West Midlands www.iod.com
Spring 2019
PCC launches campaign to employ ex-offenders Book now for Director of the Year
Cybersecurity is in your hands Growth of user-centric mobiles poses severe risk to businesses
EVENTS | DIRECTOR DEVELOPMENT | ADVICE AND INFORMATION | NEWS
No secrets: ‘Best Practice’ is something best shared Brian Hall Chair, IoD West Midlands Welcome to the Spring issue of IoD West Midlands. It comes to you in the wake of a number of high-profile set-piece IoD events, one to mark International Women’s Day, our Spring lunch where the theme was inclusivity and the Spring Dinner, which focused on cybersecurity. They were all very successful and I was pleased with members’ responses to them. I was also delighted to attend the first of our ‘Chair’s Best Practice’ visits at one of our region’s most outstanding firms, the adi Group. The concept behind the Best Practice series is for members to learn what makes other companies do well, and to get this series off the ground we really couldn’t have chosen better. Not only is the adi Group proving an outstanding success, with debt-free growth year-on-year, our guides, Alan Lusty and James Sopwith, could not have been more open with us. We had a ‘no holds barred’ tour, warts and all, as they explained their business strategy and the reasons behind their success. It was a real eye-opener. I was particularly struck by their strategy for growth: identify the next sector we’re not involved in, choose the best person from that sector to join us, and let them get on with building the adi Group presence in it. Once established and flourishing, it’s on to the next, with all growth organic. But the company isn’t just about prising talent from rivals; it is committed to growing its own, taking the adi Group message into local schools and talking to 14/15-year-old pupils about the opportunities that lie in engineering, turning them into future engineers before they’ve even thought of going to college. They are keen advocates of the ‘5% Club’ too, with a goal of ensuring that at least that percentage of their workforce is an apprentice or graduate trainee within five years. It was really inspiring stuff, and the owners answered every question and shared their knowledge and the keys to their success. Some businesses would baulk at the prospect of outlining their secrets in such a way, yet, as I’ve said before in these columns, that’s an
IoD West Midlands Patrons
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out-dated concept. A flourishing economy requires openness and a sharing of ideas; always remember, a rising tide floats all boats. A few years ago, when in Kuala Lumpur on business, I was struck by the levels of cooperation between the city’s marquee hotels. “But surely, you’re rivals,” I said. “Why would you share your trade secrets with each other?” The answer was simple: ‘Other hotels in Kuala Lumpur are not our rivals; our rivals are in Dubai, in Singapore, in Bangkok. We need to establish this city as a global destination point, and that’s why we want all hotels in it to be
‘The concept that drives the Best Practice series is for members to learn what makes other companies do well, and to get this series off the ground we really couldn’t have chosen better’ world class. By sharing best practice, we all benefit.’ So do you have secrets you would like to share with the rest of the IoD membership? If you are a growing business with a positive story to tell, get in touch with me and you could be our next ‘Best Practice Visit’. The subject of our regional events brings me nicely to changes that are taking shape within the IoD itself. As political demands for devolution and more power to the regions and nations of the UK have taken shape, so the IoD itself should change to reflect this national desire for London’s grip on all the reins to be loosened. I would like to see our membership offer and events brought closer to the West Midlands, and this is what is happening, gradually. We are very much a membership organisation which has a lobbying arm – not a lobbying organisation which also has members. Therefore, it’s vital that as many decisions as possible are taken close to the membership, reflecting their priorities and their needs. There have been one or two high-profile news stories that have caught my attention in recent weeks. One is HS2, the other is…. well, let’s just leave that to the end, shall we? Continued on page 4
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 728 8360 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. Cover picture: IoD Spring Dinner guest speaker Professor Prashant Pillai, director of the Wolverhampton Cyber Research Institute, takes IoD members and guests through the latest developments in the digital realm. See page 14
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News
Best practice is something that’s best shared Continued from page 3
The future of HS2 concerns me. I can see a head of steam (please, no pun intended) building in some quarters against the project, and there have been whispers about its future. Let me be very clear that I am an advocate of this project and I want to see the government following through with its plans and building what is a badly needed new line. It is not about the speed at which the people of the West Midlands can get to London, and vica versa; it is about capacity, pure and simple. HS2’s use of modern rolling stock and infrastructure will make it a fast journey but don’t think that is the only factor involved. The West Coast Mainline and other connections to the capital are creaking, such is their use, and there is no room for more trains, for more seats, unless something radical is done. We could tinker round the edges, adding lines in some areas, opening up a little more space at Euston perhaps, but very quickly any monies spent on such measures will be deemed wasted as the added capacity is swallowed up. The West Midlands needs HS2. It is already generating a dividend and there are businesses looking at this region – indeed, have invested in this region – on the strength of its construction. Conversations have begun that would never have been held without the promise of HS2. It is, and will continue to be, a catalyst for growth. It is totemic: it causes things to happen elsewhere, and for the better. Here’s a comparison. Years ago, at the start of the industrial revolution, our forefathers built the canal network to move goods from producer to consumer in quantities that were hitherto deemed unthinkable. They could have used more horses, or built bigger carts… instead they created a transport network that transformed the industrial revolution from a local phenomenon to a global success. We need to look at doing the same, now. HS2 is part of the unfolding economic story of the West Midlands, and for the most part the region is booming. Investment is up in the Black Country and Birmingham, money is being poured into the logistics corridor around the M6/M1 junction, and things look favourable. There is only one cloud on the horizon… and yes, you guessed it, I got there in the
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‘HS2 is, and will continue to be, a catalyst for growth. It is totemic: it causes things to happen elsewhere, and for the better...’ end: it’s Brexit. When I listen to the success stories, and business leaders I meet tell me of their confidence for the future, I am instantly struck by the question ‘how much better would this be if the Brexit issue had been settled promptly?’ There is no doubt that regardless of my description of the economy as ‘booming’, many companies remain nervous and have shelved investment plans until they know the lie of the land post-Brexit. As I’ve said before, if there was a ‘no deal’ Brexit, while some businesses would be horrified, they could at least plan for its impact; if we
James Sopwith, of event hosts the adi Group
revoked Article 50, some people would be appalled – but at least they could still plan. Government, do anything – and we can plan our way out of it. But if you do nothing we, the business community, will mirror that inertia. I’ve already heard of businesses investing overseas rather than putting cash into the UK, because they just don’t know what the future landscape looks like. For me, the parliamentary system has let us down badly – indeed, I think several individual MPs have let us down, appearing to prefer sticking to rigid political dogma rather than thinking of what they should do for the greater good of the nation as a whole. The fact is, if the impasse continues, business will invest less; that in turn will mean fewer new jobs and less revenue for the Exchequer – and ultimately, lead to less money for public services. Let’s hope that by the time you read this a route out of the mess will have been plotted; but even when we do get a clearer picture of the future landscape, the UK’s business leaders have a right to feel let down that arriving at that clarity took so long. One final point: the IoD is one of a number of organisations to have produced wide-ranging Brexit Toolkits, with information to help guide you through some of the complexities and challenges facing business. You can find it on the IoD website, at https://www.iod.com/news-campaigns/ brexit
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Maximise your IoD connections at our Members’ Evenings
Qatar Airways celebrates third year of success flying from Birmingham Airport Congratulations to our Patron, Qatar Airways, which has recently celebrated its third anniversary of flying from Birmingham Airport. During what has been a very successful three years it has flown more than 400,000 passengers to Doha and to over 160 destinations around the world beyond. To celebrate, the airline showcased its new A350 on the lunchtime service from Birmingham to Doha. This includes the new Qsuite, an impressive business class product that has fully lie-flat double beds and a new quad configuration, providing a private space that is fully adaptable with movable panels that allow passengers to
transform the area into a social or business space to work or socialise at 40,000 feet. Dean Sheriff, Leisure Account Manager based in Birmingham and pictured on the left of the photo, explained that the A350 aircraft is currently used on routes from Doha onwards, while passengers who fly on Qatar Airways from Birmingham Airport usually fly on a Dreamliner 787. All seats include individual television screens, with Economy Class customers benefitting from a screen 10.6 inches wide, offering the latest inflight entertainment comprised of up to 3,000 options, complimented by the airline’s awardwinning service.
Maximise your membership at our two Members’ Evenings for this quarter. These fun and friendly social events are a great place to meet and network with other IoD members in a relaxed and informal environment. Non-members are welcome to come and learn more about the IoD and find out how membership can support them and their business. These events are free to attend for both members and nonmembers but booking is essential. Drop in for a drink with Regional Director Calum Nisbet and IoD committee members and make the most of your IoD membership. Venue: Chateau Impney, Droitwich Spa, Worcs WR9 0BN Date: Tuesday, 18th June Time: 6pm – 8pm Venue: Lord Hill Hotel, Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury SY2 6AX Date: Tuesday 25th June Time: 6pm – 8pm Both events are free of charge, but please confirm your attendance by booking online at www.iod.com/ westmids or contact Jordan.Lowe@ iod.com
Chateau Impney
£500M classic cars head for Chateau Impney Hill Climb Motorsport returns to Droitwich from 13th -14th July for the fifth edition of the Chateau Impney Hill Climb, with over 200 pre-1967 cars challenging one of the UK’s most unique hill climbs. This popular event will welcome an audience of up to 20,000 motorsport fans for a programme of classic car racing, rallies, exhibitions, world record attempts, activities and events based around the 885m course. Joining 1960s F1 motors, World Rally Championship models and some of the world’s rarest cars at the event – including a Lotus 19, Bugatti Type 35, Leyland-Thomas No.1, and Lola
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T70 MkII – will be a large number of historic Bentleys and Minis marking the motor brands’ centenary and 60th anniversary celebrations, respectively, as well as the Michelin Supercar Expo’s Ferrari, Aston Martin,
Bugatti and McLaren static exhibition. Tickets start at just £20, or to make the experience even more memorable VIP Hospitality Packages are available at £180 for each day or £350 for the weekend. As a VIP you will enjoy exclusive access to areas that occupy pole position overlooking the majority of the Hill Climb course, along with breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and refreshments throughout the day. More details at www.chateauimpney hillclimb. com or contact Abi Reed for corporate package details on info@ chateauimpneyhill climb.com
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News
Pressure delivers an Apprenticeship Levy that works for business It’s fair to say that the introduction of the Apprenticeship Levy in 2017 did not have the immediate impact the Government had expected. Last March, only one in seven of our members thought the system was fit for purpose, despite their support of the principle of the levy, earmarking funding for training. However, fast-forward a year and, following lots of engagement between business and government, we are starting to see a change, with understanding of the system among our members having risen substantially. Government also recognised the need to introduce more flexibility, with Chancellor Philip Hammond announcing at the Conservative Party Conference that the number of apprenticeships available would be expanded, and that businesses would have greater flexibility to transfer up to 25 per cent of their Apprenticeship Levy funds to their supply chain from April 2019. The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) was determined to lead on this initiative and has established the WMCA’s Apprenticeship Levy Transfer Fund to help support big businesses who are happy to contribute some of their unspent levy funds to help smaller businesses benefit directly. Lloyds Banking Group and HSBC are the first to contribute to the fund, to help SMEs across the region fund apprenticeship training.
Small to medium-sized businesses in the region can now apply to receive funding for apprenticeship training through the WMCA. Many firms which may not have been able to afford to take on apprentices in the past now can, giving the West Midlands a huge opportunity to help SMEs to grow and our residents to gain new skills and qualifications. Mayor of the West Midlands, Andy Street, said: “The West Midlands is already the best place outside London for digital, construction, automotive and manufacturing skills. We want to help more SMEs to invest in training to boost growth and productivity. “With access to levy funds, we can provide full funding for SMEs to train apprentices. “I’m absolutely delighted that Lloyds and HSBC have become first levy-paying firms to sign up to our transfer fund, and welcome their commitment to fund new apprenticeship starts at SMEs across the West Midlands.” The WMCA are already supporting regional SMEs with new apprentices and are keen to engage with more SMEs who would benefit from funding to train apprentices, as well as larger businesses who would like to transfer levy to the fund. Let’s not see any of this money go to waste! We need to ensure every business leader, irrelevant of the size of business, knows of this Government reform and the
“We want to help more SMEs to invest in training to boost growth and productivity. With access to levy funds, we can provide full funding for SMEs to train apprentices...” increased scope to transfer unspent Levy funds. • Our thanks to Jose Lopes, Head of Business Engagement at WMCA. Businesses wishing to register their interest in the WMCA’s Apprenticeship Levy Transfer Fund can sign up for more information at: www.wmca.org. uk/apprenticeship-levy
Does your governance give you a competitive advantage? Working together with researchers at the University of Wolverhampton, IoD West Midlands invites you to take part in a short survey to discover how you can develop your governance to achieve long-term competitive advantages for your business. The survey will give you a systematic account of your own governance practices and will then offer a fresh insight into its strengths and limitations. After completing the survey, you will receive a complimentary ticket to the ‘Effective Governance as Competitive Advantage’ Conference, arranged by the
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project and its partners, which takes place on Wednesday, 15th May at the University of Wolverhampton Science Park. At the conference, researchers and practitioners will discuss state-of-the-art knowledge on governance and give you the opportunity to benchmark your governance against businesses across the UK, Sweden and Denmark. The survey will take around 20 minutes to complete. You will be asked for your consent and given a unique identifier that can be used at any time to withdraw your consent.
After submitting the survey, you will receive a receipt showing your unique identifier. Please print or save this receipt as this will be your ticket to the conference on Wednesday 15th May .
To complete the survey, please visit www.wlv.ac.uk/gosmes-survey
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Can I transfer my ISA to my spouse after my death?
It’s Open House Join the IoD’s showpiece event for business leaders IoD’s national Open House conference is going on the road this year, with events planned across the UK – including the West Midlands. You can choose from roadshows based on THREE core themes: • Global business • Connected business • Inclusive business. IoD Open House gives you the chance to learn from, and network with, some of the business world’s greatest thought leaders. With collaborative learning and inspirational presentations to ensure you are well prepared for what’s around the corner, these events are not to be missed. The three prongs to this year’s Open House cover the key themes that are currently dominating
today’s business agenda: Global: Business is exploration… trade and expansion to new countries means reaching new customers and markets; the possibility of real growth. Business needs to understand how to navigate and adapt to a whole new world. Connected: We’re wired to connect… the best business happens when the right people are working together; that person who challenges you to think differently, or learning something new from a mentor. Inclusive: Business is welcome to everyone… diverse business doesn’t just accept difference, it embraces it. It understands that when there is real difference, we’re challenged to think differently, to collaborate, to innovate.
Find an event near you
Details of West Midlands-based Open House events can be found in the Events Diary, pg 22 Also see www.iod.com/events-community/open-house-on-the-road Find up to the minute information, follow #IoDOpenHouse #ontheroad
“Business leaders must understand how to quickly adapt to, and navigate through, a turbulent global economy...” IoD Open House events: more details on see pg 22
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People carefully plan their finances to maximise the tax efficiency of their investments, and as a result a prudent saver will have built up a significant value in their ISA. This may be a combination of cash and/or equity investments that provide both tax efficient growth and tax-free income to the ISA holder, says Ascot Lloyd Chartered Financial Planner, Ian Hawkins. But too often these benefits are lost on death due to the overlooking of a rule change that was introduced in 2015 to allow a surviving partner to continue to benefit from the tax benefits an ISA offers. Until that time, when someone died, any savings held in an ISA automatically lost their tax-free status and the tax benefits were also lost forever. This meant that the surviving partner would have to start paying tax on any returns or income earned from it; this could add up to a significant sum if the ISA holder had been saving for many years. The changes introduced allow the surviving partner to continue to benefit from the ISA. However, as is normally the case it is not as straightforward as simply changing the name on the investment. The deceased holder’s ISA will still lose the tax-free status on death, but this can be regained in the form of an additional allowance. Additional Permitted Subscription
The surviving partner is given an ‘additional permitted subscription’ (APS) allowance, which is equal to the value of the deceased partner’s ISA at the time of their death. If the partner had multiple ISAs, as is often the case, then the surviving partner receives an APS for each one (the APS can be used with the existing provider or can be transferred to a new one). The APS must be used within three years, in most circumstances, and is in addition to the standard ISA allowance that the surviving partner has. Thus if the deceased partners ISAs had a value of £100,000, then the surviving partner could make ISA contributions of this amount plus their own £20,000 in the 2019/20 tax year. It is estimated that 150,000 married ISA account holders die each year, however only 21,000 people have taken advantage of the new rules since they were introduced in 2015. It will not always be appropriate for the APS to be used. However, it appears that this is a tax benefit that is being overlooked all too often.
Want to know more?
If you would like more information, you can contact your local Ascot Lloyd adviser on 0121 212 5700, or via 45 Church Street, Birmingham, B3 2RT
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Inclusivity
Champion inclusivity – or your business will lose out ‘Genuine inclusivity is what makes diversity sustainable,’ says Pertemps MD Carmen Watson IoD West Midlands was delighted to welcome 2018 Director of the Year Winner Carmen Watson, Chairperson and Managing Director of Pertemps, as our guest speaker for the fabulous Spring Lunch. Held at the recently opened Edgbaston Park Hotel, Carmen shared her inspirational journey, which has seen her rise from secretary to the board to her current position at its helm, and discussed the many challenges she has overcome along the way. Reflecting on her humble beginnings in the 1970s, Carmen made her first career decision at 16 and had to overcome a multitude of barriers to build a successful career. She was born to a white British mother and a father from the West Indies and her mixed heritage immediately set her apart from her new colleagues. Carmen shared a story about a job interview where she was told she “wouldn’t fit in around here” yet she confidently told the interviewer she’d take the job; he hadn’t offered it to her at that point, but he soon did! However, it is not only her age and race that has presented obstacles for Carmen throughout her personal and work life. As her career progressed, more and more boundaries seemed to appear, such as educational attainment and gender.
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Spring lunch keynote speaker Carmen Watson with IoD vice chair Jackie Hendley
‘I run my career through my ‘six As’ – that’s ability, application, articulation, attractiveness and – perhaps most significantly – attitude resulted in achievement.’ Carmen Watson
For example, when reaching board level at the age of 30, Carmen struggled to understand why she had to work so much harder to be heard and felt she had to do much more than necessary to prove herself to her male colleagues. Yet Carmen proved to be tenacious and was not afraid to challenge the board. She was confident in her abilities and successfully demonstrated the importance of taking charge of your career by “knowing and expressing your worth”. “When people ask me what my formula for success has been, I share what was
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imparted to me all those years ago and what I have lived by. I encourage them to consider the ‘six As’: for me, the combination of ability, application, articulation, attractiveness and – perhaps most significantly – attitude resulted in achievement.” Over the many years she has been with Pertemps, Carmen has made it her goal to champion an inclusive business environment at the core of everything she does and her commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace is extraordinary. She now challenges senior managers and business leaders to identify three things they can do to develop the talent around them, with inclusivity in mind. Carmen passionately believes “we have a Carmen responsibility to champion our colleagues and help addresses others succeed.” the lunch
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News
IoD backs PCC campaign to employ offenders IoD West Midlands is urging members to support a new programme launched by the regional Police and Crime Commissioner, David Jamieson, and employ people with a criminal record. The programme has also gained the approval of the West Midlands Police. David Jamieson described the programme as a “a win-win-win if IoD members reached out and offered a second chance to those who have previously served time behind bars.” “Society wins, as we take offenders and give them a new purpose; the company wins, as often ex-offenders will appreciate the chance of employment and go on to be hard-working and loyal members of staff; and of course, the offenders themselves win, as they can make a new life for themselves by breaking the circle that sees so many former prison inmates re-offend on release as they believe society offers nothing for them.” The Police and Crime Commissioner believes that those with a chequered past must be offered a chance at rehabilitation – and that not only is it a morally good thing to do, it makes financial sense for society, too. “If crime is to be cut and taxpayer’s money saved, then individuals must be able to find work when leaving prison. “Offering employment to those with a criminal record could reduce re-offending and break the cycle of crime, saving taxpayers in the West Midlands millions of pounds in policing, prison and legal costs.”
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“We know that if an individual can find work then they are much less likely to reoffend...”
The Police and Crime Commissioner is passionate about the issue and believes that employers are missing out on a big pool of untapped talent. At the start of the year Mr Jamieson held a business summit on the issue in which he highlighted how employing those with a criminal record could in fact, tackle the rising levels of crime. Home Office National Statistics show that around 29 per cent of people released from custody received a non-custodial conviction or were handed a caution, go on the re-offend. However, a Government study in 2013 found that offenders who had found
employment within one year of being released from prison were up to 10 per cent less likely to re-offend than criminals who were unemployed for the same amount of time. The firm in the West Midlands with one of the best reputations in this field is RMF Construction. The company helps to train hundreds of people with a conviction to work in the construction sector. So far, the firm has trained more than 200 people at all levels of the construction industry and proudly watched them go on to get jobs in the sector. RMF Construction also trains inmates in prisons so they can acquire the skills they’ll need to get a job once they have served their time. David Jamieson added: “While it is paramount that criminals are caught and justice is done, we must keep pushing to break the cycle of crime. “We know that if an individual can find work then they are much less likely to reoffend. “I want to see 100s of organisations start doing what RMF Construction does already and employ people with a criminal record. “Organisations should think seriously about the untapped potential of employing people who are desperate to turn their life around and make amends for the poor decisions they’ve made in the past. What’s more, we all have a responsibility to help lower crime levels and this is a really good, practical way we can do that.” Dara McCarthy, RMF Construction’s Operations Manager, said: “As a firm we have employed more than 200 people with a criminal record and trained many more within prisons so they are equipped to apply for jobs in the construction sector when they are released. “I know how hard it is for these people to find work after they leave prison. Many of them feel they have repaid their debt to society and all they want is to get their life back on track. “The problem is few employers are prepared to give them a chance. “RMF Construction hopefully goes some way to helping these individuals find work and stay out of a cell.”
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News
Mateusz Wiatkowski, IoD Student Member at Coventry University, was among the delegates at the recent national IoD Student Membership Conference Inspiring Future Leaders... As members, you’ll not be surprised that the Institute of Directors has a great offer for professionals and their brands – but I can confirm it also has plenty to offer students, too! From mentoring schemes, student support and exclusive events, the IoD is determined to inspire the next generation and help students succeed. I saw this reflected clearly at the end of February when I travelled up to Salford University to attend an all-afternoon IoD conference for student members from across the country. Over 100 student IoD members were there, and we were welcomed by Claire Ebrey, Regional Director of IoD North West, Joe Fitzsimons, IoD Student Membership Manager and David Spicer, Dean of Salford Business School, who all made it clear that they saw the IoD’s student membership as a vital tool in encouraging the next generation of business leaders. They were followed by a bunch of great speakers who all willingly shared their passion for business, knowledge and
Inspiring tales of young leaders gives IoD student event a sense of purpose experience with the audience. Among them there were Sharon Amesu, Matt Haworth, Sandy Lindsay MBE, Stephen Law-Lyons and Phil Jones MBE, who all offered a host of stories and observations from their own careers, supported by the views and opinions of co-founders, directors and chair representatives from various industries. Hearing live case studies such as theirs are always a great way to inspire young people. Sharon Amesu, from SA Consulting Ltd, shared her experience and knowledge of personal branding, supporting it with examples and useful frameworks. Matt Haworth from Reason Digital told his amazing story about how he turned his passion into a profitable business before he even graduated. Stephen Law-Lyons revealed the importance and possibilities of SMEs in the world and UK industries
and near the end the group heard an inspiring story of a London bartender who became the Managing Director of Brother UK Ltd, told by Phil Jones. The SME speakers were followed by Joe Fitzsimmons who talked about how we could all maximise the opportunities that IoD student membership brings. The whole conference was one big success for the IoD as they gathered fresh minds from UK universities and provided an interesting and useful meeting for them. As an IoD Student Member, my takeaways from the event were numerous. I walked out feeling more confident in starting my career and my eyes have been opened to the infinite amount of opportunities out there. Besides inspirational and useful experiences, I also made many new, great connections. I am looking forward to more networking at future IoD events, either as the part of an audience or maybe, one day, as a speaker.
Sharon Amesu shared her knowledge of personal branding
On the hunt for student mentors The IoD is always on the look-out for directors willing to act as mentors to our IoD student members and their counterparts at the Business Schools of Coventry University and the University of Wolverhampton. The involvement isn’t too time-
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consuming and you’ll get a huge buzz out of helping the next generation of business leaders take their first steps. For more details and to register, contact IoD West Midlands regional director Calum Nisbet, whose details can be found on page 3
Brother’s Phil Jones outlines his five key career drivers
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Do the right thing – and help your business succeed Roger Dix We live in the midst of one of the most diverse areas of the UK. We also have one of the youngest populations in the UK. In fact for UK, you can read also Europe. How well are we leveraging this to enable all these great people to be able to be employed by our organisations? Sadly, there is much work to do in this space. But why should we all do more? Well, apart from it being the right thing to do (who can object to all having access to all roles, fair and transparent selection processes and being able to be themselves at work?), there is any amount of research backed by practical examples showing that the more diverse a group is, in any capacity, the better the decisions made by that group are and hence the better the outcomes are. Translate that to your workplace: how much more successful could you be if you could access and leverage this diversity? When he was elected as West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) Mayor in 2017, Andy Street recognised and accepted this challenge and set up a Leadership
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Commission to provide some hard data on the situation and to advise him on how to progress the wider diversity agenda. This report (which can be read at www.wmca.org.uk/what-we-do/leadershipcommission/) gave many recommendations, one of which is now actively in train: to work with the private sector to create and operate an Inclusive Leadership Forum. This forum has developed a pledge scheme for local organisations. The pledge organisations are asked to commit to is: ‘We pledge to embed inclusivity in our organisation’s ethos and culture, so that every employee has a fair opportunity in recruitment, promotion and progression. We pledge that under-represented groups will be
actively supported so that we can collectively make a difference to the leadership of the West Midlands.’ The pledge is made public on the WMCA website (www.wmca.org.uk/what-we-do/ leadership-commission) and a logo indicating signing can be included on your website. By making the pledge, the organisation is making a public commitment to its customers, employees and the wider local area that it wants to make a difference. Conscious that organisations signing the pledge will then need to implement or change polices, the Inclusive Leadership Forum has compiled a set of accompanying policies and procedures which are available from the data portal and will also be able to offer peer to peer mentoring – where organisations who are currently active in this space can mentor those less experienced or new to it. For more information, contact Roger Dix, Chair of the Inclusive Leadership Forum on: ILP@Wesleyan.co.uk.
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IoD Spring Dinner
Move quick urges professor as the cyberspace landscape shifts More than 50% of the global population is now online, with 150,000 new electronic ‘citizens’ joining every day. Think about that for a second...
Over 315 million Europeans use the internet everyday, across all areas of the digital society. With the emergence of new mobile devices, the blurring of work and home and the fact that everything is now smart or linked to the Internet of Things (such as your kettle, doorbell, energy, etc), it is no surprise that cyberthreats are on the increase, and that end users are becoming the main vulnerability. This was the stark warning from Professor Prashant Pillai at our Spring Dinner at Hogarths Stone Manor. Prashant – Professor of Cyber Security at the University of Wolverhampton and Director of the Wolverhampton Cyber Research Institute – leads on the joint venture developing a new £9 million Centre for Cyber Security in the Hereford Enterprise Zone. The new building will play a crucial role in the country’s fight against cybercrime, providing: R&D floorspace for three cyber laboratories; new laboratory and testing facilities; and employment space for 16 cyber security business/incubator units. It will also have workshops and high security meeting rooms and high quality business training space.
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Professor Prashant Pillai
Designed for business leaders these CPD course will range from information security awareness sessions all the way to cybersecurity leadership and management courses. “Cybersecurity is going to become a bigger problem for business leaders, who need to carefully consider its impact on their business.” He warned all members to ensure they have robust disaster recovery and business continuity policies in place: a loss of your
digital connectivity could be severely damaging – if not fatal – to your business. “Criminals, whether they are ‘hackivists’, ‘insiders’ or ‘nation states’, are becoming more sophisticated and we have seen a huge increase in malware being used as the preferred attack technique.” In 2015, the estimated ransom money that businesses paid to attackers was $24m. This rose to $5bn in 2017 with manufacturing, legal and technology businesses most targeted.
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“In 2015, the estimated ransom money that businesses paid to attackers was $24m. This rose to $5bn in 2017, with manufacturing, legal and technology businesses most targeted...” “The growth in user-centric mobile and IoT devices will see greater exploitation of personal data – more devices equates to more risk.” Prashant gave an example of a casino in Las Vegas that had protected its IT network with the usual firewalls and anti-virus software, but forgot that the futuristic fish tank in the lobby was connected to its system to automatically monitor water temperature and quality. Criminals trying to get their hands on the bank details of the casino’s wealthiest gamblers were able to hack into the network via the aquarium. The opening of the new Centre for Cyber Security in Hereford is timely, designed to enhance skills and ensure the region’s businesses benefit from this important research area. “We are already part of the region with the largest cluster of cybersecurity companies outside London and this new centre will strengthen our position at the
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forefront of a globally significant sector,” the professor pointed out. If you would like to learn more about how to protect your business, secure your product or train your workforce in cyber, please contact Prashant at P.Pillai@wlv.ac.uk
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International Women’s Day / Business news
Get the balance right International Women’s Day event hears speakers make the business case for enshrining greater gender diversity in your organisation #BalanceForBetter, the theme for International Women’s Day this year, provided a stimulating focus for our eclectic panel and audience at IoD West Midlands’ event on 8th March. We were delighted to welcome Nikki Rimmington (Vice President and Chief Planning Officer at Aston Martin Lagonda), Roger Dix (Chief Risk Officer at Wesleyan and sponsor of their Inclusivity and Diversity agenda), Professor Silke Machold (Dean of Research at the University of Wolverhampton) and Julia Leask (a CIMA Fellow and business owner) as our keynote speakers. Preliminary conversations accepted that there is a genuine desire to ensure workforce and boards become more balanced, not only in terms of gender but also race, background and social demographic. This is more than just a sound business case, it is ‘the right thing to do’ and provides access to a greater pool of people with a wider knowledge base. A more diverse board, for example, tends to encourage a more robust debate resulting in a stronger rationale to the decision making process. There is also a greater external expectation to demonstrate a ‘balanced’ business, from stakeholders such as staff, investors, suppliers, customers and the media. The next generation of employees fully expect to enter a workplace that is both diverse and open-minded and will
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consider this when applying. Within business, support of an inclusive agenda needs to emanate from the top and be fully supported by the C-Suite. While there is no ‘template’ for an easy solution, there needs to be a willingness to change mindset and the organisation, to become more flexible and understand where support is needed to encourage more inclusivity and where to develop talent. An inclusive leader needs to learn from the success of other companies, listen to their team and be 100 per cent committed to change. There are also social and psychological hurdles to overcome. Our attitudes are determined at an early age and there is still a tendency to be attracted to ‘people like us’. This unconscious bias needs to be acknowledged in the workplace and challenged, as the risk of not improving inclusivity will, in the long term, make the
business unsustainable. This bias extends beyond the workplace, with more work needed at an earlier stage to help improve self-awareness and break down stereotypes. While children at primary school age are encouraged to explore new skills that might promote engineering, for example, these are often forgotten at secondary school where they are steered onto a pathway that doesn’t allow for play and freedom. What role models are children exposed to, that might challenge them to think differently? So what answers are there to help encourage a better balance? Quotas are not the solution. In Norway, a new law designed to open new career paths for women resulted in more female non-exec directors, but had little impact at executive level. Using a measurement such as the ‘Gender Pay Gap’, while crude, helps you identify the problem and
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Key takeaways
n Creating a better balance in business is the right thing to do n Current stakeholders and the next generation of employees expect to see diversity n Address unconscious bias or your business will be unsustainable in the future
understand in which areas you need to focus. Sectors such as engineering need to think more about their marketing message. Having a photo of one young lady in a hardhat in a factory, for example, is not representative of the broad range of roles on offer, or the skills required such as problem solving, planning or teamwork. There needs to be an ‘end to end’ approach, from schools to employers. At interview stage, anonymalise CVs and focus on competency-based questioning to understand the skillset of the individual. Other issues to consider include does your business offer the same conditions for paternity leave as it does maternity leave? How are you trying to leverage the experience of people returning to work and do you offer your part-time workforce the same opportunities as the full timers? Are your working policies as flexible as you believe them to be? What is clear is that there is not one easy solution and society still needs to change, which requires everyone to work together both socially and professionally. While it is not simply just a business issue, we have the opportunity to lead and encourage change through clear messaging, providing role models, mentoring and of course, taking action. Once a business has started the journey and set a formal process in place to encourage a better balance, it will never look back. • Our thanks to Marie Haycocks of Equal Talent for her contribution to this article.
Stephen Drew
Smith & Williamson scales up Birmingham office with two key appointments Stephen Drew appointed Professional Services Regional Managing Partner of Smith & Williamson, Birmingham Stephen Drew, Partner and Head of International Services at Smith & Williamson, will be joining the Birmingham office on 1 May as Professional Services Regional Managing Partner. Stephen has been with Smith & Williamson for 20 years, advising on internationally active businesses with significant operations outside of the UK and those looking at setting up in the UK. Stephen has an audit background and specialises in financial due diligence and reporting accountant work. Additionally, Stephen is a member of the firm’s Scaleup leadership team and a committee member at The ScaleUp Institute. Stephen brings with him a wealth of client experience, and aims to build an audit presence in the Birmingham office, building transactional and professional service capabilities. He will continue leading international growth plans for the firm. Stephen said: “I am excited for this chance to manage an office of fantastic and talented people. I will be bringing a core corporate offering to the Birmingham office, so that we can offer the full range of
services to Midlands-based clients and contacts. This is a really exciting opportunity for growth, both for us, and for the businesses in Birmingham we will be working with. My work within the Scale Up ecosystem provides an insight into what growing businesses are doing, both domestically and internationally.” Smith & Williamson are investing in the Birmingham office through a series of senior staff hires. On 1 May Matt Watts will also be joining the Birmingham office from London as Head of Birmingham Business Tax Service (BTS). Matt is a tax specialist with experience advising on international group structures, tax aspects of acquisitions and disposals, and has also helped many of his clients make successful R&D tax credit claims. More details, and to speak to Stephen and Matt about the services they can offer your organisation, from: Smith & Williamson Birmingham, 3rd floor, 9 Colmore Row, Birmingham B3 2BJ F: 0121 710 5201 www.smithandwilliamson.com
Smith & Williamson LLP Regulated by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales for a range of investment business activities. It is a member of Nexia International. The word partner is used to refer to a member of Smith & Williamson LLP.
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Best Practice: Behind the scenes at the adi Group
Best practice drops in to meet engineers at the cutting edge Jordan Lowe The first of the Chair’s Best Practice visits saw IoD West Midlands head to Kings Norton-based the adi Group; a multidisciplined engineering company which offers a ‘one stop shop’ for engineering services. The IoD group was hosted by group strategic accounts director, James Sopwith who spoke about the successes of adi and its unique Formula One-inspired culture surrounding continuous improvement. Since launching in 1990 adi has established itself as an engineering integrator which now employs a team of over 650 subject-area specialists and can count some of the world’s most prestigious manufacturers among their loyal clients, including BMW, Müller and BP. The group is compiled of an impressive 17 limited companies which offer engineering solutions for a multitude of industries from food and beverages to aerospace and defence. James explained how adi’s sustainable model is to grow the business with additional engineering services every year, all of which are treated as individual start-up companies led by a senior market specialist. In the last 30 years, adi has achieved significant, fast-paced growth and is now one of the largest independent, multidisciplinary engineering companies in the UK, owing greatly to the dedication and commitment of the team. CEO Alan Lusty believes in uniting adi’s talented employees by bringing them together as one team to ‘accomplish more together’. James described how this co-operative philosophy is demonstrated throughout the workplace as team members are encouraged to hot-desk and collaborate with other employees, creating an atmosphere of positivity and productivity. James also discussed adi’s keen focus on its people and culture, which has resulted in a remarkable staff retention rate of approximately 97 per cent and boosted turnover to an outstanding c£95 million in 2018. IoD members also learnt of adi’s inspiring ‘Engineering A Better Future’ programme, which aims to successfully deliver the group’s vision to be an ‘organisation that people aspire to work for’, with CSR at the heart of everything it does. In support of this vision, adi is passionate about helping the local community and supporting the engineers
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Pictured at the start of the tour are James Sopwith, IoD vice-chair Jackie Hendley, Alan Lusty and IoD chair Brian Hall of the future through its pioneering pre-apprenticeship programme. The scheme is a hands-on and work-based learning partnership which gives students the opportunity to learn and develop practical skills while gaining valuable experience in a dynamic working environment. Delivered by the highly-skilled engineers at adi, students visit the company for half a day every week over a span of two years to further their knowledge and develop their skills at a pace suited to both staff and students. Furthermore, adi engineers and staff are always on-hand to ensure the students
“adi’s inspiring ‘Engineering A Better Future’ programme aims to deliver the group’s vision to be an ‘organisation that people aspire to work for’, with CSR at the heart of everything they do... ” receive guidance and support and are able to assist the students using their extensive knowledge and experience of the industry. The students are able to gain and develop vital skills in not only engineering but in
various aspects of the working world including a formal recruitment process where they can submit a CV and attend a job interview. As a result of the preapprenticeship programme, students will also gain GCSE-equivalent qualifications to give them a competitive edge in the industry and provide a fantastic start for a successful career. The scheme has also led to career opportunities much closer to home as five of adi’s pre-apprenticeship students are now employed in full-time roles within the company. James explained how adi has further demonstrated its commitment to supporting young people in the workplace by becoming a member of the ‘5% Club’; a movement which encourages employers to ensure five per cent of their employees consist of apprentices, sponsored students and graduates on training schemes within five years. It joined this club in 2016, proving its commitment to the next generation and hopes to inspire students to consider a career in engineering. The IoD was then treated to a private tour of adi’s state-of-the-art engineering facility which includes five mechanical workshops as well as dedicated stainless steel manufacturing and fabrication areas. James advised how the workforce was able
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The magic of Morgan
Part of the group on the Best Practice tour
Celebrating over 100 years of a driving passion!
to use the hi-tech equipment for practical tasks such as cutting, bending and welding various metals as well as intricate jobs like assembling electrical circuits and wiring control panels. The afternoon proved to be both informative and inspiring. IoD member Ivan Vickers described the visit as “hugely beneficial”. “The event was massively informative and the presentation of ideas and best practices by James Sopwith was really interesting. “The best part was that I left with some new ideas and knowing how to implement them. I am really looking forward to the next Best Practice Visit.” Ian Galer, BHSF Group Chief Executive, also praised the event and said, “it was an excellent opportunity to see how another sector approaches the common challenges we have as directors. “I personally took away at least two ways of working that will positively impact my business.” The IoD would like to thank James and the team at adi for hosting the first of our Chair’s Best Practice visits.
• 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.
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“adi has further demonstrated its commitment to supporting young people in the workplace by becoming a member of the ‘5% Club’ – to have five per cent of employees as apprentices, sponsored students and graduates on training schemes within five years...”
Date: 5th September Time: 2.30pm-5.30pm Venue: Morgan Motor Company, Malvern, Worcs Price: £24 + VAT (members and guests Morgan cars are famous the world over for their unique blend of charisma, quality materials, craftsmanship and performance. Morgan began in 1909 and has been owned by the Morgan family for 110 years. Although the company has been sold recently, the family will keep a minority shareholding as well as being ‘stewards’ of the brand. The management team and all staff will also become shareholders in the move. The IoD has arranged a behindthe-scenes tour of its factory in Malvern, giving members the chance to experience the unique feel of Morgan for themselves. A limited amount of tickets are available. You will be able to visit the workshops to see the hand-making of a Morgan sports car from start to finish and experience the modern technology and hi-tech equipment used, combined with traditional skills. The tour culminates with a visit to the Morgan Motor Company Museum where members and guests are able to browse the exhibits and watch the Morgan film at their leisure. Networking and refreshments will be available. Please note, this event is being run by our colleagues in IoD South West so book through iod.com/southwest and click on events
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Events Diary
To book on any IoD West Midlands event see www.iod.com/westmids or contact Jordan.Lowe@iod.com
Let’s celebrate the West Midlands’ finest business leaders Date: Tuesday, 11th June Time: 7.30am – approx. 10am Venue: Edgbaston Stadium, Edgbaston Rd, Birmingham B5 7QU Cost: £40+VAT members and non-members £400+VAT table of 10 We would be delighted to welcome you to the 2019 Director of the Year Awards, which celebrates the hard work and enterprise of our region’s business leaders. Join the vibrant atmosphere at the impressive Edgbaston Stadium and be inspired by this year’s finalists who have shown business excellence, ambition, commitment, innovation and strong leadership qualities. The morning will commence with a Champagne reception at 7.30am followed by a full English breakfast and the awards presentations. We aim to finish by 10am. Book now to secure your place.
The 2018 winners line up, with centre, the overall Director of the Year, Carmen Watson
Walmley welcome for the IoD golf day Date: Wednesday, 15th May Time: 9am – 5pm Venue: Walmley Golf Club, Brooks Road, Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, B72 1HR Cost: Fourball £225 + VAT The IoD Members’ Golf Day 2019 will be taking place at Walmley Golf Club on Wednesday, 15th May. The day will begin with a bacon roll and hot drink at 9am, with tee off times from 10am. 18 holes later we will enjoy a drink at the bar and a two-course meal in the clubhouse. You can book fourballs, but if you can’t get a four together individual places/pairs can be booked, and we’ll make up a fourball for you on the day. Please book on with Jordan.Lowe@iod.com
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Meet and greet with members at the Lord Hill Shrewsbury Member’s Evening Date: Tuesday, 25th June Time: 6pm-8pm Venue: Lord Hill Hotel, Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury, Shropshire SY2 6AX Cost: Free to attend Join us at our Shrewsbury Members’ Evening at the lovely Lord Hill Hotel. These events are a great opportunity to meet other members or for non-members to find out more about the IoD. The evenings are designed to be informal and relaxed, allowing you to mingle with your peers and make sure you are maximising your membership. Drop in anytime from 6pm-8pm for as long as you wish! This event is free of charge, with a drink on the IoD.
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Black Country Business Festival
Down to business at the Black Country festival IoD West Midlands is supporting the Black Country Business Festival, and will be hosting a number of events with our partners. Sign up to attend via www.blackcountrybusinessfestival.com How to Support Mental Resilience in your Workplace Date: Tuesday, 14th May Time: 8.30am – 10am Venue: Hogarths Stone Manor, Bromsgrove Road, Kidderminster DY10 4PJ Cost: Free of charge Join us for a discussion on the impact of mental resilience and hidden conditions in the workplace and learn how businesses can improve the wellbeing of their employees.
Effective Governance as Competitive Advantage Date: Wednesday, 15th May Time: 8.30am – 12noon Venue: University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton Science Park, Glaisher Dr, Wolverhampton, WV10 9RU Cost: Free of charge Considering the challenges faced by SMEs, this mini-conference will raise awareness of avenues to building effective governance systems within your business as a way to gain competitive advantage.
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Business in a Post-Brexit Britain
What makes a good charity trustee?
Date: Wednesday, 15th May Time: 5.30pm – 8pm Venue: University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton Science Park, Glaisher Dr, Wolverhampton, WV10 9RU Cost: Free of charge
Date: Thursday, 16th May Time: 9.30am – 12noon Venue: Waterfront Business Park, 3 Brierley Hill, Dudley DY5 1LX Cost: Free of charge
This event will see representatives from Britain’s biggest business support organisations discuss the ramifications of Brexit on businesses across the UK. As the UK continues to negotiate its withdrawal from the EU, this event will provide a unique insight into how businesses should prepare. From public procurement and the automotive supply chain, to immigration policy and international trade, our expert panel will discuss mitigation strategies and how UK firms can take advantage of opportunities arising from the UK’s departure. • Adam Marshall, Director General, British Chamber of Commerce • Stephen Phipson, Director General, MAKE UK • Josh Hardie, Deputy Director General, CBI • Allie Renison, Head of Europe and Trade Policy, IoD (pictured) • Mike Cherry, National Chair, FSB.
An interactive seminar that will explore the role and responsibilities of charity trustees. We will discuss the legal perspective; hear from a successful regional charity; and take guidance from an experienced trustee and non-exec director.
Queen’s Award for Enterprise – Create a Winning Entry!
Date: Tuesday, 21st May Time: 2pm – 4.30pm Venue: University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton Science Park, Glaisher Dr, Wolverhampton, WV10 9RU Cost: Free of charge The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise are awarded to businesses who excel in International Trade, Innovation, Sustainable Development and Promoting Opportunity. This session will explain the benefits associated with winning an award, from current winners and Deputy Lieutenants, as well as a workshop designed to help you create a winning entry!
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Events diary
Chateau Impney Member’s Evening Date: Tuesday, 18th June Time: 6pm-8pm Venue: Chateau Impney Hotel & Exhibition Centre, Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire, WR9 0BN Cost: Free to attend Join us at our Worcestershire Members’ Evening at the stunning Chateau Impney. These events are a great opportunity to meet other members or for non-members to find out more about the IoD. The evenings are designed to be informal and relaxed, allowing you to mingle with your peers and make sure you are maximising your membership. Drop in anytime from 6pm-8pm for as long as you wish, and enjoy a free drink on the IoD! This event is free of charge but so we can plan for numbers, please let the IoD know if you plan to attend by booking online at www.iod.com/westmids or contact Jordan.Lowe@iod.com
‘Members evenings are an excellent and informal way to get to know the IoD team and meet other directors...’
IoD National events: Open House goes on tour IoD’s national Open House conference is going on the road this year, with events planned across the UK – including the West Midlands. We are hosting one event on each of the three themes of Open House: Global business; Connected business; and Inclusive business. To book, please visit www.iod.com/events All events take place at the National Conference Centre, Coventry Road, Hampton in Arden, Solihull, B92 0EJ Cost: £45 + VAT Members £75 + VAT Non-Members
Global Business
Date: Monday, 13th May Time: 9am – 2pm Exploration creates opportunity. Expanding operations to, and trading with, new overseas markets offers the possibility of real growth for UK companies. But with complex factors transforming Britain’s role on the international stage, business leaders must understand how to quickly adapt to, and navigate through, a turbulent global economy. Technology and trade have made our world smaller, with goods and services moving across the globe in a click or two. Global business has become truly borderless and at these events you’ll learn how to navigate this complex world with the help of trade experts and global business leaders with unique perspectives on international issues.
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Connected Business
Date: Wednesday, 10th July Time: 2pm – 6pm Connections are everything in business. The best work happens when the right people and organisations are brought together to achieve more than they could do alone. Leveraging diverse perspectives that challenge you to think differently can prove the difference between success and failure. At the heart of these connections is the technological infrastructure that enables us to collaborate. At this IoD Open House event, we will discuss crucial factors in the successful application of technology.
Inclusive Business
Date: Wednesday 18th September Time: 9am – 2pm Business is for everyone. Diverse companies don’t just accept difference, they embrace it. Not just because they know this is the right thing to do, but because they understand that when we include a diverse range of perspectives we can see more opportunities and innovate better than we ever have before. UK businesses have made strides in inclusivity, but there is much more work to be done. At these IoD Open House events, we will hear from leaders who are setting the standards for the inclusive businesses of the future.
“Business leaders must understand how to quickly adapt to, and navigate through, a turbulent global economy...”
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Advertising Feature
‘Pitbull of Personal Development’ bares his teeth at National Sales Conference The Learning & Development stream aimed at internal sales learning & development roles, training managers, talent and sales enablement professionals continues to be one of the most soughtafter tickets on the L&D conference circuit, due to the ‘pitch-free’ policy and The National Sales Conference the focus on purist L&D for academies (NSC19) takes place at and training programmes to aid Coventry’s Ricoh Arena on sales transformation. Thursday, November Growing on last year’s 28th – and already it is success of the academy looking on track to be sessions aimed at account an early sell-out and managers, BDMs and sales surpassing last year’s executives there will be trend, when over 70% academy and inside sales streams that are designed at of attendees held a giving people outside of the directorship role. Larry Winget leadership stream great practical give-aways to help Now in its sixth year, the boost their results and take their National Sales Conference (NSC19) careers to the next level. is seen as the leading independent event As a continuation of the NSC’s for C-level sales-orientated leaders. corporate social responsibility, 2019 sees This CPD Accredited Educational the return of the graduate stream aimed at Programme (7 hours/points) offers you 18-24-year-old undergraduates who want and your sales team the opportunity to be to get a true flavour of what a ‘sales’ career empowered and inspired by key can offer them, helping to build a better, presentations from some of the world’s more professional industry. leading internationally renowned leadership and motivational speakers. Big brands, key brands Making his first appearance on foreign Key brands already committed to NSC shores for a few years is Larry Winget a 2019 include Barclaycard, City & Guilds, motivational speaker, bestselling author, JCB, Premier Inn, Royal Mail, Siemens television personality and social Healthcare, Total Gas & Power and UBM. commentator. Winget markets himself as Many are bringing multiple delegates – “the trademarked ‘Pitbull of Personal because they highly value the benefit to Development’ and ‘World’s Only Irritational Speaker’”. He is the author of six New York Times/Wall Street Journal bestsellers and hosted the television series Big Spender. He regularly appears on many national news shows on CNBC, MSNBC, FOX Business Network, FOX News and also stars in his own online television show, Grow A Pair! Larry’s # 1 Rule for Life and Business: “Do what you said you would do, when you said you would do it, the way you said you would do it.”
Exclusive 20% discount on tickets for members of the IoD
“NSC19 offers you the opportunity to be empowered and inspired by some of the world’s most renowned leadership and motivational speakers” their sales leaders and teams. Steve Lindsey, managing director of the conference organiser Lincoln West, comments: “More than a third of our visitors are directly responsible for sales revenues of up to £50m, so this is a fantastic place for such senior leaders to network and share best practices whilst forging business alliances and opportunities.” Special offer for IoD members! NSC has a special offer for IoD members, with a 20 per cent discount on all tickets. To purchase your discounted ticket and find out more about the NSC19, visit https://www.nsconference.co.uk/ book-today/ and quote the code ‘IODNSC19’ to save an additional 20 per cent for both you and your sales team. For bookings and further information on the National Sales Conference, visit www.nsconference. co.uk, contact: 01732 525 950, or email Nick Squire at nick@ lincolnwest.co.uk.
A packed conference hall at last year’s event
Larry will be joined by a host of top speakers, including sales guru and master motivator Steve Head, communications expert Andy Bounds and, from the Department of Social Sciences at Loughborough University, Professor of Social Interaction Dr Elizabeth Stokoe. This year the Stream-based conference will also feature break-out sessions with sales specialists offering a rich blend of ideas, expertise, networking opportunities and, of course, entertainment.
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Mastermind Groups
Mastermind Groups: Your starter for director development Maximise your IoD membership with monthly Mastermind meetings in your area A key and exclusive IoD member benefit is the chance to join a Mastermind Group in your local area.
These groups are designed to bring business leaders together to share ideas and concerns in a constructive environment. These members-only seessions meet monthly and offer a combination of brainstorming, education, peer accountability and support to sharpen business and personal skills.
The ethos is to provide a positive and supportive space to discuss issues that confront directors on a daily basis. There are various Mastermind groups across the region and under Chatham House Rules, the meetings offer valuable advice and support from other IoD members in various fields.
For more information please call the office on 0121 643 1868 To book: online at www.iod.com/westmids or contact jordan.lowe@iod.com BIRMINGHAM
LEAMINGTON SPA
HEREFORD AND WORCESTER
HOTEL DU VIN Dates: Monday, 13 May Monday, 10 June Time: 6pm - 9pm Venue: Hotel Du Vin, 25 Church Street, Birmingham B3 2NR Cost: £30 +VAT
Mallory Court Date: Monday, 13 May Monday, 10 June Time: 6pm - 9pm Venue: Mallory Court, Harbury Ln, Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire CV33 9QB Cost: £30+VAT
Stanbrook Abbey Date: Thursday, 9 May Thursday, 13 June Time: 6pm - 9pm Venue: Stanbrook Abbey, Jennet Tree Lane, Callow End, Worcester WR2 4TY Cost: £30+VAT
This Mastermind Group is facilitated by Mark Abrams.
This Mastermind Group is facilitated by Elinor Perry-Hall.
This Mastermind Group is facilitated by Michael Donaldson.
SHROPSHIRE HAUGHTON HALL Date: Tuesday, 14 May Tuesday, 11 June Time: 6pm - 9pm Venue: Haughton Hall Hotel and Leisure Club, Haughton Lane, Shifnal TF11 8HG Cost: £30+VAT This Mastermind Group is facilitated by Geoff Williams.
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EDGBASTON Edgbaston PARK HOTEL Date: Tuesday, 14 May Tuesday, 11 June Time: 6pm - 9pm Venue: Edgbaston Park Hotel, 53 Edgbaston Park Road, Birmingham B15 2RS Cost: £30+VAT This Mastermind Group is facilitated by Rachel Bowden.
BREAKFAST GROUP Hogarths Stone Manor Date: Thursday, 25 April Thursday, 23 May Thursday, 28 June 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.
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IoD Professional Development
IoD courses are directors’ best route to develop their skills The route to becoming a Chartered 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 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 2019, IoD West Midlands runs the four individual modules that make up the Certificate in Company Direction qualification every six months. They 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 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. Our 2019 programme is as follows:
Strategy for Directors
Date: 1st – 3rd May or 21st – 23rd October Time: 9.30am – 5pm Venue: iHub, Colmore Gate, 2-6 Colmore Row, Birmingham, B3 2QD Cost: £2595+ VAT Members £3150 + VAT Non-Members
A dynamic strategic process is a critical part of delivering stakeholder value and generating competitive advantage for your organisation. This intensive course provides insight into the board-level knowledge and skills required to create, implement and evaluate your organisation’s strategy. Explore the relationship between strategy, governance and risk and learn how to use tools and frameworks that support strategic thinking and decisionmaking. Get the practical insights into how to deliver your current business objectives while future-proofing your organisation.
Leadership for Directors
Date: 3rd - 4th June or 18th - 19th November Time: 9.30am – 5pm Venue: iHub, Colmore Gate, 2-6 Colmore Row, Birmingham, B3 2QD Cost: £2325 + VAT Members £2825 + VAT Non-Members
Strong leadership is increasingly fundamental to the successful realisation of an organisation’s vision. This intensive course provides a valuable opportunity for directors to explore strategic leadership issues both within and beyond their organisation. This module introduces a more personalised approach to leadership and delegates will be encouraged to understand and develop their own self-awareness and emotional intelligence.
Role of the NonExecutive Director
Date: 4th July Time: 9.30am – 9pm Venue: iHub, Colmore Gate, 2-6 Colmore Row, Birmingham B3 2QD Cost: £1090 + VAT Members £1310 + VAT Non-Members
This comprehensive programme 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 multiple 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 director and participate in interactive case
“Being a Chartered Director has placed me firmly on a journey of continued learning and development, with the skills gained proving invaluable in the director roles I currently hold. It has equipped me to deal with the truly diverse set of challenges directors encounter and fundamentally benefited the organisations that I represent as a result.” Dean Kavanagh, MD of QED Environmental Systems Ltd.
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“The IoD Chartered Director’s professional qualification has provided me with confidence, professional skills and knowledge, enabling me to deliver to my best ability at a strategic and tactical level at Midlands Air Ambulance Charity. This has in turn had a positive effect on the success of our organisation and its sustainable growth in an increasingly volatile political and economic environment. It also demonstrates to our stakeholders that we are a well governed, professional, successful and caring organisation.” Hanna Sebright, CEO of Midlands Air Ambulance Charity. 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. The programme includes an evening drinks reception and a three course dinner at a local restaurant, offering a fantastic opportunity to network amongst your peers and guests.
Role of the Director and the Board
Date: 27th – 28th August Time: 9.30am – 5pm Venue: iHub, Colmore Gate, 2-6 Colmore Row, Birmingham B3 2QD Cost: £2325 + VAT Members £2825 + VAT Non-Members
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
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.
Diploma in Company Direction Date: 2nd - 4th September Time: 9.30am – 5pm Venue: iHub, Colmore Gate, 2-6 Colmore Row, Birmingham B3 2QD Cost: Member: £3,475 + VAT Non-member: £4,225 + VAT
The Diploma is an opportunity to put into practice the knowledge gained from the Certificate 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.
Finance for NonFinance Directors
Date: 23rd - 25th September Time: 9.30am – 5pm Venue: iHub, Colmore Gate, 2-6 Colmore Row, Birmingham B3 2QD Cost: £2595 + VAT Members £3150 + VAT Non-Members
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 designed specifically for non-financial directors and senior
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For more information please contact the Professional Development team at developing@iod.com or call 020 7766 2601
Business briefs
Brexit hits the housing sector Brexit anxiety has continued to have a dampening impact on the West Midands property market, RICS has said. Its latest Residential Market survey shows that enquiries in March were down again, making it the seventh month in a row that there has been a fall rather than a rise in buyer demand. Average stock levels on estate agents’ books remain low, at 33 properties per branch. Price levels remain static, though that’s better than London and the south east, which continue to display falling prices.
Big rise in the M&A market ‘Unprecedented’ volumes of mergers and acquisitions in the building products and services sector were recorded in the Midlands last year, according to the M&A team at BDO. The company has handled more than 3,300 sector transactions over the past six years and reported double-digit growth in volume in the past four years. A quarter of the growth is from Midlands-based companies. Mithun Patel of BDO said: “A demand for residential housing and a growing number of commercial infrastructure projects has fuelled corporate and private equity investment in the construction supply chain – and the Midlands has seen its fair share of this activity.” “Major infrastructure projects such as HS2 and Hinkley Point C will continue to drive this forward.”
Major moves by law firm Three additional partners have been added to the roster at Emms Gilmore Liberson (EGL) to drive growth in the business. Richard Cooper, Beth Margetson and Jon Start join fellow new starter Jonathan Wright to being the number of partners at the firm to eight.
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Personal health / Finance
Spring clean: the perfect opportunity for a health MoT Looking after your business should come second place to looking after your health – but do business leaders give that primary issue the consideration it deserves, asks BHSF? Spring symbolises new beginnings and a chance to begin afresh. Just as clearing away the cobwebs and the clutter in your home can make you feel freer, taking the opportunity to review your own health can have the same uplifting effect. We’re all guilty of not prioritising our health; we’re busy with work, the family, or things around the house – justifying excuse after excuse. Yet a health screening provides you with a snapshot of your overall health, and can be an early indicator of a range of medical conditions. Taking time out to review your health can provide you with peace of mind, encourage you to prioritise it if necessary, and serves as a reminder that we all need a bit of TLC. “Health screenings are a great way to review your overall health on a semiregular basis,” Dr Suzanne Wylie, GP at BHSF Medical Practice. “They can help
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you to feel more in charge of your life, empowering you with vital information regarding your current health. This clarity can either bring peace of mind, or nudge you into taking action.” Early diagnosis can have a massive impact on the outcome for a whole range of diseases and illnesses, including cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes. Spotting the early signs of these conditions, and taking measures to address these via lifestyle changes – such as weight loss, lowering cholesterol and increased exercise – can dramatically reduce the risk of heart disease or heart attack, and can actually reverse effects of Type 2 diabetes.
FOOD HEALTH
Did you know? These foods can lower your cholesterol… n Pulses – beans, peas, lentils n Avocados n Nuts – especially walnuts and almonds n Oats n Whole grains – like bran and barley n Fatty fish – swap meat for salmon or mackerel a few nights each week
Intervening early is also key when it comes to a cancer prognosis. When found early, 94 per cent of ovarian cancer patients live longer than five years after a diagnosis. Similarly with prostate cancer, five year survival rates can increase by 70% when detected at the earliest stage, compared to detection at the latest stage. Health screenings can also help to identify low energy levels and tiredness linked to thyroid issues and anaemia. Being proactive when it comes to your health can save you considerable pain further down the road. In your working life you know it’s prudent to look at forecasts, taking account of expert advice and creating your strategy accordingly. You wouldn’t dream of making a decision that wasn’t based on sound forward planning. The same should be true of your health. After all, you’re the most precious asset your business has. This article was provided by BHSF Medical Practice, located in the heart of Birmingham’s Colmore business district. Health screenings cover a range of noninvasive tests, carried out with a qualified medical professional. To book your appointment, please visit: www.bhsfmedicalpractice.co.uk/healthscreening or call 0121 728 8366.
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Small business funding boost as CITR helps ART hit investment target The year ahead is likely to bring more than the usual challenges to businesses in the West Midlands, but whatever happens, ART Business Loans (ART) has money ready to lend, thanks in part to the success of its recent pioneering share offer, which closed at the end of March. The share offer raised over £250,000 from individual investors, who will earn Community Investment Tax Relief (CITR) over the next five years, while their money – distributed in business loans – helps to boost the local economy. Five per cent of the sum invested can be claimed as a deduction from Income Tax or Corporation Tax bills each year for five tax years – giving investors a far better return than they would find in a savings account – and in support of a great cause, too. The money from the share offer will be used to leverage additional funding, bringing the total ART has to lend in 2019/20 close to £3m. “We have been here for over 21 years,”
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says Dr Steve Walker, Chief Executive of ART Business Loans, “lending to viable businesses unable to access the finance they need from the banks. “When the going gets tough, we are needed more than ever, and have a track record of helping SMEs to continue trading through loss of customers or markets, as well as glitches in cashflow. In the short term that has protected thousands of jobs and in the longer term helped to create thousands more around the West Midlands.” Building on the success of this year’s offer, ART is planning to provide a further opportunity for investors through the leading positive investment platform Ethex using CITR in the tax year 2019/20. “We are appreciative of those individuals who choose to invest their money to help us achieve our mission to ensure that businesses with viable plans can access the finance they need,” says
Steve (pictured left). “Our aim is inclusive growth. Interestingly, throughout our history it has not only been local people who have invested in us to support the West Midlands, but people from all over the UK.” In the year ahead Steve says the ART team is looking forward to helping businesses of all kinds – from restaurants to providers of hi-tech solutions, manufacturers to facilities managers – to survive and thrive. “We offer loans of between £10,000 and £150,000, with an average loan size of £35,000,” he says. “That is a sum which many businesses struggle to access from elsewhere.” Find out more about ART loans and investment opportunities at www.artbusinessloans.co.uk or call 0121 359 2444.
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IoD West Midlands regional committee
Ready to help: the regional IoD team that’s on your side Welcome to the IoD West Midlands Regional Committee. Our regional committee brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to support our Chair and Executive team. Representing our eclectic membership, their contributions to ensure we are visible and relevant are essential and we are incredibly grateful to them for their hard work. Committee members are always on hand to hear your views on how we can continue to offer the right mix of events across the region and to support you in getting the most out of your membership. Andrew Wilkinson
Founding Partner and Managing Director of OWB Creative, the Birmingham-based full-service marketing agency, Andrew has worked in senior client-side positions for global brands including TNT and Blagden Industries Group and marketing agencies across the UK and overseas. As well as being an active member of the IoD, Andy is a fellow of the RSA and a member of the Reform Club. He is non-executive director for St Giles Hospice group and Right Estate Agents, past NED of Business Link, where he was also made an ambassador for creative industries. He was awarded ‘Director of the Year’ in the small business category in the 2017 IoD West Midlands Awards.
April Pearson-Myatt
April is Financial Director at Top Tubes, a £40m plus steel tube manufacturer, having built a career within the manufacturing, distribution, aviation, IT, and internal communications industries. Her particular passion is for transforming finance functions through business process re-engineering, gained in companies with turnovers between £5m - £150m, operating with the UK, Europe, America and South East Asia. These include Mueller Europe and drp group.
Dawn Hands
Dawn has more than 30 years’ experience in social policy research and for the past eight of these has been Managing Director at BMG Research. As well as being responsible for business growth and performance, Dawn retains responsibility for a number of the agency’s key client accounts, predominantly in central
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government and PLCs. Dawn has written and published numerous papers and reports, and has presented research findings to a wide variety of audiences including Boards of PLCs, senior policy makers, research funders and academic audiences. Dawn was awarded ‘Director of the Year’ in the SME category in the 2018 IoD West Midlands Awards.
Gary Cowdrill
Gary is a chartered accountant and an alumnus of the INSEAD Advanced Management Programme. He qualified with KPMG before moving into the financial services industry where he worked in a variety of finance related roles in the residential housing sector. Most recently, he was Group Finance Director of West Bromwich Building Society. Since 2010, he has been Managing Director of Board Evaluation Limited and, since 2015, a non-executive director of medical insurance company BHSF, where he was Senior Independent Director and Chairman of the Audit Committee. He was previously a non-executive director of Swiss private bank, Banque Bonhote, and, until recently, a member of the Birmingham Business Group of the NSPCC.
Gary Simpson
An experienced and well-qualified recruiter, Gary has over 25 years’ experience working globally across a variety of industries, improving their profitability by finding and attracting motivated, dedicated, well trained staff who make a real difference by increasing sales, decreasing costs and improving efficiencies. Gary is delighted to contribute to the regional committee, as he has “always found the IoD a great place to meet with new contacts and potential customers
across the West Midlands.”
Ian Priest
Ian spent 31 years in banking and the last eight years running a commercial finance consultancy, supporting SMEs. He sits on the Worcestershire LEP Business Board and is also on the Midlands Engine Investment Fund Regional Advisory Board, working closely with the British Business Bank and fund managers. He is also a member of various grant boards including the Worcestershire growth fund and Green Shoots. An IoD member since 2000, Ian was Chair of Hereford and Worcester before taking on the Black Country. Ian has been a judge on the IoD’s Director of the Year awards regionally for 10 years and nationally for seven years.
Jackie Hendley
Jackie is the vice chair of IoD West Midlands. Her full-time role is as managing partner of Smith Cooper’s Birmingham office where she heads the tax team, providing business advisory and tax services and working with clients to help them grow their business in a tax-efficient manner, while ensuring compliance is achieved. She also assists clients in preparing their business for sale and achieving a tax efficient exit. Her client base is predominantly SME and owner-managed businesses and, therefore, a key part of her role is ensuring that appropriate advice is provided to both the individual and the company, recognising the significant overlap which can occur with family owned businesses. Jackie’s other roles include: Non Executive Director for University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust;
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Council member of both Sutton Coldfield and Greater Birmingham Chamber of Commerce. Jackie is IoD West Midlands’ lead on driving forward inclusivity.
Joanne Hodgetts
Joanne is a senior solicitor within the dispute resolution department at Harrison Clark Rickerbys, a role that sees her resolve commercial problems of any size and complexity). Prior to qualifying as a solicitor Joanne worked in industry, starting her career as a graduate trainee in part of a FTSE top 100 company before being head-hunted to work for a business start-up. She was a founding member, and then chairperson, of the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Young Directors Forum and a volunteer member of the Young Enterprise regional committees.
Dr John Phillips MBE
John needs no introduction! He joined the IoD in 1993 and was the first paid person to be employed by our organisation outside of London. He retired as West Midlands Regional Director in April 2016, handing over to Calum Nisbet. Over many years he has been actively involved in enthusiastically promoting business careers to young people and now holds responsibility for our student mentoring programmes and matters connected with education.
Richard Bisiker
A qualified Chartered Director and Highly Commended in our IoD Awards in both 2017 and 2018, Richard is currently creating a Learning and Development Academy for the BHSF Health and Well-Being Group, as well as being a Non-Exec Director of the British Microlight Aircraft Association. He has also spent seven years as Board Chair on a local charity, regularly Chairs the IoD Staffordshire Mastermind group and lectures and mentors at Wolverhampton University, advising on and delivering business growth strategies for organisations to drive profitability. Over the last 25 years he has operated and coached within a wide variety of cultures working within the UK, Far East, Europe and America.
You can contact any of our regional committee via the IoD office, on 0121 643 1868
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Help us to get the IoD voice across The UK’s prosperity depends on enterprise and it is imperative that the views of directors are heard. Through our Policy Team, the IoD exerts its influence in all matters of economic and public policy: n By taking a position in the media (both nationally and locally) n Through direct discussion with ministers and civil servants n Through written responses to consultation documents and production of research and policy papers. Members of our Policy team appear regularly on TV and radio and are highly valued contributors to the press and, over the year, the IoD has gained thousands of media hits and mentions in national papers. The IoD has been influential in a number of key areas including the debate on Brexit, trade, corporate governance, skills, the Budget and infrastructure spending. A few examples are listed below:
Brexit
Throughout the debate over Brexit the IoD has consistently put the business view, working diligently to make government aware of the consequences of ‘no deal.’
Trade
The Government’s new (and first) Export Strategy was launched at our very own Pall Mall. The strategy included a raft of IoD recommendations, including plans to test schemes such as export vouchers to encourage trading.
Corporate Governance
The IoD was a key contributor to the new Corporate Governance Code, which includes a greater emphasis on taking into account wider stakeholders. The IoD also played a leading role in the creation of the Wates Principles for the largest unlisted companies.
Skills
The Chancellor has reformed the Apprenticeship Levy, following over a year’s campaigning by the IoD. The system is to be made more flexible, with a lower funding requirement for small firms and more funding given to the Institute of Apprenticeships to create better courses. The IoD continues to meet regularly
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with officials in the Department for Education, feeding in members’ experiences of the levy, and seeking a broader use of the system to encompass a wider range of skills training.
The Budget
We’ve also been influential on Budget reform and infrastructure developments, including the new runway for Heathrow Airport. With around 30,000 members across the UK, the IoD is perfectly placed to represent the views of our Business Leaders. To make sure YOUR voice is heard, please ensure you are registered for Policy Voice – a monthly survey that seeks opinions on the issues that matter to business leaders, including Brexit, regulation, skills and the economy. The data collected is developed into IoD policy reports, imbedded into every government consultation we respond to and shared in conversations with policy makers and the media. Policy Voice participants, which now top 3,000 members, are thanked with regular invitations to exclusive events, opportunities to win complimentary places at IoD workshops and consistent feedback on how their insights have been used.
Join the debate at www.iod.com/ news/influence-government
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Charity Spotlight: Aleto Foundation
Aleto focused on supporting the next generation On 28th March, IoD West Midlands chair Brian Hall hosted a lunch in the impressive offices of Mills & Reeve on Colmore Row, to introduce The Aleto Foundation to Birmingham. Our thanks to Steve Allen and team for hosting the event. Established in 2010, The Aleto Foundation is a UK registered charity, set up to provide significant lifetime opportunities for young people with high potential for future leadership roles. Its CEO, David Villa-Clarke, explained: “Our focus is on identifying and developing the next generation of leaders who have historically found it challenging to access jobs due to their backgrounds. “As a social mobility charity seeking to create a positive impact on society, we provide leadership training and mentoring to talented young people who go through a rigorous recruitment process, prior to being accepted on our programme that is designed to enhance their leadership skills and increase their confidence in the work place and society at large. “The programme focuses on selfdevelopment, team working, presentation and public speaking skills. Each year young people are put through a series of exercises to identify their leadership potential and then they are supported with solutions to solidify their development. They are given support by mentors and their peers, throughout and after the
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IoD chair Brian Hall with Mills & Reeve’s David Varnham and Aleto Foundation CEO David Villa-Clarke leadership programme. “Since 2011, we have run eight Leadership Programmes, attracting almost 1,000 applicants. To date we have 381 alumni who identify with Aleto and are advocates of the programme. In addition we have over 1,000 ‘Friends of Aleto’ who are connected to the organisation. “The alumni are our greatest asset, in that they introduce us to their networks and support our programmes by becoming buddies and mentors. “We are continuously oversubscribed in terms of applications and do all we can to meet the demand for our leadership programmes, mentoring and additional activities.” David went on to explain that as part of its five-year strategic plan, the Aleto Foundation wants to share the programme nationwide. It already has a number of participants who attend the programme from all over the country, and it would be easier to support them if local businesses
were encouraged to work with the foundation to establish the programme in their home towns. Birmingham is top of their list as they recognise that there is plenty of young talent in the West Midlands that they would like to support, helping them to become great leaders in their communities and an asset to the multitude of organisations across the region. They are keen to engage with business leaders who wish to address the variance between the multi-cultural workforce we enjoy and the rather less diverse leadership teams and boardrooms across the region, by supporting them in developing their inhouse social mobility policies and programmes. If you would like to learn more about The Aleto Foundation, please visit https://aletofoundation.org.uk/ or contact David at david@ aletofoundation.org.uk
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