IoD West Midlands

West Midlands www.iod.com

Autumn 2019

Student mentoring, 10 years on Time to meet the Brexperts!

Be brave on diversity and inclusivity EVENTS | DIRECTOR DEVELOPMENT | ADVICE AND INFORMATION | NEWS

Welcome / IoD Comment

Politics is letting us down: it’s time business got its voice back Brian Hall Chair, IoD West Midlands The IoD is a non-partisan body and tries to avoid taking sides in political rows, so I’ll be fair and stay strictly within the institute’s original charter by saying the following: the politics we are seeing today – from all sides – is far from acceptable to the business community.

Neither Conservative nor Labour, Remain or Leave are thinking of how their arguments impact on the business community; they are demonstrating appalling short-term thinking, choosing political dogma over pragmatism or common sense. No wonder the public perception of our current MPs is at an all-time low, and Parliament is seen as untrustworthy.

Where do we start on Brexit? When I first took the Chair at IoD West Midlands I remarked that it felt like the country was engaged in a high-wire act that left us all feeling nervous and unsure of our footing. But that tremulous feeling is nothing like the uncertainty we face today, with confusion, delays and a looming deadline that is making every business leader question their next steps.

It’s an appalling place to be, and one that is doing enormous damage to this country.

Someone said to me recently that the Brexit farce has not impacted on the economy; that unemployment was still low, that job vacancies and new jobs were plentiful. But the impact of this summer’s meltdown in parliamentary politics won’t be felt for years – that’s how long it takes for decisions made in boardrooms today to translate into jobs of the future.

Who, in their right mind, if sat in a boardroom overseas today, would consider the UK as a safe bet for future investment? In years gone by, anyone considering opening a new operation abroad would have looked at our stability, international contacts, fair and transparent rules around business and said, ‘the UK is a safe pair of hands.’ We’d be a viable option for their investment.

Not today. Our politicians have shattered for years that reputation with a series of distressing

IoD West Midlands Patrons

stunts that have no place in the real world.

Oh, careful; remember the IoD’s non-partisan position; that might sound like an attack on the current government. Better balance the ticket.

Let’s look at Labour. Their recent conference will have sent shudders down the spine of many within the business community. Where were the messages of support for the wealth creators?

Where was the plan for the economy or boosting entrepreneurs? Instead we heard about plans for nationalisation of utilities, of tax raids, implausible changes to the character of the working week and an assault on wealth creation.

Take the utilities sector. Yes, reform may be required, further investment certainly is, but why should utility companies that have already invested billions sit idly by as Jeremy Corbyn announces plans for wholesale nationalisation?

Will they invest money again while that threat hangs over them? Again, an appalling situation for the business community to be in.

And now, in addition to these stories, we now have a third with a political edge that concerns me: the much-trailled review of HS2.

In previous columns I have laid out the case for this project. I think it is vital and should be encouraged. But its future is now in doubt after Grant Shapps launched a review.

As with any commercial project that exceeds its budget, I fully understand the need to carry out a review to ensure the aspirations justify the means, and I have every confidence that the review will understand the need to finish the complete project.

It would have been nice, however, for Whitehall to have decamped to the West Midlands to see the benefits that are already starting to be felt across the region before they set out their stall for a review. The three biggest infrastructure projects in the region – possibly the country – are linked to HS2: the Solhill Interchange, the Washwood Heath project and the Curzon Street Station, and all three are having dramatic impacts already.

The Washwood Heath site on its own is a colossal enterprise capable of creating a mammoth mixed-use development site that has drawn in billions in investment and will go on to create thousands of new jobs.

CONTACTS IoD West Midlands: iHub, Colmore Gate, 2-6 Colmore Row, Birmingham B3 2QD T: 0121 643 1868

Chair: Brian Hall e: chair.westmidlands@iod.net t: 0121 629 1210 Regional Director/Editor: Calum Nisbet e: Calum.Nisbet@iod.com t: 0121 643 7801 Office administration: Jordan Lowe e: Jordan.lowe@iod.com t: 0121 643 1868 The Institute of Directors West Midlands membership magazine is published on behalf of the IoD by: Chamber Media Services, 4 Hilton Road, Bramhall, Stockport, Cheshire SK7 3AG. Advertising sales: Colin Regan t: 01942 537959 / 07871 444922 e: colinregan001@yahoo.co.uk Production enquiries: Rob Beswick, t: 0161 426 7957 e: rob@chambermedia services.co.uk Please note...

Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of material contained within this magazine, neither the IoD nor Chamber Media Services can accept any responsibility for omissions or inaccuracies in its editorial or advertising content.

The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the IoD. The carriage of adverts in this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services advertised.

All articles within this publication are copyright IoD West Midlands.

Editorial consent must be obtained before any are reproduced either in printed form or electronically.

Continued on page 4

Cover picture: Jess Phillips MP addresses the IoD’s Diversity and Inclusivity event. See pg 10

www.iod.com/westmids/events

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IoD Comment / News

It’s time business got its voice back Continued from page 3 To all three we can add new housing, new amenities and new areas of previously under-developed land being turned into prime investment opportunities. These are real benefits already being derived from HS2, yet there was no acceptance of their impact on the West Midlands economy.

The news – coming as it did in the midst of the Brexit storm – was another example of the short-term thinking that bedevils the UK and has left the business community uncertain as to what to do next.

A further concern could be that even if we do get the green light, will HS2 face more challenges further down the line?

You wouldn’t blame would-be investors,

again, particularly from overseas, thinking the whole idea is too much of a risk and withdrawing their interest.

Whitehall’s reluctance to green light HS2 couldn’t have anything to do with it not being a wholly London project, could it?

The news that at the recent Tory Party Conference, a side meeting discussed abandoning HS2 in favour of ploughing the money saved into London’s infamous Crossrail project poured further fuel on that particular fire!

Indeed, the Crossrail project is a classic case in point. It is over budget and years behind schedule. Yet have there been calls in London for it to be cancelled or scaled back? No, because it is a project serving

London, and therefore the cost over-runs and delays – while disappointing – have been accepted.

It was the same with HS1. When it was conceived it promised London a fast route to the Channel. It came in massively over budget, years late, yet its existence was never challenged. It was vital, its supporters said, that London had a fast route to the Channel Tunnel, allowing swift access to the key markets of Europe.

Access, fast links, increased capacity… funny how those same arguments seem to have run out of steam when it comes to HS2.

I urge all our politicians to ask themselves whether the decisions they are taking are good for business for the whole

Festival is bringing business together Organisational Resilience - Insulating your business against unknown shocks* The Coventry & Warwickshire Business Festival has a host of interesting and thought-provoking events on its schedule, from 11th– 21st November.

Developed by the Coventry & Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership and the Coventry & Warwickshire Growth Hub, its is to bring businesses in Coventry & Warwickshire together to encourage collaboration, networking, innovation, learning and sharing opportunities.

The Business Festival provides a great platform to show the rest of the world Coventry & Warwickshire’s strengths and investment potential and places the region at the heart of UK business. Now in its third year, this annual Festival includes a wide-ranging programme of business events hosted by local organisations from across the region. A few events you may find interesting are posted right.

Date: November 13 Time: 8.30am – 12.00pm Identify an effective strategy to transcend risk and complexity when dealing with issues as diverse as climate change or Brexit. Three hours lecture, workshop, feedback and peer to peer mentoring.

The Impact of 5G on business* Date: November 13 Time: 1.30pm – 4.30pm Coventry University’s Institute of Coding will look at the impact of 5G on your business, with help from Vodafone and academics. Digital skills training will be discussed, and you will be able to tour the university’s ground-breaking Simulation Centre.

All events are free of charge. * Venue: The Simulation Centre, Coventry University

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Coventry Law School Law Clinic* Date: November 14 Time: 9am – 4.30pm Session 1 (morning):Focuses on issues small businesses may encounter and pointers to look at.

Session 2 (afternoon): Centred on skills to develop, including negotiating, interview techniques and the networking.

Led by Sandrea Maynard, Barrister-at-Law and Associate Head of the Law School.

Good mental health for you and your workforce* Date: November 20 Time: 9.30am – 12noon This event will explore how you can implement small but effective changes to support employees’ health and wellbeing, through training, education and information on how productivity can be maxi- missed through improved mental health and wellbeing initiatives.

Protection from cyber threats November 19 Time: 11am – 2pm Venue: Zenzero, Innovation Centre, Gallows Hill, Warwick, CV34 6UW. Cyber threats are a serious risk to business. Join Zenzero Solutions at an informative and practical event where we will explore the nature of cyber threats using practical, no-jargon demonstrations, and offer costeffective ways to protect your customers and ultimately your business. Lunch provided.

www.iod.com/westmids/events

of the country, for the wealth those businesses create and the people they employ.

So what’s next for HS2? IoD West Midlands has written to Douglas Oakervee, leading the review, setting out its support.

In particular we have stressed that its benefits don’t come from a new route from Birmingham-London but by placing Birmingham in the centre of an HS network, pushing north to Manchester, Leeds and beyond. Only then will the entire country get the benefits it will bring. It will place the West Midlands in a colossal economic vehicle that brings people and businesses together and will enable us to draw in talent and investment from further afield while acting as an economic stimulator for the country outside London.

To keep HS2 just to BirminghamLondon will be such a wasted opportunity it will be near criminal.

But major infrastructure projects are always the targets for nay-sayers.

Remember: the M25 was pointless and not needed – imagine London today without its circular motorway. Heathrow Airport didn’t need Terminal 5 – imagine the congestion in that airport without it. Even further back in history, the Manchester Ship Canal was a folly – yet its construction made Manchester the industrial powerhouse of the world.

www.iod.com/westmids/events

Members check out Westfield’s exciting POD vehicle - see pg 12 We’re repeating those same tired, unambitious arguments with HS2.

I feel I cannot leave this column on that note, so let’s look at a happier story. I was delighted to take a tour around Westfield Technology Group’s operations recently, at the invitation of its chief executive and our Director of the Year, Dr Julian Turner.

Here is a company that has embraced modern business philosophies to the full.

Outward looking, it is reaching around the globe to sell its products; innovative and high-tech, it is manufacturing autonomous

vehicles (PODs) that have a real appeal for large organisations with large public transit requirements, such as airports. Its products are environmentally friendly and use cutting edge design, increasingly built by Julian’s home-grown talent, as he takes on apprentices and trains them.

Ethical, exciting, exporting – Westfield is the government’s ambitions for the future UK economy writ large.

If only Parliament could follow in his high-tech tyre tracks rather than exhausting itself on ideology, point-scoring and missed opportunities!

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News

Gleneagles base for Scotland Conference 2019

Our colleagues at IoD Scotland are holding their annual conference at the world-class Gleneagles Hotel from Thursday, 31 October to Friday, 1 November.

The conference will feature presentations from renowned business leaders, including Charlotte Valeur, IoD Chair; Kim Winser, fashion boss of Winser-London; Kevin Mathers, from Google UK; and David Cutter, President, Diageo. The event will also feature workshops, a leadership lecture on the Thursday evening and a black tie dinner to round the event off on Friday night.

This is a really top-class event that is well worth the journey up to Scotland – and the setting of Gleneagles is worthy of attending alone. Take your golf clubs with you, as there is often a game organised among delegates on the Saturday.

If you are interested in attending, contact Joyce Lamond at First City Events via conference@firstcityevents.co.uk or see www.iod.com/scotland.

The Gleneagles Hotel

Former Yorkshire Chair takes helm as the new IoD Director General We are delighted to welcome Jonathan Geldart as our new Director General.

Jonathan has spent 30 years working in the professional services sector, most recently at Grant Thornton International Ltd, where he served on the global board prior to becoming responsible for the organisation’s interests in China.

Earlier this year he appeared in front of the House of Commons International Trade Committee to give evidence on the Government’s efforts to increase trade with the country.

Jonathan lives in Yorkshire and combines his international experience with a long-standing connection with the IoD’s Yorkshire and North East region, of which he was Chair until his recent appointment as Director General.

As Director General he will be working closely with the Board and focused on delivering the IoD’s strategy of ‘closer to members’. Central to this is the empowerment of its UK branches to improve member experience and engagement as well as making the IoD relevant to the next generation of directors.

Jonathan Geldart said:

“With current turmoil in both the political and business environments, I strongly believe that it is even more important to equip directors of all organisations with the tools to be resilient and agile in their response to a fast-changing world.

“The IoD has a crucial role to play in this and I’m honoured to have been chosen to lead it at this time. Increasing value for today’s directors, while making the IoD relevant to the directors of the future, is the task at hand.

“I believe skilled, knowledgeable directors improve their organisations, the communities in which they operate, and consequently the whole economy. The UK needs more directors who understand and responsibly discharge both their legal and societal duties. These directors need a strong IoD to provide them with guidance, representation, and a community of like-minded peers.

“Better directors make for stronger businesses, which makes for a better society.”

New IoD Director General Jonathan Geldart

Corporate governance event launches IoD’s new Knowledge Sharing programme A new event on Corporate Governance will lead off a new IoD initiative on knowledge sharing between members.

The event will be held at Smith & Williamson in Birmingham City Centre on Tuesday, 12th November from 17.30 – 19.30 and will be led by Gary Cowdrill of Board Evaluation, who will provide a practical overview of what governance means for business and our responsibilities as directors.

We will also hear from Clive Bawden, a previous winner at our DOTY awards, who will introduce BoardSecure, a platform that enables SME boards and charities to improve their operational governance process.

All participants will be invited to enter The Governance Challenge where, over a

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six-month period, they can monitor themselves and the Boards that they sit on to test the key foundations of their governance.

They will undergo a 10-step diagnostic and be provided permanent free access to BoardSecure, along with further free to attend workshops to help you find solutions to any governance issues.

This event is ideally suited to leaders of businesses with over 10 employees a turnover of £1m+. Spaces are limited so please register your interest at iod.com/ westmids/events.

This event is the first of what we hope will be a number of events under the heading of the Knowledge Sharing Initiative (KSI), a free to access service which will allow members to benefit from the knowledge of

their fellow members and be more visible to each other; encouraging referrals and the sharing of knowledge.

The IoD West Midlands’ membership covers all business sectors and offers unrivalled expertise and experience. The success of our Mastermind groups demonstrates that members are keen to learn from and support other like-minded members, and we are regularly asked to recommend and connect members to one another.

Alongside events we will also be launching a regional helpline through which members can obtain advice in a whole range of business-critical matters. Full details will be published soon, alongside details of quarterly ‘round-table’events on specific business topics.

www.iod.com/westmids/events

Pensions and other tax wrappers Joe Roxborough, Chartered Financial Planner at Ascot Lloyd, takes a look at the current tax rules impacting on your pension – and your options.

Personal pensions may be the most tinkered with of all investment wrappers. Compared to ISAs and bonds, pension pots have seen a considerable amount of change in tax treatment, courtesy of government intervention. For those that have not kept up for a couple of years, it is worth recapping what your pension pot can do for you.

Fortunately for most investors, the most recent swathe of changes has been mostly positive, particularly for those who already hold decent-sized pots. You now have the freedom to withdraw as much or as little from your pension as you like, and for those that want to pass on assets to the next generation, pensions have gone from being the most highly taxed pot for Inheritance Tax (IHT) purposes to the least.

What the government gives with one hand, however, it takes with the other – typically with less ceremony and hidden in the small print. Annual contributions to pensions have been capped so much it almost looks like a typing error – as recently as 2011, you could invest £255,000 per annum into a pension.

For many higher earners today, you are now limited to a measly £10,000 a year – a 96 per cent reduction! You can put more into your ISA than into your pension, at £20,000 per annum.

For those who already have some pension savings, the government might also penalise you for making good investment choices.

Back in 2011, your pension could have been valued up to £1,800,000 before you faced any ‘punitive’ tax charges. The current lifetime allowance is £1,055,000, a 40 per cent reduction in eight years. Irrespective of how much you have contributed, sometimes those who have paid in a reasonable amount on a slow and steady basis and happened to make wise investment choices, will be penalised in future years.

For many investors approaching or thinking about their retirement, who have not

already built up a pot that is likely to breach the lifetime allowance, using your annual pension allowance in full (often a complex calculation, so worth discussing with your adviser) is a no-brainer. But what if you would like to save more than this? Are ISAs the next port of call?

Investors in their prime earning years, around 50 to 60 years old, may find this £10,000 annual cap on pension contributions frustratingly limited. The kids are off the books, the mortgage is paid off, and now you are in a position to make some serious investments, so that you can enjoy a well-deserved retirement! The odds are that at this age you are also paying the highest rate of tax you will likely encounter for your entire life, so receiving such meagre tax relief for your prudence can seem a bit deflating. It makes a new car seem far more appealing than a pension contribution.

You should put the new Mercedes on hold for now, as there are other taxadvantaged options available. Firstly, ISA contributions of up to £20,000 per annum can be made per person, as you do not receive tax relief on the contribution like you would with a pension.

Conversely you are not taxed on any withdrawals in the future (which you would be on a pension, after you have taken your 25% tax-free cash). Retirement income for most investors in the future is likely to be a smorgasbord of pots rather than a single pot from which you make withdrawals, and ISAs form a decent option in there. You do not have to wait until you are 55 as with a pension, so they are more accessible too.

For those with a slightly higher appetite for risk and perhaps with a larger tax bill, there are also some other investment types that are getting more attention from investors following pension limitations. There are two primary forms which we use for our clients, depending on their circumstances, and they

have the less-than-catchy names of VCTs (venture capital trusts) and EISs (Enterprise Investment Schemes).

VCTs and EISs are almost always riskier than your pension or ISA investments, but the risk is a double-edged sword. The best VCTs and EISs have offered stunning returns, not even factoring in the generous tax relief, but research and diligence in this area is a must if it is something you are considering.

Comparison between the tax wrappers You should never prioritise tax relief above your investment objectives, but if these kinds of investments are right for you, the tax back can be the icing on the cake.

Please note, as with anything in financial services, there are rules within rules, and the grid below does not represent every single situation for an individual. Some legacy pension schemes have far more complicated rules, so none of the below should be taken as an absolute fact and you should check with your financial adviser before making any decisions based on this article.

But if some of the above statements ring true, perhaps it is worth considering a more diverse approach to your portfolio. Tax reliefs, diversification, risk and time all form part of holistic financial planning, so it is worth discussing how these different types of plan could benefit you.

Want to know more?

For more information or to discuss this with one of our advisers, please call us on 0345 450 7500, email info@ascotlloyd. co.uk or visit www.ascotlloyd.co.uk.

• Ascot Lloyd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA Number 578614) and incorporated in England and Wales under registration No.07584487

Investment options

Pension ISA VCT Investment Options Flexible Flexible Higher Risk Annual Contribution Limit £10,000 to £40,000, varying £20,000 £200,000 Tax Relief on contributions At investors marginal rate None 30% of investment Tax situation on growth Tax-free Tax-free Tax-free Tax situation on 25% tax-free. Remainder taxed Tax-free Dividends are tax-free. withdrawals at income tax marginal rate Growth free from CGT if

held for 5+ years Tax situation if Outside of estate, so free Subject to IHT Subject to IHT the investor is to die from IHT up to certain limits

EIS* Higher Risk £1,000,000 to £2,000,000 30% of investment Tax-free Dividends taxed. Growth free from CGT if held for 3+ years.

Free from IHT

*increased limit only if anything above 1 million is invested in knowledge-intensive companies.

www.iod.com/westmids/events

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News: Meet the IoD team

‘Cotton Eye Jo’ joins the IoD team You may have noticed a new face at our IoD West Midlands events, in the form of our new Events and Community Manager, Jo Dukes. We’d like to introduce you to her here.

Welcome to the team, Jo! A little about you...

I started my career with a hospitality management placement from the Metropolitan University of Manchester as a conference and banqueting manager at a prestigious golf club, which led to a graduate management programme in the emerging American-theme restaurant industry in London.

I was promoted through the ranks to general manager and ran restaurants in Central London, Notting Hill, Glasgow and Paris, until I started a family and moved to France, after lecturing part-time in IT. Now with two grown-up boys I’ve returned to the events business, having held a variety of senior events and account management positions for the last nine years at the NEC until this exciting opportunity at the IoD arrived.

What is your average day?

The greatest feature of my job is that every day is so different. My day involves researching, investigating, planning, hosting and attending a multitude of different events and client /supplier meetings, all of which provide great professional experiences and opportunities to network for business leaders.

Whether it’s at the iHub or at events, I’m keen to meet as many members as possible and learn more about how we can support them.

Biking across America on Route 66

What are you most proud of?

In 2004 I bought a rundown farm complex in the Dordogne in South West France and, with my husband, converted it to a thriving Gite holiday complex. This involved a business plan to launch a child-friendly holiday operation open eight months of the year with all associated sales and marketing plans, profit and loss accounts, building websites and generating repeat business.

To realise this venture, I learnt how to mix concrete and lime plaster, tile floors, plaster ceilings and walls and I helped to

Cotton pickin’ Jo.... build a 10m x 5 m swimming pool in a landscaped garden area! I ran the business for seven successful years before selling and returning to the UK. What’s your pet hate?

People who are not team players.

What are you passionate about?

I am passionate about good food and excellent service. My mother is French, and I spent every summer of my childhood in France.

I learnt from my grandparents and mother what fabulous food tastes like and how to organise memorable family events, looking after everyone with quality local wine and seasonal produce.

I love to cook, create new dishes and entertain friends and family.

What’s the most unusual thing you’ve done?

I love travelling off the beaten track, so my husband and I took three weeks off work in November 2017 and rode a 1840cc Electro glide Harley Davidson motorcycle from the Pacific Coast to the Atlantic coast in the United States. We followed Route 66 where possible, camping or staying in small towns to experience real American life. We travelled 2,000 miles, from the north-west Californian snow-capped mountains through desolate deserts via the cotton fields of Texas to the subtropical swamps of south-east USA – truly memorable!

Join over 1,000 firms at Leicester Business festival The largest, regional B2B festival in the UK is gearing up for its fifth year as the Leicester Business Festival takes shape.

Borne out of an idea by the Leicester & Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership, the festival runs from October 28 to November 8. It is supported by a diverse range of sponsors and partners and headlined by Leicester Castle Business School, De Montfort University (DMU).

Last year some 7,200 attendees and more than 1,200 businesses ranging

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from large corporates to micro businesses attended the 100 events that took place throughout Leicester and the surrounding county. Free events of all shapes, sizes and descriptions, run entirely by private, public and third sector organisations, are on offer to anyone who wishes to attend.

The audience of attendees spans chief execs, MDs, HR directors, managers, employees, self-employed business owners through to students.

The fortnight itself sees conferences, exhibitions, debates, seminars, workshops and showcases that challenge the status quo; offer unique supply chain prospects; opportunities to gather new information; make new contacts, up-skill and so much more.

More at www.leicester business festival.com.

Tickets to events must be reserved in advance through https://lbf2019. ticketleap.com/

www.iod.com/westmids/events

It’s hats off to Jordan Congratulations to IoD team member Jordan Lowe who graduated from Birmingham City University this summer with a 2:1 BA Hons in English Literature.

Jordan has juggled her role at the IoD in Birmingham with her academic studies, and we’re all delighted that her hard work has paid off in such style.

Well done, Jordan, from everyone at the IoD.

Congratulations IoD West Midlands would like to congratulate Adrian Hope from BHSF Ltd and Claire Spedding from National Grid plc after they became the latest regional directors to pass the IoD’s Certificate in Company Direction, part of the journey to become a Chartered Director.

More on IoD Professional Development: See pgs 24-26

www.iod.com/westmids/events

Jordan celebrates: Photo Mode Dargis

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Diversity and inclusivity agenda

Diversity and inclusivity must be part of organisation’s DNA IoD Interim Director General praises Boards drawn from all sectors of society

Diversity and Inclusivity (D&I) in the workplace are rapidly rising up the agenda for business leaders, not only to reduce legal risks but to strengthen organisational adaptability, gain competitive advantage and, perhaps most importantly, attract the right employees and customers.

That was the message at the IoD’s Open House event at the National Conference Centre in September, where members and guests heard from speakers who are setting the standards for the inclusive business of the future, focusing on establishing Inclusive Boards and instilling a culture in the workplace that is truly integrated into the values of the organisation.

“At a time when trading internationally is becoming more prevalent, having a Board that can demonstrate wide and diverse experience and capabilities is more important than ever,” said the IoD’s Interim Director General Anna Daroy as she opened proceedings.

“Having a board that consists of more than one ‘type’ of person has been proven to have a bottom line benefit for an organisation. Diversity brings new perspectives, opportunities, debate and a move away from a GroupThink mentality.”

This was echoed by Jess Phillips, MP for Birmingham Yardley, who challenged SMEs to “be brave” and not to recruit in their own image but to make diversity a ‘goal’ to be measured, in the same way that they measure turnover and profit for example. “If you don’t measure it, you won’t change it. Hope over experience doesn’t work.”

“Diversity really matters to employees and investors. We need SMEs to take calculated risks, as they do everyday in business, and start to change their style of recruitment” Elizabeth Oni-Iyiola, director at Inclusive Boards, discussed the challenges that businesses can face when tackling diversity, starting with an understanding of what ‘good diversity’ looks like? How do

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Teresa Boughey, founder of Jungle HR Ltd and Jungle Diversity

we identify suitable criteria to benchmark against when requirements change dependent on sector or geography, for example. She also talked about the missed opportunities business risks if it doesn’t engage with marginalised groups, adding that the LGBT community’s purchasing power in the UK (or the pink pound) is estimated to be at £6 billion per year.

Teresa Boughey, founder of Jungle HR Ltd and Jungle Diversity ran through her unique tribe5 Diversity and Inclusion™ methodology to explain how to create an inclusive culture, by: n Taking stock and understanding your own position n Getting all involved bought in n Using role models to help inspire and involve others n Creating pathways to help build for the future n Embedding D & I, making sure it is a transparent focus across the business.

Teresa has a goal to support 10,000 businesses with their D&I and, as such, is offering a free assessment via a scorecard

‘Be brave and make diversity a goal to be measured, in the same way that you measure turnover and profit...’

that provides a 16 page report on the key areas that support diversity in an organisation. (Visit FreeScorecard. junglediversity.com) Marianne Daniels, purchasing senior manager at Jaguar Land Rover, explained how they have established a five-year plan for Diversity & Inclusion, putting it at the heart of their business priorities. The strategy focusses on key areas: n Policy and processes; n Environment and Technology (including an app for the shopfloor associates who don’t have access to desktops or laptops); n The creation of several Employee networks (including Gender Equality, BAME, Women in Engineering, LGBT+, disability and faiths) to truly hear the ‘employees voice’; n Performance and recognition; n Data; n Personal Development and; n Communications UK businesses have already made great strides in inclusivity and it is no longer seen as a ‘nice to have’. The message from this event was clear, businesses that have made D&I part of their DNA are reaping the benefits, creating sustainability, a sense of pride in the workplace and attracting loyalty from clients and stakeholders.

www.iod.com/westmids/events

Event with a view at city’s cool Rotunda The IoD West Midlands Members’ Evening in Birmingham city centre’s iconic Rotunda building was a huge success.

Hosted in one of Staying Cool’s serviced penthouse apartments, we enjoyed stunning views across the city and the surrounding area as members and non-members had a great time catching up with some quality networking.

To keep the social event flowing there was a superb selection of marvellous cocktails, kindly provided by rock ‘n’ roll fine dining restaurant, The Wilderness.

“Great evening, well organised and good conversations with some newly introduced members”, said Pam Wilde, marketing director at QAD. The IoD’s fun and friendly social events are a great place to meet other members from around the region and get the latest updates from regional committee members and ambassadors. It’s also a

www.iod.com/westmids/events

brilliant opportunity for non-members to come along and learn more about the IoD. We would also like to congratulate Staying Cool for winning the Best Hospitality Business award at the 2019 Birmingham Post Business Awards. Well done!

Join us at our next members’ evening on Wednesday, 16th October at the Belfry Hotel in Sutton Coldfield. World-famous for having held the Ryder Cup Tournament four times, the Belfry’s stunning golf courses are set in over 500 acres of beautiful Warwickshire countryside and make a great venue for any event.

To book: online at www.iod.com/ westmids or contact Jordan.Lowe@iod.com

Members enjoyed networking combined with stunning views over Birmingham from the iconic Rotunda

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IoD Events reports

Chair’s ‘Best Practice’ visit

Westfield is setting a pace others need to match

Jordan Lowe For the second of our unique Chair’s Best Practice Visits, IoD West Midlands visited Westfield Technology Group in Kingswinford for a first-hand look at its innovative, technological creations and vehicles.

Since its beginning in 1982, Westfield has sold over 13,000 cars worldwide – it’s sports cars are iconic among driving enthusiasts, and the company produces over 400 cars per year. In an age of manufacturing imports, Westfield boasts high-quality British craftsmanship in every aspect of their production journey, all here in the West Midlands.

However, the company has extended its repertoire in recent years under the guidance of CEO Dr Julian Turner, our 2019 Overall Director of the Year, and we were fortunate to see this other ‘string to the company’s bow’: it’s world-class automated vehicles, called PODs (see below). These are versatile, reliable vehicles built from off-the-shelf automotive industry components, utilising advanced technology and artificial intelligence to provide a unique, zeroemission transport solution.

Dr Turner personally led our group around the impressive factory, explaining the mechanics of the incredible selfdriving PODS and describing his vision of a POD future as these intelligent, autonomous vehicles are utilised across various environments.

For example, they are currently in operation at Heathrow Airport, assisting

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passengers through Terminal 5. PODs have also been tested, trialled and showcased throughout Birmingham, Manchester, The Lake District National Park, the University of the West of England and Filton Airfield, as well as overseas in Germany, Canada, Dubai and Australia.

Julian explained the impressive AI technology that supports the PODs and how they can identify and react to various objects, people and animals. Physically, the PODs feature a lightweight, aluminium ladder frame chassis onto which most of the vehicle propulsion and guidance equipment is mounted. Sitting on top of the chassis is an aluminium honeycomb floor and above this, the vehicle is constructed from a steel frame and either ABS, GRP or carbon fibre panel body fitted with electric doors. This all sits on four wheels with rubber pneumatic tyres, with front-wheel steering and conventional damped-spring suspension.

His tour and talk was enthralling and ended with a barrage of questions from IoD members and guests.

“I thought that the event was really interesting and inspiring,” said one, Jacky Casey. “I am always interested in successful businesses and their approach to their people. I found Julian a breath of fresh air and his business philosophy truly inspirational.”

Fellow IoD member Ann Jones said the visit had been highly beneficial. “I really enjoyed the visit. It was interesting to see how Julian is managing several apparently different lines of business yet using the technology learnt from one to benefit the others.

“His enthusiasm and agile approach to the business was fantastic to see. I look forward to watching his success in growing the business, which has so much potential.”

Richard Ward also praised the event: “I found the visit extremely interesting and a prime example of what is good and innovative about the UK automotive industry.”

The IoD would like to thank Julian and the team at Westfield for hosting us.

Keep up to date with the eclectic range of events in the West Midlands by visiting the IoD events page at www.iod.com/westmids and look out for the next Chair’s Best Practice Visit.

www.iod.com/westmids/events

High-speed access for FinTech firms Velocity Birmingham, a new state-of-theart FinTech hub, is set to open in November, with applications now open for FinTech firms.

Velocity Birmingham is a unique industry collaboration between the Investment Association’s (IA) FinTech hub and accelerator, Velocity, an IA member, and Wesleyan, a specialist financial services mutual. It is the next step in the IA’s strategy to make sure that the industry’s customers get the benefits of the latest technological advances.

The IA is inviting FinTech firms across the UK to join its latest innovation hub where they can work with existing investment management firms to develop technology to help Britain’s savers and investors.

To mark the launch, Velocity Birmingham is offering up to ten of the most innovative FinTechs the opportunity to benefit from one year’s free co-working space and access to the IA’s expertise.

Firms are invited to register their interest from today with applications closing at midnight on 11th November.

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The FinTech firms will be chosen by a selection panel of industry experts overseen by Graham Kellen, chief digital officer of Schroders and Chair of the Velocity Advisory Panel, and will be revealed at the official launch of the co-working space later this year.

The new FinTech hub, located at Wesleyan’s Head Office in the heart of Birmingham’s city centre, will offer over 30 workstations, an auditorium and meeting spaces for firms operating in Greater Birmingham and the West Midlands region. Velocity Birmingham will also offer FinTechs networking opportunities, resources and policy reports from the IA along with a bespoke programme of events and expert briefings.

Chris Cummings, chief executive of the Investment Association, said: “The investment management industry is looking for cutting-edge FinTech firms who will help drive innovation and ensure that the UK remains world-leading.

“Birmingham has a proud history of innovation with a deep tech talent pool

and strong cluster of FinTechs so it was a natural choice to open our latest marketleading FinTech centre.

“Velocity Birmingham is set to provide a critical hub for FinTechs operating in and around the West Midlands and builds on the success of Velocity London, which launched a year ago this month.

“Successful firms will be able to benefit from the brand new co-working space, industry expertise and an exciting range of events, giving them the opportunity to develop and showcase their exciting technology.”

Mario Mazzocchi, Group Chief Executive of Wesleyan, said: “As one of Birmingham’s oldest firms and a key regional employer, we are delighted to work with the IA on this venture to support new technological development in the region.

“We’re really excited at the prospect of welcoming FinTech firms into our Head Office and hope that, in time, we can share in their innovative thinking to benefit our members and customers.”

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IoD Student Mentoring / Cryptocurrency

Thanks all: We’ve had a great decade of student mentoring

IoD West Midlands is rightly proud of its fantastic student mentoring programme, which sees members give their time and experience to help business students at local universities as they prepare to enter the world of work. Here the man behind the mentoring programme, former regional director John Phillips MBE, looks back at the past 10 years and how the programme has flourished Since joining the IoD in 1993 I had always had an interest in education. At that time, and as the years went by, we had a dedicated group of IoD volunteers and a lot of good work was done addressing sixth formers at school and college open days and helping other organisations such as The Prince’s Trust.

In addition, every year we would take two coach-loads of sixth form students to the IoD annual conference, which in those days was held at the Royal Albert Hall. It was a great way of showing young people that business was indeed exciting and there were alternatives to careers in the traditional professions.

As the recession started to bite from 2007 it became even more difficult to promote business as a career for young people and I started to think more deeply about what we could do. At that time Sue Hurrell and I would take a student from University College Birmingham during the summer recess as a work placement and together with our own family experiences, this gave us further insights into the world of university students.

I remember thinking back to my own youth. I had absolutely no idea what I wanted to do on leaving school but I remember clearly my Dad saying to me: “What matters when you get into work is getting on with your colleagues. If you build trust and a reputation for reliability it will really help. Being enthusiastic about what you do that will make up for any academic shortfall!”

Looking back, it was that memory which gave me the idea of approaching a university with the idea of setting up oneto-one mentoring for students studying business subjects and supporting them with a non-academic but complimentary programme built on soft skills.

I approached three universities but found it difficult to sell the idea. To be fair I was not turned down, but I was looking for a high level of enthusiasm and equal

Key dates for mentoring 2019-20 Event Launch Speed Mentoring Mock Interviews Celebration

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Univ Wolves Nov 4 Dec 9 Feb 17 May 26

involvement on both sides, and I only found that when I approached the University of Wolverhampton.

I guess the rest is history!

Since September 2009, I have had the massive honour to work with Dr Jenni Jones, Associate Professor in Coaching and Mentoring and Head of HR and Leadership programmes at the University of Wolverhampton. Jenni immediately understood where I was coming from but did much more by adding to my ideas. It was a great example of bridging the best of the academic world with practical local business!

Her incredible enthusiasm and boundless energy combined with the willing help of so many wonderful IoD Member who have so freely given their time has created something really special!

Despite retiring in 2016 and handing over to my friend Calum Nisbet, I have been very privileged to continue my IoD work at Wolverhampton with Jenni.

Calum has built a mirror scheme at the University of Coventry with support from Paul Fairburn, Director of Innovation and Enterprise and Joanne Kleanthous, Head of Employability Support. Together we have been able to help well over 500 young people and are looking to expand to a third university in 2020.

As members of the IoD we help our students with:

Univ Cov Oct 17 Nov 14 Feb 13 Apr 23

• Building confidence • A background to team working and leadership skills • Creating a concise CV which is both individual and truly represents the student’s best qualities In addition we give them insights into the IoD’s philosophy of enterprise with integrity, selection interview practice, presentation skills and how to make the best use of social media for job search.

But none of this great work would have been possible without all the fabulous support we have received from members of the IoD who have come forward to help us over the last 10 Years.

They have given so much but they have also received tremendous satisfaction by seeing the delight in the eyes of their students when they have landed dream jobs.

The IoD appreciates the value of its members’ time but the scheme has been designed with this in mind so if you would like to join us it may not be as arduous as you may think.

To join one of our groups in Coventry or Wolverhampton contact the IoD Regional Office on 0121 643 1868.

Dr Jenni Jones with Brian Hall

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Deepak Farmah of the Institute of Coding at Coventry University believes cryptocurrencies and its underpinning technologies, such as Blockchain, can significantly disrupt the business eco systems and add new value streams. He is urging companies to train leaders and employees in preparation for its rise to greater prominence.

The potential for so-called frontier technologies to revolutionise business and industry is well understood – even if the technology itself is not.

Blockchain, along with AI, machine learning, data analytics and the ‘Internet of Things’ will create new forms of economics and business models, and education has a key role to play in allowing businesses to utilise it to its full strength.

Arguably the most revolutionary form of frontier technology, Blockchain, is an immutable, distributed, digital ledger that involves ‘blocks’ of digital information stored in a decentralised database, either public or private.

Transactions are monitored, accounted for and stored in a way that makes them available more easily and more precisely than ever before.

Such is the importance of these new digital technologies, financial leaders run the risk of being left behind if they fail to embrace them – no matter how successful the business.

Perhaps the most famous business casualty is Kodak. With sales of $10 billion in 1981, the company accounted for 90 per cent of all camera film sold. However, as competitors successfully adapted to the digital revolution, Kodak failed to reinvent itself and in 2012 the company filed for bankruptcy.

Kodak was guilty of adopting an “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” approach, but in many cases this reluctance to embrace innovative technologies stems from confusion about how they function.

To understand how Blockchain works, imagine a day out at a theme park. The park is filled with various attractions – rollercoasters, log flumes and ghost trains – all of which can only be accessed upon paying for them. However, once you have your admission pass, you are entitled to unlimited use of all the attractions. What’s more, access to the rides is only provided to customers who have paid to enter, which enables the theme park to monitor exactly who is in the grounds.

The theme park model is essentially how Blockchain-inspired smart contracts work. Exchanging fiat currency into

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Understanding is key to unlocking the huge potential of cryptocurrency cryptocurrency – in this case, pound sterling into a theme park admission token - enables parties to operate freely within that eco system without limitation or restriction and without incurring large transactional fees and difficulties created by international exchange rates.

Imagine a business world where everyone can transact in a single digital currency – it would be revolutionary.

Combine this with smart contracts which are self-executing once conditions are met and the very core of how transactions are currently completed will be disrupted in a very exciting way. While this may appear a long way off, it is matter of when rather than if such a commercial environment becomes ubiquitous.

But there is nothing to fear about these frontier technologies. To the contrary, the sooner financial departments begin to embrace them, the sooner they will benefit from the many advantages they offer, such as reductions in time delays, added costs, and human error, as well as a transformation in aftercare management of products and services Most importantly, there can be no dispute regarding transactions because everyone involved will have the same live record of events, making way for the highest level of quality checks and super-fast payment times for supply companies.

The technology can also allow companies to build trust with the public by clearly showing the journey of their

products and its environmental impact, something which is growing in importance by the day.

The Institute of Coding Coventry University is part of the national Institute of Coding, with our responsibility being to lead on the theme of ‘digitising the professions’.

We are creating courses in line with the demand and type of opportunities these technologies are creating, so a readymade workforce can bring a deep understanding of how to use transformative digital technologies such as Blockchain and smart contracts to improve processes and solve real business problems, taking companies to the next level – and CFOs and financial directors will be at the heart of this transformation.

We want to collaborate with as many businesses and leaders as possible to learn more about their requirements, using our expertise in frontier technologies help boost their future by empowering by knowledge their employees.

The Institute of Coding Coventry University’s Institute of Coding (IoC), is a £40 million government backed national initiative which brings together a range of universities, industry, training providers and professional bodies to address the UK’s digital skills gaps.

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IoD Events report: Morgan Cars

Morgan’s quality leaves it a cut above the rest Members of IoD West Midlands and the South West enjoyed a tour of the historic Morgan car factory and found a manufacturing process that puts the highest standards of workmanship and traditional crafts first From the moment you enter the premises of the Morgan Motor Company, you feel as though you have stepped back in time, to the age of hand-built cars, the use of traditional tools and the clear professionalism of craftsmen working with wood, leather and aluminium.

But this is no living museum, rather an example of a truly focused and iconic motor brand that is refreshingly and quintessentially British, where true enthusiasm is displayed and immense pride taken in the workmanship.

For over 110 years Morgan, the last remaining ‘family owned independent, innovative British motor manufacturer’, as it likes to point out, has been making exciting sports cars in the beautiful spa town of Malvern. Hidden away on a few acres where they have been based since 1913, a team of around 220 builds 750 cars a year – each one handcrafted and built with love.

As you walk from building to building you won’t see a robot or a production line, only single production bays containing aluminium and wooden frames on which craftsman use production techniques you

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The IoD studies a Morgan shell... and below, how the finished article looks

are unlikely to come across in any other car factory in the world. The rolling chassis are manually pushed through the factory from one building to other, in an orderly fashion, and its humbling to watch the metal workers handcraft wings and bonnets by eye (using hand tools), the woodworkers crafting the ash frames (naturally, using English ash) and the upholsterers painstakingly stitching leather.

The experience of seeing such a beautiful car in production was humbling.

The talent of those in the different workshops demonstrates the culmination of years of apprenticeship and exceptional attention to detail. Craftsmen and women go about their tasks with consummate skill, honed through years of producing a product the market desires, whether it be the lively ‘Classic’ range sports car, the extravagant high performance ‘Aero’ supercar, the truly unique Morgan 3 Wheeler or even the prototype electric vehicle and a one off custom-built car.

The visit leaves you in no doubt about how exciting it must be to spec and purchase your car from the actual place of manufacture. Prospective owners are encouraged to visit as many times as they like to watch their car being built through every aspect of production.

With one eye on tradition, and the other on the future, Morgan deserves to go on producing the best of British for many years. Earlier this year, after over a century of continuous family ownership, the Morgans’ announced that they have sold a majority interest in the company to InvestIndustrial, an Italian investment group.

However, the Morgan family will continue to act as stewards for the brand and will maintain a minority shareholding and, for the first time, the management team and all Morgan employees will be become shareholders.

There is something simply organic about the business and we can only hope that Morgan cars, which exports around 70 per cent of their products, continue to be famous the world over for its unique blend of charisma, quality materials, craftsmanship and performance.

www.iod.com/westmids/events

Bank Agent warns that Brexit uncertainty is hitting economy An IoD West Midlands event with the region’s Bank of England Agent hears that the economy is facing a number of economic challenges

by Calum Nisbet It didn’t take very long before the word ‘uncertainty’ was mentioned at our Business Breakfast with Graeme Chaplin from the Bank of England. As the Agent for the West Midlands and Oxfordshire, Graeme is the ‘eyes and ears’ in the region for the Bank, engaging with local business leaders to understand the strengths and risks regional facing firms to help the Bank in making decisions.

The Bank promotes the good of the people of the UK by ‘maintaining monetary and financial stability’. As such, Graeme explained that since the crash of 2008, when UK taxpayers had to bail out certain institutions, one of its key roles is to ‘Stress Test’ our banks, ensuring they can cope with severe economic scenarios and checking they have enough capital to withstand extreme shocks. Graeme was able to reassure guests that banks were more than able to absorb a worst-case scenario following Brexit and were better prepared, with three times as much in capital reserves as they had in 2007.

Graeme reported that the Bank of England’s Agents have been collecting

At the Bank of England event, from left, Brian Hall, Graeme Chaplin, Dean Kavanagh and David Kearns

survey feedback from their business contacts on the potential impact of a No-Deal Brexit. On balance, their contacts expect the outlook for output, investment and employment to be weaker in a No Deal scenario. 88 per cent of companies surveyed recently had contingency plans in place for a March Brexit; while 26 per cent of those will increase plans for October, 50 per cent of them will maintain the same plans and 11 per cent are scaling back their initial plans. Perhaps unsurprisingly, firms that report themselves less ready for a no-deal Brexit expect a larger negative economic impact.

Businesses also report that prolonged Brexit-related uncertainty has curtailed business investment in the UK, which

impacts long-term productivity growth. At the same time, UK employment is at historic highs, and unemployment at historic lows, creating a real challenge in the supply of labour and rising wage inflation. But there are signs that demand for labour may have eased, as the number of job vacancies has fallen back in recent months. To further challenge the economy, indicators of export growth have weakened steadily, reflecting the slowdown in the global economy.

All eyes are on China currently, a key trading partner for the West Midlands, with challenges facing their financial stability as lending increases and high gearing remains a concern.

Graeme ended by explaining that the Bank of England’s monetary policy response to Brexit will depend upon the balance of its impact upon supply, demand and the exchange rate. What is clear is that the Bank of England is having to make decisions in an ‘abnormal’ world, with difficulties seeing through the fog of Brexit uncertainty that continues to hamper growth.

But Graeme emphasised that the Bank of England would adopt the appropriate policy response – eg, raising or lowering interest rates, or introducing further quantitative easing – in order to maintain monetary and financial stability across the UK economy.

Recruiter proud to sign up to Armed Forces covenant Jonathan Lee Recruitment has affirmed its commitment to supporting the Armed Forces community by signing the Ministry of Defence’s Armed Forces Covenant.

The voluntary pledge, which is tailored to Jonathan Lee Recruitment, promotes that they are Armed Forces friendly, employ service leavers and work with the Career Transition Partnership (CTP) to support service leavers and veterans.

The Covenant was signed by Jonathan Lee, chairman of the recruitment agency, and Colonel Richard Green, Deputy Commander of 11 Signal and West Midlands Brigade.

Speaking at the event, held at RAF Cosford, Jonathan commented: “We are committed to supporting the Armed Forces and I am very proud that we not only

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Jonathan Lee and Colonel Richard Green employ a significant number of ex-service personnel across our business, but also help servicemen and women leaving the forces more easily find employment and make a smooth transition into civilian life.

“This covenant reaffirms our existing commitment to the Armed Forces. We are proud to be working with current and ex-service personnel. We would encourage any employer interested in these skillsets to get touch with our team.”

Jonathan Lee Recruitment’s team consists of specialist recruiters alongside trade professionals including service leavers from the RAF, REME and the Army.

The Covenant is a promise that those who serve or have served, and their families, are treated fairly and not disadvantaged in day to day life. It focuses on helping ex-services have the same access to government and commercial services and products as any other citizen.

See www.armedforcescovenant.gov.uk or call Calum Nisbet on 0121 516 3152.

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IoD Events Diary

Events diary

To book online at www.iod.com/westmids or contact Jordan.Lowe@iod.com

Join us for launch of ‘Lunch & Learn’ Date: Thursday, November 7 Time: 12.30pm – 2.00pm Venue: The Lion’s Inn, Barkers Butts

Lane, Coundon, Coventry

CV6 1EJ Cost: Member £25 + VAT

Non-Member £32 + VAT We are thrilled to announce the launch of a new series of networking events across the West Midlands – The Lunch & Learn.

Join us at the Lion’s Inn in Coventry for our first Lunch & Learn event where you can network with fellow professionals over a delicious Indian lunch. We will also hear some top tips from our guest speaker, Keith Rozelle who will deliver a ‘micro session’ in under 10 minutes.

This is a fantastic opportunity to build a wide and relevant network of meaningful contacts to help your business to grow and pick up some top networking tips along the way.

Ticket price includes reception drink and two-course lunch.

Book now to secure your place!

VWV Commercial Property Breakfast Update Date:

Time: Venue:

Cost:

Wednesday, 13th November 7.45am – 10.00am iHub, Colmore Gate, 2-6 Colmore Row, Birmingham, B3 2QD Free of charge

Real estate is one of the key parts of any business – it’s fabric, functionality, longevity and cost. Depending on its layout it can help or even hinder how

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businesses operate. Flexibility and agility are key buzzwords that have gained traction recently but what do they really mean when you are managing your premises?

We have invited three property experts to join us at this event and offer their thoughts and advice on the key issues. Clive Read, commercial property partner and head of VWV solicitor’s Birmingham Office, will help explain some of the differences between buying freehold and renting leasehold premises and explain what to look out for when occupying premises from a practical perspective.

Deborah Wilder, Head of Research and Insight at Interaction, will give a glimpse into the world of health and wellbeing at work, helping you prioritise what can make a significant difference to your employees and your business.

Marc Finucane, Regional Development Director at Together Money, will discuss Trends in Commercial Property from a Lender’s perspective.

A light breakfast will be served.

Christmas drinks with the IoD Make a note in your diary to join us on 5th December, when the IoD West Midlands team will be hosting our annual Christmas Drinks event on the 4th Floor of the iHub on Colmore Row from 6pm - 8pm.

It’s an informal, relaxing and fun way to start the Christmas festivities in the company of fellow members.

Come along, enjoy some informal networking and kick the festive season off in style.

www.iod.com/westmids/events

How vulnerable is your business to fraud?

IoD Fraud Protect Conference

Stunning Belfry to host members’ golf day Date: Tuesday, May 19, 2020 Time: 9am - 6pm Venue: The Belfry Hotel, Lichfield

Road, Wishaw,

Sutton Coldfield B76 9PR Cost: Fourball - £250 + VAT We’re delighted to announce that our 2020 Members’ Golf Day will be held at one of the world’s most famous courses, The Belfry.

Set in over 500 acres of beautiful Warwickshire countryside, the course is renowned for having hosted the Ryder Cup four times. It is an exceptional challenge for golfers of all standards, and allows you to recreate your own iconic moments from the history of golf.

Sponsored by Rational FX, the day will

begin with a bacon roll and hot drink in the restaurant at 9am, with tee off times beginning at around 10am, for 18 holes on the beautiful Derby Course.

Members will then be invited to enjoy a drink in the clubhouse and a two-course dinner in the private room of the restaurant.

Prizes will be presented to the Winning Team, Longest Drive and Nearest the Pin. Fourball bookings are open now.

Why not stay the night? The Belfry boasts a wide range of 4-star rooms and restaurants that will ensure a lovely golfing break of the highest quality.

Date: Monday, November 18 Time: 8am – 11am Venue: West Midlands Police Headquarters,

Lloyd House, Colmore

Circus, Birmingham

B4 6AT Cost: Free of charge SMEs are the most vulnerable businesses to fraud yet despite this, fewer than one-in-five have conducted a fraud risk assessment.

In partnership with Midlands Fraud Forum, IoD West Midlands is delighted to invite you to the West Midlands Police headquarters to learn key prevention tips, the reality of the risk and how to prevent and disrupt external fraud attacks and internal fraud.

We will also be demonstrating an ethical hack of electronic devices.

Speakers include: • Adam Finch, Partner at Harrison Clark Rickerbys; experienced in Dispute Resolution.

• Neil Postins, Detective Inspector, West Midlands Police’s Economic Crime Unit • Jason Hart, a security expert and ethical hacker.

Fraudsters are becoming more sophisticated every year and make every business vulnerable if they have not taken adequate steps to protect themselves from attack. That threat makes this event crucial; it will provide you with advice and weapons to counter the fraud threat.

The BelfRy Members’ Evening Date: Time: Venue:

Cost:

Wednesday, 16th October 6.00pm – 8.00pm The Belfry Hotel, Lichfield Road, Wishaw, Sutton Coldfield, B76 9PR Free of charge for members and non-members

Maximise your membership at this Members’ Evening at the stunning Belfry hotel. World-famous for having held the Ryder Cup Tournament four times, the Belfry’s stunning golf courses are set in over 500 acres of beautiful Warwickshire countryside.

These fun and friendly social events are a great place to meet and network with other IoD members in a relaxed and informal

www.iod.com/westmids/events

environment.

Non-members are welcome to come and learn more about the IoD and find out how membership can support you and your business.

Drinks and canapés will be in the Brabazon Bar. These events are free to attend for both members and non-members but booking is essential.

To book: online at www.iod.com/westmids or contact Jordan.Lowe@iod.com

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Events Diary

Events diary Launch party gets 2020 Director of the Year Awards off to a flying start Date: Wednesday, January 29, 2020 Venue: Primotivo Bar & Eatery

10 Barwick Street,

Birmingham B3 2NT Time: 6pm-8pm Cost: Free of charge Join us in January at the Launch Party for the 2020 Director of the Year Awards.

This informal event will allow you to gain valuable insights into the benefits of entering and winning this prestigious competition, as well as hear from former winners explain what winning has done to their businesses and their careers.

Whether you are interested in nominating a colleague or applying yourself, come along for an evening of networking with some incredibly successful directors.

During the evening we will also be giving a short presentation on how to nominate for our awards, along with how to apply and our top tips for writing a successful application.

This leads us on to...

Director of the Year Awards Champagne Breakfast Date: Tuesday, June 30, 2020 Time: 7:30am - 10:00am Venue: Edgbaston Stadium,

Birmingham B5 7QU Cost: Early Bird Offer:

£35 + VAT until January;

thereafter, £45 + VAT We are delighted to invite you to this year’s Champagne breakfast as we celebrate the best-of-the-best among West Midlands businesses and acclaim directors who are at the forefront of leadership excellence.

The morning will commence with a champagne reception at 7.30am followed by a full English breakfast. The award presentations will take place from 8.30am and we aim to finish by 10am.

Book now to secure your place and join us for this extra special celebration.

Sponsorship opportunities are still available; contact Calum Nisbet for further details.

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To book online at www.iod.com/westmids or contact Jordan.Lowe@iod.com

Journey into the ‘Dark Web’ at IoD Spring Dinner Date: Thursday, March 19, 2020 Venue: Hogarths Stone Manor Hotel,

near Kidderminster Time: 6.30pm-11pm Cost: Members £50 + VAT

Members’ guests £50 + VAT

Non-members £60 + VAT We are returning to the stunning Hogarths Stone Manor near Kidderminster for our next Spring Dinner.

Following the theme of previous years, we have two excellent speakers from the cyber security world who will talk about cyber threats, what impact machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) will have on business in the next few years and venture into the realms of the deep and dark web.

Chris Woods is the founder and director of CyberQ Group, an award-winning cyber security company in the UK. Having previously managed elite security teams at the European Space Agency, HP

Last ticket for Annual Dinner?

I’ll fight you for it...

and Fujitsu, Chris brings over 20 years of pure Cyber Security experience developed within the EU and MENA regions.

Kari Lawler was accepted onto the Entrepreneurs for the Future (e4f) incubator at just 14, where she became the youngest ever start-up and entrepreneur on the Innovation Birmingham campus.

Now 16, she is utilising this knowledge to help businesses understand and deploy AI within their businesses, through development, education and training.

Kari’s rapid rise within the tech world has been acknowledged with multiple awards, including her winning the coveted UK Space Agency SatelLife challenge ‘18, for her AI proposal. She was named Barclays Entrepreneur Awards ‘19 “Icon of the Year” winner for the Midlands region.

• Fancy staying the night?

Rooms at Hogarths Stone Manor are available at £90 B&B for single or double occupancy.

SO LD OU T

Sadly, you can put away your broadsword because, as expected, the Annual Dinner, to be held at Warwick Castle on November 21, has completely sold out. However, you can add your name to our waiting list, should any tickets come available. Please contact Jordan in the office. Details of your Spring Dinner are above... and once again, we would advise members to book early!

Lunch & Learn at Itihaas 5th March, 12 noon – 14.30 Enjoy a welcome mocktail and a choice of Thali cuisine in one of Birmingham’s finest Indian restaurants, Itihaas.

During the lunch we’ll present a

10-minute masterclass by Liz Whitfield who works with clients on growing their potential and building confidence.

More details to follow in January – but save that date!

www.iod.com/westmids/events

Concerned about the way ahead? Time to meet

The Brexperts!

Date: October 21 Time: 9am – 12 Noon Venue: Priory Rooms, Bull St, Birmingham Cost: Free Join us for a jargon free, interactive breakfast workshop addressing the many Brexit issues facing organisations across the region, offering you a great opportunity to ask the questions that really matter to you with straight answers and a focus on information first and foremost.

This event aims to cut through the political noise and deliver factual, strategic assistance to help your organisation ensure it is as

prepared as possible for the 31st October.

The IoD’s Allie Renison will help set the scene, addressing the wide range of planning and preparation topics business needs to be considering, supported by a panel of specialist experts and business leaders to help with practical advice covering topics such as VAT, customs, movement of people, service sector regulations, trade with the rest of the world and intellectual property.

IoD Allie Renison’s will offer the latest advice and guidance on Brexitrelated issues for business

New IoD programme developing the next generation of leaders Future directors programme launched Implementing clear succession planning and developing the next generation of directors can be a daunting task The IoD’s Future Directors programme has been devised by experts to nurture high-potential individuals within companies across the UK and beyond, to establish a clear talent pipeline and cement the future of your board. Across three days, delegates will explore, analyse and develop the key attributes of a director.

Designed to help identify the competencies your senior management team already have, and the ones they need to develop to progress to board level, the programme builds confidence and provides a practical foundation for future learning for your delegates, and succession planning for your organisation.

During and after the course, delegates will have access to the IoD Digital Academy and app, allowing them to complement their learning with bite-sized

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Day two: Directors and the boardroom Day two examines boardroom dynamics and the contrasting behaviours that support effective boards and create dysfunctional ones.

Day three: Driving board performance and delivering results The third and final day of learning sees your delegates appointed to a simulated board to review a troubled organisation’s current circumstances and make recommendations for proposed changes to its existing culture, governance framework and ethical policies.

CPD, accessible whenever and wherever they choose, as well as all the benefits of associate membership of the IoD for 12 months after their course.

Course outline Day one: Understanding the director’s role and yourself as a director The first day introduces the director’s role within an organisation.

Want to know more?

Future Directors is delivered in various locations across the UK, with the West Midlands to host our inaugural programme from April 22-24, 2020, at Ashorne Hill near Leamington Spa. Please visit www.iod.com/training/ bespoke-training/future-directors for more details or call the office on 0121 643 1868

21

Business briefings

Adapting employee benefits to suit modern workforce The rapid development in mobile technology has revolutionised how and where people can work.

The creation of the smart phone and Wi-Fi means work can be carried out almost anywhere. Employees have a new-found freedom, no longer shackled to their workstation. Those that don’t work at a desk can now be contacted easily.

In fact, 84 per cent of employees say they use their smartphone during normal working hours1.

These developments have changed employees’ expectations. They want to take advantage of this freedom and work where and when suits them and their lifestyle. This has changed what’s important to employees.

According to a new survey from YouGov, 71 per cent are attracted to organisations that offer flexible hours and 62 per cent to those that offer employees the chance to work from home2.

80 per cent of millennials say that they don’t want to work in a traditional office and would prefer a much more flexible choice3. It’s vital that employers take note

of these expectations and adjust their thinking accordingly.

This is especially true around the delivery of employee benefits. Employers offer these benefits for a whole host of reasons – to keep their workforce healthy, to satisfy their duty of care, to attract and retain key staff members, to create greater engagement – to name but a few. All these objectives can be better met if employers communicate these benefits effectively and employees have a simple and easy way to access them.

This is why BHSF has created Connect.

It’s an app that enables employees to have their benefits right at their fingertips whenever they need them. From accessing legal advice or the 24/7 GP helpline, Connect is the only place that both employers and employees need to go, giving them exactly what they want all in one place. The app also includes hundreds of discounts and savings, helping employees save money outside of work.

76 per cent of employees say that they would like to access health and wellbeing benefits via an app and 44 per cent of those aged under 34 are very interested in doing so4.

Looking at the usage figures for BHSF’s GP helpline from 2018 reveals just how valuable offering benefits outside of normal working hours has become. 20 per cent of the calls were made over the

weekend and almost a quarter (23 per cent) of calls were made either before 9am or before 5pm.

Many health problems may occur suddenly or be of a sensitive nature.

Employees really value knowing where to turn to immediately to get the help they need.

While work and home lives have blended more and more over the past few years, a significant number of employees want to keep their outside activities private and do not want to share with their employers. More than half of ‘sandwich carer’ employees (53 per cent), who are responsible for looking after both children and elderly relatives, have not told their employer about this5. Health issues can be especially sensitive, with only 16 per cent of employees feeling able to disclose a mental health issue to their manager6.

Providing an app that has a range of services including advice for carers allows employees to choose the ones that they need, empowering them to help themselves on their terms.

For wellbeing initiatives to be successful, employers must find a way to reach all workers with the help and support when they need it, not just the ones who feel comfortable enough to seek assistance publicly.

The Connect app enables them to do just that, on the go 24/7.

“76 per cent of employees say that they would like to access health and wellbeing benefits via an app ... employees really value knowing where to turn to immediately to get the help they need...”

1 Research conducted by laptopsdirect.co.uk 2017 2 Success in the modern workplace, YouGov report, 2019 3 https://www.executivegrapevine.com/content/article/2019-07-03-studysays-remote-working-is-the-future 4 Daily workers omnibus survey conducted with 1,000 employees by Maru/ Usurv June 2019 5 OnePoll survey with 1000 employers commissioned by BHSF, July 2019 6 Mental Health at Work 2018 report, You Gov

22

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Advertisement Feature

Develop the leaders of tomorrow at National Sales Conference 2019 National Sales Conference (NSC19) Coventry Ricoh Arena November 27-28 The DNA of a profitable, revenue-driven organisation is only going to become more demanding for businesses of the future.

Salespeople are increasingly working from remote locations and digital transformation continues to change how they work, while the way buyers consume information and make purchasing decisions is evolving rapidly.

The task of managing a sales team will, therefore, become more challenging than ever before and businesses will require certain skills of their sales leaders.

Successful leaders of tomorrow will be those that can adapt to these changes, implement innovative sales tactics and cultivate an organisational culture that delivers rewards.

The future sales leader will need to be adaptable and open to change and disruption, while also being disciplined enough to be able to get things done and get the best out of their salespeople.

Fostering the leaders of tomorrow Enabling the success of tomorrow’s sales leaders is reliant on putting the basics into motion now. Key considerations for putting these foundations in place include: n Experience matters: A gap currently exists between the skills that graduates possess and those they will require to successfully acquire business.

The onus is on businesses to provide practical, on-the-job training and experiences that enable young people to grow into the future leaders we require.

This begins with encouraging them to tackle and understand big business problems, and inspiring them by working alongside business leaders that see their potential.

This will be fundamental to establishing young people as our future sales leaders. n Culture is key: Learning how to lead goes beyond just experience and skills, it’s also about fostering culture. This is reliant on being able to look at long-term objectives, spot a business opportunity and having the character to lead people into the unknown.

Instilling values of integrity, fearless-

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A packed conference hall at last year’s event

ness and confidence will be vital to fostering the personality of the future business leader. n Have confidence in unpredictability: The business world is changing so fast that it’s impossible to predict what’s coming around the corner. Future leaders need to be highly adaptable to change and cannot afford to be stuck in the old ways of doing things. Businesses need to be cognisant of life in an uncertain tomorrow to encourage their future sales leaders. n New ways of thinking: Futureproofing the business is not solely reliant on telling younger leaders how things are done. Senior execs need to listen to their younger talent’s expertise in emerging technology and social media if they are to remain relevant. n Fail fast; learn faster: The fear of failure often holds businesses back from being innovative. This needs to be consigned to the past by giving future leaders the freedom to fail and encourage them to take risks in environments where failure is seen as an opportunity to learn.

Tomorrow’s leaders cannot be afflicted by fears of stepping outside their comfort zone.

They will need to be confident in taking on new challenges, defying the status quo, and asking challenging questions if they are to cultivate environ-ments that empower their employees.

Building tomorrow’s leaders at NSC How businesses can go about growing the leaders of tomorrow will be a key topic of discussion at this year’s National Sales Conference (NSC19). Now in its sixth year, it is considered the leading event for C-level sales-oriented leaders of today and tomorrow.

This year’s event offers an opportunity to be inspired by some of the world’s leading sales and business leaders and motivational experts. It will provide a range of innovative ideas, expertise and networking opportunities to inspire your future business plans, with speakers and delegates from major brands like Barclaycard, JCB, Npower, Premier Inn and Total Gas & Power.

The event will help your organisation understand how to increase sales effectiveness and revenue, improve motivation levels, implement recognition and rewards, boost productivity, retain your best employees and attract the best new talent.

This two-day event represents 2 x 7 hours of high-quality CPD For bookings and further information on the National Sales Conference, visit www.nsconference.co.uk, contact: 01732 525 950, email NSC@lincolnwest.co.uk or see the insert contained within this issue.

23

IoD Professional Development

Charting a clear path to being a better director As a long-established professional awarding body, the IoD is the only institute in the world to offer internationally recognised qualifications designed by Directors, for Directors, under Royal Charter.

The IoD courses and qualifications fall under a number of headings, with several routes available, including fast-track and Accelerated courses.

Qualifications available: n Certificate in Company Direction n Diploma in Company Direction n Chartered Director The first two qualifications above constitute respectively Stages 1 and 2 of the Chartered Director qualification.

In addition, the IoD runs a series of short, intensive modular awards under the heading of its Professional Director series.

The modules of the Certificate explore the characteristics, mind-set and behaviours of a boardroom executive and explain what it takes to become an outstanding Leader.

They are also the starting point for our Chartered

Director qualification, an international benchmark of excellence that is the highest status that may be attained in the Director profession.

Throughout 2020, IoD West Midlands will be running the four individual modules that make up the Certificate in Company Direction qualification every six months which are designed to equip you with the knowledge and skills needed for effective performance; covering the key areas of governance, finance, strategy and leadership.

We will also run the Diploma and a few bespoke courses such as the Role of the NED. These are all held at iHub, right in the heart of Birmingham’s business district.

Certificate in Company Direction

Strategy for Directors: Taking your business to the next level Date: October 21-23

March 9-11, 2020

September 30-October 2, 2020 Time: 09.30am – 5.00pm Venue: iHub, Colmore Row, Birmingham Cost: Members £2,595 + VAT Non-Members £3,150 + VAT A carefully planned strategy is crucial to the success of every organisation. The Director’s Role in Strategy and Marketing is an intensive three-day course which reveals how to create and manage effective company-wide strategies that generate value for your business and its customers.

It provides an introduction to the main approaches to strategic direction and marketing within the organisation, and will assist you in leading the strategic process and preparing for implementation.

Gain a practical understanding of the board’s role in developing strategy, learn how to create value for your key

24

stakeholders, appreciate the importance of market analysis and strategic decisionmaking, and effectively prepare for the implementation of strategies that support and enhance your organisation’s vision and values.

By attending this course, you will gain the knowledge and skills to: n Gain a clear understanding of the director’s role in the development of an effective strategy n Examine how your board formulates, implements and monitors its business and marketing strategies n Appreciate the strategic importance of a clear purpose as provided by vision,

mission and values n Conduct an effective situation appraisal and evaluate the relationship between the internal and external environments of the organisation n Understand the means by which strategic options may be generated and evaluated to arrive at the strategy that will deliver the vision This course includes e-learning support which expands upon the concepts and ideas covered on the course and how to align these with your own organisation.

To book: online at www.iod.com/ training, call 020 7766 2601 or email developing@iod.com

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Certificate in Company Direction

Leadership for Directors Date: November 18-19

April 2-3, 2020

November 2-3, 2020 Time: 09.30am – 5.00pm Venue: iHub, Colmore Row, Birmingham Cost: Members £2,325 + VAT

Non-Members £2,825 + VAT In an ever-evolving business landscape that is volatile, unpredictable, complex and ambiguous, strengthening the leadership and strategic capability of your business for the long term has never been more important.

Strong leadership is fundamental to the successful realisation of your organisation’s vision. This intensive course provides a valuable opportunity for directors and organisational leaders to explore strategic leadership issues and the successful

implementation of corporate strategy.

Over the duration, you will learn how to how to sponsor and lead strategic change while keeping key stakeholders involved in the process with best practice tools, techniques and ideas to enhance your organisation’s success.

The IoD Award in The Director’s Role in Leading the Organisation, Level 9 (SCQF) is a module of the Certificate in Company Direction qualification.

This modular award may be booked online independently or taken as part of the full qualification By attending this course you will gain the knowledge and skills to: n Create a culture which engages others constructively in the organisation to achieve the strategic objectives which add value to the company and to its customers n Deliver successful results by

establishing an appropriate organisational model, coupled with mental agility and effective leadership of the human resource capability n Develop effective behaviour and methods for delivering strategic change as an individual leader and as a member of the executive team n Determine how boards can effectively measure progress and organisational performance as well as evaluating corporate success This course includes e-learning support which expands upon the concepts and ideas covered on the course and how to align these with your own organisation.

To book: online at www.iod.com/ training, call 020 7766 2601 or email developing@iod.com

More IoD Professional Development and Mastermind Groups – see overleaf Role of the Director and the Board

Finance for Non-Finance Directors

Date: Time: Venue: Cost:

Date: Time: Venue: Cost:

January 16-17, 2020 and July 13-14, 2020 09.30am – 5.00pm iHub, Colmore Row, Birmingham Members £2,325+VAT Non-Members £2,825+VAT

Delivering an essential understanding of the board’s role in corporate governance and risk management, this introduction to the duties and legal responsibilities of a director will enable you to tackle the challenges of the boardroom with fresh confidence and progress your career to the next level.

Whether you’re a newly appointed director, aspiring to a position on the board, or looking to improve your performance with fresh insight, this practical two-day course will equip you with the crucial knowledge and skill-set to fulfil your role successfully

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February 5-7, 2020 and August 24-26, 2020 09.30am – 5.00pm iHub, Colmore Row, Birmingham Members £2,595+VAT Non-Members £3,150+VAT

In today’s business world, every director needs to recognise the key financial concepts and terminology that underpin a successful understanding of their organisation’s financial position.

This course is designed specifically for non-financial directors and senior managers and will demystify the world of finance, allowing you to monitor the financial health of your business, evaluate business plans with confidence and contribute more effectively to boardroom discussion.

25

IoD Professional Development

The next step: Diploma in Company Direction The IoD’s Diploma in Company Direction is an opportunity to put into practice the knowledge gained from the Certificate in Company Direction (see pg 26) in a realistic and safe environment. It encourages peer-group support, challenge and stimulation, mirroring in many ways the operation of a board.

By replicating the issues of a ‘real’ organisation, you will gain hands-on experience that will not only enable you to achieve a world-class qualification, but also to make a significant impact on your board’s effectiveness.

You will receive feedback on your own performance as a board member and return to your organisation ready to tackle future challenges with greater expertise and confidence.

Next events: June 1-3, 2020, and December 7-9, 2020

Role of the Non-Executive Director Date: June 18, 2020 Venue: iHub, Colmore Row, Birmingham Cost: Members £1,090 + VAT Non-members,

£1,310 + VAT This comprehensive programme is arguably the IoD’s most popular, and is designed to equip you with practical strategies to build your network, raise your profile to secure an appointment, and add value in the boardroom.

As more individuals choose ‘portfolio careers’ and demand for non-executive directors continues to rise; within many sectors, including third sector organisations and private companies, it has never been more important to understand the critical requirements and appropriate skill set of a non-executive director.

Gain practical advice from an experienced portfolio non-executive

Supporting you throughout your learning journey IoD Academy The IoD’s purpose-built Academy delivers the latest in learning without boundaries, is accessible to all directors and senior leaders, and is the ideal environment to further your knowledge or work towards the qualifications.

Expert practitioners Our course leaders and executive coaches are all expert practitioners in the fields of governance, strategy, leadership and finance and have been recruited in recognition of their wide directorial experience.

Dynamic learning Experience an interactive learning environment rich with peer-to-peer insight, practical application, director dilemmas, simulations and case studies.

director and participate in interactive case studies. Discover the latest interview tips from top industry head-hunters and put your questions to guest speakers who will be on hand to offer expert guidance.

IoD Academy app As an attendee of our training programmes, your IoD Academy access will be boosted by digitised course content, relevant exam support, mock papers for assessed courses, and much more.

Accelerated Certificate in Company Direction Business pressures can make it difficult to take time out to focus on personal and professional development and stay up to date.

To help time-pressured directors gain the benefits of IoD professional development courses, we have created the Accelerated Certificate in Company Direction.

Take control of your development and become a certified director with this intensive fast-track residential designed specifically for the time-poor leader.

Using a blend of online and face-to-face learning we offer directors the same expert training

26

and knowledge available through our traditional approach, but requiring only five consecutive days away from the demands of your business.

This fast-track residential programme provides you with fresh insights into the key areas of strategy, leadership, governance and finance, thus covering the subjects of the Certificate in Company Direction modules: n Role of the Director and the Board n Finance for NonFinance Directors n Strategy for Directors n Leadership for Directors

Course details

The course is hosted by Fawsley Hall Hotel & Spa, Fawsley, Daventry, Northamptonshire, England, NN11 3BA. The next sessions will be held from November 24-29 and December 8-13 Cost: Members £9,675 + VAT Non-members £11,775 + VAT. For more information on how to book onto any of these courses, please visit www.iod.com/ westmids/courses, or call Calum on 0121 643 7801

www.iod.com/westmids/events

Mastermind Groups across the region The IoD West Midlands Mastermind Groups are a unique series of small sessions designed to give directors and senior business leaders the chance to discuss some of the key issues and challenges they face in an open, constructive and confidential environment.

They usually take place monthly and are open exclusively to IoD members.

Geoff Williams, facilitator of the Shropshire Mastermind Group, based in Shifnal, says: “Ours is a like-minded group who are willing to share ideas and discuss complex situations to help other members.

“The group meets monthly at Haughton Hall and discusses business topics in a relaxed atmosphere over a two-course evening meal. Topics are wide-ranging and new members are made to feel welcome.

“We are lucky to have a knowledgeable group of business leaders who are willing to help each other.”

In addition to Geoff’s group we also run similar sessions in Leamington Spa, Birmingham, Shropshire, Hereford &

BIRMINGHAM

Worcester, and Kidderminster – a breakfast group – and we have received some fantastic feedback from regular attendees: “I am very grateful for the ideas and the inspirations that I gained over dinner,” says Suzie Hutchinson, chief executive of Little Hearts Matter.

“It is a very convivial way to discuss the challenges of business. I look forward to meeting with you all again over the coming months.”

Kevin Laye, founder/owner of Progress Therapy, praised the “great energy and a great collaboration vibe. A tribe I enjoy being part of.”

• Take advantage of this exclusive IoD member benefit and join a Mastermind Group in your local area.

To book your place at your local Mastermind group please visit www.iod.com/westmids or contact Jordan.Lowe@iod.com.

For more information please call the office on 0121 643 1868

SHROPSHIRE

HOTEL DU VIN Dates: All Mondays:

14 October

11 November Time: 6pm - 9pm Venue: Hotel Du Vin, 25 Church

Street, Birmingham

B3 2NR Cost: £30 +VAT

HAUGHTON HALL Date: Tuesdays:

12 November

10 December Time: 6pm - 9pm Venue: Haughton Hall Hotel and

Leisure Club, Haughton

Lane, Shifnal TF11 8HG Cost: £30+VAT

This Mastermind Group is facilitated

by Mark Abrams.

This Mastermind Group is facilitated

by Geoff Williams.

LEAMINGTON SPA Mallory Court Date: All Mondays:

14 October, 11 November

9 December Time: 6pm - 9pm Venue: Mallory Court, Harbury Ln,

Royal Leamington Spa,

Warwickshire CV33 9QB Cost: £30+VAT This Mastermind Group is facilitated by Elinor Perry-Hall.

HEREFORD & WORCESTER Stanbrook Abbey Date: All Thursdays:

14 November

12 December Time: 6pm - 9pm Venue: Stanbrook Abbey, Jennet

Tree Lane, Callow End,

Worcester WR2 4TY Cost: £30+VAT This Mastermind Group is facilitated by Michael Donaldson.

BREAKFAST GROUP Hogarths Stone Manor Date: All Thursdays:

24 October

28 November Time: 07:30am – 10:00am Venue: Hogarths Stone Manor,

Bromsgrove Road,

Kidderminster DY10 4PJ Cost: £13 +VAT This Mastermind Group is facilitated by Ian Priest, IoD Black Country Branch Chair.

www.iod.com/westmids/events

27

Business News

Smith & Williamson support sounds great to the CBSO

Mark Willis (left) and Stephen Drew of Smith & Williamson

Leading financial and professional services group Smith & Williamson has announced it will continue its partnership with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) for a second year.

This is a fabulous opportunity for Smith & Williamson to engage with an internationally-renowned organisation and its important work during its centenary year in 2020, and the partnership will allow for the two organisations to work together on key community projects in addition to business and client engagement.

Smith & Williamson will be sponsoring two concerts at Symphony Hall in the coming season: an evening of Haydn and Mozart on Wednesday, November 27 and Schubert’s ‘Great’ Symphony on Thursday, February 13.

Stephen Drew, professional services regional managing partner at Smith & Williamson, said: “The CBSO is a beacon of cultural life in Birmingham and the West Midlands, as well as being one of the world’s great orchestras.

“Smith & Williamson has deep roots within the city’s business, professional and social life, so our sponsorship of the CBSO is a natural fit for us at a time of ambitious growth when we are investing in our people and infrastructure - and thereby in the city itself.”

Mark Willis, partner and head of investment management at Smith & Williamson, added: “It’s a real honour to be continuing our partnership with the CBSO and we are particularly looking forward to welcoming our clients and friends to our two special concerts in the coming months.”

CBSO Chief Executive Stephen Maddock OBE said: “We are delighted to continue to work with Smith & Williamson as a Platinum Partner.

“This is an important year for the orchestra as we launch our centenary celebrations, and we are looking forward to sharing this special season with Smith & Williamson, and to working together to celebrate their investment in the city and the orchestra at such an important time in our history.”

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Qatar Airways targets SMEs as it launches Qrewards programme ‘Beyond Business by Qatar Airways’ is airline sector’s most attractive corporate rewards programme SMEs can earn ‘Qrewards’ for all business travel and redeem them for any flight at any time as Qatar Airways launches is Beyond Business programme.

The new programme introduces a new currency, Qrewards, and allows business travellers to take advantage of exclusive benefits. With Beyond Business by Qatar Airways, SMEs earn valuable Qrewards which can be flexibly redeemed on flights to any of Qatar Airways’ 160+ destinations at any time.

By progressing through three new rewarding tiers – Elevate, Accelerate, and Ascent – business customers will be upgraded to the next tier level as their business grows, unlocking faster earnings that can be redeemed against the cost of any flight, at any time, and exclusive

benefits including double and triple Qreward earnings, fast track Qatar Airways Privilege Club Gold status and lounge access.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, Akbar Al Baker, said: “As a carrier-ofchoice for businesses around the world, we recognise the importance of a top-tier corporate rewards programme.

“We are proud to introduce ‘Beyond Business by Qatar Airways’ as it allows SMEs to be rewarded for their business and enjoy industry-leading benefits.”

A new full-service account portal makes it easy for registered corporates to book flights, redeem their Qrewards, and access insightful data that will help manage their travel budget.

Full information including FAQs on Beyond Business by Qatar Airways can be found on the programme’s website at www.qatarairways.com/ beyondbusiness.

Business meetings at 35,000 feet – in the stunning surrounds of a Qatar Dreamliner

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Clearwater International’s Midlands engine continues to power the business Gareth Iley, Partner in Clearwater International’s Birmingham office and International Head of Consumer outlines some of the key deal highlights this year in the Midlands.

Clearwater International has a desire to see a regional thriving economy that creates jobs, provides opportunity, creates wealth and generates tax revenues, to fund public services and investment in infrastructure.

There is much debate about a London centric economy and the need to rebalance jobs and wealth in the regions.

Ensuring there are skilled jobs in corporate finance advisory, private equity investment management, banking, legal services, tax and accounting services in the regions plays an important part in balancing the economy. So how is the regional deal market and in particular how is the Midlands market performing?

So far 2019 is proving to be another good year with our Midlands team originating a number of high quality deals

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in the Midlands. The team also advises on deals across the UK which generates fees and income into the region.

Recent completed transactions show the strength of the Midlands market and the important role deals play in the wider economy.

In August, Clearwater completed the £50m management buy-out of the corporate clothing division of US-based Tailored Brands, Inc (NYSE:TLRD).

Clearwater advised the management team helping them to negotiate the deal with Tailored Brands, raise the equity finance from LDC in the Midlands and debt finance from PNC. This summer also saw the completion of the sale of Bridge Farms to Sundial Growers Inc, a Canadian business. Bridge Farms is one of the UK’s leading growers of ornamental plants, flowers and herbs and was acquired by Sundial for its growing capacity.

As well as continuing to support its current activities, Sundial intend to use the facilities to grow high-quality CBD to feed the increasing demand for CBD products

in the UK and Europe. The transaction provided an exit for the Midlands office of North Edge private equity, who had invested in Bridge Farms in 2017.

Earlier in the year we advised the shareholders of Pallet-Track, a leading palletised logistics solutions provider on its sale to private equity investor TPA Capital. Pallet-Track has been a great Midlands success and was listed in the Sunday Times list of the 100 fastest growing businesses.

These, and other deals completed by our team across the Midlands, shows the continued strength of Midlands businesses and the important role that private equity plays in providing liquidity to shareholders and helping to grow value.

The Midlands has great opportunities: if you would like more information, speak to our Midlands team. Contact us on 0845 052 0360 or see us at 9 Colmore Row, Birmingham, B3 2BJ.

29

Charity Spotlight

Hail the cycling stars of Cure Leukaemia Stunning success for Cure Leukaemia’s London2Paris Charity Bike Ride

One hundred cyclists. Two countries. 300 miles. Four days on the road. And a five-star experience as riders of all ages and abilities came together to support Cure Leukaemia by getting on their bikes from London to Paris.

The fourth L2P event, staged by Cure Leukaemia, was another great success with teamwork and camaraderie underpinning a fantastic physical achievement from all involved and more vital fundraising to help leukaemia patients.

One of several former patients who completed the ride was Brooke Evans, who was treated for leukaemia at Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital, where she now works as a nurse.

“Amazing, incredible, the experience of a lifetime,” was Brooke’s assessment of her first London to Paris ride.

“There was such a buzz around the trip and you can tell everyone has really enjoyed themselves,” added Cure Leukaemia Patron and former England footballer Geoff Thomas, who will next year ride the Tour de France a day after the professionals for one final time.

Geoff was joined by another leading figure from the world of football in England Under-21 Head Coach Aidy Boothroyd, who was getting back on his bike four years after previously completing London to Paris.

“It felt a bit of a harder challenge this year – maybe that’s because I’m getting older – but I absolutely loved it,” said Aidy.

Several businesses fielded teams of cyclists in the event, including Deutsche Bank, The Binding Site, Drive System Design, caboodle and Culture Recruitment, with others contributing to the various sponsorship packages available.

“We loved it, meeting some amazing people, and a great way to mark my first time in Paris,” said Jamie Wills, who took on the ride with fellow Culture directors Laurence Sidwell and Leanne Perry.

Also among the cyclists were Cure Leukaemia CEO James McLaughlin, and two of the charity’s co-founders, Professor Charlie Craddock CBE and Graham Hampson Silk.

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BEFORE...set off from London.... as the group

AFTER... mission accomplished!

“Many people aren’t proper cyclists – myself included – and it is the former patients that we were riding with that were such an inspiration,” said James.

Professor Craddock added: “The event was a celebration of life, an amazing team effort, with such fantastic camaraderie and everyone working together to raise money to drive forward clinical trials for leukaemia patients.”

Want to take part in 2020...?

Plans are already underway for next year’s London to Paris ride, taking place from June 4-7.

Email Jennie@cureleukaemia.co.uk for details.

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