Business Comment 24

Edinburgh: tourism on a global stage BC issue 24.indd 1

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Contents

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2013

Tourism

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Performers at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Brig David Allfrey MBE Chief Executive and Producer of the Edinburgh Tattoo

This edition of Business Comment focuses on one of our most important industries - tourism.

The importance of tourism to our great city cannot be overestimated with more than 3.7 million visits to Edinburgh each year generating ÂŁ1.2 billion in expenditure. With so many people coming to see our tourist attractions and enjoy our festivals, our shops and our night life, tourism continues to be a driving force for our economic success.

In this edition we highlight some examples of attractions and events in Edinburgh which enjoy a truly international reputation and we also look at our vibrant festival scene.

On behalf of our members, we work closely with all levels of Government to influence the development of tourism.

This also includes key business sectors such as infrastructure, transport, digital connectivity and education. We are rightly proud of our tourism offer, but should not be complacent in highly competitive domestic and international markets.

Sharing insight and innovation across our members whilst playing a key role in promoting Edinburgh and Scotland are vital to maintain continued success.

03 Introduction / contents

19 60 seconds

04 Edinburgh is a vital route on British 24|25 Airways global network 26|27 05 Forth Ports busiest season for cruise business 37 07 Tourism industry is vital to our 41 economy

08 Bus tours on the road to success

12 Scotland welcomes the world

13 Ask the expert

15 Going international

16|18 Inspiring connections

Inspiring leaders Edinburgh Festival Fringe Feature In the spotlight Get with IT/ Be the best

44 Getting started

47 New members

49 Partners in enterprise

50 Movers & shakers

Business Comment is an Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce publication.

All editorial a n d g en eral en qu iries: Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce Tel: 0131 221 2999 email mayan.grace@edinburghchamber.co.uk Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, Capital House, 2 Festival Square, Edinburgh EH3 9SU www.edinburghchamber.co.uk President: Alex Mcleod Chief Executive: Dave Birrell

David Birrell

chief executive

David.birrell@edinburghchamber.co.uk

EDITOR Mayan Grace, Tel: 0131 221 2971 Email: mayan.grace@edinburghchamber.co.uk P RODUCTION & DESIGN Distinctive Publishing, 8th Floor, Aidan House, Sunderland Road, Gateshead NE8 3HU Tel: 0845 884 2385 www.distinctivepublishing.co.uk ADVERTISING Distinctive Publishing, 8th Floor, Aidan House, Sunderland Road, Gateshead NE8 3HU Tel: 0845 884 2343 john.neilson@distinctivepublishing.co.uk FEATURE EDITORS John Dean & Francis Griss deangriss@btinternet.com FRONT COVER IM AGE PIC:PAUL TOMKINS/VisitScotland/SCOTTISH VIEWPOINT. DISCLAIM ER

Distinctive Publishing or Business Comment cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies that may occur, individual products or services advertised or late entries. No part of this publication may be reproduced or scanned without prior written permission of the publishers and Business Comment.

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Chambernews

Edinburgh is a vital route on British Airways global network British Airways flies to Edinburgh from its home, Heathrow’s Terminal 5, more often on its worldwide daily schedule than to any other destination.

With up to 12 flights a day each way to Heathrow, another eight return services between London City Airport and Edinburgh and four from Gatwick, 24 in total, British Airways plays a significant role in bringing tourists from all over the world to Scotland’s capital city. In fact our commitment to Scotland as a country is reinforced by up to 57 southbound flights a day from the three major Scottish airports southbound to London’s 3 airports.

In 2012 British Airways flew 1.4 million passengers to and from Edinburgh - almost three times the population of the city itself.

Jim Keegan, British Airways’ regional customer service manager for the UK and Ireland, said: “Edinburgh is not only at the political and economic heart of Scotland, with the Scottish Parliament housed there, but it is one of the UK’s most popular tourist cities, with its iconic castle at one end of the Royal Mile and The Palace of Holyroodhouse and internationally renowned visitor attractions such as Dynamic Earth.

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“All of the city’s attractions, both historic and modern, mean that Edinburgh is an all year round tourism destination and British Airways plays an important role in bringing thousands of tourists to the city every year.

“No more so than during the world-famous Edinburgh International Festival and Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, when we fly participants and visitors from all over the world to these prestigious events.”

And, from September this year, a unique link between British Airways and one of Edinburgh’s newest and most charming tourist attractions, giant pandas Tian Tian and Yang Guan, will be forged when the airline starts services to the Chinese city of Chengdu, the capital of the Sechuin province and the original home of the two pandas.

A high percentage of the inbound passengers travelling to Edinburgh fly in from one of the 177 destinations served by British Airways, principally through Heathrow, but also through London City and Gatwick airports.

“That high level of transfer traffic, both inbound and outbound, at our London airports, especially Heathrow, is absolutely vital to our business,” says Jim Keegan.

“The number of customers transferring through our London Heathrow hub makes a vital contribution to passenger numbers on our European and long-haul services.

“Without them, we would not be able to operate the breadth and frequency of service on many of the 124 routes we currently serve from Heathrow, restricting customer choice and reducing the number of destinations within reach of our customers.

“That would not only affect the ability of the Edinburgh business community to link directly with potential customers and clients in the world-wide marketplace, but could also have an impact on the inbound tourism sector that is so vital to the Edinburgh economy and to the economic wellbeing of Scotland as a whole.”

To demonstrate the importance of Edinburgh to British Airways’ global network, the airline is investing £1.5 million in new lounge facilities that are scheduled to open in December this year.

Jim Keegan added, “The new lounge at Edinburgh demonstrates our commitment to the city and to Scotland as a whole and highlights our drive to deliver customer service excellence both in the air and on the ground.”

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Forth Ports busiest season for cruise business a dedicated Cruise Forth website and will introduce social media channels during the course of the new season.

This season see the Ports welcoming a large variety of returning and new cruise liners from the ultra-luxury ships the Seabourn Pride and the Azamara Quest, to the elegant Wind Surf which calls in Leith for the first time this summer.

Charles Hammond, Group Chief Executive of Forth Ports, said: “Edinburgh holds fantastic potential as a home port in Scotland’s capital city, with all the culture and activities that it offers. In recent years we have seen visiting cruise passengers increasing by over 50 per cent with many ships returning each year as well as new ships being attracted by the vibrancy and beauty of Scotland’s capital.

“We are due to welcome over 80,000 cruise visitors in this season alone with 2014 bookings looking very healthy.There is tremendous opportunity for us to grow our cruise business to further support Scotland’s important tourism industry.”

This year is set to be the busiest season for the Forth Ports cruise business with more than 80 liners calling on the Forth and the Tay, bringing more than 80,000 visitors to Scotland with a significant contribution to the local economy.

At its marquee port in Leith, the season will see the arrival of 35 ships which take advantage of Leith’s prime location to the City of Edinburgh.

The Port operator continues to invest in its two main cruise terminals on the Forth at Leith and Rosyth to ensure a warm welcome for visitors.

The Cruise Terminal at Leith has excellent facilities for visitors with easy access to the retail and leisure facilities at Ocean Terminal and transport links into the City Centre.

In Rosyth, working with Forth Bridges Tourist Group, Forth Ports has upgraded the arrivals hall of the cruise terminal, produced

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Nicky Gold 07768 084844 / nicky.gold@brandaddition.com

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Capitalview Tourism industry is vital to our economy Scotland’s tourism industry is fast becoming as vital to our economy as our energy or food and drink sectors.

The country is enjoying bumper visitor numbers, spurred on by our increasing international profile and the success of exports such as the Oscar-winning animated movie Brave.

Last year alone, 15 million people from all corners of the globe came to Scotland and they contributed £5.2 billion to our economy. Every year the figure rises and so too does the importance of this increasingly vital industry.

2014 is expected to be a bumper year for Scotland’s tourism industry when the country hosts the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles and the second edition of Homecoming, a year- long celebration of the country’s food & drink, culture, heritage and natural resources. This presents a fantastic opportunity for Scotland to show itself off to the world and for tourism businesses to take advantage of the business opportunities the year will bring. Up to 45,000 visitors are expected daily at the Ryder Cup event and 1 million tickets are up for grabs at the Games alone.

The key to continued growth in the sector is collaboration with different business working together to further drive momentum in the industry.

Bank of Scotland’s team of Relationship Managers are equipping themselves with the knowledge to help the sector grow and develop.

Our team is one of the first to receive comprehensive training from VisitScotland to equip us with industry-led expertise, which in turn will enable us to adequately fund and support tourism focussed projects.

12 team members received intensive coaching on subjects including; business tourism, international markets, tourism trends and the Year of Natural Scotland.

This resilient field is expected to buck the downward economic trend with predictions suggesting that gross tourism revenues in Scotland by 2015 could increase by 50%. Next year’s major events in Scotland will naturally provide an even greater economic boost and businesses can seize on these opportunities to embrace growth and expansion strategies assisted by our team of experts.

Ian Collins

Area Director at Bank of Scotland

It’s estimated around 185,900 people in 13,000 businesses across Scotland are working directly within the tourism sector. The number of firms indirectly feeling the benefits of the boom is likely to run far higher.

The opportunity for growth has already been identified with record investment from public and private bodies and ambitious targets for increasing visitor numbers and economic input.

By working closely together tourism operators, investors and developers can help to shape and grow an already buoyant industry that has a bright and prosperous future.

“Last year alone, 15 million people from all corners of the globe came to Scotland and they contributed £5.2 billion to our economy. Every year the figure rises and so too does the importance of this increasingly vital industry.”

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Businessnews Bus tours on the road to success In the early 1990s, Lothian Regional Transport (LRT) operated one city centre bus tour every 15 minutes, with five buses employing approximately 12 staff for the city centre tour.

Today Edinburgh Bus Tours (EBT) operates six tours, as frequent as every seven minutes with a fleet of nearly 50 open top buses employing 150 staff. Three of the tours boast extremely knowledgeable guides who personally impart fascinating facts about the city, both past and present, whilst promoting the wealth of other attractions that Edinburgh has to offer.

Over recent years, Edinburgh Bus Tours has expanded, its reach, from the original tour of the old town to tours today going to the Botanic gardens and Leith. The Forth Bridges ‘Bus and Boat Tour’ links up with the Forth Belle in South Queensferry, covering both land and sea with one ticket.

The city centre tours enable more than half a million visitors to view Edinburgh from the unrivalled vantage point of an open top bus. Edinburgh Bus Tours is the third most popular paid for visitor attraction in Scotland, following Edinburgh Castle and Edinburgh Zoo. The bus tours enable visitors to Edinburgh to reach almost all the major tourist attractions and the ‘hop on, hop off ’ element ensures they see much more of the city, visiting areas that they otherwise may not have come across.

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Edinburgh Bus Tours embraces working with partners in the tourist industry. One extremely successful such partnership enabled the creation of the Edinburgh Royal Ticket.

This value for money ticket offers a tremendous 48 hours of travel on the open top buses and entrance into three of the top tourist attractions, namely Edinburgh Castle, the Palace of Holyrood House and the Royal Yacht Britannia. Another important partnership is that with the Edinburgh World Heritage Trust, resulting in the Edinburgh World Heritage Tour.

This tour focuses on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) World Heritage Site and is branded as a ‘City of Contrasts’ tour exploring Edinburgh’s fire and ice, nature and architecture, good and evil and past and present. In fact, this is the longest tour lasting 80 minutes, compared to 60 minutes for the other city tours.

This tour recently won the ‘Partnership in Tourism Award, 2013’ in the regional final of the Thistle Awards.

As a top tourist attraction, Edinburgh Bus Tours places a huge amount of emphasis on a consistently high standard for visitors and hugely values their feedback. We are extremely proud to have recently retained the five star visitor attraction rating from VisitScotland for the third consecutive year, and also to be awarded a Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor for being a Top Performing Business.

As the scale of the operation continues to grow, the introduction of a new General Manager post was created to further develop the operation. Tim Armour joined as General Manager in February this year. Tim has a wide ranging background in the customer service and transport industries with his last role running the Fleet Depot in the Olympic Park during the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games.

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“This year alone, Edinburgh Airport has introduced over 20 new international destinations to its summer flight schedule, including the capital’s first direct flight to Toronto with Air Canada rouge. In addition, both Ryanair and easyJet have recently launched new services to a number of European cities.”

Not only do these exciting new routes offer Scots more choice in their summer holiday destinations, they also open Scotland up to the rest of the world. Edinburgh Airport is dedicated to ensuring it is the place where Scotland meets the world and it will continue to listen to its passengers and invest in the routes they want.

The current debate surrounding the highly political issue of increased airport capacity in the UK is something which Edinburgh Airport is heavily involved in. With airports already submitting their recommendations to the Airports Commission in early July, the commission’s findings will inevitably have a profound influence on Scotland’s connectivity with the rest of the world.

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Gordon Dewar, Chief Executive of Edinburgh Airport, said: “Edinburgh Airport has just enjoyed its busiest May and June on record, with almost two million passengers travelling through the airport over the last two months. This is testament to the hard work of the airport and its city partners who are dedicated to providing passengers with the best choice of routes possible.

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Never has the role of Edinburgh Airport been more important, given that it is in the middle of the hugely busy summer period with hundreds of thousands of passengers not just leaving Scotland for sunnier climes, but arriving to experience all that Scotland has to offer.

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Indeed, Edinburgh Airport has a hugely important part to play given that 87% of overseas visitors choose to fly to Scotland, with 66% of these visitors coming to Scotland on holiday. Edinburgh Airport remains the key arrival point for overseas travellers to the city with 41% arriving by plane.

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Recent figures show that Edinburgh attracts more than 3.69 million staying visits each year, with the history of our iconic city being the main draw for huge numbers of visitors arriving from all over the world.

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Edinburgh Airport and tourism go hand-in-hand

Scotland values its connections with airports in the south east of England, not simply to do business in the UK’s capital, but to take advantage of the high number of destinations served through these larger airports. Put simply, without good connections to London airports, Scottish passengers will become increasingly restricted in their choice of destinations – something which Edinburgh Airport is passionate about increasing.

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www.sir-robert-mcalpine.com

Scott House, Mid New Cultins West One Business Park Edinburgh EH11 4DH

Tel: 0131 458 4255 Fax: 0131 458 4254 Email: edinburgh@sir-robert-mcalpine.com

Edinburgh International Conference Centre Expansion

Barnardo’s Works works on!

Cost effective recruitment!

Assess a potential employee before you recruit!

Barnardo’s Works supports 16-24 year olds into sustainable employment by developing the key skills employers are looking for.

We are looking for employers willing to take young people onto placement and into employment.

We offer: n

Employment skills training

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Work placements at no cost to you

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Training for employees to suit your needs

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Support to you and the employee throughout

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Potential employment recruitment incentives

Help a Young Person into work – your work!

Contact Helen Brown Tel: 0131 559 3940 or 07879 893 078 helen.brown@barnardos.org.uk

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Barnardo’s Works has now been running for almost four years! During this time we have successfully placed over 100 young people aged 16 – 24 into employment and we have hosted two graduation events to celebrate the success of those completing our employability programme. We have worked with employers and young people in East Lothian, West Lothian, and the City of Edinburgh. Employers have found it a refreshing and rewarding experience employing our young people and the lives of our participants have been turned around by finding and sustaining employment.

We are now looking to work with more employers (small, medium or large) who have placement and employment opportunities for young people.

Each participant on the programme goes through a tailored induction to develop their employability skills, before moving on to a placement with an employer.

This placement gives the young person the opportunity to prove themselves to the employer. Ideally the employer will offer waged employment direct from the placement.

Further benefits to the employer: n

Cost effective recruitment

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Try before you employ

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Loyal and motivated workforce

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BWE staff support in person and by phone for each employer throughout the placement period and into the waged period

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Regular development reviews for both employer and young person

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Assistance processing employer recruitment incentives where applicable

Employers we have partnered with have recruited participants for hospitality, road repairs, warehousing, customer services, care, construction, admin, IT, retail, property maintenance and estate management.

If you have a placement or employment opportunity please call Helen Brown, Employer Liaison Officer on 0131 559 3940 or helen.brown@barnardos.org.uk Follow us on Twitter @BarnardosWorksE

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Images courtesy of:Paul Tomkins/visitscotland/scottish viewpoint

Chambernews

Scotland welcomes the world

by Manuela Calchini, Regional Partnership Director at Visit Scotland.

The impact of the current economic climate has undoubtedly been felt across the corporate world.

Consumer spending has been reined in; everything from home-buying to holidays has been affected, creating difficult times for businesses small and large.

Like every other industry, tourism took a hit, perhaps not to the same degree as a straight right from one of the Klitschko brothers, but a hit none-the-less.

Tourism, however, is fighting back. The industry is reacting quickly and is getting stronger and stronger. It is a resilient industry where, when the going gets tough, the industry works harder, sells harder and does everything within its power to win those valuable visitors.

Edinburgh is at the forefront of tourism activity. Imagery of the city is broadcast and showcased around the world though the plethora of festivals that run throughout the year thus helping to secure its iconic standing.

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In addition to this a series of themed years has highlighted and showcased exactly what Scotland and Edinburgh have to offer visitors from both home and abroad.

Everything from Scotland’s cultural prowess, the wealth of adventure sport opportunities, world class food and drink, and this year, the Year of Natural Scotland, have contributed to ensuring Scotland remains high on the holiday agenda. This is something CNN was quick to outline at the beginning of the year when it voted Scotland the best holiday destination in the world.

The awards and the ‘tips of the hat’ haven’t stopped there. Conde Naste’s Spanish edition devoted a whole publication to Scotland and Brave. The Disney Pixar creation set in an animated Scotland did a clean sweep at the Golden Globes, BAFTAs and the Oscars.

There’s a lot to look forward to in 2014; Homecoming 2014, the Ryder Cup and the Commonwealth Games all mark a once in a lifetime chance for every man, women and child to play a part in the exciting opportunities these events, amongst others, will generate. This is an opportunity for Scotland’s, and indeed Edinburgh’s, businesses to shine - and welcome the visitor.

Creating a legacy is crucial.Without doubt the next 12 months will be a year that Scotland will remember and look back on for generations to come.We must ensure that all the benefits afforded to us are taken advantage of.

Tourism operates at great pace and the industry has to sprint to ensure it competes on a global stage; we’re in the fortunate position to have a first class product and a plethora of festivals and internationally renowned events that ensure a ready mix of visitors from both home and abroad.

In order to remain as a top economic driver, it’s imperative that businesses keep the faith in what the country and the city have to offer and sell, sell, sell. Tourism is a dynamic business that creates huge economic benefit for the Scottish economy. We’re a first class destination with so much to give but there needs to be a sustained fight.

Tourism is, and will continue to be, part of everyone’s life in Edinburgh and Scotland.

It’s how we grasp it and take advantage of the opportunities that will truly dictate our success in the years to come.

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Asktheexpert The benefits of using Travel Management I often hear people say it’s better and cheaper to do it yourself. Is it? Have you looked at the cost of your internal resources? If a PA or secretary takes more than 15 minutes to book travel, then you are already out of pocket.

In my 20 years in travel, I’ve yet to find someone who hasn’t had to use the services of a good travel professional to get them out of a tricky spot.

When the Iceland Volcano blew off, we had people all over the world.

One of our major clients found that they benefitted by getting their team back to site and working within a few hours while others they knew were stuck for several days in places they’d rather not be.

So is the question not; “how much value do you put on your employees time”?

Controlling spend Today, all businesses wish to control spending and ensure they get the best value for money.

We recommend travel policies are implemented and, once in place, the control of your staff travel is per the parameters agreed.

Regular monitoring with review meetings provide detailed reports of your travel spend. By measuring and making decisions on how you save money plus environmental reporting detailing the carbon emissions ensures full value from every trip.

Traveller safety A reminder that employers today have a duty of care to their staff particularly with the introduction the Corporate Manslaughter Act which holds companies responsible for staff safety when travelling on company business.

Ken McNab FCILT., FITT., MIoD. Managing Director The Travel Company Edinburgh

Changes About 40 % of business travellers change their reservation after they make the initial booking. Cancellation or amendment fees can cost a fortune.

When discussing their trip with an agent they will offer the best ticket if they think it is likely change.

Hotels Travel companies book directly with hotels or bed banks which offer hotels. Often it can be cheaper to book via travel management company than booking with the hotel direct, again saving you money.

If your team are attending a meeting which over runs and they have booked their own travel they have to contact their airline, the hotel, the car rental company etc. If you book through a travel management company, one call does it all.

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Chambernews Innovation the key to a vibrant tourism industry

By Professor Andrew Frew Research Professor, Chair in ICT and Tourism School of Arts, Social Sciences and Management, Queen Margaret University The tourism sector and innovation are woven into the fabric and history of Queen Margaret University (QMU).

From its establishment in 1875 as the Edinburgh School of Cookery, QMU has consistently introduced new approaches to theory and practice to not only keep up with the times but to be a positive agent of change.

Today that mission continues and while our community has now become an international one, the university’s focus on innovation and application is stronger than ever.

We take tourism very seriously in our teaching and in our research and knowledge exchange activities.

Tourism is a hugely important industry to Scotland with recent Scottish Government statements on the economy identifying it as a key sector and citing a contribution in the region of £2.9bn GVA and employing more than 200,000 people in 14,000 tourism related businesses across the country.

Overnight visitors spent £4.29bn in 2012 with overseas visitors contributing £1.4bn.

The sector’s total wider contribution actually accounts for around £11bn GDP, 10.4% of the country’s economy and 10% of the country’s workforce.

Queen Margaret University

Our tourism teaching extends to both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes with Honours and Masters students experiencing up-to-date scholarship but also direct practical relevance as may be seen, for example, in the work being done under the collaboration agreement with Apex Hotels or in the engagement with the Edinburgh New Town Cookery School.

In this vein the university has also led the way in raising awareness of the sector among school students through its pioneering work with the East Lothian Hospitality and Tourism Academy, a model now being extensively replicated.

Our on-campus programmes continue to attract students from all corners of the world and each year sees the university delivering greater numbers of its programmes overseas – a truly global tourism community.

Keeping up to date has always meant ensuring that all our learning and teaching activities are firmly embedded in applied research.

Examples of this include the highly successful tourism project in India.The project, Cooperative tourism – a model for sustainable rural tourism development, enabled the practical transfer of tourism expertise and sustainable development concepts, allowed

for Ph.D. work to be embedded within it and provided an endless stream of material to inform our students on the challenges of poverty alleviation and emerging rural economies.

Funded by the Scottish Government’s International Development Fund, the project developed into the Edge of India brand and is about building local capacity and developing new markets by training people in local communities enabling to manage their own area as a tourism destination.

The overall aim is to create viable rural tourism destinations which can be developed as sustainable businesses, thereby building strong and healthy rural communities with a bright and confident future.

The vital importance of tourism to the Scottish economy and this has been recognissed by Scottish Government policies in the area, the establishment of a Ministerial post and more recently by the support for the Scottish Funding Council to seek to establish an Innovation Centre for Tourism.

In keeping with its strong commitment to the tourism sector Queen Margaret University has been at the forefront of work to establish such a Centre and has led the development of a panScotland consortium.

The consortium comprises eight universities working directly with the Scottish Tourism Alliance, the main industry voice, and also with Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Scottish Enterprise.

The establishment of such a Scottish Tourism Innovation Centre is needed to provide bring our tourism stakeholders together in a way which would be truly transformational in the Scottish tourism landscape.

Miriam Smith Queen Margaret University 0131 474 0000 MSmith3@qmu.ac.uk

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Andrea Nolan

Edinburgh Castle shortlisted for heritage award Edinburgh Castle, which was voted the top UK Heritage Attraction for the past two years, has once again been shortlisted for the prize by the British Travel Awards.

The castle is Scotland’s number one paid-for visitor attraction and welcomes more than 1.2 million visitors from around the world. It faced competition from the National Maritime Museum in Cornwall and the Titanic Belfast.

Nick Finnigan, Executive Manager at Edinburgh Castle, said: “I am delighted that Edinburgh Castle has been nominated again for this prestigious award.

“Edinburgh Castle is a global attraction and is recognised around the world as a Scottish icon.

It was a huge honour for the castle to be voted the top UK Heritage Attraction in 2011 and 2012.

“This is another exciting year with concerts featuring Jessie J, Paul Weller and Runrig with the spectacular backdrop of Edinburgh Castle, the internationally renowned Edinburgh Military Tattoo and the fabulous fireworks during the Edinburgh International Festival.

“There is so much to see at the castle - the Scottish Crown Jewels, which are amongst the oldest regalia in Europe, the Stone of Destiny and St Margaret’s Chapel, the oldest building in Edinburgh, as well as our costumed performers who bring history to life, making it a must-see attraction.”

To vote visit www.edinburghcastle.gov.uk

New challenge for principal at Edinburgh Napier University

Andrea Nolan

Professor Andrea Nolan has begun work as the new Principal & Vice Chancellor of Edinburgh Napier University.

The professor, formerly Senior VicePrincipal & Deputy Vice Chancellor at the University of Glasgow, took up her post on 1 July. She succeeds Professor Dame Joan Stringer, who has retired after a decade in the role.

Chair of Edinburgh Napier University Court, The Very Revd Dr Graham Forbes, said: “Andrea was the unanimous choice of our interview panel and is a worthy successor to Professor Dame Joan Stringer. We look forward to working with her to ensure the continued growth and success of the University.”

Professor Nolan said: “I am delighted to be appointed as the next Principal and Vice Chancellor of Edinburgh Napier University. It is a privilege to lead the University, and I look forward very much to working with the University community to build on the success of Professor Stringer’s principalship.”

August/September 2013

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15 1/8/13 09:55:57

Inspiringconnections

01 02

Premier Series Dinner On the 3rd of June 80 delegates attended our premier series dinner to listen to Keith Williams, Chief Executive Officer at British Airways

01

02

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BC August/September 2013

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Alex McLeod, President at Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce with Keith Williams, CEO at British Airways and David Birrell, Chief Executive at Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce Richard Hoving from Shirt by Hand with James Kanter from 4GEE Scotland

1/8/13 09:56:02

03 04

Referendum Series Dinner

Photos by Graham Carnie, Tuskite Photography

On the 18th of June 50 delegates attended our dinner with Fergus Ewing, Minister for Energy, Enterprise & Tourism as part of our referendum consultation series.

03

David Birrell, Chief Executive at Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce with Fergus Ewing, Minister for Energy, Enterprise & Tourism and Scott Black from FWB Limited

04

Lucy Reekie from Burness Paul & Williamsons with Kyle Boggie from City Cabs with Brendan Johnston from Forth Craw and Tamar Tammes from Burness Paul & Williamsons

August/September 2013

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BC

17 1/8/13 09:56:07

Inspiringconnections Upcoming events and training courses Summer Party

Finance for Non Financial Managers

Thursday 15 August 2013 | 5.30pm-7.30pm The Royal Botanical Gardens

Wednesday 14th August | 9.30am – 4.30pm

The Botanic Gardens has over 70 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds, with stunning views of the city. Come along for a BBQ and networking with fellow members.

Who is this course for? Managers wishing to gain a clearer understanding of the fundamentals of business finance and how finance impacts on the decisions they make on a day-to-day basis either at a departmental or company-wide level.

Fee £35.00 (Chamber members)

£187.00 & VAt (Chamber members and member guests)

Breakfast Connections

Social Media Series

Wednesday 4 September 2013 | 8.30am-10.30am The Hub

16th, 23rd August & 6th, 13th September 9.30am – 12.30pm

Speaker: Brigadier David Allrey

We have developed a series of social media training courses which look at all of the sites and tools required to maximise your sales. If you are a business owner, or an employee with any responsibility for attracting and retaining clients, you should be using social media.

Whether you are experienced, a novice or an absolute beginner at using Blogs, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, our Social Media Series is for you.

One of the Chamber’s most popular events, Breakfast Connections will welcome our speaker Brigadier David Allfrey, Chief Executive and Producer of The Edinburgh Military Tattoo who will discuss tourism in Edinburgh.

Fee £30.00 (Chamber members)

£97.00 & VAt per course (Chamber members)

Annual Golf Tournament

Buy the 4 training session and only pay for 3!

Thursday 12 September 2013 | 9.45am-6.00pm Marriott Dalmahoy Country Club

Writing for the Web

We are holding our annual golf tournament at the prestigious Marriott Dalmahoy Country Club. This tournament offers you the unique chance to network with like-minded business professionals, making business connections whilst enjoying a competitive round of golf. Whether you are a budding champion or just picking up the clubs, join us for this exclusive opportunity to escape the confines of your office and truly benefit your business. Package offers; breakfast prior to the tournament, 18-hole round of golf, full use of the driving range and post-play golfers afternoon tea along with a prize giving presentation.

Tuesday 03 September | 9.30am-4.30pm

Fee £99.00 (Chamber members)

www.chamberbusinesssolutions.co.uk/open_training_Courses or contact Carrie Wilson on 0131 221 3191 / email: carrie.wilson@edinburghchamber.co.uk

For further information or to book onto an event call the events team on 0131 221 2972 / e-mail events@edinburghchamber.co.uk or visit www.edinburghchamber.co.uk

18

BC August/September 2013

BC issue 24.indd 18

Need to write clear, compelling content for your website? Learn writing techniques that will help your key audiences find your website and engage with the content once they are there. Discover how web content helps your search engine ranking. Develop useful editing skills, ideal for the web, but excellent for other kinds of business writing too. £187.00 & VAt (Chamber members and member guests) For more details on our training courses or to book please visit

Venue for all our courses is the Edinburgh Chamber office on 2 Festival Square (next to the Sheraton Hotel).

1/8/13 09:56:07

60seconds Name: Laura Ferguson Company Name: PPL Website: www.ppluk.com q In five words or less, what do you do?

A Licence businesses playing recorded music q How long have you been a Chamber member?

A Only joined this year q Why did you join?

A To help us demonstrate to businesses across Edinburgh the financial benefits of playing recorded music, legally, can bring them.

q What services do you use?

A We have attended a breakfast networking event, and hope to even hold our own one day for members.

q What’s the best business/benefit you have won through the Chamber?

organisation, we pass the licence fee on as royalties to the very musicians that create the music that businesses benefit from.

q Are there any additional services or information you’d be particularly interested in?

A An ‘ask the expert’ event would enable organisations to get expert advice on business issues, such as licencing, in one place.

q Where do you read your copy of Business Comment?

A As I travel around the country speaking to

q If you were telling another business person about the Chamber, what’s the first thing you would say?

A We joined because it proactively helps us communicate our message, that businesses playing recorded music must be compliant, to the Capital’s business leaders.

different businesses, I read my copy on the train.

A Explaining that as a not-for-profit

Reiach and Hall Architects, founded in 1965 by Alan Reiach and Eric Hall, are experienced and confident in our ability to realise buildings with our clients that are affordable and functional yet have a higher ambition of being good places to be in. We believe strongly in doing things simply and well and have enjoyed a very broad portfolio of projects over 48 years in the profession from flat 5HLDFK DQG +DOO $UFKLWHFWV IRXQGHG LQ E\ $ODQ 5HLDFK DQG (ULF +DOO DUH H[SHULHQFHG DQG FRQÂżGHQW LQ RXU DELOLW\ WR UHDOLVH EXLOGLQJV ZLWK RXU FOLHQWV WKDW DUH DIIRUGDEOH 5HLDFK DQG +DOO $UFKLWHFWV IRXQGHG LQ E\ $ODQ 5HLDFK DQG (ULF +DOO DUH H[SHULHQFHG DQG FRQÂżGHQW LQ RXU DELOLW\ WR UHDOLVH EXLOGLQJV ZLWK RXU FOLHQWV WKDW DUH DIIRUGDEOH 5HLDFK DQG +DOO $UFKLWHFWV IRXQGHG LQ E\ $ODQ 5HLDFK DQG (ULF +DOO DUH H[SHULHQFHG DQG FRQÂżGHQW LQ RXU DELOLW\ WR UHDOLVH EXLOGLQJV ZLWK RXU FOLHQWV WKDW DUH DIIRUGDEOH 5HLDFK DQG +DOO $UFKLWHFWV IRXQGHG LQ E\ $ODQ 5HLDFK DQG (ULF +DOO DUH H[SHULHQFHG DQG FRQÂżGHQW LQ RXU DELOLW\ WR UHDOLVH EXLOGLQJV ZLWK RXU FOLHQWV WKDW DUH DIIRUGDEOH conversions to major regional hospitals. Reiach and Hall believe that this diversity of scale and use allows each sector to enrich and inform the others while keeping our thinking fresh.

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Awards: RIBA National Awards • RIAS Awards • Saltire Society Housing Design Awards • BCIA Building Winners • BCO Awards • Civic Trust Awards Scottish Design Awards • Scottish Design Awards Architectural Practice of the Year 2013 • Education Architect of the Year 2012 • OfďŹ ce Architect of the Year 2012

REIACH REIACH REIACH REIACH AND AND AND AND HALL HALL HALL HALL ARCHITECTS ARCHITECTS ARCHITECTS ARCHITECTS 6 Darnaway 66Darnaway 6Darnaway Darnaway Street, Street, Street, Street, Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH3 EH3 EH3 EH3 6BG 6BG 6BG 6BG REIACH REIACH AND AND HALL HALL ARCHITECTS ARCHITECTS 66 Darnaway Darnaway Street, Street, Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH3 EH3 6BG 6BG

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August/September 2013

BC issue 24.indd 19

BC

19 1/8/13 09:56:10

CoMMerCiAl ProPertY FeAture

Commercial property sector experiences upturn in confi dence Recent surveys of businesses seeking to expand or relocate have suggested that the main considerations when it comes to investing in new property have been the need to keep costs under control and the impact a purchase or lease may have on company cash flow. That is true of all companies but particularly so for small businesses taking their first tentative steps towards expansion.

To address those concerns, the number of companies seeking lease arrangements rather than buying outright does seem to be increasing, although there are still companies that prefer the idea of owning their own premises, seeing it as an investment for the future.

Location is also a key consideration for companies moving into new properties - can customers find them, can their staff and clients link to the transport network?

The signs of confidence in the commercial property sector continue to grow.

Often, bringing in expert help can make it easier to get the answers right. The role of the property consultant when a company has decided to invest is to take as much of the hassle away from the process as possible and that starts with locating the kind of sites that would appeal to a client. Their knowledge can save a lot of time.

Among the latest evidence was the British Property Federation’s annual conference which heard that, after several months of stabilisation and marginal economic growth, the UK real estate sector believes there are signs of improvement not just in London but across the UK. Chris Grigg, President of the British Property Federation, said: “We have seen a real thawing in market conditions of late, and not just in London.

The UK economy has done better than the pessimists predicted, and there is undoubtedly more bank finance out there now.

“Meanwhile, domestic and international buyers have started to run the slide rule over more real estate.

“On the other hand, we are by no means out of the woods yet. UK economic growth remains low and unemployment painfully high.

“The challenge to our industry is startling: we must provide relevant space for occupiers whose needs are often changing, and do it at a time when capital markets are still patchy.

“The Government faces a similar challenge: to provide world class infrastructure on a tight budget.”

So, given this growing confidence, where does Edinburgh stand? The answer is that the city is well placed to take advantage of the upturn and offers an exciting and expanding commercial market in the heart of the city and beyond.

All over Edinburgh, new development areas are being opened up and old sites are being transformed as the city continues to develop its commercial offer.

The range is extensive, from newly-constructed modern office blocks in the outer fringes of the city to those in the centre and plenty of refurbishments of historic buildings being converted for new uses.

20

Sales, Lettings & Rent Reviews of all types of Commercial & Industrial Property throughout City of Edinburgh, Lothians and Scottish Borders David M Bell 7 Beanston Cottage, Beanston, Haddington EH41 3SB T: 01620 880568 M: 07804 042379 E: dmbproperty@btconnect.com

BC August/September 2013

BC issue 24.indd 20

1/8/13 09:56:14

OFFICE OCCUPIERS IN CENTRAL EDINBURGH NEED TO ACT NOW!

WHY?

The Edinburgh city centre office market suffers from lack of supply, reflecting strong demand for this location (84% of last years take up was for the city centre) and difficulty in getting new development funded in the current financial climate. Significant numbers of occupiers have lease breaks/terminations between now and 2019 which will create further pressure on the city centre market.

The only new completed developments are the Councilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Atria development which is already 50% pre-let. The only other completed development so far this year is Ediston Properties 145 Morrison Street providing 26,000 sqft. Edinburgh will need further development to progress as it generally takes 18-24 months to build a new office building assuming that planning and all statutory consents are in place. No new office development will complete in Edinburgh in 2014 and indeed no new schemes have started yet to provide future space.

The shortage of supply and inherent demand over the next 6 years will drive rental levels upwards and reduce tenant incentives. This is already happening for the best space.

There is only 11/4 years supply of Grade A and Grade B floorspace available in the city centre.

Greatest Demand for larger occupiers will be for floorplates within the size range 10,000-30,000

sqft which are increasingly required by large companies.

For requirements over 40,000 sqft there are only limited options.

A growing national trend is for office occupiers to use floorspace more intensively and as a consequence they are looking for efficient open plan floorplates and effective cooling, which allows occupiers to fit more people into less space. To do this, they are seeking higher specification buildings which allows them to make better use of their most expensive resource - people. We only see this trend continuing and there are considerable efficiencies in having occupiers on fewer floors and ideally on a single floorplate.

The message is that occupiers who need to move over the next 3 years, need to make plans now, due to the longer period that will be required in relocating. In some instances, occupiers are already entering into pre-lets to benefit from remaining incentives which will diminish.

We have seen in recent months a number of major occupiers staying in existing accommodation and taking a short term lease extension. This has issues not least in that many will ultimately need to move and they are only accentuating a problem further, as the number of companies who need to make decisions to

relocate peaks in 2016-2017. Also, the office services in these buildings are often nearing or at the end of their useful life and service charges in older buildings are usually significantly higher than for a new build/refurbishment.

Expert advice on the market opportunities and property scenarios are needed and occupiers, with lease events over the next 3-4 years, would be well advised to take advice now to ensure satisfactory business continuity and performance. A number of Edinburgh occupiers have left matters too late and are having to consider sub optional property solutions which will impact in their business.

4th Floor, Exchange Tower 19 Canning Street, Edinburgh EH3 8EG +44 (0) 131 229 3800 +44 (0) 131 229 2588

By Hugh Rutherford, Offices Partner, Montagu Evans, Chartered Surveyors And Property Consultants

BC issue 24.indd 21

1/8/13 09:56:15

Are you looking for business property in Fife?

Fife Council provides a variety of business space throughout Fife and we currently have the following Business properties for lease;

OFFICES

Unit No

Sqft

Sqm

Rent

Service Charge

RV

Availability

Unit 5

593

55

£7,205

£2,491

5,500

To Let

Unit 13

811

75

£9,045

£3,406

7,400

To Let

Unit 14

1,053

98

£11,741

£4,422

8,400

To Let

Unit 17a

108

10

£1,334

£475

TBC

To Let

Unit 17b

106

10

£1,309

£466

TBC

To Let

Office 3(FF)

2,745

255

£27,450

TBC

28,100

Under Offer

DUNFERMLINE Dunfermline Business Centre

Pitreavie Business Park INVERKEITHING Forth House

Suite 1

2,790

259

£20,750

TBC

20,300

To Let

Suite 4

1,595

148

£11,862

TBC

11,100

To Let

KIRKCALDY Business Incubator

Various Office Space Available between 169-342 sqft.

This Business Space is for start up businesses only.

Please contact the Property Team on 0845 600 1359 for information.

LEVEN Fife Renewable Innovation Centre

Various Office Space Available between 205-2,217 sqft.

This Centre is aimed for the Renewable Industry market.

Please contact the Property Team on 0845 600 1359 for information.

INDUSTRIAL

Unit No

Sqft

Sqm

Rent

RV

Availability

Unit 1/2

12,267

1,140

£30,667

£31,200

To Let

Unit 3

6,409

595

£12,818

£19,200

To Let

Unit 7

8,435

784

£16,828

£21,500

Interest Lodged

Unit 9

4,148

385

£10,500

£12,600

Interest Lodged

Unit 11

1,038

96

£4,750

£4,300

Interest Lodged

Unit 29

4,106

381

£17,500

£14,850

To Let

GLENROTHES Fife Food & Business Centre

KIRKCALDY Enterprise Centre

Unit 7

300

28

£2,400

£2,000

To Let

Unit 16

500

47

£3,750

£3,750

To Let

Unit 19

1,000

93

£8,000

£5,400

To Let

Block 5 Unit 1

1,757

163

£6,700

£5,500

To Let

Block 5 Unit 8

1,757

163

£6,700

£5,500

To Let

LEVEN Banbeath Industrial Estate

Misrepresentation Act: Dimensions, distances and floor areas are approximate and given for guidance purposes only. Potential tenants should satisfy themselves as to the validity of the figures given. These costs are correct at this date but subject to review.

If you are looking for business premises contact the Economic Development Team on 0845 600 1359 or e-mail business.property@fife.gov.uk BC issue 24.indd 22

1/8/13 09:56:18

The Royal Society of Edinburgh

THE

perfect LOCATION

Special offer for Chamber members: book a room during 2013–2014 and receive 25% discount on room hire Located in Edinburgh’s City Centre and within the home of the prestigious Royal Society of Edinburgh, we offer convenience, value and flexibility in a fabulous historic setting.

Large or small, whether you are planning an international conference, educational seminar, business meeting, prestigious dinner, wedding or other celebratory event, our facilities can be tailored to meet your needs.

lity

t d

t d

t d

To organise a tour of our rooms, or for more information contact: The Conference Centre Team The Royal Society of Edinburgh 22–26 George Street, Edinburgh EH2 2PQ, UK e: rooms@royalsoced.org.uk w: www.edinburghconferences.org.uk t: 44 (0) 131 240 5034

The Royal Society of Edinburgh Conference Centre is managed by The RSE Scotland Foundation, Scottish Charity No SC024636

BC issue 24.indd 23

1/8/13 09:56:20

Inspiringleaders Edinburgh Tattoo - tradition meets innovation The Royal Military Edinburgh Tattoo is one of the most important dates in the City’s calendar and each year attracts many thousands of visitors to Scotland‘s Capital.

Given the task of ensuring that it remains so popular is Brigadier David Allfrey MBE, who was appointed Chief Executive and Producer in 2010, taking up the post in the Spring of 2011, having previously been commander of 51 (Scottish) Brigade in Stirling.

The 54-year-old came to the job after a distinguished military career, which began when he was commissioned into the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards in 1979, going on to command the regiment from 2000 until 2002.

After 2002, he held several senior posts at the Staff Colleges, as Colonel Army Recruiting and as Chief of Staff for the Army’s Support Command.

He said: ”I had always wanted a second career in entertainment which is why the idea of running the Tattoo appealed to me.

of this event. Respect is important - we have so many friends around the world who have shown us such kindness over the years.

“Whatever good ideas we might wish to include in the production, we must always ensure the show remains authentic.

“However, nothing in life can stand still. We live in a fascinating world and the challenge is striking the balance between tradition and innovation. This is both a test and the source of opportunity.

“There’s also a social revolution going on. We live at pace in the information age and people can express their opinions very quickly.

“If a member of the audience does not enjoy an aspect of the show, they can make their feelings felt and let others know immediately.

“Consequently, we place enormous emphasis on customer service and responding quickly to questions.

“Against this background, the programme this year will again blend old and new, include all the famed music, action and colour which draws the crowds back time and time again, and will feature a touch of the unexpected.

We are bringing together performers from all

“At the heart of the event, though, will be - as always - the Massed Pipes and Drums, Massed Military Bands, Display Teams, Dancers and the haunting lament of the Lone Piper set against the magnificent backcloth of Edinburgh Castle.”

Brig Allfrey is acutely conscious of the importance of the event to Edinburgh and the wider Scotland.

He said: “The Tattoo is intrinsic to Edinburgh and the wider Scottish economy. Each year, we bring in £77m to the economy and £30m in full time employment equivalence.”

“Each evening, we have 8,800 people in attendance at the show, a total of 220,000 during a season. And, between 100m and 300m catch the show on BBC television.

“We are hugely important to the Scottish tourism industry and we work with other businesses to deliver success in the round.

“We also do our best to signpost visitors outwards from our event – an integrated approach is vital.

“We seek linkages with a great many organisations at a municipal level, at the regional level, at the Scottish and United Kingdom levels and finally across the international sphere - we are currently in communication with 32 countries.

“Also, serving in a Scottish regiment the Tattoo is very much part of your consciousness. Our regimental band and pipes and drums have played at the Tattoo as a routine - all very much part of the cycle of military life.”

A sense of tradition is important to the Producer. Speaking ahead of this year’s event, which runs between 2-24 August and celebrates the Year of Natural Scotland, Brig Allfrey said: “We must nurture the remarkable pedigree

points of the compass including Europe, the Middle East , the Far East, New Zealand and Central America. 70 Mongolian performers will appear at the Tattoo for the first time.

Massed Pipes and Drums at the Tattoo.

A firm favourite!

“We also look to engage with five key points in government and in commerce; defence, foreign affairs, tourism, trade and investment and culture, arts and heritage. The Chamber of Commerce helps us to make the connections.”

“The Tattoo is intrinsic to Edinburgh and the wider Scottish economy. Each year, we bring in £77m to the economy and £30m in full time employment equivalence.”

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Brig David Allfrey MBE Chief Executive and Producer of the Royal Edinburgh Tattoo

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Coverfeature

Images courtesy of The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society.

Festival Fever hits the City

There are few better things than a festival to create a buzz in a city and provide a feeling that it’s the place to be.

That’s certainly the case with the Edinburgh Festival Fringe which attracts audiences from all over the world to Edinburgh each August and has become the largest arts festival globally.

Tasked with ensuring its continued success is Kath M Mainland, who was Administrative Director of the Edinburgh International Book Festival until 2009 when she took up the new post of Chief Executive of the Festival Fringe Society.

She recruited, and heads up, the senior management team which has overseen the refocusing of the organisation on its core objectives, implemented a new Business Plan and has seen the Fringe grow its numbers of performers by 19% and audiences by 8% in the past four years.

Kath said: “We’re very excited that the Fringe is bigger than ever before this year with 2,871 shows performed by 24,107 artists in 273 venues across Edinburgh.

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“This is a 6.5% increase on last year’s programme. Every conceivable nook and cranny across the city will play host to an exhilarating line up of shows and a wealth of experiences await the hundreds of thousands of visitors coming from Edinburgh and across the world. The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society is here to help them enjoy every second.”

But it’s not just about enjoyment; there’s a hard-headed economic element to the Fringe as well.

Kath said: “The Fringe is the world’s largest arts festival and it’s right here in Scotland’s capital city.

“The Fringe attracts audiences and participants from across the globe. It’s such an amazing experience to be here during August and it shows off Edinburgh Festival at its very best.

“More than 50% of audiences are from outside of Scotland and many people return every year, including those who decide to travel further afield to experience more of what Scotland has to offer. The Fringe helps to raise the profile of Scotland internationally and promote our country as the vibrant and creative place it is.

“The recent Edinburgh Festivals Impact Study showed that the Fringe annually generates around £142 million for the Edinburgh economy. However, alongside the economic impact it’s important to remember the cultural and social impacts of the festival.

“The study showed that 89% of Edinburgh respondents said that the Fringe and other Festivals increase local pride in their home city. The Fringe encourages people to take risks with what they see, and to see more.

It gives them access to things they simply can’t experience elsewhere. It creates a spirit of adventure and undoubtedly adds to why people want to live, work and visit here.

1/8/13 09:56:26

“Indeed, under the wider umbrella of Festivals Edinburgh we work closely with Visit Scotland, Visit Britain and Marketing Edinburgh.

“For three weeks in August, Scotland’s capital city becomes the place to be for thousands of artists, producers, promoters, journalists and visitors. The Fringe helps to strengthen Scotland’s reputation as a country with an internationally renowned, thriving arts and culture scene.

“The Fringe is constantly evolving thanks to the thousands of performers who take part each year.The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society will continue to be here for participants and visitors,

to offer advice, assistance and information; to publish the Fringe programme and provide a central box office. We’re proud to support anyone with a story to tell and a venue willing to host them and we will continue to advocate the Fringe both nationally and internationally to encourage new visitors.

As Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce is part of the international network of Chambers from all corners of the world, and is the Capital City Chamber, it is ideally placed to encourage visitors to the Edinburgh Fringe festival.

“We’re very excited that the Fringe is bigger than ever before this year with 2,871 shows performed by 24,107 artists in 273 venues across Edinburgh.

This is a 6.5% increase on last year’s programme.”

Kath Mainland is a native of Orkney, Scotland, who studied in Glasgow and began her career in the arts in 1991 as administrative assistant at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

She has worked in and around Edinburgh’s Festivals ever since, as well as working as a production coordinator and event producer of many of Scotland’s major festivals and events.

Kath also chairs the board of Festivals Edinburgh, a high-level organisation, created and managed by the directors of Edinburgh’s 12 major Festivals, to take the lead on their joint strategic development.

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The Best Advice At Your Fingertips.

At SQA, we’re in touch with your business.

We work with your industry to design a range of relevant qualifications to help develop the particular skills your business needs to be more productive and more competitive.

And we offer a dedicated, named SQA Contact to give your company all the advice and guidance it needs to realise its full potential.

Get in touch, we’re here to help.

t: 0303 333 0330 e: mycentre@sqa.org.uk w: www.sqa.org.uk/businessdevelopment

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trAining & SKillS FeAture

AdVertoriAl

Qualifi cations work for Scotland We are fortunate in Scotland to have recognised that economic success is not simply about developing a highly educated workforce.

Achieving sustainable growth will only be possible by making academic and vocational achievements relevant to employers, ensuring the skills and knowledge learners develop can be applied successfully in the workplace.

Alasdair MacRae, Head of Business Development at the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA), talks about the importance of qualifications and how a qualified and skilled workforce can benefit employers and the economy.

Alasdair explains: “Employers know SQA from their experience with our annual school exams either from having gone through the process themselves or knowing someone who has. While we take our statutory duty to schools very seriously, our ambitions go beyond the classroom”.

Why do we need qualifi cations?

As Scotland’s national awarding and accreditation body, SQA has developed robust, internationally recognised qualifications which meet employers’ expectations.

Alasdair continued:“Our qualifications are essential tools; validating learning for individuals and employers providing a record of progression for individuals as they progress through their careers, allowing them to build on prior learning.

Our qualifications reflect the appropriate level of learning required to complete them, capturing all aspects of the skills the learner has developed.Yet they are flexible enough to support different learning styles and employer needs. They must be relevant and allow for progression through lifelong learning as the needs of individuals, businesses and society change and they must be of a high enough quality and standard to ensure they remain trusted over time.

Working together

good for business

“We are closely aligned to industry representatives and regulators, sector skills councils, the Scottish Training Federation, Skills Development Scotland and the Scottish Council for Development and Industry to ensure that our qualifications meet industry expectations.

Alasdair says businesses benefit from a qualified workforce, “Any business is only as good as its people. If staff are trained and qualified then they tend to be motivated and more productive. Many employers notice benefits, including improved bottom-line performance almost as soon as their people start working towards a qualification.

“There are SQA qualifications suited to everyone in your workplace, from Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQs) and Modern Apprenticeships for those starting out through to Professional Development Awards for those seeking to advance their career at a senior level.

Alasdair explains: “We work extensively with Scotland’s network of further education colleges and training providers, who offer our qualifications across the country. However, if employers are interested in offering SQA qualifications to their staff but would prefer to keep their training in-house, we can work with them to become SQA centres in their own right, delivering our qualifications directly to their employees.

Alasdair concluded: “SQA is ambitious for Scotland, determined to play a full part in ensuring our people and the economy benefit from a qualifications system that meets the country’s needs now and in the future”.

“Any business is only as good as its people. If staff are trained and qualified then they tend to be motivated and more productive. Many employers notice benefits, including improved bottom-line performance almost as soon as their people start working towards a qualification.”

Alasdair Macrae Head of Business Development at SQA

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trAining & SKillS FeAture

AdVertoriAl

The Psychology of Change.

Why is change important?

Competitive advantage in business is achieved through change. Companies like Kodak failed to change and survive while companies like Nokia moved from wood pulp and rubber products to mobile phones. Yet few businesses manage change well and are able to realise the full benefits a change implementation will bring.

Business literature is populated with statistics that ‘change’ is difficult to implement and unsustained. Statistics suggest between 50-70% of change initiatives fail to deliver the objectives* and attempts to implement organizational change are predominantly unsuccessful.** From my own experience this certainly rings true. It is easier to focus on the visible and more tangible aspects of a change. I recall a project implementing new line production machinery in a manufacturing company. There were to be significant benefits to the staff who worked on the line. However, it was 12 months after installation, before any benefit was seen from the millions of pounds spent.

The hard to see, less tangible aspects of the changes that would affect staff, had not been as fully considered. The elimination of manual handling, the reduction of repetitive strain disorders, the improved health and safety, the clean bright environment, the significant improvements to line speed and quality that *Hammer & Champy 1993, Beer & Nohria Harvard Business Review 2000

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would secure their job, were not sufficient to overcome staffs’ perceived losses during the change.There were no job losses, BUT the staff believed they were less well-off due to changes in the social interactions of the team, and a lack of participation and consultation on any of the machinery redesign. Now disengaged, the staff failed to address production line jams, work with managers to resolve the most basic of issues and on some mornings not even turn the machine on! Despise the most technologically advanced machinery available at the time, the company failed to maximise their competitive advantage.

This case study highlights change is often difficult because our experience of the change and how it makes us feel leads to trouble.

Often the focus is on the things we can see and we forget that without behavioural change, there isn’t really a change occurring at all.

This is where understanding the differences between change management and change leadership can help businesses realise their desired change outcomes through greater sustained behavioural change.

n Change leadership is how leaders support staff as they move through the transition.

A transition is internal to the individual. It is the psychological process an individual goes through to come to terms with the new situation. It is about perceived control, and perceived loss.

This simple distinction enables large and costly change programmes to focus more on the employees undergoing a change, rather than a misguided investment on purely process or system improvement. The immediate benefits in employee engagement and sustainable behavioural change more than offset the damage limitation of employee reengagement after it all goes wrong.

For more information contact Elaine on 01506 429266 or email elaine@aviour.co.uk www.aviour.co.uk

n Change management is about the project plans, gant charts and deadlines. It is situational, the new site, boss, tools, processes or machines. It is external to an individual. ** Kotter, 1995; Beer, 2000; Pettigrew et al., 2001; Elrod and Tippett, 2002

1/8/13 09:56:34

AdVertoriAl

New business hub for Edinburgh creative entrepreneurs New workspaces for creative businesses have opened in Leith. Creative Exchange Leith provides 80 workspaces for individuals, groups or businesses, and has created a new hub for creative talent in the city. Based in the former Corn Exchange building, a local landmark located close to some of Edinburgh’s leading creative agencies, the hub has been renovated to Grade A standard with an award-winning design.

Iain Munro, Director of Creative Development at Creative Scotland, said: “Edinburgh needs affordable flexible creative spaces, with super-fast broadband, to support emerging and established creative entrepreneurs. This development is a welcome new opportunity to create a vibrant hub for networking, collaboration and showcasing of the creative industries in the capital city.”

Members can access a wide range of facilities and support including super-fast broadband, space for meetings, networking and exhibitions. Plus there are business support services ranging from start-up advice through to mentoring and help securing investment.

Mandy Exley, Principal of Edinburgh College, said: “Edinburgh College is committed to excellence and innovation and the Creative Exchange Leith provides an exciting opportunity for new and emerging talent to develop their businesses in a supported environment. We are delighted to have the opportunity to work with Edinburgh Council and partners to support new business start-ups which contribute to the economic development of the region.”

Councillor Frank Ross, Economy Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “What Creative Exchange Leith offers is flexible and affordable workspace combined with the support that both new starts and existing businesses need. This is another major milestone in our strategy for jobs and I’m delighted that the Council has been able to work with others to make this happen – not just those who have funded it directly but many other private and public organisations that have given their very welcome backing.”

an ideal set-up for collaboration, and that’s so important to what we do.”

Costs range from just £80 a month for a weekend member, through to £320 a month for a ‘super member’ with full access. Users can also opt for a day rate. Rent, rates, heating and lighting are all included. Five businesses are now operating from there including Iglu Graphics, Border Crossing Media,Voluntary Arts Scotland, SME Professional and Designers on the Run. Potential tenants and others interested in Creative Exchange Leith can get more information and follow its progress via: Telephone: 0131 553 4777 Email: info@creativeexchangeleith.com www.creativeexchangeleith.com The Corn Exchange, 29 Constitution Street, Leith, Edinburgh EH6 7BS

Early tenant Francois Roshdy, User Experience Director, Border Crossing Media, said: “Facilities like this are absolutely vital to start-ups and small businesses, allowing us to concentrate on developing new services and products without the worry or hassle of trying to find somewhere affordable to work. It’s also

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

COMMERCIAL BANKING

ADVERTISING FEATURE

COMMERCIAL BANKING

Supporting Scottish business We’re keen to support thebusiness growth Supporting Scottish

Bank funding enables Bank funding enables property purchase. property purchase.

An Edinburgh car dealership has purchased its business premises with the An Edinburgh car dealership support of funding from Bankhas of Scotland. purchased its business premises with the Millennium Motors,from based on Ferry Road, support of funding Bank of Scotland. was established 16 years ago by Ron Reilly Millennium Motors, on Ferry Road, and sells a variety ofbased used vehicles. was established 16inyears ago by Ron Reilly Ron also has sites Dunfermline, and sells a variety used vehicles.

Gilmerton, Tranentofand Portobello.

Ron also has sites in Dunfermline, Gilmerton, Tranent and Portobello.

“The Funding for Lending Scheme means businesses “The Funding forthat Lending can benefi t fromthat a reduction Scheme means businesses in interest rates, giving a real can benefit from a reduction boost for those in interest rates,companies giving a real looking to grow.” boost for those companies Louise Fulton, Relationship Manager, looking to grow.”

Bank of Scotland

Louise Fulton, Relationship Manager, Bank Scotland It hadofpreviously been renting its premises

until the opportunity arose to buy the site It had previously been renting its premises outright.

This means Ron now owns both until the opportunity arose to buy the site the site his dealership is on and the outright. means now ownscentre both property This rented to a Ron vehicle repair the site his dealership is on and the next door. property rented to a vehicle repair centre next door.

In order to fund the purchase, Ron approached Bank of Scotland which In order the purchase, was ableto tofund provide the finance through RonFunding approached Bank ofScheme.

Scotland which the for Lending was able to provide the finance through the Funding for Lending Scheme.

This Government-backed programme allows the business to benefit from This Government-backed a reduction in interest rateprogramme payments. allows the business to benefit from a reduction Owning the in siteinterest meansrate thatpayments. the business is protected against potential future rent Owning site means that the business rises, andthe also gives it the scope to expand is protected against potential future rent its premises in the future. rises, and also gives it the scope to expand its premises in the “When future. the chance to Ron commented: purchase the site came up we recognised Ron commented: the chance that it was an ideal“When opportunity for to purchase the site came up we recognised increased stability for the business. that it was ideal opportunity for We now noanlonger have to worry increased stability for theor business. about the lease expiring rent prices We now noso longer have to worry increasing, we can better plan about lease expiring for thethe company’s future.or rent prices increasing, so we can better plan for theof company’s future. recognised “Bank Scotland quickly the opportunity this presented and the “Bank offrom Scotland quickly funding the bank wasrecognised instrumental theallowing opportunity this presented and the in the purchase.” funding from the bank was instrumental in allowing theRelationship purchase.” Manager Louise Fulton, for Bank of Scotland, said: “Millennium Louise Relationship MotorsFulton, is a long establishedManager fixture forEdinburgh Bank of Scotland, said: “Millennium in and its ownership of Motors is a long fixture its premises givesestablished it a great platform in Edinburgh and its ownership of for future growth.” its premises gives it a great platform for fifuture growth.”

To nd out how Bank of Scotland could support your business ambitions, To find out how Bank of Scotland visit lendingforscotland.com could support your business ambitions, visit lendingforscotland.com

of businesses across Edinburgh and We’re keen to support theas growth the East of Scotland – just we’re of businesses across Edinburgh doing with Millennium Motors. and the East of Scotland – just as we’re At Bank of Scotland, weMotors. understand doing with Millennium that cash really is king when it comes At meeting Bank of Scotland, wepayment understand to day-to-day that cash really is king it comes obligations.

That’s whywhen our team of to meeting day-to-day payment locally-based relationship managers obligations. team can provide That’s accesswhy to aour range of of locally-based relationship managers working capital products to suit can provideunique access needs. to a range of businesses’ That’s working capital products to suit supported by our 80% approval businesses’ needs. applications That’s rate for loanunique and overdraft supported by ourour 80% approval and the support relationship rate for loan and overdraft managers can offer duringapplications the and the support our relationship application process. managers can offer during the Millennium Motors made use of the application process.

Funding for Lending Scheme (FLS)*.

Millennium Motors made usea of the Through FLS, we offer up to Funding forrate Lending Scheme (FLS)*.

1% interest discount on new Through FLS, we offer up to a approved business loans, commercial 1% interest and rate hire discount on new mortgages purchase approved business loans, commercial agreements, the latter provided mortgages andCommercial hire purchase

by Lloyds TSB Finance, agreements, the provided for the lifetime oflatter the loan.

by Lloyds TSB Commercial Finance, Whatever sector enterprise is for the lifetime ofyour the loan. in, we’re determined to support your Whatever sector your an enterprise is ambitions and create environment in, to support your forwe’re strongdetermined and sustained business ambitions create an success in and Edinburgh andenvironment across the for strong and sustained business country. success in Edinburgh and across the * All lending is subject to normal credit policy country. and eligibility criteria. FLS eligibility rules apply. * All lending is subject to normal credit policy and eligibility criteria. FLS eligibility rules apply.

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Director, Ian Collins Banking, Commercial Director, Scotland South Commercial Banking, Scotland South

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Director, Mark Prentice Commercial Banking, Director, Edinburgh and East Commercial of Scotland Banking, Edinburgh and East of Scotland

lendingforscotland.com lendingforscotland.com Any property given as security which may include your home, may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage or other debts secured on it.

Any property given as security which may include your home, may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage or other debts secured on it.

All lending is subject to a satisfactory credit assessment.

80% relatesistosubject Lloyds to Banking Group credit for theassessment. period April 2012 to March 2013. Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial All lending a satisfactory Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. Licensed under the Consumer Credit Act 1974 under registration number 0593292. We subscribe to The Code; copies of the Codefor can beperiod obtained www.lendingstandardsboard.org.uk Hire Purchase and Asset Based and Lending facilities 80%Lending relates to Lloyds Banking Group the Aprilfrom 2012 to March 2013. Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority regulated by are the provided Financial by LloydsAuthority TSB Commercial which is a trading name of Lloyds TSB Commercial Finance Limited.

When using these products and0593292. services, We yoursubscribe agreement Conduct and the Finance Prudential Regulation Authority.

Licensed under the Consumer Credit Act 1974 under registration number to will with aCode; Lloydscopies Banking Group company whose terms conditions will apply. The LloydsHire Banking Group includes Lloyds TSB Bank plc and number The be Lending of the Code can be obtained from and www.lendingstandardsboard.org.uk Purchase and Asset Based Lending facilities areaprovided of other companies using brands including Lloyds TSB, Halifax and Bank of Scotland, and their associated companies.

by Lloyds TSB Commercial Finance which is a trading name of Lloyds TSB Commercial Finance Limited. When using these products and services, your agreement will be with a Lloyds Banking Group company whose terms and conditions will apply. The Lloyds Banking Group includes Lloyds TSB Bank plc and a number of other companies using brands including Lloyds TSB, Halifax and Bank of Scotland, and their associated companies.

BC issue 24.indd 34

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Preserve and grow wealth across generations The Turcan Connell Group provides legal, wealth management and tax advice with the aim of pulling XSKIXLIV IZIV] EWTIGX SJ SYV GPMIRXW´ ½RERGMEP EJJEMVW in order to preserve and grow their wealth. Our interdisciplinary approach enables us to provide the very best advice and counsel to each individual.

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BC issue 24.indd 35

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FinAnCe FeAture

AdVertoriAl

Top tips for auto-enrolment The biggest change in the history of pensions is well underway. From last October, employers had to start joining their workers into a pension at set staging dates, with the largest staging first.

As one of the UK’s top defined contribution pension providers, Standard Life expects to help around 400,000 employees auto-enrol by the end of 2018.

Graeme Bold

We have already supported our largest clients through their staging date and momentum is set to gather as pension reform continues and the number of employers staging increases. Pension reform requires providers to invest heavily in technology and processes. At Standard Life, we’ve spoken to our clients to understand the capabilities needed to support them and have developed robust, scalable solutions that can cope with significant increases in volumes. getting your scheme set for staging Our experience so far has given us great insight into how best to prepare for pension reform. When planning for auto-enrolment, there are some key questions to consider: When to start?

Once you’ve established when you’re required to stage, you should consider your pension reform plan. Our experience suggests you’ll need at least nine months. Don’t underestimate the work involved or how long changes will take to plan and implement.

You should also consider whether you are going to need advice. Pension reform introduces new legislation that impacts all employers, so getting expert assistance on navigating the new rules could be invaluable. This includes smaller and medium size companies who may need advice to understand how they can meet the rules but also balance the costs to their business.

What’s your strategy?

Think about the composition of your workforce and whether you want all your employees to join the pension scheme.

Analysis of the number of permanent staff could help you decide whether to offer the scheme through contract of employment or automatic enrolment. If you employ lots of seasonal workers or have a high staff turnover, it’s worth considering a “waiting period” which could reduce the overheads at peak periods.

What data will you need?

To assess employees’ eligibility, you’ll need information such as date of birth, opt-out status, earnings, date of joining the company, relevant earnings and membership status. Check with your provider what’s required and put a process in place to gather this data efficiently.

How can you reduce the fi nancial impact of pension reform?

Higher employer contributions and increasing membership will no doubt have a financial impact on many employers. However, by administrating automatic enrolment efficiently, you can cut pension reform costs. That could mean aligning the enrolment process with

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business processes to minimise on-going administrative costs. Another way to reduce costs is to offer pensions under a salary exchange arrangement, which will reduce National Insurance contributions and your overall bill.

What to consider when choosing a default investment option?

When choosing the default investment option, consider not only the price but also the needs and risk/reward profile of your employees – ensuring fund objectives are linked to good outcomes for members.

Investment choices should be underpinned by rigorous governance and regular reviews.

How should you engage with your workforce?

A well-planned employee engagement strategy has proved instrumental in minimising opt-out of pension schemes. Think about whether to send out generic statutory communications or take a targeted approach.

You might want to develop a dedicated website, with information about all employee benefits in one place. Online tools can also help staff make informed decisions about their future finances, before and beyond enrolment.

Find out more For more information and support, visit www.workbenefitszone.com

Standa Regula

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MC00072

Total workplace solutions Everything made clear

When it comes to pension reform Standard Life stands out.

We understand what our workplace clients need.

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Our solution is to make everything clear.

Administration, Investments and Communications.

For more information, support and tools visit workbenefitszone.com

Standard Life Assurance Limited is registered in Scotland (SC286833) at Standard Life House, 30 Lothian Road, Edinburgh EH1 2DH. Standard Life Assurance Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. www.standardlife.co.uk Š 2013 Standard Life, images reproduced under licence.

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Inthespotlight Company name: the Balmoral, a rocco Forte Hotel Who? Franck X Arnold, general Manager Website: www.thebalmoralhotel.com

1. What were you doing between 10 and 12 this morning?

Ask my assistant Isabel...in a meeting, a staff interview, bidding farewell to a guest of The Balmoral.

2. What do you see as your job’s biggest challenge?

Keeping The Balmoral at the top, finding the best people and developing them, challenging the status quo. It’s important to ensure you don’t become complacent and always improve.

10. What is the one piece of advice you would give to others trying to reach the top?

3. What do you consider your biggest business triumph?

Be passionate, always try, and if you fall while at it, try again and learn from it...it is not the fall, it is the bouncing back that will help you make it to the (your) top.

To beat yesterday’s results.

4. do you have any money-saving business tips?

Never cheat the customer, don’t nickel and dime.

5. What do you believe are the 3 key stages on your career ladder?

Choose the right career to build the foundation at school and university, gain experience around the world in different capacities with various degrees of success and failure, obtain the desired job and sharpen the saw.

6. Where do you stand on work/life balance?

Ask my wife! Stay fit to face professional, social and family challenges.

7. What do you like to do on your spare time?

Compete in marathons and triathlons, cook, eat out, doing sports with my kids.

8. What qualities do you need to see in your employees?

Friendliness, passion, ethics and elegance.

9. in business, is it more important to be liked or successful?

It is more important to be respected.You need to be successful to survive in business, and if you can be liked when making difficult decisions, even better.

11. Who is your hero?

Thomas Jefferson, 3rd US President, Diplomat, main writer of the declaration of independence, humanist, philosopher, oenophile, traveller, linguist, rider, musician, designer.

12. Any business (or other) projects you would like to plug?

I would love to transform the roof top of The Balmoral into The destination spot in Edinburgh with Bar, Lounge, Suite, Guest rooms with the best panorama in town.

13. other than your current position, what would be your dream job?

Lead singer in a rock band...but I can’t sing...Luckily I love my job

14. Who (living or dead) would you invite to a fantasy dinner party?

Thomas Jefferson, Winston Churchill, Lance Armstrong, Nelson Mandela, Ghandi, Charlize Theron, Christiane Amanpour, Brigitte Bardot, Freddy Mercury, Mozart, Ava Gardner, Cleopatra...at home, cooked by yours truly!

15. outside of business, what is the most important thing in your life?

Family

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Photo: AB Wedding Photography.

Europedirectedinburgh

The Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce was delighted to host an open evening to highlight the services Europe Direct can offer. The Information Centre is located at Capital House, 2 Festival Square, Edinburgh.

We were delighted to welcome Jacqueline Minor, the European Commission’s Head of Representation in the United Kingdom as our guest speaker and she spoke about why the information centre is a fantastic resource for the people and businesses of Edinburgh and beyond.

Europe Direct Edinburgh is open Monday – Friday 9am until 5pm. We have leaflets, brochures and materials to take away about the European Union’s activities and policies. There is also free phone access to the Europe Direct call centre and free internet access gives you easy access to EU websites.

She said “At Europe Direct Edinburgh people can obtain information, advice, assistance and answers to questions about the EU’s institutions, legislation, policies, programmes and funding opportunities for their business or organisation. Details of schemes and programmes in other areas such as jobs, research, education, health, the environment and equal opportunities are also available”.

Direct Dial: 0131 221 3178

s

Email: europedirect@edinburghchamber.co.uk

The centre can help with general questions on every aspect of Europe and can put people in touch with relevant specialist services if required.

It also organises events and activities to make the public aware of activity and changes within the European Union.

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Edin_Bu

Most advertising shouts out a message in the hope that someoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interested.

Direct marketing, on the other hand, is all about having a conversation with your customer. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more personal. We target specific people with specific offers. We use great creative to break the ice. And we know what to say to get people to respond. Which is why it works. So the sooner you start talking to your customers, the sooner you can

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1/8/13 09:56:50 04/07/2013 08:49

JOIN COSTCO

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Central Membership: 01923 830 477 www.costco.co.uk

04/07/2013 09:28 1/8/13 09:56:51

BetheBest Writing bids, proposals and tenders can be a time-consuming and frustrating task.

The inflexible deadlines, demanding technical requirements and pressure on price means few people enjoy the task. The companies I work with learn how to change this. They understand how to charge higher prices.

They use streamlined processed. Many begin to relish the challenge and some even enjoy it!

Convincing

I am motivated by helping companies become more successful so I would like to share a few of my top tips with you.

By removing doubt you remove risk, and risk is something all buyers want to avoid.

Compelling

No-one will buy from someone they do not trust so your entire proposal must be convincing. You should articulate the ways you will deliver the client’s requirements and include evidence that will persuade them you really will do it.

To charge higher prices your proposal must be compelling. Many of you will know the ‘must have’ feeling when a new gadget comes on the market. This is what you are trying to achieve with your proposal, whether you are selling a £500 service or a £2m contract.

Most people are overloaded at work so few want to read more information than is absolutely necessary. The best way to ensure your messages are clear is to keep the text to a necessary minimum. This does not mean being short, but it does mean cutting out anything that is not directly relevant to the proposal.

The reader must be left thinking ‘I want to buy from that company, not their competitors’.

Winning companies use techniques like these to save time and increase the chance of success. I hope you benefit from them.

GetwithIT

Anne Farr

Rothera Group Limited

Concise

Our next Tendering for Success training course is on Thursday 10th of October, for further information and/or to book online visit www.chamberbusinesssolutions. co.uk/open_training_courses or call Carrie Wilson on 0131 221 3191 e-mail carrie.wilson@edinburghchamber.co.uk

By Bill Magee Scottish Business Technology Writer of the Year

Risk compliance When it comes to attempts to reduce the risk compliance burden on business and subcontractors nowadays we’re all in the same boat. But one high-tech solution is coming to the rescue.

New ground has been broken with the launch by international law firm Pinsent Masons LLP and IT consultancy Campbell Nash of Cerico, a technology-driven solution that will automate many compliance processes firms need to have in place as a result of legislation.

Especially the Bribery Act and Health and Safety at Work Act. Tom Stocker, the Edinburgh-based Pinsent Masons partner behind the joint venture, told me that Cerico - short for Complete

Electronic Risk Compliance Ltd - represents the first collaboration between a law firm and a tech consultancy to provide such a significantly automated solution covering risk assessment, due diligence, e-training and oversight.

Tom, who was also recently involved in one of the most significant civil settlements since the introduction of the Bribery Act, says it has the potential to revolutionise how sophisticated businesses handle legal risk with their suppliers.

Apparently, it’s unusual for a law firm to be involved in the launch of these types of products. He points out that his clients are increasingly under legal and ethical obligations

to ensure they and their suppliers act to implement effective risk management and compliance controls.

Cerico’s e-platform will help them do just that in a cost-effective manner tackling what can often be a mix of myriad suppliers operating in challenging jurisdictions.

Campbell Nash’s director responsible for the initiative, James Armstrong describes it as a unique marriage between market-leading legal expertise and technological innovation.

I’m not surprised to learn there is already a great deal of interest in the marketplace.

Check out: www.cericosolutions.com

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Gettingstarted Name: Adam Young Business name: The Olive Branch Bistro Start up date: Took ownership November 2011 Website: www.theolivebranchscotland.co.uk q1: tell us a bit about your business?

The OB is a friendly, neighbourhood bistro serving traditional favourites and imaginative specials with a Mediterranean feel.

q2: What gives your business ‘the x-factor’?

The consistent quality of our food and the dedication and commitment of all our staff sets us apart from the competition. The relaxed atmosphere and great location help too.

q3: What motivated you to set up in business for yourself?

On returning from Australia in 2008 head chef positions were thin on the ground so I began to look at acquiring my own business.

I eventually took over the Olive Branch in November 2011.

q4: What do you like most about working for yourself?

The freedom to make decisions and set the standards to which our business operates.

q5: What has been your greatest business success to date?

Being shortlisted for the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce most promising new business award of course!

q6: What has been your lowest moment?

q7: in terms of business achievements, where do you want to be within the next 5 years?

Running the Olive Branch to its full potential working alongside my family and our fantastic staff to deliver a truly enjoyable experience for our customers. Probably on the lookout for new ventures too!

q8: What would be your top tip to someone thinking of starting up their own business?

Expect the unexpected!

The first year we took over the business was a bit of a rollercoaster but every challenge is a learning experience.

New look for the ‘Caley’ The Caledonian, a Waldorf Astoria Hotel, known locally as the “Caley”, has undergone an extensive refurbishment and re-opened its doors as a member of Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts.

The Caledonian offers 241 newly and luxuriously renovated guest rooms and suites, many with spectacular views of the castle, and featuring WIFI internet access, Salvatore Ferragamo bathroom amenities, flat screen televisions and Nespresso coffee machines.

As part of the refurbishment, the hotel opened The Guerlain Spa, the only one in the UK, offering pampering and treatments for men and women, for reviving and healing.

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A sanctuary of luxury and relaxation, this exclusive spa will leave you refreshed and invigorated.

The hotel also joined another exciting partnership with Michelin-starred brothers Chris and Jeff Galvin, who have brought their culinary expertise and talent to Scotland for the first time,The Caledonian is proud to offer two exceptional new restaurants - The Pompadour

by Galvin and Galvin Brasserie de Luxe.

New to the hotel is Peacock Alley which represents the historic heart of The Caley, and is imbued with the peerless style and sophistication of this famous former railway hotel.

Channelling the glamour and prestige of the old Caledonian and the Waldorf Astoria New York, Peacock Alley is the perfect spot for afternoon tea or elegant drinks.

The Caley Bar has also received a full makeover and guests can choose from a handpicked drinks list and classic original cocktails.

1/8/13 09:56:53

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Support charitable works in your area by supporting us!

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August/September 2013

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ENABLE Scotland works for your business

ENABLE Scotland is Scotland’s leading agency supporting people with learning disabilities into work.

We'd like to partner with your business too, so here’s what we will do for you:

We deliver our successful programme in schools, colleges and communities all across Scotland.

We will RESPECT your business. We will take the time to understand what you do and what you need.

Partnering with hundreds of employers each year we deliver real work experience and employment opportunities to people with learning disabilities.

We will work with INTEGRITY and we will do what we say we’ll do.

Our passion is EQUALITY. We will share that with you.

We’ll help you promote your ETHICAL business.

We are AMBITIOUS and we know you are too.

Vincent Connor

Eve Montgomery

Simon Stone

Chris Hellawell

Scott Hale

If you feel ENABLE Scotland can benefit your business please contact us at:

INSPIRE House, 3 Renshaw Place, Eurocentral, Lanarkshire ML1 4UF ENABLE Direct: 0300 0200 101 www.enable.org.uk

twitter.com/enablescotland

fb.me/enablescotland

ENABLE Scotland, Scottish Charity No. SC009024. A Limited Company Registered in Scotland No. 278976 Registered Office: INSPIRE House, 3 Renshaw Place, Eurocentral, Lanarkshire ML1 4UF.

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Safety first at the Fringe Stewart First Aid Training has been named as the Official First Aid Trainers for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival staff.

Not only has the company trained staff to be prepared for any first aid emergency, it has also been asked to run a first aid stall providing festival-goers with first aid information, demonstrations, freebies, and competitions.

The company is being joined by some of Scotlandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best female footballers from the Glasgow City Ladies Football team to put festivalgoers to the test with their football skills, signing autographs, and joining in on our Sports First Aid Workshop.

The Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce welcomes its new member companies: Albagaia Ltd

Lexus Edinburgh

Bowdens Kilt Hire Ltd

Melville Castle

Brian Johnstone Consultancy Ltd

Netextremity

Concept Group Limited

Rangers FC

Dignan Read Dewar Architects

Scotinform Ltd

Dobie and Son Ltd DSE Scotland Euro Business Solutions Fraser Lusty Fraser Suites Edinburgh G C Enterprises Graeme Millar Limited

Scottish Environmental Services Association Scottish Financial Enterprise Scottish Media Academy Shredall Scotland Ltd Sigma Seven Limited SKYCIG

Hunter & Lyall

Thistle Residence Ltd

ICAS

Tobacco Manufacturers Association

Jim McArthur Independent Financial Services Limited

Twelve Picardy Place

Kitchen Doctor

Visit Scotland

Learning Rapid Ltd

When You Wish Upon A Star

August/September 2013

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Tabard IT: contact us for local IT support With over 25 years experience in IT support and management, Tabard IT can really help you make the most of IT. We can provide support for existing networks as well as advise, supply and set up new ones, and maintain them for you. We are a one-stop shop for: Hardware/software advice & support

E-mail, anti-spam, web hosting

Server setup and maintenance agreements

Mobile device setup and use

Procurement of hardware and software

Cloud-based and on-premises systems

See our website at:

Tabard IT Ltd

www.tabardit.co.uk

Room 2/18 Spitfire House

Call or e-mail us to arrange a no-obligation visit to discuss your business IT requirements,

ďŹ nd us on:

or visit our new website.

Turnhouse Road Edinburgh EH12 0AL t: 0131 339 9448

e: help@tabardit.co.uk

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Because NEWS never stops Excellence in automotive tube and hose

Products and services supplied from our centre include: l Rubber brake hoses l Stainless steel brake hoses l Hose assembly pressure

testing l Fuel lines (rubber and nylon) l Power steering tube and

hose assemblies l Metal tube assemblies l Adaptors and fittings l Metal tube l Bleed nipples and banjo bolts l One off and special parts

made to order l Seized bleed nipple repair kits l Silver brazing l Tube bending

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PIRTEK EDINBURGH

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1/8/13 09:57:00

PartnersinEnterprise Boost to the economy for rural Scotland The recent announcement that Hargreaves Services is to restart operations at five opencast coal mines closed following the collapse of Scottish Coal has marked the dawn of a new era for Scottish mining and for rural Scotland.

With plans to hire 300 people over the next three months, rising to 500 within a year this is great news in a sector which has been hard hit over many years.

John Mitchell, head of land resources at Anderson Strathern, said: “This is great news for the Scottish rural economy and in particular for the mining industry in Scotland. The opportunities for mineral extraction and use of natural resources in Scotland are substantial. “ Rural Scotland, covering 95 per cent of the land area and 18 percent of the population, is an integral part of the country’s economy, environment and culture and creation of new jobs is vital to the sustainability of this sector.

“We have experienced strong demand for advice across all rural sectors and recently added to our offering with the hire of Robin Beattie from Turcan Connell.

“Our 20-strong rural team advise large landowners on high-value property transactions, ownership structures and development options, and has specialist expertise in agriculture, forestry, minerals and energy, sporting and fishing rights.”

Grayling Scotland bolsters team Grayling Scotland has bolstered its team on the back of a strong performance in the first half of the year and increasing demand for its services.

The Edinburgh-based communications consultancy has taken on three new recruits and made some key promotions as its public relations and public affairs services continue to drive year-on-year growth.

Tim Watkin joins the Public Affairs team from NewsDirect as a client executive working on clients including Network Rail, National Grid and BT Scotland. Rory MacDonald and Laura-Jane Cameron join the PR team as client executives, supporting the team across a number of clients including Marks & Spencer and Amor Group.

Laura McKenzie, who has been with Grayling Scotland for eight years, becomes a senior consultant in the PR business. James Matheson, who joined from an agency in Aberdeen two years ago, becomes a PR consultant, while Luke Boddice is being promoted to a PA consultant.

Billy Partridge, Grayling Scotland Director, said: “Despite the ongoing challenging economic environment we have continued to work hard for our clients, win new projects and attract new clients. We have a very talented team and are excited that we are able to grow it further.”

“Despite the ongoing challenging economic environment we have continued to work hard for our clients, win new projects and attract new clients. ”

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Moversandshakers

Anne Lindsay Sarah Boyd

Anne takes up a new challenge Anne Lindsay has joined Edinburgh property investment and lettings specialists Cullen Property to strengthen the company’s accounts team as Senior Client Accounts Manager.

Following a five year stint with a factoring agent in the city, Anne already knew the property industry and was attracted by Cullen’s reputation and staff members’ longevity of time with the company.

Her new role encompasses preparing the company accounts, managing cash flow and budgets as well as preparing and processing Cullen Property’s lettings accounts.

Have you recently moved to a new role?

Has your company employed a new member of staff? Would you like to be included in the movers and shakers page of Business Comment? If so then send a couple of paragraphs of information and a jpeg image of the person (minimum 300 dpi) to mayan.grace@ edinburghchamber.co.uk

50

Key appointments at Lothian Buses Melissa Raffaelli

Hotel Promotes Melissa Raffaelli to Director of Sales The Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa in Edinburgh has promoted Melissa Raffaelli to the role of Director of Sales.

Melissa joined the Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa in 2002 as a Guest Services Agent in the Front Office, before transferring to the Spa Reception and eventually moving into Group and Events Sales.

She subsequently held a number of positions in the hotel sales team, most recently as Assistant Director of Sales.

Prior to this, Melissa worked to promote both the Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa and Turnberry, the Luxury Collection Resort in Ayrshire, to the international conference and incentive market, as Account Director for Starwood Hotels & Resorts in Scotland.

Lothian Buses has appointed Sarah Boyd as Head of Operations (Bus). Sarah will lead a team of more than 1,600 people comprising of drivers, supervisors and managers.

After graduating from Heriot Watt University in Edinburgh in 2002 with a BSc (Hons) in Mathematics with Finance, Sarah was selected for the Stagecoach Graduate Scheme.

She spent her initial training year in Fife before moving to Manchester. During the three years spent in Manchester, Sarah was Operations Manager in two depots.

Sarah moved back to Scotland seven years ago to become Operations Director at Stagecoach West Scotland, a role she carried out for four years before moving to undertake the same role for a further three years within the Stagecoach business in East Scotland. * Walter Herring has joined Lothian Buses as Head of Operational Risk. His role covers every aspect of the Lothian bus operation.

Walter Herring

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Display Products Banner Stands & Signage Pop Up Systems Print & Design

Going In One Ear and Out the Udder

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