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JOBS GALORE
ROBOT CAUSE
UNIVERSITY CHALLENGE
Check out the latest job offers in our supplement - inside
Pair to showcase city’s expertise in California – p2
Professor bringing business and academia closer – p7
Business bristolpost.co.uk
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2014
GREEN BUSINESS SPECIAL
REAP BENEFITS OF GOING GREEN As Bristol stages Big Green Week, we look at the growing trend towards eco-friendly practices. See pages 10&11 EPB-E01-S3
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Tourism
Robotics
Hotels well placed to capitalise on boom
Do the robot Pioneering firms in mission to showcase city talent
● THE bosses of Bristol’s mid-market hotels say they are well placed to capitalise on the rise in tourism from Eastern Europe. Future Inn, below, across the road from Cabot Circus, is celebrating its fifth birthday this month. It comes at a time when tourist body VisitBritain reports the biggest growth in the UK market in the last 10 years has been Lithuania. And perhaps because the country is not as rich as its more northern European counterparts, that is good for the mid-priced hotels. Future Inns front of house manager Andrew Hood said it had had its share of those Lithuanian visitors. “We get a huge number of European travellers through our doors including some Lithuanians,” he said, adding: “We’ve also seen a large increase in Chinese and Asian guests.” The hotel is celebrating its birthday with discounts and giveaways throughout the month.
Banking
Ethical bank pays the Living Wage to staff ● SUSTAINABLE and ethical bank Triodos has become one of only 13 businesses in Bristol to be accredited as a Living Wage employer. Awarded by the Living Wage Foundation, the mark guarantees that everyone working at the bank – including permanent employees, third-party contractors and suppliers – is paid a minimum hourly wage of £7.65. That is higher than the national minimum wage of £6.31 and is the amount considered to be the least needed for a decent living. Paula Searle, head of HR at Triodos, based in the city centre, said: “The Living Wage is about fairness and investing in people. By signing up we are demonstrating the value we place in everyone who works at Triodos Bank.” Employers have no legal obligation to pay the Living Wage.
Get in touch Assistant Editor (Business) Gavin Thompson Call 0117 934 3336 Email gavin.thompson @b-nm.co.uk Twitter @gavin_thompson1 Advertising Jane Chapman Call 01179 343025 Email jane.chapman @b-nm.co.uk
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Wednesday, June 18, 2014
Advertising Robert Rodgerson Call07828 941469 Email robert.rodgerson @b-nm.co.uk
Gavin Thompson Assistant Editor (Business) gavin.thompson@b-nm.co.uk
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WO Bristol businesses will be flying out California to showcase the city’s depth of innovation in robotics later this month. Agilic and Reach Robotics have been come out of the Bristol Robotics Laboratory, which is based at UWE in Frenchay but is a partnership between the city’s two universities. Agilic has created the TiddlyBot and PiBot, education kit robots design to let anyone build and program their own personal robot. The latter was inspired by the Raspberry Pi, a small low-cost computer that was created to encourage children to learn how to program computers rather than just use them. Meanwhile Reach Robotics, which is based in the start-up incubator at the lab, has developed MechaMonsters, small four-legged robots that can play games or face off against others of their kind in duels. The monsters, which can be customised, are controlled using a smartphone app. Founder Silas Adekunle, 23, said parents needn’t panic though. “It’s not as violent as Robot Wars,” he said. “The robots do bash into each other but they use lights and laser technology to determine whether they hit each other.” The product is aimed at two markets, eight to 14-year-old and adult robot enthusiasts. Silas and a team of six freelancer workers have developed a prototype with which he hopes to attract investors. Agilic founder Harry Gee, hopes to break into the US market with his educational robots. The 36-year-old said: “My big drive is to engage people with knowledge of technology and programming.” He currently has 10 undergraduates working with him and hopes to employ staff in the near future. Both companies will join the Robotics and Autonomous Systems Mis-
● Silas Adekunle, foudner of Reach Robotics, with one of the firm’s MechaMonsters
● Agilic, based the Bristol Robotics Lab at UWE, Bristol, makes the PiBot an educational robot people can build themselves; inset, Harry Gee
sion 2014, which involves a week-long journey through San Diego, San Francisco and Silicon Valley to showcase the robots to others in the industry as well as potential investors, partners and customers. The firms won funding for the trip, from June 23-27, from the Technology Strategy Board. Mike Biddle, deputy director of innovation programmes at the board, said: “The mission is designed to open doors, build networks and showcase British innovation and Silicon Valley and San Francisco are synonymous with being at the forefront of global robotics and autonomous systems technology. “These companies will benefit from meetings with leading robotics, academic and research institutions, gaining fresh ideas and developing new partnerships and funding opportunities. “It’s a springboard which can help them to launch their business, thrive and turn their innovations into tangible business opportunities.”
Innovation
Uni researches at the forefront of 5G networks RESEARCHERS from Bristol have demonstrated cutting-edge technology that is expected to be used in the next generation of mobile phones. The University of Bristol has been leading the way in wireless and mobile technology for more than 20 years. And it is once again at the forefront in developing 5G networks. The university’s communications systems and networks research group is working with local firm Blue Wireless Technology, based at the Engine Shed, Temple Meads, to develop ways to use millimetre wave radio spectrum. Millimetre wave radios use much higher frequencies than those used in 4G and current wi-fi networks. The university and Blue Wireless
Technology radios can transmit data approximately 50 times faster than the current 2.4GHz Wi-Fi standard. There is also significantly more unused space at that end of the spectrum – around 60Ghz – which opens up the possibility of being able to transfer much more data much more quickly. However at that end of the spectrum the signals are up to 1,000 times weaker than standard wi-fi, which means day to day barriers such as buses will stop them working. So the researchers are working on new kinds of smart antennas that use
beams to help track someone using a device such as a phone on the move, to steer the signal in the right direction. Researchers demonstrated their work to date at the Small Cells World Summit in London. At this stage they are only working in distances of a few hundred metres but found the beam did work in guiding the signal around trees and buses. Mark Beach, professor of radio systems engineering, said: “This technology builds on a wealth of knowledge and expertise over the last 25 years in smart antenna systems and an in-depth un-
derstanding of radiowaves. Our rich mix of fundamental research and practical validation at Bristol makes us an ideal partner for industrially relevant projects such as this.” Andrew Nix, pictured, professor of wireless communication systems and head of the, department of electrical and electronic engineering, added: “Our sophisticated ray tracing tools have been combined with the university’s high performance computing facilities to enable the rapid analysis of complex millimetre wave systems. In particular, our simulators combine detailed channel models with antenna arrays and beam tracking algorithms to dynamically determine user performance in a virtual network.”
www.bristolpost.co.uk/business
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
Technology
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Entrepreneurs
Charity to help homeless get on track A HOMELESSNESS charity has opened business space in the hope helping people who have had challenging times become entrepreneurs. Emmaus Bristol, based in Stokes Croft, Bristol, wants to find local entrepreneurs, particularly those that have experienced homelessness, unemployment or live in the St Paul’s area. Using funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the charity is offering affordable, newly renovated open-plan workspaces to those wanting to develop their business ideas in a safe environment with less risk. The scheme already has its first success. Simon Sherrat, a former companion at Emmaus Bristol, started a computer recycling venture. He takes in unwanted PCs, laptops, and mobile phones and strips them for
useable parts. He said: “This is an ideal opportunity for companions and others to create their own future by running their own enterprise.” Emmaus is also on course to secure three further small businesses – one, tackling gang crime, another who works with ornamental plaster and one who has set up a company to help young people find work. A spokesperson from the charity added: “The UK desperately needs initiatives like this one which support business start-ups. Small businesses are engines for economic growth, innovation and employment. We need more entrepreneurial activity and that means more individuals taking the courageous decision to start their own business.” Contact Emmaus Bristol online at www.emmausbristol.org.uk/business-incubator-units/ for more details.
● George Osborne meeting with Ren Zhengfei, Huawei’s CEO and founder, during the Chancellor’s visit to China in October 2013. The firm has announced it is opening a £125 million research centre in Bristol later this year
Tech boost Chinese giant to open £125m city research centre Gavin Thompson Assistant Editor (Business) gavin.thompson@b-nm.co.uk
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NOTHER technology firm is coming to Bristol. Chinese giant Huawei, which makes the technology used in mobile phone base stations as well as wi-fi boxes and dongles, is opening a research centre in the city. The £125 million centre will open later this year and create 30 specialist jobs but the exact location has not yet been revealed. Heading up the operation for Huawei, Matthew Leung, director of CPU technologies, said: “The Bristol and Bath region has a growing reputation as the UK’s leading tech base and is an excellent location from which to grow a global enterprise. “The region’s strong talent pipeline, excellent transport links and position as a hub for cutting-edge innovation were key factors in attracting Huawei to Bristol. We look forward to capitalising on these benefits as we grow our operation in the city.” The news was welcomed by Chancellor George Osborne, who recently visited the firm’s China HQ. He said: “The decision of the world’s largest telecommunications equipment maker to innovate in Britain is testament to the outstanding quality of our highly skilled workforce and further evidence that our long term economic plan is working.” Invest Bristol and Bath, which works to bring new companies to the area, also travelled to China on a trade mission that helped persuade the firm to come to the city. Prof Joe McGeehan, chairman of Invest Bristol & Bath, said Huawei’s decision was another “major vote of confidence” in the city as a hub for global business. He said: “This is fantastic news for Bristol and Bath as the region continues to grow its technology cluster and reputation as the leading hub for technological innovation in the UK,
which already competes on the international stage. “The region’s combination of strengths in silicon design, microelectronics system design, embedded software and enterprise software and apps makes it uniquely placed to capitalise on global technology markets worth trillions of dollars. “Businesses are increasingly choosing Bristol and Bath as a base due to the already established high-calibre workforce here. The region offers an excellent quality of life which has been recognised only recently by the Sunday Times as the best city to live in Britain. We are delighted our trade mission to China has resulted in attracting another major global enterprise to the Bristol and Bath region.” Huawei’s new centre will open later this year and recruit 30 skilled employees to research chips, microprocessor design, software and related technology. The firm already has a several bases in the UK, including a HQ in Reading and research centre in Ipswich. It aims to grow its UK-based research team to 300 by 2017, so there is potential for the Bristol site to grow. There are than 200 companies focusing on silicon and microelectronics in Bristol and Bath directly employing more than 5,000 high-value engineers Hauwei’s products and services have been used in 170 countries, including videoconferencing for Russian regional government, private cloud services for public bodies in Singapore, and television through broadband in Guangzhou, China. More locally it is a leading supplier of dongles, used to connect computers to the internet, and worked with EE on the roll-out of its 4G high speed mobile phone network. It is the latest technology firm to expand into Bristol. Mobile solutions business Somo recently announced it was setting up a research centre here and software firm Kainos is doing the same. Both chose Bristol because the expertise in telecommunications, mobile and chips mean there is a strong talent pool here.
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Retail
Chinese buyers eye our luxury goods ● A CONSORTIUM of Chinese buyers is in Bristol tomorrow to meet producers and suppliers of high-end goods. The Chinese luxury goods market has been booming and this is an opportunity for local firms to reach that lucrative destination. Antoaneta Becker, UKTI’s China Adviser said: “China has become the fastest growing market in the world, providing endless commercial opportunities for British businesses, particularly those specialising in food, drink, fashion and affordable luxury goods. “Chinese consumers are already familiar with the big British brands we have in the South West and many are the proud owners of Mulberry, Clarks and Superdry. “However, we are keen to raise awareness of the multitude of smaller producers of high-quality consumer goods and original brands in the region.” The ‘meet the buyer’ event, organised by UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) in conjunction with the China-Britain Business Council (CBBC), will take place on Thursday, June 19, at the Mercure Holland House Hotel in Bristol. To register, contact Angela Maynard-Smith at angela. maynard-smith @uktisouthwest. org or call 01275 370 810.
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
Eco innovation
Investment in future Help to make us more eco-friendly, says bank Gavin Thompson Assistant Editor (Business) gavin.thompson@b-nm.co.uk
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NE of the country’s major banks is calling for Bristol inventors and small businesses to use it as a test bed for ideas to cut waste and become more energy efficient. RBS yesterday launched its Innovation Gateway to the Bristol business community with an event held at the Watershed and Bordeaux Quay, in the Harbourside. The idea sees the bank open the doors of its 2,500 properties in the UK to small and medium sized businesses with bright ideas. The project has three aims: ● To help the bank become more efficient around resource efficiency with energy waste and water; ● To nurture innovation; ● And to help SMEs get their great ideas to market. Marcela Navarro, the bank’s head of customer innovation, said: “Bristol is world-class when it comes to innovation, going back to Brunel, through to Concorde and now Bristol is European Green Capital in 2015. “With all this brilliance in Bristol’s DNA this is the perfect place for the RBS Innovation Gateway and we can’t wait to tell people about the project – what it is, how they can get involved and what the benefits can be.” The project was initially launched in Lon-
FOR SALE
Stockwood Vale Golf Club Bristol BS31 2ER
● Marcela Navarro launches the RBS innovation scheme in Bristol don and in the first round of 141 submissions, none was from Bristol. Disappointed that a city known for innovation hadn’t engaged with the idea, RBS chose Big Green Week to launch the scheme locally. Businesses can sign up to the gateway online, where they can discuss their ideas with other businesses and experts. RBS also organises workshops and has assembled a judging panel so that even ideas that don’t make the shortlist can still get useful feedback on their ideas. Marcela said the scheme was not a competition. “If there are 100 great ideas, we will try 100 ideas,” she said. Chosen concepts get a £3,000 grant to help them develop but Marcela said it wasn’t about money, but an opportunity to test and demon-
Pic: Michael Lloyd BRML20140617C-002
strate their ideas. And if proven to work with RBS, doors will open to other customers. “Access to markets is the most important thing for SMEs,” she said. “How can we support innovators get a wider position in the market? By providing our estate for them to test in a real-life environment. “We have 2,500 properties that mirror the majority of properties in this country. From two-storey flat roofs to listed historical buildings. “We would love to see our RBS buildings in Bristol being used to test innovations from Bristol companies.” For more details go to www.rbs.com/innovationgateway. GREEN BUSINESS SPECIAL REPORT: PAGES 8&9
Insurance
Record £200m results for city firm A well presented proprietary golf club situated on the outskirts of Bristol. • Attractive 18 hole 6,060 yard (par 71) golf course
Offers invited in the region of £1.425 million
• Informal 5 hole academy course • 14 bay floodlit golf driving range • Two storey clubhouse with 3 bedroom apartment
7830
• 483,853 resident population within 20 minutes drive • Typical turnover £800,000 and typical EBITDA £115,000 • 61 hectares (153 acres)
Contact Ben Allen 020 7911 2360 ben.allen@gva.co.uk
• Principally freehold (part of golf course leased)
Ben Brown 0121 609 8395 ben.brown@gva.co.uk
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• 570 members
A BRISTOL firm that insures legal expenses is reporting record results despite a major overhaul of the laws around personal injury claims. DAS UK Holdings Ltd, based in Temple Way, reported record income of £199.6 million in 2013, an increase of 10 per cent over 2012. Profits before tax and reinsurance also grew strongly by nine per cent to £12.1 million. The results were especially good considering the legal world had been hit by changes brought in by the Government in 2012 that shook up the legal insurance market. DAS claims to be first insurer to completely change its after-the-event (ATE) business model. ATE insurance is taken out to after an accident to cover legal costs in case you lose the case. DAS was able to recover quickly and grow beyond income levels before the reforms. The growth was mainly due to the introduction of a new clinical negligence product and DAS entry into the civil litigation market, where it provides indemnity limits of
up to £3 million for commercial and other litigation. DAS became the first insurer to own a law firm and gain an ABS licence to provide legal services without lawyers. The DAS Law now has teams handling employment, property and contract, as well as personal injury and has recently developed a will writing proposition. It has also been developing its business overseas, reporting strong results in Ireland and Canada and launching in Norway. Chief executive Paul Asplin, pictured, said: “DAS UK is unique in the legal protection market; a UK domiciled insurance company and a member of one of the world’s largest insurance groups, Munich Re. With our scale, expertise, resources and financial backing business partners can be confident that DAS has the strength to deliver in the new regulatory environment, including Solvency II and the FCA add-ons review, something that many of our competitors, who are mainly underwritten or domiciled overseas, may struggle with.”
www.bristolpost.co.uk/business
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
Festival accessory
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Housing
Student lets market to see continued growth
● Left, the foldable travel mirror designed for festival goers which Liesel Corp, right, is producing in Bedminster
Best thing ever invented? Folding mirror creates a stir with the stars
● THE growth of the student housing market in Bristol looks likely to continue as a new report from real estate adviser Savills marks it out as having first class potential for investors. The conclusion was made in the firm’s report Spotlight: UK Student Housing, which gives investor rankings for university towns for 2014. The report reveals that investment in the student housing market totalled £5 billion in the past two years and transactions are forecast to total £2.5 billion this year. Neal Hudson, Savills research analyst, said: “The UK purpose built student housing sector is proving an attractive buy and continues to combine strong yields and rising rental income. Investors will need to bear in mind, however, that the sector is not without risk. “Although it appears that a fall in student numbers last year was a short-term response to the new fee environment, we are seeing a real flight to quality institutions by students increasingly questioning the value they get from their education. We believe that this trend is irreversible and lower ranked institutions will struggle to prove their value for money in the new competitive environment.” However, that shouldn’t trouble investors in Bristol as the city’s two universities are often cited by employers as one of the main reasons for being in the city. Bristol was one of 15 towns and cities rated as first class investments for student accommodation. The others included Aberdeen, Bath, Brighton, Cambrdige, Edinburgh, Oxford and St Andrew’s.
Telecoms Rupert Janisch Business@b-nm.co.uk
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BRISTOL-based designer who grew up within a stone’s throw of Glastonbury hopes to tap into the summer festival market with an innovative new foldable travel mirror. Liesel Corp has set up Magic Mirror, with offices and studio in Bedminster, hand making the acrylic – and therefore festival legal – product from a workshop on the city’s Harbourside. Launched at the Love Saves The Day festival in Castle Park last month, Magic Mirror has already
received celebrity endorsements from Radio 1 DJ Annie Mac, as well as 4Music presenter Arielle Free, who tweeted that the mirror was “the best thing ever invented”. Ms Corp, aged 33, grew up in Shepton Mallet and first went to Glastonbury when she was six months old, visiting at least one festival every summer since. More recently she worked as a freelance set and costume designer and says she fully understands the need for the new product. She said: “I have searched high and low for this product, because I’ve worked at so many festivals and I have experienced countless situations where I’ve seen the need for it. “Nothing exists like this on the
market. People don’t understand what it is until they see it and when they do they realise how amazing it is. “There are three settings so you can have it full length for an overview, standing up in a pyramid so you and a friend can apply make-up together, or in vanity mode so you can check your hair style from every angle. “I have plans to develop other travel accessories for people who live that kind of lifestyle – people who go to festivals, who travel, touring artists, performers, stylists and creative people – that group which we are surrounded by massively in Bristol. Hopefully this is the brand for them.” Assisted by a £9,900 loan from the SWIG Start Ups, the regional delivery
● Mark Moran with his invention
accurately measure how much fluid they are taking. Studies into its effectiveness show a 35 per cent reduction in length of stay and up to 100 per cent reductions in urinary infections, a common problem occurring as a result of dehydration. It also shows a £36 saving for every £1 spent through use of the hydrant in hospitals. John Thomson, product manager for Select Home Delivery, said: “The hydrant is a truly innovative and simple solution to a problem that many of our customers experience. “Partnering with Hydrate for Health further demonstrates Select’s commitment to putting the customer at the centre of what we do and reinforces our belief that we are continuing the care of patients when they leave hospital.”
UK-wide trial for health innovation It will be offering the hydrant free of charge with all orders for 500 new customers with spinal injuries. Mark Moran, chief executive of Hydrate for Health, said: “This is a very exciting opportunity. Select has a fantastic distribution network and the hydrant is an ideal product for patients leaving hospital and looking to settle back into home care.” Last year the firm won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise for the product, as well as the Innovator of the Year award at the Bristol Post Business Awards.
The hydrant is used in a number of hospitals nationwide and has just been given £250,000 for trials in three NHS trusts, though none yet in its home city of Bristol. The very simple device is a water bottle that clips to the bedside and means patients can drink when they want because they don’t have to reach out. The patented bottle design clips, hooks or hangs so can easily be fastened in other places too, such as on a wheelchair. And it allows the patient or carer to
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● A TELECOMMUNICATIONS business in North Somerset has reported record growth in the first third of the year. Each month has been better than the last for Pure Comms, in Clevedon, with bosses saying the firm is enjoying the “Great British revival” hailed by the Prime Minister. Managing director Rob Vivian said: “Confidence is returning to the economy. Our customers are growing and investing – things are moving. We’ve also won a clutch of new clients in the first few months of this year, which has contributed to our record start.”
Healthcare
AN award-winning healthcare business has agreed a deal that will see its product delivered to the homes of hundreds of new customers. Clifton-based Hydrate for Health has announced a partnership with Select Home Delivery Service for a UK-wide trial of its product the hydrant for patients with spinal injuries being cared for at home. Select Home Delivery Service is one the UK’s leading suppliers of prescription bladder and bowel products to people in their own homes.
Firm enjoys a record start to the year
partner of the Government-backed Start Up Loan scheme, Magic Mirror has produced an initial stock of 1,000 of the mirrors, which retail at £38. The reflective surface is made of shatterproof acrylic, made in America and cut by Bristol-based Amari Plastics, while the covers are ethically made in India and assembled at Bristol Old Vic Scenic Workshop. Ms Corp said she was grateful for the support from SWIG Start Ups, which has enabled her to launch the product in time to tap into this summer’s festival market. She said: “When the bank says no and then you find out that there’s another way to get some funding, it’s a big deal. So I’m really grateful because it saves me another three months of looking elsewhere.”
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www.bristolpost.co.uk/business
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
Bristol Post Business Awards 2014
Sponsors
Waterproof protector for casts is making waves Gavin Thompson Assistant Editor (Business) gavin.thompson@b-nm.co.uk
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FAMILY business that made its name providing the stretch in 1970s hit toy Stretch Armstrong is making a new product to help people with broken limbs. Yate-based manufacturer Precision Dippings is producing waterproof protectors called Bloccs for leg and arm plaster casts. The simple idea makes life much easier for someone in plaster, because it means they can have a bath or shower... or even swim. Director Kate Richards said the produce, which is now on shelves in Boots stores, was proving very popular with customers. She said: “We get all sorts of comments, from people relieved to be able to take a shower or bathe with confidence; to holidaying families, delighted their injured children are able to play in the pool or swim in the sea.” Precision Dippings is the family-run manufacturing business providing the waterproofing know-how behind Bloccs. Based in Yate, it makes rubber components for a worldwide customer base. Its specialist products include components used in Formula 1 cars, as well as moulded products for medical and dental firms. It was the company behind the production of the stretchy element of the 1970’s Stretch Armstrong toy. It also produces the rubber seals used by a number of manufacturers of dry suits for water sports, and has now diversified into the consumer, health products, by developing this technology into the Bloccs arm and leg protectors. The idea has seen the business become a finalist in the Bristol Post Business Awards in the Innovator the Year category. Kate said: “Doctors warn that if the padding under a plaster cast gets wet you can get nasty skin infections, so daily routines like washing or swimming become almost impossible. “Bloccs rubber waterproof protectors solve the problem really
● Bloccs director Kate Richards, who is in the running for the Bristol Post Business Awards
simply – slipping over a cast as easy as a glove or a stocking. “They fit people of all shapes, sizes and ages and are a safer alternative to taping a carrier bag to a limb, balancing on one leg in the shower or attempting to wash with only one hand. These are all things our customers tell us they had to do before finding out about us. “People continue to get in touch and tell us how pleased they are with these protectors – they are 100 per cent waterproof, so allow people who
Be there! ● The Bristol Post Business Awards is not just for the finalists, it’s a fantastic networking opportunity and a great place to entertain your clients. For tickets, go to www.bristolpost.co.uk/ businessawards
want to carry on as normal do just that.” “The comments we receive are incredible. It’s great to have produced something which really makes a difference to people’s lives. Bloccs seem to give people back the confidence and independence they felt they lost when being fitted with a plaster cast. “We are also getting back really positive feedback from hospitals and fracture clinics, with which we’re really trying to raise awareness.”
The categories ● Business of the Year Bristol, sponsored by UWE Bristol ● Young Entrepreneur of the Year ● Lifetime Achievement Award, sponsored by Punter Southall ● Retailer of the Year, sponsored by Broadmead Bristol BID ● Customer Service Award, sponsored by Broadmead Bristol BID ● Family Business of the Year,
sponsored by BOM Group ● Innovator of the Year ● Export Award, sponsored by Lloyds Banking Group ● Marketing Campaign of the Year ● Large Business of the Year, sponsored by Smith & Williamson ● Best Creative/Technological Award, sponsored by Ashfords
Solicitors ● Leisure & Tourism Business of the Year, sponsored by QBE ● Small Business of the Year, sponsored by First Great Western ● Start Up Business of the Year, sponsored by Jordans ● Environmental Business Award ● Contribution to the Community Award, sponsored by Renishaw
Sponsor profile
City’s business community is full of ingenuity and drive
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UNTER Southall Group is the UK’s largest independently owned pension consultancy, incorporating actuarial, investment and administration services. Founded in 1988, we have grown into a national business, employing around 850 people through 10 regional offices across the UK. Now firmly established in Bristol, it is important for us to be seen as an integral part of the local business community, celebrating its success and encouraging the next generation of businesses. This is our second year of involvement with the Bristol Post Business Awards, an event that we are delighted to support.
At Punter Southall, we work with businesses of all sizes and in all sectors; from those at the cutting edge of technology to more traditional industries; from large plcs to small businesses. We also have a large number of clients in the charity and not-for-profit sector, including many organisations involved in social housing. Our role primarily involves us
helping our clients to design, implement and manage pension arrangements for their employees. It ranges from helping employers fulfil their new legal obligations under the ‘auto enrolment’ regime to administering and managing risk under legacy ‘final salary’ pension schemes. We work with the trustees of occupational pension schemes, as well as with employers that provide such arrangements. As we all know, Bristol is a great place to live, work and do business, and this is why Punter Southall has been so keen to develop a significant presence here. From reading all the submissions for the various awards, we are greatly
impressed by the ingenuity and drive of the Bristol business community. However, this entrepreneurial spirit can only thrive in the right surroundings. In sponsoring the Lifetime Achievement award, Punter Southall seeks to recognise an individual who, over time, has made a made a significant contribution towards the success of our city. We are sure that this year’s recipient will be seen to embody the vision and commitment that has underpinned Bristol’s success. We send our very best wishes to all those taking part in these Awards and look forward to a great evening.
Chris Mapp, pictured, head of Punter Southall Bristol office
www.bristolpost.co.uk/business
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
7
The Big Interview
NURTURING THE NEXT GENERATION The worlds of business and education have never been closer, thanks to the approach of people such as Professor Jane Harrington, who has led the UWE Business School to become a partner for industry, including as title sponsor of the Bristol Post Business Awards. She talks to Rupert Janisch
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RISTOL’S two universities are both massive institutions, each home to tens of thousands of students and many hundreds of staff. However their contribution to the city’s business community often goes unrecognised, probably due to a lack of understanding about the way the two sides interact. At the University of the West of England (UWE) the Faculty of Business and Law, based at its Frenchay campus, forms a quarter of the institution and is itself split into the Bristol Business School and the Bristol Law School. Between them, the two schools produce nearly 3,000 graduates per year. Across the university, over 94 per cent of graduates are successful in finding jobs, with around 70 per cent of them staying in the South West and the majority remaining in Bristol. Standing at the helm is Professor Jane Harrington, Pro Vice-Chancellor of the university and Executive Dean of the faculty itself. It’s fair to say that Professor Harrington knows her way around UWE.
Vital statistics Name: Jane Harrington Age: 47 Home: Lives in Southville with her partner and teenage daughter Education: Completed her PhD on women’s involvement in trade unions in USDAW (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) and BIFU (Banking, Insurance and Finance Union), during a period of trade union decline in 2001. Career: Has worked at UWE since 1991 in a wide range of roles within the business and law faculty, becoming head of the Business School in 2010.
help us co-design curriculums so that we can offer businesses graduates who are useful for them. It helps our students to get better jobs as well.” UWE is one of the nation’s largest universities, with a growing reputation reflected by a rise up the league tables – 53rd best in the country at the last count. It has an expanding international network, with UWE’s business degrees being particularly popular in universities in Vietnam and Malaysia. And the Business and Law Faculty is one focused on for extra development thanks to £200 million of upcoming capital investments to UWE’s campuses. All of this makes UWE the ideal headline sponsor for the Bristol Post’s annual business awards. Professor Harrison said: “I don’t think a business school is very meaningful if it’s not connected to the business community, but also I think there are great businesses in the South West, I
“ We do a lot of work to ensure the graduates we train are useful for employers. They don’t just have knowledge – that’s a given – but also have a set of skills Professor Jane Harrington think we should celebrate those and that stimulates other people to think about what they can do. “We clearly see part of our DNA as being embedded in the region, of working with businesses and being part of the whole growth agenda. Celebrating that, rewarding it and spotting talent in those areas is really key to what we do.” A mother to a 16-year-old, Professor Harrison is 47 and lives with her
partner in Southville. She earned the title of Professor last December but also has a Doctorate on Gender in work, which was achieved in 2000 after studying the union activities of women in South Wales whose husbands had lost their jobs after the collapse of the mining industries there. She still takes an active interest in diversity in the workplace. “Organisations actually miss out on talent if they focus their search too narrowly,” she said. “There are some great women and also some great members of black and minority ethnic groups in Bristol. But if you look at the percentage of them going into senior posts, it’s quite small. “It’s partly lack of role models, it’s partly perceptions and stereotypes and also that classic glass ceiling issue. But the more women that do, the more women think they can too. So it’s not just about giving women role models, but confidence as well.”
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She started working there as a researcher in the 1990s and on her way to her current position has held a myriad of roles at the university. She explained that long gone are the days when UWE, which came into existence in 1992, bore the tag of a former polytechnic with any sense of inferiority. After all, UWE is significantly larger than the University of Bristol and is viewed very much as a strategic growth partner by the region’s business community. “Bristol is the most influential city outside of London around professional and financial and legal services, so obviously we have grown with that as
it has developed,” she said. “We call ourselves a partnership university in the region because we work really closely with businesses and business organisations like the CBI, the IoD, the LEP and the councils. “We are very active with the SME sector, among work with a huge range of businesses. Because we’re a large university we work with all the key growth sectors in this region – creative industries with our visual media hub in the Watershed, across the engineering sectors like robotics and electronics, a lot of work on the environment and sustainability, then social sciences and health training midwives and other services, plus business and law. “We’ve always been a regional university with close regional connections and I think that existed when we were a polytechnic. But I think that over the last 20 years we have more international reach and we’ve tried to deepen those connections.” So how does UWE actually interact with the city and regional business community? Well on the one hand there are regular events, schemes to get the two sides talking to each other, giving students beneficial knowledge, experience and contacts in the business community which can help them when they graduate. It’s also a hub for academic research which is then put into business practice by companies all over the region. And there are also regular liaisons with business leaders which effectively make the university like a giant training and recruitment service for our city’s companies. Professor Harrington said: “We do a lot of work to ensure the graduates we train are useful for employers. So we work to make sure the graduates who come out of here don’t just have knowledge – that’s a given – but also have a set of skills. “Professional bodies and businesses would say that they want work-ready graduates who know about entrepreneurial skills, team working and communication. It’s about how we get students to a point at which they have those skills to help companies grow. “All students have access to a one year placement, or we work with employers to offer shorter internships. “The most important thing for students is to get a wide range of experience. Just standing by a photocopier probably isn’t going to teach them anything. “Part of the role we have is also to work with employers to make sure that the graduates have the skills which these companies will need in the future. So we work with them to
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Wednesday, June 18, 2014
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Special report: Green business
THE FUTURE’S GREEN AND NOW’S With Big Green Week under way and European Green Capital on the horizon, Gavin Thompson looks at what it means to be green for the city’s businesses
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RISTOL is a city of contradictions. It is the European Green Capital in 2015, a hard-won accolade of which it is rightly proud. The city is home to successful green businesses in industries such as recycling and renewables. It’s a leader in technology and research, meaning many of the solutions that lead to smarter, greener cities will likely originate here. Our city council invested in a hydrogen-powered ferry, for example. Yet the number one complaint from businesses is congestion. The city is home to one of the two biggest aeroplane manufacturers in the world in Airbus, which employs 4,000 people at Filton. And in a shed in Avonmouth, we’re making the Bloodhound, a car that will travel 1,000mph powered by a jet engine. Hardly the greenest of innovations. But it is down to Bristol to solve this conundrum, according to Kris Donaldson, above, who has been brought in as director of European Green Capital because of his experience as chief executive of Liverpool’s successful tenure as European City of Culture. He said 75 per cent of the population of Europe lived in cities. So it was these urban centres, such as Bristol, that would have to drive the green agenda for change. Kris said much of that drive would come from the business community. “The reaction to European Green Capital has been fantastic,” he said. “People realise this is a moment in time for the city and for the UK. We are the first European Green Capital in this country.” He said Bristol was embracing the green capital concept as being about a healthier and happier city, with smarter and better living. “Businesses understand this more than most,” he said, “because they relate to what happens with their consumers and consumers want better lives and a better quality of life. That means things like different ways of getting to work, the importance of green spaces and healthier food.” He said one of the biggest opportunities was helping people under-
stand how technology could change their behaviour. “When you look at solving congestion, it’s not all about infrastructure but, for example, looking at work patterns and tools,” he said. Jeremy Richards, head of Bristol office at commercial property firm JLL, said infrastructure would need to play a part in that change but he was pleased improvements were being made, highlighting investment in the railways through electrification of the mainline to London and the MetroWest plans for more suburban services and stations. He said corporations were engaging in the green agenda and the upturn in the economy had helped amplify that shift. “Corporations put green at the forefront of their campaigns for clients and staff,” he said. That will become more and more important as a driver for change. The generations of employees coming through are increasingly more environmentally aware. It’s a part of their education, thanks to institutions such as UWE Bristol. Professor James Longhurst, UWE assistant vice chancellor (environment and sustainability), said: “We send thousands of graduates out into the world every year, and whether they understand and are prepared to tackle the big issues is our real legacy. We are embedding sustainability as an aspect of our teaching in all subjects.” Nina Skubala, initiative manager at Business West and vice chair of Bristol Green Capital 2015, said if companies wanted to do more, Big Green Week was an opportunity for them to find out how. She said: “Today, customers, business partners and potential staff look favourably on firms that are environmentally responsible. A reputation for taking the right approach can be a key competitive differentiator for businesses. Big Green Week is an opportunity for companies to shout about their achievements. “There are many businesses in Bristol enjoying the benefits of going green but we would encourage many more to use Big Green Week as an opportunity to consider the environmental impact of their activities.”
‘We’re always looking for the next opportunity’ ● THE team behind the Better Food Company is always looking for the next opportunity. After starting life as a veg box delivery service, it really took off when it opened as a good food supermarket in St Werburgh’s in 2002. Since then it has opened a store in Whiteladies Road and employs 45 staff, many of them part-time. Often the sustainable agenda is seen as something of a white middle class preoccupation, but not at the Better Food Company. Marketing manager Lucy Gatward, pictured, said the St Werbergh’s market was a destination shop that people
Many local companies are already pushing the boundaries. Rebecca Pritchard, left, head of business banking at ethical bank Triodos – which chose Bristol for its UK headquarters because it shares the city’s sustainable vision – said Bristol was “well placed” on environmental issues. She put this down partly to successive administrations of the city council showing leadership in this area and partly to communities and businesses themselves. “There’s a very strong professional
Case study travelled to, but that they also had lots of customers from the neighbourhood who know the value of cooking from scratch. She said: “It’s a very diverse cultural area and we are almost a local supermarket for many people here.” The business has diversified in the tough economic climate of recent years. “We have had to not put all our eggs in one basket,” said Lucy. “We have grown our health and body care department, for example.” Mirroring what has been seen in the supermarket sector, Lucy
advisory community here,” she said, highlighting renewable consults Garrard Hassan, which is Bristol-based but has offices all over the world, and the legal sector where firms such as Burges Salmon, Clarke Willmott and Osborne Clarke have leading expertise in advising green industries. She said: “Professional services make up such a big part of Bristol’s economy so the fact that green industries is a growing sector is helping these businesses to prosper.” Another local business doing its bit
said premium and budget ranges were in demand, but the squeeze was in the middle range products. “People want value, although that doesn’t always mean cheap,” said Lucy. “It depends what value means to them. People are happy to pay for meat they know hasn’t been pumped full of chemicals. But they also want to buy 12 tins of beans at 53p each.” The business is involved in a number of community projects too. “We are part of an organic movement towards sustainable farming and living,” said Lucy. “We are always looking for the next opportunity, but it’s not always a business opportunity.”
is print and mailing specialist CFH Docmail. Following a two-year research project with UWE, the firm is looking at ways to reduce waste, energy use and the overall environmental impact of its 110,000 sq ft Radstock plant. It has already cut energy use by 23 per cent. Managing director Dave Broadway said: “Some of the changes are very obvious – such as our switch to using electric vehicles to deliver mail to the local postal depots, switching to LED lighting, and buying our electricity
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Wednesday, June 18, 2014
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Expert eye Jeremy Richards
THE TIME TO GET INVOLVED Leading the way in tidal power schemes
● From left, Peter Coppock, mechanical systems manager, Edward Richards, structural design manager, Felix Francis, electrical systems manager, and Matthew Reed, engineering director, with a model of the SeaGen S 1.2MW Picture: Barbara Evripidou BRBE20140616B-3 tidal turbine at Marine Current Turbines - A Siemens Business Current Turbines, with a team of over 60 people employed at Bristol and Bath Science Park and the assembly and test facility in St Philip’s, Bristol, Siemens is focusing its global tidal business in Bristol.” He said it was important to invest in new technology now, not wait
until other forms of energy run low. “At the moment, tidal energy technology development is where wind was 15 years ago,” he said. “Like wind, as the technology becomes more proven, and economies of scale more achievable, the future cost of tidal
Thinking about being greener? Try these Big Green Week events... ● Business West and the Shumacher Institute are holding an event today at Leigh Court, Abbots Leigh, from 1pm-5pm, exploring how thinking about the future can help improve business today. Attendees will discover how they can improve their resilience and stimulate innovation. ● Businesses We Want - the Role of Business in a Changing World, 10am-noon, tomorrow at the
from a sustainable source.” But he said other less obvious changes had had a big impact too, such as replacing inefficient air compressors, installing a gas optimisation controller and energy measuring equipment, and implementing a staff cycle-to-work scheme. Perhaps the firm’s biggest strides have been in the introduction of its Velopost service, which delivers 20,000 pieces of mail by bicycle in Bristol and Bath. Innovation of this kind will help
We’re stepping up to the green challenge
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Case study ● FROM its offices at the Bristol and Bath Science Park, one company is leading the field in tidal power generation. Marine Current Turbines, which employs 60 people from its Emerson’s Green base, has been developing its expertise in the field since the early 1990s. Its projects include the Skerries Tidal Array, the world’s first of its kind off the coast of Anglesey. In future it plans to build larger arrays. It has the muscle to scale up after Seimens acquired a majority stake in 2012 as a way into the marine energy market. MCT chief executive Sven Stoye said the world needed new ways to deliver electricity from low carbon sources to meet rapidly rising demand, and this could be good for Bristol’s economy. “New technology means new jobs and skills too and opportunities for other businesses and industries,” he said. “Bristol is key to the Siemens tidal energy strategy through Marine
head of JLL’s Bristol office www.jll.co.uk
Arnolfini. Free drop in surgery for those in business who dream of becoming the leaders the world is waiting for, from the Heart of Leadership programme. ● Living City: Anatomy of Green Capital exhibition exploring what is needed to make a happy, healthy city, every day at The Architecture Centre. ● Regen South West drop-in surgeries about overcoming
Bristol square the circle of living up to being Europe’s Green Capital. The title will bring opportunities to show what we can do. For example the RBS Innovation Gateway, where the bank is offering SMEs the chance to test their energy efficiency and other green ideas on its portfolio of 2,500 buildings nationwide. The scheme was launched with an event at Bordeaux Quay in Bristol’s Harbourside yesterday (see page 4). Andrew Garrard, above right, of Garrard Hassan, is chairman of the
barriers to energy efficiency and renewables. 2pm-5pm, Thursday, at the Arnolfini. ● That Nature of Business: Redesigning for Resilience, Thursday, 5.30pm-6pm, Arnolfini. ● Reflective Walking for Leaders, meet at Bordeaux Quay, 7.30am, Friday. A taster of city business walks with a walk and talk exploring wellbeing at work, leadership and stress intervention.
Bristol Green Capital 2015 board. He said innovation from business would drive the green agenda. “If you look at what Airbus is doing,” he said, “they are trying to make their machines more and more economical. “Fundamentally, the green thing to do would be to stop people flying but they are not going to do that. So if people are going to fly, then let’s fly in a more efficient way.” He said research from such industries benefited others too. At the Na-
energy will decrease to a level comparable with the targeted cost of wind energy. “In time, a diverse, yet sustainable, mix of energy sources (wind, fossil, tidal, solar, wave) will result in a secure and reliable power generation supply.” tional Composite Centre in Emersons Green the aerospace industry is sharing technology with the renewables sector, for example. And he revealed hopes to stage a clean technology expo as a centre piece of Bristol Green Capital next year, to showcase the best new ideas the city has to offer. “We want to get together the clean technology industry in Bristol as a platform for local industry and for innovation,” he said. So yes Bristol has its contradictions. But for business, being green is about doing what you do better and in a more sustainable way. Airbus’ latest planes still burn tonnes of fuel, but 15 per cent less than the older ones did. It has been said that being environmentally aware gives firms an edge. This may no longer be the case. Increasingly it is simply expected and not to be green would be a barrier to success. It’s not easy being green. It’s essential.
HE number of people living in cities across the world is increasing by more than the population of the UK each year and by 2030, it is predicted that 60 per cent of us will live in an urban environment. So, it is not surprising that there exists a keen focus on urban regeneration and resilience. Bristol’s award as European Green Capital in 2015 comes at an important time when the government and major corporates are increasingly focused on the sustainability agenda. In Bristol’s office market, we have been involved in some market-leading schemes for several years. Opened in 2010, the Environment Agency’s Horizon House, was, at the time, the UK’s greenest building. Now, major corporates are making the running with PwC creating the greenest refurbished building at Embankment in London. The drive to act sustainably comes from above in the form of government, but increasingly from below, with staff now being keener than ever to be associated with an environmentally-responsible employer. Here in Bristol, Skanska’s new scheme at 66 Queen Square which we are helping to deliver in time for Bristol’s European Green Capital year, is aiming to be Bristol’s greenest speculative building. But the challenge in the coming years is not new buildings, which represent just two per cent of our built environment, but the 98 per cent of existing office stock, much of which is obsolete and in need of refurbishment. Government legislation is due to render the occupation of many buildings illegal in 2018 if they do not comply with minimum standards. So, the pressure is on to improve many of our buildings’ energy performance. Our work for Scottish Widows on 1 Redcliffe Street, the major tower block in central Bristol, is a good example of what can be achieved. Built 50 years ago, it is currently being refurbished to meet the challenges of the next property cycle and attract major tenants. We all need to step up to the challenge, and for our part, our ‘Building for Tomorrow’ programme aims to help the property industry, clients’ staff and communities succeed long into the future.
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www.bristolpost.co.uk/business
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
OUT AND ABOUT WITH BRISTOL’S South West Institute of Directors Entrepreneur Awards at Paintworks
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RISTOL business leaders took home a clutch of awards at the 2014 South West Director Awards, celebrating the best of business in the
region. Nick Sturge, co-founder of enterprise hub The Engine Shed at Temple Meads, which houses the SETsquared innovation centre, won the Public Sector Director title. Julia Clarke, chief executive of Bristol Community Health, was highly commended in this category. Henry Williams, managing director of Morgan and Lotus car dealer Williams Automobiles in Chipping Sodbury, was named Family Business Director while Steve Clark, chairman of Budget Pack Environmental, in Aztec West, took the Corporate Responsibility Award. Griff Holland and Ed Brown, founders of Bristol-based healthy fast food restaurant chain Friska Food, were highly commended in the Corporate Responsibility category. They were also shortlisted for the Young Director title. Winners now go forward for a chance to be a national award winner, judged against all the other regional finalists. Nick is director of the Science Research Foundation, owned by the University of Bristol and the organisation behind both the Engine
● Richard Ayre, IoD SW regional chair with, from left, Henry Williams, managing director of Morgan and Lotus car dealer Williams Automobiles, winner of Family Business award; Steve Clark, chairman, Budget Pack Environmental, winner of the Corporate Responsibility Award; and Nick Sturge, Science Research Foundation and co founder of The Engine Shed, winner of the Public Sector Director of the Year Award; Pictures: Clint Randall www.pixelprphotography.co.uk Shed enterprise hub at Temple Meads and the business incubator SETsquared. Between them they support more than 60 hi-tech, high-growth businesses. Henry Williams has reversed the fortunes of his 103-year-old family
motor firm from ceasing to trade to a highly profitable, globally recognised business. His vision was to become a national ‘destination’ dealership rather than just a local franchised operation. Steve Clark, Budget Pack Envir-
onmental’s chairman, set up the business in 2003 when he couldn’t find a flexible, customer-focused compliance scheme to represent his customers’ best interests for recycling under UK packaging regulations. Griff and Ed opened their first
Friska branch in Victoria Street in 2009 and now operate from four sites around Bristol employing more than 40 people and focused on serving fresh, interesting, responsiblysourced food in a friendly and hospitable environment, both sit down and take away. IoD South West chairman Richard Ayre said: “The judges were impressed by the drive, leadership and clear strategic approach shown by all our winners, highly commended and shortlisted entrants. “Nick deals with complex funding streams and multiple shareholders to make his operation work successfully. Steve demonstrated a highly innovative dashboard approach to providing guidance in his sector, which was a clear USP, and he has ambitious growth plans. ‘Henry has successfully reinvented and turned around the fortunes of a 100-plus-year-old family car dealership and his focus on customer brand experience and green credentials sets this business apart from and ahead of the competition.” Director of the Year was awarded to Chris Smith, managing director of Marshfield Bakery in Bath while Young Director of the Year was awarded to recruitment specialist Helen Lacey who founded Red Berry Recruitment and who first won the title in 2012.
Creative Bristol and Bath launch at Bordeaux Quay
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HE mayor of Bristol has set the creative industries an ambitious target to grow 20 per cent year on year until 2020. George Ferguson pledged to help develop the industries during a spirited keynote speech at the Creative Bristol and Bath event. The event was part of a nationwide tour to celebrate Creative Britain and was co-hosted by the IPA and Creative Skillset, in local partnership with West of England Local Enterprise Partnership, Bristol Media and Creative England. It was organised in acknowledgment of the strength of Bristol’s creative industries which are growing faster than the rest of the UK, at 11 per cent, and account for 8.6 per cent of the city’s business units and 16,000 jobs at firms including BBC Bristol, Aardman Animations, Bristol Games Hub; UWE Creative Industries University; Toshiba and IBM; Bray Leino, McCann Bristol, Mason Zimbler. Mr Ferguson said: “What’s not to like about the creative industries in Bristol? You are our future. You deliver commercially and culturally. You’re environmentally friendly and a powerhouse economically.” He urged the sector to ask him for help. “Feed me more stories for me to better represent you nationally and internationally,” he said. “Tell me about the blockages in the system; let me help you sort those out so you can focus on the day job. “Be ambitious. You are already punching above your weight. Why shouldn’t we go for 20% year-on-year growth by 2020?” A panel of creative industry heads including Andy Reid, IPA city head for Bristol and managing director McCann Bristol; Tomas Rawlings, Auroch Digital; Dan Martin, BusinessZone.co.uk; Greg Ingham, MediaClash and Laura Marshall of Icon Films, debated the ways in which the city’s creative industries could continue to flourish. SEE COLUMN, PAGE 12
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
BUSINESS COMMUNITY
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Business diary
Business West Chairman’s Summer Reception at Leigh Court
CBI: The Annual Bolland Lecture: John Cridland CBE, Director General, CBI, gives the Annual Bolland Lecture 2014, today at UWE Exhibition and Conference Centre.
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What’s Your Digital Strategy? Institute of Directors and 02 host a seminar on how businesses are using digital with speakers including Ho Wade, head of direct sales at 02. Today from 7.30am to 10am at the Engine Shed.
HE sun shone brightly on Leigh Court mansion and conference centre, as Business West played host to over 100 key influential businesses from Bristol and further afield. The evening was an impressive gathering of decision makers and influencers – the most senior people who shape our region. Mayor George Ferguson and Avon & Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner, Sue
Somerset in Business Showcase: Businesses from all over Somerset, and beyond, will be at The Winter Gardens, Weston-super-Mare,for the fourth annual showcase from 11am to 4pm today. Outset Bristol Start Up Loan workshop: How to apply for a Start Up Loan and use it to help grow your business. Thursday, June 19, 2-5pm at Royal Oak House, Prince St, Bristol. Register at www.outset bristol.co.uk or call 0800 032 2903.
GALLERIES GALORE
FOR MORE PICTURES Check out our website at bristolpost.co.uk/business
● From left, Stephen Robertson, chairman Business West; Councillor Felicity Baker, North Somerset Council; Sue Pics: Jon Craig Mount Stevens, Avon & Somerset Police & Crime Commissioner; Steve Le Fevre, BBC Radio Bristol Mountstevens mingled with, amongst others, the leaders and chief officers of local authorities, LEP chairs and chief executives, university vice chancellors and a host of corporate directors and self-made entrepreneurs. Stephen Robertson, chairman of
Business West said: “Business is all about making connections and having dialogue. “Business West is a unique organisation, connecting our business community with the pillars of civic society – education, health, political
leaders, media and beyond. Our members are an impressive mix of organisations, all of whom have a common interest in the success of our region. “There was a great buzz about the place; a sense of thinking big, think-
ing differently with ambition for our region. The wealth of animated discussions throughout the evening reinforced without a doubt that this gathering of peers are the key people who give this region its winning character.”
A masterclass in leadership from the Masai people: Chris Howe explores the wisdom of leadership from the Masai people and its relevance to business in the West. Bristol Leadership Programme. The Clifton Pavilion, Bristol Zoo, 6pm, Friday, June 20. To book visit www.formstack.com/ forms/uwe-masterclass_in_ masai_leadership Blue Orchid South Bristol Networking breakfast event: Learn how to network effectively, talk to Blue Orchid advisors about support available for start ups. From 7am at the Knowle West Media Centre, Leinster Avenue, June 25 www.blueorchid.co.uk
● Philip Fawkner-Corbett, Stride Treglown Tektus, and Stephen Robertson, chairman of Business West
● Sarah Pullen, managing director of Bristol News and Media, and John Hirst, Destination Bristol
● Prof Jane Harrington, pro vice-chancellor UWE, and Malachy McReynolds, We Care & Repair
A fishy way to find profits? Breakfast seminar, hosted by ActionCOACH Rob Carter identifies five key areas to pinpoint profitable growth. Fishers, Clifton, £5 per person. 7.30am-10am on June 25. Book at http://fiveprovenways .eventbrite.co.uk The Practice Management Conference: A Veale Wasbrough Vizards event for managers of GP practices with speakers and workshops and a motivational session with Monty Halls. From 9am to 5pm, At-Bristol, Harbourside, on June 25.
● James Durie, executive director of Bristol Chamber of Commerce & Initiative and Nicholas Stubbs, Stubbs Rich LLP
● Gonzallo Trujillo, Heron Capital Partners and Paulina Gillespie, Heart FM
● Sue Turner, director of communications, The Bristol Port Company and Malachy McReynolds, chief executive, We Care & Repair
The Bristol Post Business Awards: A celebration of all that’s great about Bristol business run by the Bristol Post. From 7pm on Wednesday, June 25, at the Passenger Shed, Temple Meads. Book tickets online at www.bristolpost.co.uk/ businessawards Preview of Tastetech’s new installation at Explore@Bristol: How taste encapsulation works, with founder Janis Sinton, Wednesday, June 25,6-8.30pm. Call 0117 3707785 or visit www.iod.com/swestevents
● Simon Pullen, Southgate Shopping Centre, Bath, Nick Higgins, Bristol Zoo, and Liz Mihell, John Lewis Partnership
● Ned Cussen of Jones Lang LaSalle, Bristol mayor George Ferguson and Bonnie Dean, of the Bristol & Bath Science Park
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● Jaya Chakrabarti, Nameless Media Group and Richard Morris, treasurer, Society of Merchant Venturers
Email your business events to gavin.thompson@b-nm.co.uk. Events are sometimes cancelled without us being notified so please check with organisers before travelling.
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Wednesday, June 18, 2014
The back page
Your digest of the week in business
People ● GROWING confidence in the business sector is shining through in a variety of ways at the moment. The BDO Employment index, which predicts businesses’ hiring intentions over the next three months, jumped to 107.7 in May, according to Bristol-based BDO which has just published the figures. That’s up from 105.6 the previous month. The new figure is not far off the peak in the 22 year history of the survey, 108.9 from February 2007. Graham Randall, head of BDO’s Bristol office, says the report shows business confidence is being converted into action. But he warns: “A gap between supply and demand for skilled workers is developing, which could take the momentum out of the recovery.” ● Speaking of hiring, business advisers Deloitte has welcomed technology consultant director John Griffiths, below right, to its South West team. A UWE graduate, John has over 15 years of consulting experience at PA Consulting Group and prior to that Oxford International. His role will be focussing on the private sector particularly with consumer goods, retail and life science companies. ● Another business and financial adviser, Grant Thornton, has made a senior promotions in its Bristol office. Alex Walling, right, is now associate director in the public sector assurance practice, which delivers external audit services to NHS bodies and local authorities. Alex joined the firm from the Audit Commission, where she worked for more than 20 years. John Golding, partner and head of public sector assurance in the South West, says: “As the market leader in assurance and advisory services to local government and NHS organisations in the region, we continue to strengthen our team and to promote the brightest and best talent.”
Awards ● An online retailer is celebrating
In numbers Inflation (CPI)
1.8 2.5 1.6 0.5 3.99
Inflation (RPI)
Weekly earnings
Base interest rate ● GVA staff Rebecca Collins, Jon Nicholls, Victoria Lane and Martina Spencer after having picked up two national business awards in the space of just over two weeks. Elberton-based Home Leisure Direct, a leading retailer of luxury games-room products, won at two separate national awards run for UK online businesses. The firm, which specialises in pool tables, jukeboxes and pinball machines, has followed being named online business of the year by the Federation of Small Businesses with a triumph in the best website category at the annual ECMOD Direct Commerce awards. It was up against the likes of John Lewis and Boden. Co-founder Andy Beresford says: “We have worked incredibly hard, along with our amazing web development team at bluebox, to create a website which is not only the best in our market but we feel is one of the best in e-commerce.”
Places ● All the offices in one of Bristol’s landmark office buildings are now fully let. Nick King, director of Bristol-based property asset managers Urbina, says the firm has
taken a “very proactive approach” combining improving the 5,000 sq ft property in the city centre’s Fairfax Street, with competitive rents and lease terms. “As a result we now have a full house,” he said. Immediate Media, the building’s largest occupier, has expanded to take the rest of the newly refurbished second floor. Jonathan Lipfriend of joint letting agents, Colliers International, adds: “It is great to see the building full once again as it shows real evidence of the much-awaited recovery taking its effect.” ● Further evidence of the improving economy is recorded by commercial property firm Hartnell Taylor Cook. In its update for the financial year, the firm reports “general optimism has been translated into the property sector with increased demand, increased capital flows and bigger appetite from both private investors and overseas investors”. The firm’s own turnover was up 11 per cent as the business shifted greater focus onto consultancy rather than relying purely on agency transactions. ● Meanwhile, construction recruitment agency Sphere
Solutions, which has an office in Bristol, reported a 55 per cent jump in turnover to £17 million. Co-founder and director James Hughes says the firm has seen a “consistent uplift” in the number of temporary and permanent vacancies over the last year, driven by “growth in most sectors of the construction industry”. He adds: “With new residential and commercial construction projects continuing to gather momentum in the UK, we are experiencing a sustained increase in construction vacancies across all our regions including the West, which is very encouraging.” ● The feel-good factor has clearly gone to the head of staff at another commercial property firm, judging by our main photo, however. A team from GVA has entered the Rainbow Run on Durdham Down on June 21. Victoria Oliver from GVA said: “We can’t wait to take part in such a fun event that raises valuable funds for Children’s Hospice South West. The Hospice carries out such amazing work, and there’s huge excitement in the office to support the charity in this way.” In which case, we’ll forgive the fashion choices.
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Andy Reid Managing director McCann Bristol and IPA City Head for Bristol
a mix of creative talent, from gaming to advertising, documentary making to animation, and urban art to music, it is perhaps our variety that is our biggest stumbling block. That common thread, which binds all these activities together, clearly articulated and dramatically communicated to the world at large, is our chance to operate on a global stage like any world-class city with a genuine character of its own. Of course, as an advertising person, that lure of drilling down to a single minded proposition feels like it sits well and truly at our quarter of the
creative industries map. But that would be a mistake. One thing that the evening made clear was the very nature of Bristolian creativity – independent, rebellious and with more than a pinch of anti-establishmentism. That is the source of what makes us different, and an attempt to package it up into a neat little branded bundle should be approached with caution. But that is not to say it can’t be done. The truth is rag-tag individuals have banded together under a loose ‘brand’ with phenomenal success over the years. Austin, Texas, home to the renowned SXSW is a prime example, and one Bristol is more than capable of matching in terms of talent, personality and energy. And there are more examples closer to home; Hay-on-Wye, Cheltenham Literature Festival and Glas-
tonbury are all proud success stories. But how did they do it? It wasn’t through a top-down managed brand experience. They were started with passion and allowed to grow and form in their own ways. And that’s because they had an authentic character of their own and a handful of passionate ‘doers’ to get the ball rolling. This puts Bristol in a very good place. So the truth is, we don’t have to do a lot to change perceptions of Bristol’s creative industries – it’s already there. We just have be more vocal with our pride, get creative with how we bang our drum and work together for the good of the region. And that has a very Bristolian theme. One even Winston would be proud of. The IPA is a membership body for businesses in the advertising industry.
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The op-ed column
HE IPA’s nationwide tour kicked off in Bristol earlier last week, and it was quickly apparent that it was the perfect city to choose. With more than 200 creative industry representatives from Bristol and Bath, the enthusiasm and passion were palpable. I was proud to be invited on to the panel, in its attempt to answer how we promote our inarguable collective strengths. Anyone living or working in the region will be unsurprised by the inspiring mix of creativity and energy at the Bordeaux Quay venue. But the evening was really centered around how to let the rest of the world know. Winston Churchill once famously sent back a pudding at a restaurant for having “no theme”. And with such
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