflict. Socialising is a big part of the process and Chinese business people will seek to build trust and rapport before moving forward with contracts.

Going to China and spending time with your partners to build these relationships is very important where possible.

Emerging Chinese competition is making it harder in some sectors but British goods and services are seen in a positive light in China and companies have succeeded across numerous sectors. When you have done your homework and are ready to really consider the market, avoid the low cost/high volume market.

“For any UK company, it is important to realise that China is different – not impossible. It most certainly has challenges for businesses and like all countries has its own political agenda, which does not always align with the status quo.”

Domestic competition here is intense and foreign companies cannot compete on price alone.

Instead, differentiate yourself on your unique selling proposition, quality and know-how. It’s also important to be flexible and localise your products or services quickly.

Businesses who assume their offering has the same appeal as in their home market are more likely to fail.

These are all ways to take the first step. It is not easy, but any company with an eye on international trade needs to consider ‘what does China mean for me now?’

You might not be ready, but at least think about it today.

China-Britain Business Council T: +44 (0)20 7802 2015 www.cbbc.org

“Doing business successfully in China is about understanding the thirst for your goods and services on the ground. It also means understanding the local challenges. UK-China trade stands at about £60 billion annually; having increased 2.5 times in the last 10 years and opportunities will only increase.”

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

27

health & wellbeing

Mental Health in the Workplace What employers can do to support their staff Mental health problems at work are common. According to Mind, the charity for better mental health, at least one in six workers is experiencing common mental health problems, including anxiety and depression. Support mental health in the workplace.

28

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

Mind’s research shows that 56% of employers would like to do more to improve staff wellbeing but don't feel they have the right training or guidance.

We’ve asked four experts for their top tips on how to support mental health in the workplace.

Anna Pinkerton

Royston Guest

Stephen Frost

Andro Donovan

Encouraging good mental health needs a top down approach

Embed mental health in your overarching people strategy

Mental health is still taboo at work because it is an invisible disability

Support your staff’s mental health by living your company values

The best ways to promote and support the mental health of your employees are to:

According to Mind, 1 in 4 employees describing their mental health as poor say work is the primary cause.

Signs of disability we can see for ourselves, such as wheelchairs or guide dogs, may be easier to sympathise with than the invisible issue of mental health.

To support employees properly, best practice for supporting mental health issues at work needs to be stated in your company values and then taken seriously.

1) Demonstrate good mental health yourself.

Leaders must show fully functioning human-ness.

Speak with emotional intelligence – employees won’t open up about how they feel if managers never use emotional language.

2) Create a kind corporate culture.

Don’t think ‘fluffy and weak’; think ‘robust, flexible and kind’.

Make it an environment where people feel respected, considered and able to be honest.

3) Educate directors and managers against the ‘stiff upper lip’ attitude.

The idea that hiding weakness helps overcome it is outdated.

Bottling up emotional pain drains the energy of employees.

1) Ensure mental health strategy forms part of your overarching people strategy Remove any stigma associated with mental health and be proactive and open in supporting employees. If the company’s people strategy is supportive, employees will be more confident in raising the subject.

2) Remove, mitigate and manage known triggers Leaders must understand the triggers that lead to potential work-related mental health issues.

Create a secure working environment – e.g. instigate regular check-ins to understand performance, workloads, hours and overtime requests.

Discussing mental health at work is still taboo, perhaps because its formlessness makes it challenging to approach – we often prefer to avoid thinking about or admitting it.

Employers can create a more inclusive environment for team members with mental health issues by raising the issue pre-emptively and shifting the burden from the individual to the team or organisation.

Don't leave your health and wellbeing policy in your filing cabinet. Make it part of everyday business.

3) Spot the signs in self and others Encourage employees to highlight behaviours that are causing them concern (unable to switch off, poor sleep patterns, loss of appetite), and enable managers to spot the warning signs in their people. Document the support available clearly in the company’s people strategy.

Rather than putting all the pressure on the individual to speak up, we can raise it as a society-wide issue. If we talk empathetically about neurodiversity and moods as natural and normal, and acknowledge that we all have good and bad days, we start to enlarge the conversation and bring in those with more challenging mental health issues.

Therapeutic coach, corporate therapist and leading expert in PTSD, Anna Pinkerton is author of Smile Again: Your Recovery from Burnout, Breakdown and Overwhelming Stress.

CEO of Pti-Worldwide, a business growth consultancy specialising in unlocking people potential, Royston Guest is author of Built to Grow: How to deliver accelerated, sustained and profitable business growth

Founder of Frost Included, a consultancy helping people understand diversity and inclusion, Stephen Frost is author of Inclusive Talent Management – How business can thrive in an age of diversity.

The Royal Borough of

Kingston Chamber of Commerce

Company values often ignore organisational culture, or are adopted only as means to an end and then dropped as quickly.

Values can be empowering or they can be highly demotivating when the company does not deliver on their promise.

Empty values statements create disenchanted and unhappy employees. People will not speak up about their issues if they perceive company policy on those issues to be hollow.

So make sure your company values regarding mental health are part of the fabric of everything you do in the company; they have to be translated into the DNA of the culture. By creating an environment where people understand their company will support them in case of difficulty, you free up your employees to be positive and productive.

Personal leadership coach Andro Donovan is author of Motivate Yourself – Get the life you want, find purpose and achieve fulfillment.

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

29

focus on finance A billion pounds of funding announced for innovation projects The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy recently announced that one billion pounds is being made available to help companies develop a wide range of projects over the next four years.

The money from the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund is the result of consultations with businesses and academics to identify areas where research and innovation can help unlock markets and develop industries of the future in which the UK can become world-leading.

Each area of funding is designed to support companies developing new ideas and areas that have funded include:

environments which occur in off-shore energy, nuclear energy, space and deep mining

• clean and flexible energy £246 million to help UK businesses seize the opportunities presented by the transition to a low carbon economy and to ensure that the UK leads the world in the design, development and manufacture of batteries for the electrification of vehicles

• driverless cars - £38 million for research and development projects, working with industry to develop the next generation of AI and control systems need to ensure the UK is at the forefront of the driverless cars revolution

• healthcare and medicine £197 million to develop firstof-a-kind technologies for the manufacture of medicines that will speed up patient access to new drugs and treatments, building on the exporting strengths of the UK’s biopharmaceutical sector • robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) £93 million to make industry and public services more productive, by developing AI and robotics systems that can be deployed in extreme

30

• manufacturing and future materials: £26 million for research and development programmes to develop the next generation of affordable lightweight composite materials for aerospace, automotive and other advanced manufacturing sectors • satellites and space technology: £99 million for a satellite test facility supporting new launch technologies and the manufacturing and testing capabilities that will allow the UK to construct future satellites and deliver payloads into orbit

The fund is being supported by Innovate UK and the research councils and key figures in the field say that it will give companies the confidence to explore ground-breaking new technologies.

Chief Executive of Innovate UK Dr Ruth McKernan said: “By announcing these first challenges, we are giving businesses the green light to start finding solutions to some of our major societal and industrial challenges and at the same time

helping us fully realise economic impact from our world class science base.”

Chair of Research Councils UK, Professor Philip Nelson said: “For innovation and growth to be successful there needs to be a strong and coherent innovation chain that joins up fundamental research and industrial expertise across all sectors.

“The Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund supports the necessary environment for new discoveries to arise, innovation to flourish and novel products and services to be delivered.

The first of these challenges will maintain and strengthen the UK’s leading position as the best place in the world to research, innovate and grow business.”.

“By announcing these first challenges, we are giving businesses the green light to start finding solutions to some of our major societal and industrial challenges and at the same time helping us fully realise economic impact from our world class science base.”

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

finance for business HSBC UK Founded in 1865 to finance trade between Asia and the West, today HSBC is one of the world’s largest banking and financial services organisations serving more than 37 million customers worldwide. Our aim is to be acknowledged as the world’s leading international bank.

In the UK, we support over 1 million businesses from small enterprises focused primarily on the domestic market through to global corporates.

Whether it is working capital, term loans, trade finance or payments and cash management solutions, we provide the tools and expertise that businesses need to thrive.

The Royal Borough of

Kingston Chamber of Commerce

HSBC Corporate Banking is well placed to support the largest UK corporates and institutions.

Our strong balance sheet is backed up by advanced technology and

specialist teams around the world.

Our international banking network covers 54 international markets, and our footprint gives us access to around 90% of world trade flows. We process more than $1m in transactions every minute.

From banking centres in Scotland and the North, Midlands, London and the South, our 700 trade specialists provide client-centred advisory services, risk management and funding solutions with a focus on nine core sectors.

Our regional heads work with experts in markets, liquidity and cash management to design sophisticated, cross-border solutions to trade and financing needs. Client relationship directors tailor this knowledge with the input of sector experts, creating finance products that support each customer’s business.

Our sector teams work across eight key industry areas: Public Sector & Higher Education, Retail & Leisure, Professional Services, Agrifoods, Energy & Sustainability, Oil & Gas, Housing, Non-Bank Financial Institutions.

Beyond the specialist sector teams, we have two further teams that support corporates with their core financing needs.

Our Leverage Finance service supports deals of all sizes by facilitating M&A, syndication financing, and access to high-yield bonds and Treasury among other capital markets products. Experienced in originating and structuring transactions, our team builds relationships with top private equity firms to deliver event-driven financing for specific business needs.

Our Commercial Banking Origination service facilitates and advises on sophisticated corporate financing in the UK and Europe.

Offering a full suite of project, export, leverage and acquisition finance services, our team helps large corporates identify the right financing tools for their growth.

To find out more about how HSBC supports and partners with UK businesses, visit www.business.hsbc.uk

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

31

economy

Labour market robust but inflation a worry Recently-released statistics show mixed fortunes for the UK economy.

Commenting on the labour market statistics for April 2017, released by the Office for National Statistics, Suren Thiru, Head of Economics at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), said: “With unemployment continuing to fall and employment levels rising, conditions in the UK labour market remain robust.”

“However, labour market indicators often lag behind the wider economy and it remains likely that employment growth will start to soften over the near-term, as more subdued economic conditions and the rising cost of doing business in the UK stifle firms’ ability to recruit. The BCC’s Quarterly Economic Survey shows the proportion of firms reporting recruitment difficulties remains close to a record high, which is undermining their productivity and growth.

“With increases in regular pay slowing again, earnings growth is now comfortably trailing behind inflation. If the disparity between

32

pay and price growth continues to increase as we predict, household spending is likely to slow further, weakening overall economic activity.

“The next government must do more to close the skills gap, including improving the transition from education to work by guaranteeing universal experience of work in all schools for under 16s, and delivering a future immigration regime based on economic need, rather than an arbitrary migration target.

This will help firms compete on the global stage, boosting UK productivity and growth.”

Inflation continues to be a worry.

Suren said: “As expected, inflation resumed its upward trend in April, after holding steady in March.

April’s increase was largely due to higher air fares, which were pushed up by the timing of Easter falling during the month.

“While factory gate costs have moderated a little in recent months, businesses continue to report that the substantial increases in the cost of raw materials and other overheads over the past year are still filtering through the supply chain, and are therefore likely to lift consumer prices higher in the coming months. Our own Quarterly

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

Economic Survey confirms that the pressure on firms to raise prices remains significant. Higher inflation is likely to be a drag on UK GDP growth over the coming quarters, as it erodes consumer spending power and dampens business activity and investment.

“However, it remains probable that the current period of above target inflation is transitory in nature, with little evidence that higher price growth is becoming entrenched in higher pay growth. This should give the Bank of England sufficient scope to keep interest rates on hold for some time yet, despite their recent warning.

“Nonetheless, with the UK economy entering a weaker period as inflation continues to bite, more must be done to support growth and investment, including addressing the mounting burden of up-front taxes and costs faced by firms.”

a day in the life...

Celebrating differences the key for Marina When it comes to championing diversity, few people can be more determined than Marina Payen, the Communications Advisor in Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at Kingston University.

Marina's background is a mixture of English and Spanish and although she was brought up in the UK, she went to university in Spain.

Her experience after completing her studies in Spain included a spell doing post-graduate studies in the United States then time working for the European Union’s Chamber of Commerce in South Korea before she returned to the UK to take up a post with Kingston University.

Her job is to help ensure that equality and diversity topics are communicated to staff and students effectively as well as run campaigns that help foster belonging. Her own varied background has helped bring a unique appreciation to the role.

She said: “I had a very multicultural upbringing and a passion for travelling and experiencing different traditions which helps with my job because Kingston is one of the most diverse universities in the UK with students from many countries.

I find my work fascinating.”

Her working day starts at 9.15am to give her time with her children and her days are very varied, ranging from writing articles and talking to teams putting together promotional videos to reading up on

The Royal Borough of

Kingston Chamber of Commerce

developments in the field or talking to team members who are involved in social media activities.

At the heart of the job is the desire to embed equality and diversity into our everyday conversations, promote collaboration across the University and have a positive impact on both staff and students.

For Marina, a key early job in her working day is catching up on the domestic and international news.

She said: “One of my first tasks when I get in is to find out what is happening in the world so that we can respond to anything that may affect our students.

“Sometimes, something happens that starts the team thinking about a campaign that we could run. Sometimes an event can make a good platform.

“After that, having checked out what project deadlines are approaching, my day is taken up with meetings, most of them within the university with staff and students, but I do try to find

time to think about the some of the campaigns that we run.”

One of those campaigns was the university’s recent "Cultural Diversity Week" which involved everything from round table discussions, events, art projects and interactive games on campus to themed menus, cultural dancing and online resources.

Marina said: “I spent four months planning the week and everything we did was aimed at raising awareness about the importance of intercultural dialogue, diversity and inclusion.

“We want to encourage a sense of cultural appreciation as well as equality sensitivity and the feedback we received from the

week of events was that people had become more confident to engage in challenging topics.

“One of the things that we do as a team is allow ourselves time to discuss the issues.

“Lunch is a very important part of that process, not just because it’s good to find something good eat but because that is when we have the time to talk.

“We will often have some challenging discussions on a range of topics over lunch and sometimes they will lead to campaigns that we can run.”

Marina’s working day typically ends about 6.00pm although the brainstorming for new ideas never ends!

Networking with business professionals at the student mentoring celebration event.

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

33

starting up The benefits of co-working space It offers the opportunity to work from a very comfortable, stimulating yet convenient environment that doesn’t feel like a corporate office.

Laura Ercolani & Fran Baena Kingston CoWork 033 0133 0833 hello@kingstoncowork.com www. kingstoncowork.com Q1 Tell us a bit about your business?

We are a new, central, luxurious co-working space in Kingston upon Thames. We offer hot desks, monthly passes and the whole studio for workshops. We aim at offering all the freelancers, entrepreneurs, small business and start-ups out there a chance to come and work from a very comfortable, stimulating yet convenient environment that doesn’t feel like a corporate office.

Q2 What gives your business the x-factor?

We are unique in the sense that we have created a luxurious and comfortable office with great desk space and excellent ergonomic chairs, which is very rare to find for hot desks. We are a husband & wife team and this means we can accommodate and tailor the space to each individual customer’s needs. All users can access the facilities with an App, allowing full freedom to come and go.

We are open in the evenings and at weekends. And we have a secret, quiet, sunny garden too!

Q3 What motivated you to set up the new business?

We are both freelancers with our own businesses. Fran is an IT Security savvy and Laura is a local Nutritionist who works in schools.

For years, we have been struggling to find a spot in Kingston and surrounding areas to work from, without the commitment of

34

a permanent desk or finding something different and more vibrant from the corporate environment. We have two little children and this means we can’t work successfully and productively from home. So, one day we thought: let’s make our ideal office where we can feel motivated to work from with great results.

We love Kingston and this is where we decided to start this project.

Kingston Cowork was born!

Q4 What you like most about working for a start -up?

The buzz, the energy, meeting people who get enthusiastic when they hear about this project.

Fran also enjoyed expressing his creativity and re-designed the place completely, giving a fantastic vibrant look. He even designed the tables himself! Now that we are settling into Kingston CoWork, we just love to come and work from the office with likeminded people.

Q5 What has been your greatest business success to date?

All these amazing Kingstonians who come and visit Kingston CoWork and fall in love with the place, so they keep coming back.

We haven’t had a single person who hasn’t come back to work from Kingston CoWork so far.

Q6 What has been your lowest moment?

There has never been a lowest moment really but when you are about to start something new, that you have never tried before, there is always that incertitude of not knowing what is going to happen. Once you jump and overcome the fear, nothing can stop you. Everyone has been incredibly supportive, mostly the Kingston Chamber of Commerce.

They have been there from day 1, even before we knew they existed.

Q7 In terms of business achievements, where do you want to be within the next 5 years?

We would like to have a successful Business Hub, busy and buzzing generating new ventures.

We welcome other freelancers, start-ups, small business owners like us to come and let us know how we can help them achieve success. We would like to create a local supportive network.

Who knows, we might be even thinking about opening some sister branches.

Q8 What would be your top tip to someone thinking of starting up their own business?

Everyone is full of great ideas but few manage to make it happen.

Do your market research and if you feel that what you are offering is unique, go for it. Ask for support, make your predictions right and persist – you will get there!

“All these amazing Kingstonians who come and visit Kingston CoWork and fall in love with the place, so they keep coming back.”

BOROUGH BUSINESS - The voice of Kingston’s business community

JAGUAR XE

EXPERIENCE LIFE WITH MORE ROAR

JAGUAR XE FROM £259 A MONTH PLUS DEPOSIT AND OPTIONAL FINAL PAYMENT

JAGUAR XE 2.0I (200PS) PRESTIGE AUTO REPRESENTATIVE EXAMPLE†

The Jaguar XE is a truly accomplished sports saloon. The new 2.0 litre 200PS Turbocharged Ingenium petrol engine delivers the drivability of large engines, but with much lower fuel consumption. Combining exceptional performance and efficiency.

Finance Deposit Allowance

£2,735

Customer Deposit

£5,999

On the Road Price starting from £29,295, contact us today to book your test drive.

On the Road Price††

Total Amount of Credit

£29,295

£20,561

Purchase fee (included in optional final payment)

£10

36 Monthly Payments

£259

Optional Final Payment

£13,787

Guy Salmon Jaguar Thames Ditton 47 Portsmouth Road, Thames Ditton, Surrey KT7 0TA 020 3417 4358

Total Amount Payable

£31,845

guysalmon.thamesditton.jaguar.co.uk

Representative APR

4.9% APR

Guy Salmon Jaguar Thames Ditton is a trading style of Guy Salmon Limited which is acting as a credit broker and not a lender.

Interest Rate (Fixed)

4.78%

Duration of Agreement (Months)

37

††Model shown is the Jaguar XE Saloon 2.0I (200PS) Prestige 4dr Manual with optional Yulong White metallic paint (£635), on the road price £29,930.

Official fuel consumption for the Jaguar XE range in mpg (l/100km): Urban 24.4-64.2 (11.6-4.4); Extra Urban 46.3-83.1 (6.1-3.4); Combined 34.9-75.0 (8.1-3.8). CO2 Emissions 194-99 (g/km). Official EU Test Figures. For comparison purposes only. Real world figures may differ. †Representative Example relates to a Jaguar XE 2.0I (200PS) Prestige Automatic. 4.9% APR Representative available on new XE models registered between 1 April and 30 June 2017 at participating Retailers only. With Jaguar Privilege Personal Contract Purchase you have the option at the end of the agreement to: (1) return the vehicle and not pay the Optional Final Payment. If the vehicle has exceeded the maximum agreed mileage a charge per excess mile will apply. In this example, 14p plus VAT per excess mile up to 4,999, or for excess mileage of 5,000 or more, a charge of 28p plus VAT will apply to each excess mile above the maximum agreed mileage. If the vehicle is in good condition (fair wear and tear accepted) and has not exceeded the maximum agreed mileage you will have nothing further to pay; (2) pay the Optional Final Payment to own the vehicle or (3) part exchange the vehicle subject to settlement of your existing credit agreement; new credit agreements are subject to status. Representative Example is based upon an annual mileage of 10,000 miles. Credit is subject to status and is only available to UK residents aged 18 and over.

This credit offer is only available through Black Horse Limited trading as Jaguar Financial Services, St William House, Tresillian Terrace, Cardiff CF10 5BH. We can introduce you to Jaguar Financial Services and a limited number of other lenders to provide funding for your vehicle. We may receive commission or other benefits for introducing you to such lenders.