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TAKING AIM
COOL FOR CATS
ELECTION FOCUS
Growing pensions firm prepares for market flotation – page 3
Bristol firm’s purr-fect app for your Apple Watch – page 5
What the rival parties are offering Bristol business – p8&9
bristolpost.co.uk
www.
29 APR
2015
BIG INTERVIEW
HIDDEN BENEFITS Meet one of the leading figures behind the financial business that touches the lives of many Bristolians – not just the 1,400 it employs: pages 6&7
A greener Bristol is a greater west. EPB-E01-S3
#GreaterWest
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Pulse survey
Chance to quiz city mayor on business topics ● BUSINESS leaders will get the chance to quiz Bristol Mayor George Ferguson next month on issues highlighted in the Business Pulse survey. The Bristol Post and the Bristol office of accountants and business advisers BDO are showcasing results from the first two Business Pulse surveys, a joint initiative launched last year between the two organisations. The Business Pulse is different from other surveys. Rather than looking at whether businesses are growing, hiring staff and building order books, it identifies the opportunities available as well as the challenges they face and the obstacles to their growth. George Ferguson, pictured, will respond to questions submitted by attendees on the survey topics covered to date - Doing Business in Bristol, Access to Finance, Export, Sustainability and Apprenticeships. Limited spaces are still available for business leaders to attend the event. To register your interest by visit https://www.surveymonkey. com/s/ XHFFP9H. When registering interest, there is an option to submit a question for the Mayor for consideration. Attendees will also be invited to take part in the next survey, which covers Employee Engagement and Recruitment, Technology and Innovation and Outsourcing.
Networking
Event brings buyers and sellers together
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● BOOSTING Bristol’s small businesses, shortening supply chains, saving money and improving corporate social responsibility are some of the aims of an upcoming Meet the Buyer event. Buyers can find it time consuming to sort through the myriad of local suppliers to find out which one might be able to offer them a better deal. In the same way, smaller businesses, often with innovative products and services, can find it difficult to make effective approaches to larger buyers. The event, organised by Bristol City Council, the Federation of Small Businesses and Bristol Pound, aims to help buyers find out what products and services are available locally. Buyers will be able to pre-select sellers they would like to meet on the day. Mayor George Ferguson said: “The city’s businesses are vitally important in helping to ensure Bristol’s continued prosperity, as well as contributing to our identity as a breeding ground for innovation and enterprise.” Meet the Buyer takes place on Thursday, June 18 at Regus, Temple Quay, Bristol. To register interest in being a buyer, email declan.murphy @bristol.gov.uk by tomorrow.
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
Manufacturing
● Mike Adams CEO HiETA technologies, left, and Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking relationship manager Will Kite
Warm welcome Bank loan enables heating parts creator to expand Oh}pu \ovtwzvu
Assistant Editor (Business) gavin.thompson@b-nm.co.uk
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MANUFACTURER which 3D prints heat management components is increasing its workforce by a third and investing in new technology. HiETA Technologies was founded by Mike Adams and Drummond Hislop in 2011 to make high-performance heat exchangers and other lightweight engine components. The company has since built on its founders’ experience of managing engineering companies to grow dramatically, and is expected to achieve a turnover of £1.8 million by the end of
2015. Based at Bristol and Bath Science Park, the firm has now invested in new technology and personnel to expand its design capabilities, providing it with the increased capacity needed to meet a sustained increase in customer orders. The company also works closely with Exeter, Bristol and Bath Universities, providing employment and internship opportunities for students and graduates interested in working in the sector. Mike Adams, director at HiETA, said: “Over the past four years our business has grown significantly as the benefits of 3D printing became more well-known. “We now work for a range of high-profile clients and are looking to start exporting our products and ser-
vices abroad in the near future. “As well as creating and producing heat exchangers and complex lightweight components, we also offer a bespoke design service where we work with companies to see if additive technology can increase the efficiency of their products. “Being based at Bristol and Bath Science Park is also a huge benefit. When we started the company, the site provided us with a permanent base with easy access to professional advice. Now we’re an established firm, the park gives us the opportunity to grow our business as part of a well-known science community.” The investment is possible thanks to a five-figure loan from Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking through the Funding for Lending Scheme.
Mike said the bank had been an “essential part” of the expansion process. “Having a specialist relationship manager who fully understands the complex issues manufacturing firms face is invaluable, and they were always on hand to provide guidance and support,” he said. Will Kite, manufacturing relationship manager for the bank, said he had been impressed by HiETA’s high-profile client base and track record of success in a developing technology. He added: “We’re dedicated to supporting businesses like HiETA, and have pledged to lend an additional £4 billion to manufacturing firms by the end of 2017, making it easier for firms across the UK to access the funding needed to prosper.”
Manufacturing
Screen protector firm seals deal with WHSmith SCREEN protection business Tuffscreen has just signed a deal with WHSmith to protect more than 1,200 in-store tablets. Tuffscreen creates purpose-designed industrial strength screen protectors, which are both impact and scratch proof. The product is custom-made for each device and case, so in its latest deal WHSmith was able to specify a design precisely to the case that they had invested in. The retail giant introduced HP Elitepad tablets across all of its high street stores during 2014. The aim was to make staff more efficient and able to work on the move, freeing up managers and staff from fixed PC terminals and improving service through the ability to spend more time on the sales floor.
● A protector; right, Tristan Fowler As with any big investment in kit, especially those involving portable electronic devices in a busy environment, WHSmith had concerns over the potential for damage and the associated costs, not to mention the impact of device down-time and lost productivity. But they struggled to find a good
solution until they met Tuffscreen. WHSmith operations director Steve Wood said: “We have been very impressed with the innovative product and unique performance of Tuffscreen screen protectors. “Their ability to deliver a bespoke item on time and on budget for such an important project, made them an obvious choice. “The solution is very cost effective, massively reducing damage rates for a fraction of the cost of repair or replacement. “The investment in Tuffscreen has been very worthwhile, we were even so impressed with the product we’ve used them on our company mobile
phones as well.” Tuffscreen director Tristan Fowler said: “It was absolutely fantastic to be asked to provide our product to WHSmith and to support them in the new deployment of tablet computers into their store environment. “Our product is a proven way of helping to eliminate damage to the screens of all electronic devices in all walks of business and industry, and we are extremely proud to have been selected in this instance.” Tristan, 33, a former Bristol Grammar School pupil, founded the business based in Southmead Road in 2011 and secured investment funding to grow in 2013.
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Wednesday, April 29, 2015
Finance
Aiming high Ambitious pensions provider prepares for flotation Oh}pu \ovtwzvu
Assistant Editor (Business) gavin.thompson@b-nm.co.uk
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FAST growing Bristol business has announced plans to float on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM), which is run by the London Stock Exchange. Pensions firm Curtis Banks was formed in 2009 and has grown since both through winning more customers and buying other pension books from rivals. It is now the third largest dedicated provider of self-invested personal pension plans (SIPPs) in the UK. The business expects to raise £7.5 million through the issue of new equity in the index which would give it a market value of approximately £85 million.
“ The market for SIPPs is growing rapidly and we anticipate that there will be increasing opportunities to develop new products and services. That’s a big slice of capital for a company with an expected turnover of around £10 million this year. And it is likely to use it to fund further expansion through acquisitions. Managing director Rupert Curtis said: “Curtis Banks is an ambitious company. “We have been successful in building the business to one of the biggest operators in the full SIPP market, however we believe that Curtis Banks has significant further potential. “We can strengthen our growth plans by raising further capital and admitting our shares to AIM.
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Caterers bag hat-trick of contract wins ● A HAT-TRICK of contract wins has secured a healthy future for a family-owned catering business. McBaile Exclusive Catering and Events has won three contracts in addition to the status of preferred caterer with swanky venue Huntsham Court. As a result, the firm is now looking for more staff. Directors have spent the last few months tendering for long-term business, with the six-figure contracts just being awarded. Agreements have been reached with Kingscote Barn in Tetbury, Lower Mill Estate in Gloucestershire and Walton Castle in Somerset. Lower Mill Estate is an award-winning community of sustainable holiday homes, based in the Cotswolds. McBaile has been engaged to offer private dining to discerning guests, as well as to run the on-site restaurant, Ballihoo, which opens in July this year. Caroline Coxon, McBaile business development director, added; “Months of work has gone into securing these relationships. We are over the moon that we have won such prestigious contracts from this diverse range of clients. It has been a team effort and we are looking forward to dishing up our menus to people who will be visiting these venues.” McBaile, based in Yate, employs more than 30 office, catering and service staff.
Aviation
Superjumbo marks 10 years of flying ● Rupert Curtis, managing director of pensions firm Curtis Banks “The market for SIPPs is growing rapidly and we anticipate that there will be increasing opportunities to develop new products and services, as well as further acquisition opportunities as regulatory changes come into force next year.” The firm, based in Temple Quay, has bought five client books from rivals and plans to continue this growth strategy. It sees the recent changes in the pensions market, giving people freedom to choose how they spend their pension pot, as a great opportunity that will see the 1.2 million SIPPs in
the UK grow significantly. The company’s main market is the higher end where people have pension pots of £500,000 or above. Along with greater freedom the new regulations provide, those customers want greater service and the firm believes it is well positioned to capitalise on demand for “high quality” SIPP administration services from customers. It also thinks it will be able to acquire more businesses and be a consolidator as the market starts to settle. With more than 26,000 existing
SIPP clients, bosses believe they have a strong platform to grow further and broaden its product offering. Curtis Banks, which employs more than 200 people with more than half based at its Bristol head office, recently entered the Large Business of the Year category in the Bristol Post Business Awards. It will be up against another big player in the SIPPs market, Hargreaves Lansdown. Trading in the Curtis Banks shares on AIM is expected to start on Thursday, May 7.
You must make the most of your business exit Know how Iukyl~ Npzoly
Executive director Alanbrookes Ltd 01934 863386 AndrewFisher@ Alanbrookes.co.uk www.alanbrookes.co.uk
an investment, not a lifestyle option. Profiling would-be buyers and adapting yourself accordingly will certainly make a difference as to whether you manage to sell your business; it may also be a key driver in increasing the value of your business many times over.
There are ways to manage a staged transition and payment terms, but history is littered with examples of people falling out after the deal. Get some rock-solid advice as to how to protect your interests (especially your intellectual property rights) during any earn-out period and always have a plan B. Only some businesses will be large enough to attract private equity, but if you are in this fortunate position, the buyers will usually be looking for a business that has a defendable market position, with sustainable earnings, and is scalable, with identifiable growth opportunities. Management and employee buyouts have been around a long time; but using the co-operative structure to facilitate employee buyouts is a more unusual and exciting route. Co-ops offer financial and operation-
al advantages, are statistically more resilient to economic uncertainty, and operate in an exceptionally benign tax environment. In addition to entrepreneurs’ relief on capital gains and business property relief on the transfer of a qualifying enterprise, co-ops can also be used to hand down a business to the next generation within an overall ‘family office’-type structure. Finally, you can follow the route of 18 per cent of privately owned businesses and simply close the doors and cash in what’s left, but get advice about how to take advantage of the rules surrounding capital distributions. You don’t want to be taxed on the resultant cash as if it were income. Now for a warning – your business may be worth less than you or rose-tinted spectacle-wearing busi-
● TEN years ago this week the first A380 double-decker superjumbo took to the skies. It is the biggest attraction for passengers since Concorde. At a list price of $428 million (£282m) it has taken a little longer to take off financially, but manufacturer Airbus, which employs 4,000 people at Filton, says it will break even this year. Airbus chief operation officer, customers, John Leahy, said: “There are 13 airlines flying the A380. We have sold over 300 aircraft and about half have been delivered. “Every four minutes an A380 is landing or taking off somewhere in the world.”
ness brokers think. None of the above exits will give you optimum value if the business is wholly dependent on you – it needs to be systemised so that your successors can run it every bit as well as you. Read Michael Gerber’s E-Myth and all will be clear. Running your business is one thing, but designing an enterprise which is an attractive investment is where the real wealth is generated. Whenever you get a chance, work on, not in, your business, making sure that you and your advisers, especially those with experience of running their own businesses, focus on making relentless incremental improvements, thereby increasing the capital value of your enterprise. The effect on value can be tracked on a regular and scientific basis if your accountant has the requisite valuation software. You only get to exit your business once – make the most of it, if only for your family’s sake.
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NE day, by whatever means, you will exit your business. Preferably you will still be alive and in control when this happens. The most common strategies are: ● Trade sale ● Private equity ● Management or employee buyout ● Transfer or sale to the next generation ● Voluntary liquidation. Trade sales can include customers, direct competitors, or organisations within your industry wishing to expand their product or service range. No one is going to pay you for your business if you make it cheaper and easier for them to poach your employees, steal your customers, or copy your ideas. Creating great value means that you need to ensure your business is
Food
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Property
We can benefit from capital’s market boom ● BRISTOL could reap the benefits of London’s booming property market while investment in the region grows strongly. Philip Morton, pictured, the head of office agency and development at the Bristol office of CBRE, believes cities such as Bristol could feel the benefits as London prices drive out occupiers and investors. He said: “Bristol is ideally placed to benefit from the booming property market in central London. Prices have shot up in the capital in the last 18 months and many of the major employers are starting to vote with their feet and are actively seeking cheaper alternatives. “Bristol is already one of the most popular cities in the country from a lifestyle perspective, has successful universities and its close proximity to London and Heathrow Airport makes it a great prospect for companies looking to relocate for a cheaper alternative to the capital.” Meanwhile South West commercial property investment transactions almost doubled to close to £500 million during the first quarter of 2015 compared to the same period in 2014, according to Colliers International estimates. Colliers cited UK institutional investment as a key contributor with half of all transactions (£250 million), but property companies weighed in significantly (£133 million) suggesting development and re-development has played an important role. The South West it is likely to top last year’s £2 billion transaction volume and possibly approach the £2.5 billion peak reached in 2005. Colliers director of research and forecasting, Dr Walter Boettcher, said: “The ‘Severn’ Powerhouse, like the Northern Powerhouse, may be set to come into its own as institutions and other investors begin to look for development and infrastructure investment opportunities outside London and the South East.”
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
Construction
● Andy Cockett will head up the new office at One Temple Quay supported by associate director Sophie White
Planning consultancy eyes major growth as Bristol office opened Oh}pu \ovtwzvu
Assistant Editor (Business) gavin.thompson@b-nm.co.uk
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AST-GROWING planning, design and economics consultancy Nathaniel Lichfield & Partners (NLP) has opened a new office in Bristol. Planning director Andy Cockett, who has worked in the planning profession for 18 years, will head up the new office at One Temple Quay supported by associate director Sophie White. Both already have experience of working in Bristol and the South West. James Fennell, managing director of NLP, said: “The South West is set to
be a major growth area over the coming years, and we are in the business of helping to deliver that growth for housebuilders and commercial clients.” NLP has been involved in major schemes across the area including the redevelopment of Ashton Gate Stadium, the regeneration of Carlyon Bay and is working on proposals to expand Bristol Harbourside and Cribbs Causeway. NLP is also working for a range of housebuilders and has secured numerous planning permissions in recent years across a range of complex sites. Andy said: “We have been, and are currently, involved in major development projects and expect to see lots of activity in the housing, infrastruc-
ture, education, retail and commercial sectors across Bristol and the South West in the coming months and years. “These are exciting times for the region, and for NLP, and we can see the potential for significant growth particularly in the housing sector with major challenges to accommodate the region’s future development needs including green belt reviews. “NLP is renowned for its innovation, quality and expertise – common ingredients for what makes the South West region a success. “Whilst we have been able to deliver a high quality service in the South West from our Cardiff office for over 10 years, the time is now right to expand and grow a permanent base in Bristol.
“This will allow us to establish a greater presence across the whole of the region, develop our important existing key client relationships and provide a more in-depth proposition for clients.” Andy added: “We have a first rate research and economics team and look forward to informing the debate across the area for both the public and private sectors.” NLP, which is headquartered in London, and has eight offices across the UK, has seen turnover rise from £13m to over £16m in two years. In January this year it opened a new Thames Valley office in Reading and established its first Scottish presence earlier this month. The official opening of this Edinburgh office is in May.
Opinion
Politicians must wake up to benefits of cycling investment
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N the constant noise surrounding the build up to the general election and amid angry debates on the economy, the NHS, social care and benefits it is easy for cycling to be overlooked. Despite this the various transport representatives for the three major parties engaged in a lively debate in March to discuss their standpoint on cycling and the role it has to play in the future of transport in the UK. During the aptly named Big Cycling Debate Conservatives, Labour and the Lib Dems put forward their policies on cycling in the UK and the commitments of their party. And yet, of the big three, only the
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CEO of Velopost and Director of Legal Affairs and Company Secretary CFH Docmail Ltd
Lib Dems committed to the £10 per head spend needed to kick start mass cycling in the UK and barely any of the parties gave cycling more than a cursory mention in their manifestos. And maybe in their eyes cycling isn’t a big enough issue to even think about, but at a time when all areas of society are struggling under the continuous cuts, when the NHS is struggling to cope with increasing demand
and shrinking funds, when climate change is reaching an irreversible point and when the UK is subject to legal action from Europe for failing to meet emission targets in 16 of its 43 air pollution zones cycling could have a greater impact than any of them imagine. At present only 2 per cent of all trips in the UK are done by bicycle and yet British cycling has estimated that just increasing the levels of cycling in the UK to 10 per cent of all trips could save the NHS alone as much as £250 million per year by reducing the annual burden of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. And increasing cycling to this level shouldn’t be too difficult.
In fact Cycling England, as part of its cycling cities campaign, increased cycling across six cities by 3.4 per cent over the space of three years with an investment of just £8.70 per head per year and they found that for every £1 invested in cycling there was a £2.59 return on investment in decreased mortality alone. On top of this transport accounts for roughly 23 per cent of energy related CO2 emissions. As little as a threefold increase in cycling in Europe could reduce annual European CO2 emissions by as much as 38.8 million Tons. Not only would this help countries to meet their commitments to reducing CO2 and preventing irrevers-
ible climate change but it would also improve the air quality in the towns and cities of Europe. Given that air pollution was a contributing factor in 28,000 deaths in the UK as recently as 2010 this benefits everyone. Cycling can address many of the major issues facing society today with a comparatively small investment that not only pays for itself but even saves huge amounts of money for the tax payer and improves our health, our happiness and the cities that we live in. It’s time for politicians to wake up to the benefits that cycling can offer and to commit to real and meaningful change.
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Wednesday, April 29, 2015
Health
Technology will keep centre users on track ● A LEISURE centre operator has introduced technology at its eight sites to help encourage people to become healthier. Circadian Trust, the not-for-profit organisation based in Bradley Stoke, has introduced technology that will allow all members and visitors to track their activity using their existing fitness key, whether it’s in the gym, swimming or taking a group class. They can then upload the information to the Technogym mywellness cloud. Not only can they record activity completed within the centre walls, the free mywellness app for members can also collate activity undertaken outside the centres – for example, walking, running or playing team sports – as well as diet and nutritional data. Trust head of health and fitness, Dave Smele, said: “There are loads of apps out there that people are using to keep track of their healthy lifestyles, but they are having to check numerous platforms to keep track of what they are doing. “The mywellness app that we have introduced allows people to store all this information in one place, making it even easier to record progress and achievements. “The app integrates with other fitness, diet and nutrition apps, meaning the mywellness cloud can be the home for all the personal data one person might need. Although the technology is state-of-the-art, it’s also really easy to use – in fact, when people use the gym equipment at any of our Active Centres, their activity information, including distances covered, weights lifted and calories burned, will automatically be uploaded to the cloud ready for them to access.”
Technology
Finance
Business rate savings ‘could still be made’
● One of the first apps for the Apple Watch has been created by a Bristol firm – it lets you share pictures of cats
Apple Watch Cats prefer Whiskr, by city developer Oh}pu \ovtwzvu
Assistant Editor (Business) gavin.thompson@b-nm.co.uk
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BRISTOL developer has created one of the first apps for the Apple Watch... which lets you share pictures of cats. App-maker Calvium wanted to be at the front of the pack when it comes to the latest must have device, which went on sale to customers who had pre-ordered last week. The Whiskr app lets people upload pictures of cats and share them. It was designed for fun but really it’s about the Harbourside-based team getting to grips with the new device and showcasing what can be done. Aimed at cat lovers and developers,
it shows can the watch can use location by allowing people to find cat pictures taken near them. Whether it’s a cute kitten, your own precious pet or a mystery stray on the walk to work, people can upload a photo to Flickr with the hashtag #cat and it will automatically show up on a map of the local area in the Whiskr app.
The watch will also display a list of the closest 100 cat photos to the wearer’s location. Pressing an item on the list brings up the photo or a long tap loads up the context menu where users can find more information about the picture, such as who owns it, or see its location on a map. Calvium creative director Jo Reid said: “Not only is Whiskr a great app to illustrate the potential of location as a feature on the Apple Watch, it’s a genuinely fun app that everybody can get on board with.” The app was accepted into the Apple App Store in the first round of those created for the Watch globally. Calvium has entered the Creative & Technological Business and Small Business categories in the Bristol Post's Business Awards, in association with UWE.
Pitch to Rich competition
Contest has given my idea headstart, says Carl AN entrepreneur who won a national pitching competition says his idea has started to find its rhythm since the success. Carl Thomas won the People’s Choice prize in last year’s Pitch To Rich competition run by Virgin Media Business. His idea for a pair of smart headphones that connect to music platforms such as Spotify via the mobile network won support. Carl said: “It was a very valuable
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mechanism to go through, even though we weren’t as far along with our business as some other people.” Since then Carl, from Stoke Gifford, Bristol, has been building his business, Audiowings, which now has a team of six people. They have been developing and building prototypes and testing the concept
with focus groups. “It’s given us a lot more understanding how people use the headphones,” he said. The contest raised his profile through media coverage and meant more people signed up to the product website, providing information to help the team develop it. And he made contacts at
EE through the competition which has helped around regulation and compliance issues on mobile networks. This year’s Pitch to Rich competition offers winners prizes including marketing support, mentoring and cash. Hopefuls can register their interest online at www.pitchtorich.co.uk. Finalists will pitch to Virgin founder Sir Richard Branson and a team of judges at the end of June.
● THE deadline for serving business rating appeals against the 2010 ratings has now passed, but all may not be lost, according to one expert. The Government previously announced that any firms appealing after April 1 this year would not be able to back-date their appeal to when the valuations were carried out in 2010. Andrew Flower, pictured, senior surveyor in DTZ’s national rating team, based in Bristol, said: “The Government would basically admit on the one hand that you had been overcharged, but would be keeping five years’ worth of your refund, leaving just two years’ benefit up until March 31, 2017. “This deadline has now passed, so any owners and occupiers who have not already lodged appeals look likely to miss out on the majority of any savings that may be achieved. “This does not, of course, mean that appeals should not now be served – if the rateable value is excessive, it is important for a business to address this in order to reduce their costs as much as possible. “There could still be savings made for the next two years. “In some instances, even though the deadline for serving appeals has passed, it may still be possible for surveyors to obtain savings going back to April 1, 2010. All is therefore not lost, and ratepayers can still reduce their ongoing occupational costs and plan for the future.”
Technology
NGD invests £8m in latest data expansion ● THE owners of Europe’s largest data centre have invested £8 million in five new data halls after winning several big contracts. NGD’s giant data centre campus, between Bristol and Newport, was opened five years ago and so far the company has invested £25 million in creating the 750,000 sq ft world-class facility. The latest expansion has taken about 100 contractors on site to build and fit out the new self-contained halls. The additional capacity will allow a further 500 computer server racks to be accommodated for helping store and process the billions of bytes of data generated by accelerating global demand for cloud, web, big data and other data intensive activities.
The Bristol MBA
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Find out more Taster session 29 April, UWE, Frenchay Campus, Bristol www.uwe.ac.uk/bristolmba
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Wednesday, April 29, 2015
The Big Interview
GOING THE EXTRA MILE TO KEEP W If you’re thinking of a progressive employer with flexible working, coffee shop and gym in an office praised for its architecture with bike sheds and beehives in the grounds, you might expect some funky fast growing tech firm. Julian Foster tells Gavin Thompson how a financial administration company in South Bristol might just change your mind.
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F you rent in Bristol, there’s a good chance that Julian Foster’s company is looking after some of your money. If you own shares, use childcare vouchers or bought a bike through an employer scheme you probably did it through them. You’ve probably never heard of Computershare. But the business touches the lives of many Bristolians, not just the 1,400 who work from the company’s offices in South Bristol. Julian Foster, managing director of the company’s business services arm,
Vital statistics Name: Julian Foster Title: Managing director of Computershare Business Services, which includes deposit protection scheme, employee benefits, childcare vouchers Education: A failed student. I got to the end of my A levels and wasn’t thinking academically, I didn’t enjoy it. A university education is a fantastic thing but it wasn’t right for me at the time. I was happy to work hard in a job I just struggled to have the same commitment to my studies. First job: Started as Saturday boy at Next when George Davis had just taken over the business. I wanted to start earning so joined the management programme and went on to run branches. Career: Later joined Halifax and become commercial director of share plan business which was later acquired by Computershare.
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admits they are not the best known big local employer. “We’re a financial administrative and business services provider, it doesn’t trip off the tongue,” he says. “We run a number of businesses. If you are renting a property then your landlord has to protect your deposit. It’s likely they’ll use a custodial scheme, we run the only such scheme in England and Wales so we may well protect your deposit. We look after one million deposits. “Likewise if you are a working
parent, we are the largest childcare voucher provider in the UK and issue £300 million of vouchers each year for 16,000 employers. “The origins of our business is share registry, we’ve been doing that for nearly 40 years. If you own shares in a company we might look after their registry. “We are the largest provider of employee share schemes in the UK. “We might hold your shares or savings.” The figures speak for themselves. In Bristol Computershare protects deposits for 32,128 properties, through 362 letting agents and 6,416 private landlords. In addition, 220 businesses in the Bristol area use its childcare voucher scheme. “But a lot of what we deliver will be in your company’s brand not ours,” says Julian. That carries a weight of responsibility and requires a great deal of trust from customers. “It does,” agrees Julian. “We are responsible for the brands of our customers because we do things in their name and we are aware of that which is why have to invest in our service. “We are in a competitive environment in all of our businesses. “We have different tactics in dif-
My working day Work pattern: I don’t have a set pattern because I work in multiple businesses so I could be in London for the day or in Bristol or somewhere else for a meeting. I don’t go to an office 9-5, my role takes my anywhere in the country I need to be. It’s nice for a sense of variety. One of joys of looking after businesses like vouchers is we deliver our services to businesses around the country.
ferent environments but ultimately our approach is to invest in delivery. “We invest about 10 per cent of revenues in technology, that’s been the strategy for many years. We have complex but robust engines driving these products that we deliver. “Nationally confidence is up but productivity is lower as many companies avoided redundancies but instead didn’t invest in other areas of the business. We believe in investing in our business. We have created jobs throughout the recession across the business, now employ 1,400 people here, up from 1,000.” Being in the employee benefits business, Computershare is keen to set an example. One scheme it is particularly proud of is its cycle to work programme. “We have a big cycling community
in our office in South Bristol,” says Julian. “164 people cycle to work every day. We have invested £67,000 in a new covered bike shed, and Bristol City Council’s Local Sustainable Transport Fund provided an additional £20,000.” The company also provides a bus service, used by 11 per cent of employees to get to work, and a successful car share scheme used by one in ten staff has been running for 15 years. The business is proud of its place in South Bristol, although would be happy to see more investment in local infrastructure. “There has been talk of a link road to better connect to major road network which would reduce impact on people living here,” Julian says. “That would be a good thing. We are
“ Nationally confidence is up but productivity is lower as many companies avoided redundancies but instead didn’t invest in other areas of the business. We believe in investing in our business. We have created jobs throughout the recession and now employ 1,400 people, up from 1,000.” Julian Foster in South Bristol so would like investment here. It’s not for me to tell politicians what to do but clearly we would advocate more support to reduce congestion in the area. We as a business have to play our part too, though.” The firm’s office was recently listed by English Heritage as a fine example of post-war architecture. The office, known as The Pavilions, was formerly home to the Central Electricity Generating Board and was
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Wednesday, April 29, 2015
WORKERS HAPPY My downtime Downtime: Family. My wife and little boy. We both work full time so weekend time is Gabriel time. He loves animals so we go and see as many animals as we can. He’s curious and robust so indoors don’t suit him. His nursery is a forest school nursery so for at least a couple of hours a day he’s outside in all weathers, climbing trees or whatever. I think that’s fantastic. It means he sleeps well on a Friday night then we can enjoy family time at the weekends. I enjoy cooking for the family. I’ll have a go at anything. If we go out to a nice restaurant I’ll think I’ll have a go at that. Hero: Valentino Rossi. I’m passionate about motorbike racing and my wife and I share those passions (her father was a professional racer). TV: I don’t get huge amount of time but I enjoy theatre and cinema. If I do watch TV probably a crime/thriller. We’re watching The Following at the moment but we’re a season behind.
Bristol Post Business Awards
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Tough job ahead for judges with more than 100 entries MORE than 100 entries will be competing for the prizes at this year’s Bristol Post Business Awards. The awards, held in association with UWE Bristol, saw entries up more than 20 per cent on last year to 109. And this year there are a number of heavyweights including FTSE 100 listed Hargreaves Lansdown, Computershare (see left) and Bristol’s fastest growing company Ovo Energy among the nominees. Bristol Post assistant editor Gavin Thompson said: “I’m delighted to see so many great Bristol businesses putting themselves forward for the awards this year. “It’s fantastic to see some of the big, high-profile employers entering and the Large Business category looks like a strong one this year. “I’m equally thrilled that the most popular category is the Young Entrepreneur as this reflects the dynamic nature of both Bristol’s
business community and the readership of this publication.” The judges will be reviewing the entries over the coming weeks before the finalists are announced later in May. In the meantime tickets for the night are now available for sale. The black tie dinner is not just for the finalists but is the highlight of the city’s business calendar and is a great networking opportunity as well as a good way to reward your team. The event at the Passenger Shed, Temple Meads, on June 25 will be compered by ITV West Country presenter Ian Axton, a rising star in the broadcast news world and staple of the local regional news evening bulletin. Gavin added: “The Bristol Post Business Awards will be a fantastic evening, I hope we see you there.” To buy tickets, go to www.bristolpost.co.uk/businessawards.
Sponsor profile ● Julian Foster of Computershare, which employs more than 1,000 people in Bristol. The firm’s offices, the Pavilions, have been listed by English Heritage as a fine example of post-war architecture Pic: Jon Kent BRJK201504 02A-012
But fundamentally we have to demonstrate to people that we are good place to work and have a competitive package of pension, employee benefits and flexible working. If you are a working mum and you think ‘how am I going to get to South Bristol to work there’, we have a free bus service to bring our staff here. We can make your hours fit around your childcare needs. “Not only is it an interesting job where you will be challenged, it’s a friendly company. I was surprised that a company which when I joined had 15,000 employees globally could still have a family feel but it does.” They offer prospects. The CEO believes 95 per cent of vacancies should be filled internally, for example. “One of our operations directors started as a 16 year old and our group CEO started working for a business we later acquired when he was 16,” says Julian. “We do give people opportunities. We acquire businesses quite regularly which creates opportunities too.” You might not have heard of Computershare before today, but its 1,400 Bristol employees are there in the background, cheerily performing tasks that might be supporting you next time you rent a property, buy shares or use childcare vouchers.
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Area director SME Banking Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking
ON A daily basis, my team has the privilege of experiencing the achievements of small businesses in Bristol and the drive of owner-managers determined to succeed. Whether it be increasing turnover, taking on new staff, expanding premises or exporting to new markets, companies in our area are committed to pushing limits and seizing growth opportunities. The Bristol Post Business Awards provide firms in the city with the chance to showcase their triumphs and Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking will continue its strong association with the awards by supporting the Small Business of the Year category, celebrating the successes of small firms across the city. The past 12 months have seen an incredible amount of progress, from the innovators at the Bristol and Bath Science Park creating new technologies, to the sheer number of independent restaurants and retailers starting up in the city centre, Clifton and beyond. Advances have also been made on the jobs front, with employment in the South West
rising at the fastest rate since January 2014 – a clear indicator that companies are embracing expansion opportunities. But in order to sustain growth in our region, it’s important that firms have access to the right support – both in terms of finance and guidance. For expanding businesses, quick access to finance is essential in order to seize growth opportunities as soon as they arise. We have increased the amount our senior managers can lend to customers without central approval to £1 million in order to make the lending process more efficient. As part of our SME Charter we have also pledged to grow lending to small businesses by £1billion by the end of 2017. Speaking to companies around the city, it’s obvious that many rely on external business advisors who can act as sounding boards for ideas or help to deal with issues. As part of the national mentoring scheme, Lloyds can offer businesses the chance to partner with a member of the bank who can offer guidance and share their experiences. Given such a positive environment for the Bristol business community, the awards look set to be the best yet. We wish everyone nominated the best of luck and look forward to celebrating with them on June 25.
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built in the mid 1970s to echo the style of architect Frank Lloyd Wright, a leading light in the Arts and Crafts movement from the turn of the century. Computershare owns the building and has looked after it, seeing the listing as something to be proud of rather than a planning restriction to begrudge. “We’ve invested a lot in making this a great place to work and in reducing the carbon footprint,” says Julian. “We’ve worked hard and invested a lot of money to give our people a good place to work but we don’t just stop at the building. We’ve got allotments and beehives making use of the space around it.” There’s also a gym, Starbucks and regular visits from traders. A green grocer was selling a range of fruit and veg in the foyer on the day of this interview. This environment is not just altruistic, the business wants motivated and happy workers who will in turn preach its virtues to others. Recruitment is becoming competitive in Bristol right now. “We look to work with schools and colleges locally and we advertise where we can. We do the things you would expect to recruit,” says Julian.
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Wednesday, April 29, 2015
General Election focus |
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What the rival parties are offering to win businesses’ votes in Bristol As the general election looms, James Lancaster from strategic communications consultancy JBP, which specialises in parliamentary affairs, assesses how the parties’ policies play with business
The Green Party wants to heal the planet and an unstable, unsustainable economy and create a more equal society. It pledges to:
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OU might have noticed that since the election campaign the leaders of every party have taken any opportunity to make a policy announcement at a factory, offices, tech start-up or anywhere that is considered a business area. This perhaps gives you an understanding of just how important the support of the business community is to the political community in an election campaign. The Conservative Party campaign has one overarching key message and it is very simple, the UK economy is growing. Since the start of Cameron’s premiership in 2010 the UK has witnessed economic growth and unemployment has fallen. A Conservative government has promised to cut corporation tax by one per cent, scrap national insurance for the first ten employees of start-up for two years and scrap the tax altogether for anyone under the age of 21. Using their new buzzword “help to” the Conservatives would also introduce a “help to grow” scheme which will provide £1bn to firms that are looking to expand, invest and take on new employees. There is most certainly support for the Conservative Party from within the business community and they were buoyed by a letter to the Daily Telegraph from 100 business leaders stating that Labour threatened Britain’s recovery and the Conservative Party are the only party to be trusted with Britain’s economy. It is one of the first times that the business community has come out in full force to back a single party. Labour responded to this with an open letter from “working people” who condemned the last five years and felt that the recovery had only been felt by the few and not the many in society – this has been an integral part of Miliband’s messaging since taking office in 2010. These two letters signify the direction the two major parties have taken during this election campaign and the two likely horizons for business post-May 7. A Labour government would see an increase in the level of corporation tax but keep it at the most competitive rate out of any G7 economies. It is most likely that this would see an increase of 4-6 per cent in the level of tax paid by big businesses. Miliband has pledged that the money raised will be used to cut and freeze taxes for small businesses. Bristol, like much of the UK, isn’t in a two horse race and it is important
Some key
● Invest in an £85 billion public programme of renewable electricity generation, flood defences and building insulation
● Labour leader Ed Miliband speaks at the National Composites Centre in Emersons Green; below, Conservative leader David Cameron during a visit to Bristol and Bath Science Park
to look at the remaining parties who could play a key role in shaping the next UK Government. The Liberal Democrats have stressed that more work needs to be done to improve equal pay in business and that without them there will be a callous Conservative economic agenda and an ill thought out one from Labour. It is apparent that there is acceptance amongst the ranks within the Lib Dems that coalition-style Governments are here to stay and that the proposals set out in their manifesto will be bargaining chips for any future administration that they are part of. Lib Dems have also promised to introduce a Regulation Policy Committee to work at removing the level of regulation within the sector. We also need to welcome the new kids on the block because this election is going to have two other parties competing who could have a serious impact on some of the results in England. These are the Green Party and UKIP, who might not make any significant gains in Westminster but could split the vote in constituencies and make substantial gains at local council level. The Green Party sit to the left of Labour and have called for radical reforms to the business sector. They are calling for a greater representation on the boards of all businesses, so that employees can have a greater say in how the organisation
that they work for is run. It is clear that improving employee rights is high on their agenda as they would increase the minimum wage to £10 per hour by 2020 and ban blacklisting by businesses that refuse to employ trade union members. Business and growth has often been a thorn in the side of the Green Party, with critics arguing that they lack any concise business policies. UKIP faces a similar battle with its stance on Europe concerning the ma-
“ The future of Britain’s’ relationship with Europe is a major concern to business. jority of the business community. There have been some question marks about the level of economic depth of both the Green Party and UKIP’s plans for business. UKIP, especially, have been seen to be laying out populist policy plans that are more in alignment with the left than their centre-right ideological base. These include plans to “enforce the minimum wage” and their announcement that they would introduce a legally binding code of conduct stipulating that businesses with 50
people or more must give their staff on zero-hour contracts a full or part-time secure contract after one year. The election is now a week away and it is clear that the Conservative Party is the party with the most support from the business community. However, Labour’s messaging surrounding the NHS, welfare, changing business culture and improving employee rights appears to be breaking through. Miliband now looks the most likely to head to Downing Street, in some type of coalition, and the Conservatives are still waiting for that killer blow. Two of the novice parties in this election, UKIP and Greens, appear to not have this level of support and are yet to mature into parties that businesses can trust. The future of Britain’s’ relationship with Europe is a major concern to business. Labour and the Liberal Democrats are united in their commitment not to offer a referendum and both back Britain’s continued membership. Whilst Cameron’s commitment to have a referendum by 2017 is seen as a way of opening the democratic debate, where he will likely champion the case to remain in the EU and, I suspect, 100 business leaders will be sending a new letter demanding that Britain stays in Europe. Farage and Europe, I think enough has been said.
● Raise the minimum wage to £10 an hour by 2020 and make the highest wage in any organisation no more than 10 times the lowest ● Bring rail back into public ownership ● Abandon GDP and the pursuit of growth as a measure of success ● Use taxation and regulation to ensure that products and packaging are designed with a view to what happens to them when they stop being useful ● Require all new homes to be built to the “Passivhaus standard” for energy and support communal heating systems where possible ● Provide £4.5 billion over the Parliament to support research and development into less energy-intensive industrial processes ● Ban fracking, invest £35 billion in renewable energy and give Green Investment Bank full borrowing powers ● Phase out nuclear power stations within 10 years ● Stop new building on flood plains ● Scrap Help to Buy, remove buy-to-let tax incentives and break up big builder “cartels” but reduce VAT on housing renovation to five per cent ● Introducing five-year fixed tenancy agreements and control private rents ● Phase in 35-hour working week ● Cut employers’ NI to eight per cent to help small firms increase wages. ● Raise corporation tax for large firms to 30 per cent.
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Wednesday, April 29, 2015
policies for business from the party manifestos The Lib Dems say we need a strong economy to create jobs and opportunities for all. They want an economy that is “strong, green and fair”. They pledge to: ● Double innovation spend in our economy, making the UK a world leader in advanced manufacturing, clean technology and digital industries ● Grow a competitive banking sector, support alternative finance providers and improve access to finance for businesses ● Expand the Green Investment Bank and set a legally binding decarbonisation target to green our electricity ● Expansion of advanced apprenticeships backed by new sector-led national colleges ● Support Regional Growth Fund ● Devolve more economic decision making to local areas, transferring power over transport, housing, infrastructure funding and skills training ● Create one-stop shop for SMEs to access government support ● Open up public procurement to SMEs and voluntary sector ● Implement rules to separate retail and investment banking ● Expand the British Business Bank to get more equity capital to growing firms and more long-term capital for medium-sized businesses ● Continue Banking Levy and introduce a supplementary corporation tax charge on banking sector for a limited time ● Make SMEs the priority for any business tax cuts ● Long-term aim to replace business rates with a land value tax and ensure this is considered in current business rates review ● Increase the proportion of tax revenue raised by green taxes
Labour’s plan is to build firmer economic foundations for creating wealth, rewarding hard work and competing in the world. It pledges to:
● No rise in VAT or National Insurance
UKIP’s economic policy aims to “restore incentives for workers by cutting taxes and ending the open door” arrangement for European labour which has driven down wages”. It pledges:
● Improve transport connections in the South West, including M5, A358, A30 and A303
● 20 per cent business rates relief for firms with total rateable value of its properties below £50,000
● Establish a British Investment Bank and support a regional banking network to boost lending to SMEs
● Devolve powers and budgets on economic development, transport and social care to large cities which have elected mayors
● HMRC given powers to investigate and fine firms over late payments to small businesses
● Raise the minimum wage to more than £8 an hour by October 2019
● Pilot allowing local councils to retain 100 per cent of growth in business rates
● Those working regular hours for 12 weeks on a zero hours contract will be entitled to a regular contract
● A major review of business rates by the end of 2015 to deliver reform from 2017
● Cut then freeze business rates for small business properties, paid for by reversing the recent one per cent cut in corporation tax. Small businesses will come first for tax cuts
● Guarantee every school leaver who gets the grade an apprenticeship. Every large firm getting a major government contract will be required to offer apprenticeships ● Employers get more control over apprenticeship funding ● Freeze energy bills until 2017 and create a new energy watchdog ● More public control over public transport. Freeze rail prices next year and give city regions more control over bus fares and routes ● Not increase VAT or National Insurance ● Ensure at least 200,000 new homes a year are built by 2020, with first priority for local first time buyers ● Double paternity leave from two to four weeks and increase paternity pay by more than £100 a week ● Guarantee three-year tenancies for people renting with a ceiling on rent rises
● Encourage free trade as full member of reformed EU and keep the UK open to migrant workers who play vital role in business
● Devolve power to regions, handing over £30 billion of resources to city and county regions
● Expand Shared Parental Leave with a ‘use it or lose it’ month for fathers, and introduce a right to paid leave for carers
● Introduce a Small Business Administration to coordinate work across government to benefit smaller businesses
● Require companies with more than 250 employees to publish details of the different pay levels of men and women.
● Set up a National Infrastructure Commission to stop long-term decisions being kicked into the long grass.
● Build 300,000 homes a year.
● Deliver three million more apprenticeships and abolish employers’ national insurance on apprentices under 25 ● Keep employment allowance, which frees businesses from first £2,000 of employers’ NICs ● Treble Start-up Loans programme to lend to 75,000 entrepreneurs in next Parliament ● Raise target for SME share of procurement from central government to a third ● Establish Small Business Conciliation service to mediate in disputes eg, late payment ● Require firms with more than 250 employees to publish difference between average pay of male and female employees ● Invest £6.9 billion in UK’s research infrastructure up to 2021. Target resources at ‘eight great technologies’ including robotics and nanotechnology ● A referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU ● Continue with tax reliefs for film, television, and creative industries ● Extend the Help to Buy equity loan scheme and introduce Help to Buy ISA for first-time buyers saving for a deposit ● Extend right to buy your home to Housing Association tenants ● Build 200,000 new starter homes over five years sold at 20 per cent below market value ● Create brown field fund to unlock housing on brown field sites and make councils create register of available land.
● Pilot scheme to give SMEs access to trade credit finance part-backed by Government ● Scrap VAT on some goods, such as sanitary products ● Push councils to offer at least 30 minutes fee parking in town centres, high streets shopping parades to boost trade
SMEs
Call for next government to increase tax relief
I
NCREASING tax relief on investment should be the next government’s top priority in terms of helping SMEs, according to a new survey. Research carried out by Bristol-based recruitment firm Alexander Daniels found overwhelming support for the UK’s continued membership of the EU – with none of the survey respondents supporting outright withdrawal. Despite that view on Europe, the survey, which had more than 100 businesses respond, suggests the business “vote” is firmly behind the Conservatives ahead of the General Election. When asked which single measure would they most like to see introduced by the next government after May 7, a third highlighted increased tax relief on investment, closely followed by reform of the UK’s complex tax system and improvements to road, rail and air infrastructure. With a referendum on the UK’s
● Repeal EU directives that stifle business growth ● Charge those with empty homes for more than two years 50 per cent more on council tax ● Compile national brown-field sites register and offer grants of and stamp duty exemptions to encourage development ● Relax planning rules on converting offices and commercial buildings into homes ● Allow planning permission for large scale developments to be over turned by local referendums ● Five-year moratorium on immigration for unskilled workers ● Australian style points based system to managed skills and people coming into the country ● End road tolls once existing contracts expire ● Scrap the driver certificate of professionalised competence certificate for hauliers ● Repeal the Climate Change Act 2008, which drives up costs, undermines competitiveness and hits jobs and growth ● Support shale gas extraction, or fracking ● Withdraw subsidies for new wind & solar arrays, invest in coal ● Allow businesses to choose to employ British citizens first ● Legally binding code of conduct for use of zero hours contracts.
● Nick Pearce continuing membership of the EU potentially in the offing, the survey asked business owners for their views. It showed unanimous support for the UK continuing to remain part of the EU, but with 69 per cent supporting a re-negotiation of our terms of membership. Meanwhile some 82 per cent of firms said that their business would back the Conservatives, with nine per cent favouring Labour. Nick Pearce, director at Alexander Daniels, said: “The results of our survey are unequivocal – membership of the EU is vital to the UK’s prosperity and there is no appetite among businesses for withdrawal. “When it comes to the election, most SMEs in our survey take a dispassionate view and agree with Christine Lagarde, the head of the IMF, that the economic medicine administered over the past five years has worked, and that the Conservatives are the safest pair of hands when it comes to managing the recovery.”
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● 10-year rolling infrastructure capital investment plans
The Conservatives want to stick to their long-term economic plan. They pledge:
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Business diary Financial Planning Clinic: One-to-one advice on financial issues and questions from chartered accountant Tony James at The Hive, Weston-super-Mare. Free to pre-start businesses and those trading less than a year or £40. April 30. Book at www.northsomerseteterprise agency.co.uk.
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
In pictures Bristol Post Bristol Connected business networking event
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Assistant Editor (Business) gavin.thompson@b-nm.co.uk
The Business Case for Agile and Flexible Working: Flexibility and Agile – just buzz words or actual good business practice? Expert panel shares insights and tips. Organised by NearDesk at Colston Office Centre, Colston Avenue, 4-6pm on Thursday, April 30. Register via Eventbrite.
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The Lord Mayor’s Charity Dinner: Business leaders will enjoy a drinks reception followed by a three-course dinner, entertainment and an auction, in aid of The Lord Mayor of Bristol’s Children Appeal, on April 30. Add your name to the waiting list at https://galadinner2015. eventbrite.co.uk and email info@galadinner2015.com for sponsorship opportunities or to donate auction and raffle prizes. Eat Drink Bristol Fashion Sustainability Summit: 150 delegates will come together in the tipis in Queen Square to discuss how the food industry can strive to operate more sustainably and position the city as the UK capital of sustainable catering. Wednesday, May 6. Tickets from www.eatdrinkbristolfashion.com
● Angela Belassie – PR The Write Way, Caroline Vickery – Rebalance Resource and Tina Parkers – Nozey Parkers
Young Enterprise West of England Area Final: Thursday May 7, 3.30-8pm. Eight finalists from West of England schools battle it out to represent the area at the South West final on June 19. To attend, contact Caroline Tarbuck, caroline.tarbuck @y-e.org.uk. Bristol Jobs Fair: 25 employers looking to recruit will be at Colston Hall from 10am to 2pm on Friday May 8. Business Showcase South West: Inspirational speakers, exhibition stands, and networking opportunities all feature. The event is held at Colston Hall in Bristol on May 14 and 15, and is free for pre-booked delegates. Go to www.showcase2015.com for more information or email info@showcase2015.com. Bristol and Bath Apprenticeship Awards: An evening celebrating the best apprentices in the region, organised by the Bristol Post and Bath Chronicle in association with South Gloucestershire and Stroud College. May 20 at Bristol City Centre Marriott. Tickets at www.bristolpost.co.uk/ apprenticeship.
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Venturefest: Showcase for innovation comes to the Engine Shed and Passenger Shed at Temple Meads. June 9. More at venturefestbristolandbath.com 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.
● Antonia James and Karen Millett, both from Veale Wasbrough Vizards
● On the roof terrace at Colston Hall
● Carrie Brassley, Tree Aid
DEVICE created in Bristol to keep cyclists safe could soon be in use around the world, according to entrepreneur Jim Hutchinson. His company Fusion Processing developed the CycleEye device which can be fitted to buses to warn the driver when cyclists are in their blind spot. The device has been tested in Bristol and London and Jim told the audience at the Bristol Post Bristol Connected business networking event that he was confident about the future. “There were few of us working in the field of collision avoidance and spotted a need,” he said. “Cyclists and large vehicles don’t mix very well sharing the same space so we spotted a gap in the market for something that can reliably detect them and alert the driver. “We set out with the aim of disrupting things. We’ve been through proof of concept, prototype and pre-production stages. Now we’re at production. Low volumes at the moment but we have capability to ramp that up very quickly over the next 12 months. “We are getting enquiries from around the world.” Jim said the key to the device was that the technology could not just detect cyclists but distinguish them from other objects. Previous attempts had not been able to do that so the driver was bombarded with alerts. “The future looks good,” said Jim. “We’ve got the bus product out. We’ve a version for articulated trucks on trial now with a major retailer.” He said the current device was designed to be retrofitted to existing
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Wednesday, April 29, 2015
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BUSES COULD BE GLOBAL SUCCESS
vehicles but the long term future of the business could be in supply to bus and truck manufacturers to fit on new vehicles. Jim added: “Bristol is a great place to be a technology company. There is huge talent and resources on our doorstep. “ Earlier the 70-strong audience heard from Louise Mitchell, chief executive of Bristol Music Trust which runs the Colston Hall and works to support music across the city. She revealed that the Thank You For the Music campaign to raise ÂŁ45 million for the next phase of the hall’s transformation into a world class concert venue was on track. “We have a ÂŁ45 million target,â€? she said. “The city council pledged ÂŁ10 million. After we launched the campaign at the House of Commons, we had a visit from Chief Secretary to the Treasury who pledged ÂŁ5 million to
� Speakers Jim Hutchinson – Fusion Processing, Louise Mitchell – chief executive of Bristol Music Trust and James Turgoose – JBP Pictures: Barbara Evripidou
the appeal. “In a very short time, a third of the money is on the table. I’m working on public funding applications and by the end of this year I’m very confident I’ll be able to tell you we’ve got two thirds of the money. Although there’s plenty of hard work still to do.� The hall was the venue for Bristol Connected, which was hosted by strategic communications consultancy JBP. The firm’s head of Parliamentary affairs James Turgoose shared his insights into the upcoming general election. He picked out Bristol West and Bristol North West as key seats. “If Labour win those, it’s a good bet that Ed Miliband is on his way to Downing Street,� he said. The next Bristol Connected takes place on June 4. Details and tickets will be revealed nearer the time.
� Gary Hopkins – Bristol City Council, and Catherine Frankpitt – JBP Associates
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� Above left, Rachael Glendinning – content strategy and copy writer and Lucy Smith, Mazars LLP, talking to Gavin Thompson; above, Julia Husbands – Barclays; far left, Louis Harris – British Podcast Studios; left, Hannah Lamarque – Startblock, Alex Johnston – Domus Financial and Dean Scott – Sanlam
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