Business Comment 39

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2016

International Business

Invitation to

Challenge Dementia

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Alzheimer Scotland invites you and your work colleagues to get your mind and body active and really challenge dementia in Scotland.

Choose to set your own challenge or sign up to one of ours and you and your colleagues could be running, dancing, abseiling, swimming, baking, golfing and much more to raise vital funds to help the growing number of people living with dementia in Scotland.

Let’s challenge dementia together!

Donate or sign up at challengedementiascotland.org Alzheimer Scotland – Action on Dementia is a company limited by guarantee, registered in Scotland 149069. Registered office: 22 Drumsheugh Gardens, Edinburgh EH3 7RN. It is recognised as a charity by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, no, SC022315

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Introduction / Contents

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The Forth Road Bridge

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Transnational milestone for Edinburgh Napier 05

Vegware grow across borders

International Ties at RHASS

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Scale Matters in International Markets

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Members Benefit - Chamber Debt Recovery 09 Unlock Scotland’s export success Feature: Digital Focus

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Raising the Standard for Youth Employment 22|23

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2016 A Year Of New International Routes For British Airways

Raising The Standard For Youth Employment

International Business Our theme for this issue is ‘International Business’ and you will see from the content that Scotland’s Capital is truly an international city of business. Our International Airport remains our gateway to the world, and in December the annual figures recorded for 2015 showed it was the airport’s busiest ever year, with more than 11 million passengers passing through the terminal. New direct routes continue opening regularly thanks to the airport’s superb record of opening up new destinations connecting Scotland to the World.

In addition to direct routes overseas, our links to London are as important as ever before.

This includes more than 200 destinations around the world with British Airways through the airline’s London hubs, and in the magazine BA’s Director of Strategy Lynne Embleton highlights the airline’s ongoing commitment to Edinburgh and Scotland.

We also hear from a local success story Vegware who export their compostable packaging around the globe.

Our Academic institutions are doing sterling work in opening new markets for themselves overseas, in attracting foreign students to study in Edinburgh, in establishing themselves in overseas campuses, and in creating and delivering online academic content – all built on the superb reputations they enjoy. In the magazine we hear from three of them–

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Seizing international opportunities

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Feature: Creating the perfect event

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Dividends – the end of an era?

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Time for UK colleges to play their part

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Vegware grow across borders

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New International Routes For BA

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Feature: Learning & Development

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Feature: Motoring

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Getting Started/New Members 42 Ask the Expert

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Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh Napier University and Edinburgh College – about just some of the work they are undertaking.

Feature: Finance/Legal

However, while Edinburgh’s business community enjoys its fair share of international business success – incoming and outgoing – we must not rest on our laurels and Alan Coats, Senior Manager for SME Banking at Bank of Scotland, reminds us that more of Scotland’s companies need to take advantage of Scotland’s credibility and reputation to build their business through export. While Scotland’s food and drink sector, for example, broke the £1.1 billion export barrier last year for the first time, research shows that 60% of businesses in the sector were put off investing in export markets because of a lack of knowledge and understanding.

Partners in Enterprise 49

As the Capital City Chamber of Commerce, supporting our members with international business is a key priority. This year is our 230 anniversary and we hope you will join us in a variety of celebrations throughout the year which will include the increasing number of international partnerships and supporters we are developing across the globe.

60 Seconds 48 China’s growing online appetite

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Be the Best/Get With IT 50 Europe Direct Edinburgh 51 Feature: Health & Wellbeing 52|53 Chamber Training

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In The Spotlight

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Inspiring Connections

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Movers & Shakers 58

Join Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce Our membership base is truly multisector, multi-scale and multi- national.

As we develop our geographic reach, we continue to welcome new members who can enjoy exclusive benefits of being part of Scotland’s capital city Chamber of Commerce.

We would be delighted to share with you the benefits of joining.

David Birrell

Chief Executive, Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce david.birrell@edinburghchamber.co.uk

Contact our dedicated membership team on 0131 221 2999 or e-mail leads@edinburghchamber.co.uk

www.edinburghchamber.co.uk

www.edinburghchamber.co.uk

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CHAMBER NEWS

Locating the Key to Unlock International Business Success Translating a successful domestic business model into international success has often proved a major hurdle for SMEs in any given market. The challenges associated with expanding a business overseas can put off many companies and provide a drain on valuable resources for companies that do take the plunge.

So what’s the secret to maintaining the domestic foundations that your business has been built on, whilst growing responsibly and ultimately successfully abroad? Edinburghbased Hutchinson Networks think they’ve found the answer – and part of it starts with ignoring the boundaries.

Since its foundation in 2011, Hutchinson Networks had built a strong UK business on providing IT network solutions. In the last two years, the company has seen huge growth internationally, with 2015 seeing them do business in over 50 countries and launching its own UK-based Cloud service platform.

Speaking at a recent Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce’s event, CEO Paul Hutchinson explained his company’s approach, “If you already have a strong value proposition and go-to-market strategy that works in the UK, then you are ready to start considering

expanding your international footprint today.”

Hutchinson argues that the international differences we have all become accustomed to have diminished over time, meaning companies can operate overseas in similar ways. IT’s move to the Cloud is yet another step towards harmonising the ways organiations in the UK and overseas do business.

“Around Europe, the USA and beyond the same brands and products are present.

Business diversity across the globe is diminishing and whatever your view on it, it means either good business practice or big business practice is conquering all.”

But naturally, making the leap does necessitate some changes, with the majority of those relating to the mind-set of those within your company. “In an international market place, there are no working hours.

Our customers are awake 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Attitude is key.”

Focusing on what your business does and its chances of success in an international market can be a huge distraction. Hutchinson believes that the priority should be how your business delivers their solution that is the key to success, and this is driven exclusively by

the people in your business, their skills and ultimately, their attitudes.

The right workforce provides the key to breaking down a significant amount of the barriers that prevent many companies from achieving their goals. Being able to respond to customers, at any time, and build a network of positive connections is vital to sourcing new business.

“We delivered 8855 hours of professional services last year, yet one of our largest customers was born out of an innocuous request for information that I can guarantee, 95% of our competitors would have ignored”, says Hutchinson, “The secret to our success is quite simply the people and the communication network we have established.“ “Our UK-based customers appreciate that our strength and foundations are here in Scotland – and in the people that have built our company. It’s the structure of those foundations that have also allowed us to take our successful UK business model and implement it around the world - by looking past the obvious barriers, focusing on delivery and building a strong human network that starts within your company.”

The Forth Road Bridge

By Rob Shorthouse, Communications Director for the ScotRail Alliance Sometimes it is the smallest thing that makes you realise that you are in the middle of something huge. As I approached the Transport Scotland Control Centre that first morning that the Forth Bridge had closed for urgent repairs, I found myself being the only car on one of the busiest roads anywhere in Scotland.

That experience, which was like being on the set of a movie, really brought home the scale of the challenge that was facing ScotRail and every other transport provider during those exceptional days: how do we play our part in keeping people moving while this vital part of our country’s infrastructure was closed?

By the time I got to the Centre, some 10 hours after the bridge closed, hundreds of ScotRail employees had already spent the

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night working how to address the challenge.

It was, of course, a substantial issue. Tens of thousands of cars, lorries and buses make their way back and forth over the Forth Road Bridge each and every day.

The train services that we run over the neighbouring rail bridge are already amongst the most well used in Scotland.

So, it would not just be a simple case of saying to people to ditch the car and take the train. The service, as it stood, would not have coped with that. Neither was it a case of taking some unused carriages and moving them to Fife. The reality is that each and every day, pretty much every train we have is being used somewhere in Scotland.

So, we needed to find more trains and we needed to find them fast. We also had to make sure that we got extra staff into Fife and Edinburgh to help people at stations and to answer the many questions they had.

In that first forty eight hours after the bridge closed late on the Thursday night we managed to pull in trains from other parts of the UK, arrange drivers and train crews for them and got staff to Fife from all parts of the country.

What did it mean? It meant that by the Monday morning 10000 extra seats had been identified, a new timetable was created and 150 extra station staff were on the ground in Fife and Edinburgh. Even for an organisation that is used to dealing with big challenges, this was something else.

We are all very proud of the job that our people did during the closure, but more than that – we are grateful. Grateful for the incredible patience and resilience shown by our customers during those exceptional days. They clearly understood the scale of the challenge and what we were trying to do to help. We were asked to help keep people moving. I think we did just that.

CHAMBER NEWS

Forth Ports’ is connecting Scotland to the World Forth Ports plays a vital part in Scotland’s International connectivity and Chief Executive Charles Hammond, is driving a programme of growth and investment in the business around the UK. As one of the UK’s largest port groups, Forth Ports handles millions of tonnes of cargo, is a major employer and connects Scotland with the world.

They own and run eight ports. In Scotland, these include Grangemouth, Rosyth, Leith and Dundee which all contribute significantly to the economy supporting key industries, such as Chemicals, Oil & Gas, Food & Drink including Whisky, Agriculture and Tourism.

Chief Executive, Charles Hammond said: “Ports are a vital part of Scotland’s infrastructure and represent the country’s gateway to the world for the export and import of goods. The success of our business is about making connections for our customers by helping them make efficiencies in their supply chain.”

The impact of the business to the economy of Scotland is evident as a recent economic impact study*highlights that Forth Ports Scottish operations handles a cargo value of £15.7billion annually.

In terms of jobs, the company employs and supports over 10,000 full time equivalent jobs in Scotland and generates approximately £542million of economic value (GVA). Forth Port’s cruise business is also a major economic driver for Scotland, attracting a high number of cruise operators serving a wide range of national and international cruise markets with over 100,000 visitors expected across their UK ports in 2016.

Charles Hammond said: “In Tilbury we capitalise on the Thames as a major customer access point coupled with the increasing demand for port-centred logistics. We saw this in action during the London Olympic Games where Tilbury was used as the logistics hub for the operation, using the Thames as a faster, more efficient method of transportation into London. Afterwards the equipment used for the Games was then shipped up to our port in Grangemouth for the Commonwealth Games.”

In Scotland the group is investing in new warehousing at Grangemouth where customers can distribute their products within hours of coming off a ship and an investment programme is also well underway to increase the container volume capacity with resurfacing, additional points for refrigerated containers and plant investment.

In Rosyth, the port is the logistics hub for the construction of Scotland’s biggest capital spend project, the Queensferry Crossing. The port also operates Scotland’s only direct freight ferry service to mainland Europe and has recently completed a £1million infrastructure upgrade to accommodate double stacked trailers for the ferry.

In Dundee and Leith the ports have continued our activities in the North Sea Oil & Gas sector as the ports carve a niche in this competitive market. A multi-million pound investment in the infrastructure at Dundee is under consideration this year through the creation of a strengthened quayside to provide upgraded facilities to existing North Sea Oil & Gas customers as well as meeting potential demands of the offshore renewables and decommissioning markets. Similarly in Leith, the port has plans to redevelop a large part of the port to offer growth opportunities for their customers looking for large land areas for specialist activities including the NSO and construction markets.

Transnational milestone for Edinburgh Napier Edinburgh Napier University is a leading provider of transnational higher education (TNE) – working with international partners to deliver the University’s courses to overseas students in their country of residence. This has been an important part of Edinburgh Napier’s international business for over 20 years starting with courses delivered in Hong Kong where the University today is the Region’s largest UK based provider of higher education. There are over 5,000 Edinburgh Napier students studying in overseas locations.

This June will see the first graduation ceremony for students studying the BA (Hons) Financial Services in mainland China. This degree will be a dual award delivered in mainland China in partnership with Yunnan University of Finance and Economics (YUFE) located in Kunming City – the third largest city in South West China, known as the ‘Spring City’ due to its favourable climate and very popular as a tourist destination. YUFE is a multi-disciplinary University which excels in economics and management and also offers high-quality programs in philosophy, law, liberal arts, natural science and engineering.

This dual award is the first partnership of its kind for Edinburgh Napier in mainland China where the University has many other teaching and research partnerships, some dating back to the late 1990s. Within two months of approval for the project by the Chinese Ministry of Education in 2012, YUFE had successfully recruited 98 students to the first Year 1 of the programme – the students who hope shortly to celebrate their graduation. There are now some 400 students studying this innovative new programme.

Naomi Graham, Director of International Operations at Edinburgh Napier commented: “TNE demand and delivery in mainland China is expected to expand over the coming decades in response to the Chinese government’s ambition for the continued internationalisation of higher education. There will be opportunities to offer a wider range of courses and to develop more varied modes of delivery which respond to the evolving needs of students and Chinese partner universities.”

The growth already achieved by Edinburgh Napier in delivering TNE in mainland China builds on its more established presence in the TNE markets in Hong Kong, Singapore and India. Further growth in TNE delivery is a key part of the University’s strategy looking towards 2020 and beyond. It forms an important part of a diverse, sustainable portfolio of international activities. It enables more students to access the courses they want to study in a world where less than 5% of students are internationally mobile and it supports the recruitment of international students to the University’s campuses in Edinburgh where students have the option of doing part of their degree in Scotland. The partnerships involved also support outbound student mobility and opportunities for Edinburgh-based students to gain international experience.

To find out more about Edinburgh Napier’s transnational education ambition contact: Naomi Graham, Director of International Operations, n.graham@napier.ac.uk

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Scott House, Mid New Cultins West One Business Park Edinburgh, EH11 4DH T: 0131 458 4255 F: 0131 458 4254 E: edinburgh@srm.com

Find out more at www.srm.com

Quartermile Development

We all have a past, a present and a future At Cyrenians we aim to change public perceptions about poverty and those excluded from family, home, work or the wider community. Through the services we provide, we’re supporting people as they make real changes to their lives, and to their futures.

We can only continue our vital work with the support of businesses and individuals like you, who want to give something back to their communities. Find out more about how your organisation can make a difference to people like Chloe, and help others on the edge of society fulfil their potential. fundraising@cyrenians.scot

www.cyrenians.scot

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CHAMBER NEWS

International Ties at RHASS The Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland is a charity that was originally founded in 1784 to help revitalise the highlands, islands and rural communities of Scotland.

RHASS has since evolved into becoming a respected standard-bearer for farming and rural industry, playing a major role supporting and encouraging the best of agriculture, communicating and bringing to life its value, developing a greater appreciation of the impact of agriculture on everyday life.

Although the Society’s remit is to support agricultural and rural industries in Scotland, its reach is far wider and the charity has ties across the world through its various activities and members.

RHASS is a member of the Royal Agricultural Society of the Commonwealth (RASC), the voice of agriculture across 23 commonwealth countries. Through this membership, RHASS takes part in the interchange of ideas, information and views on the secure sustainable use of natural resources in the production of food, forest and fisheries. In 2010, RHASS hosted RASC’s International Conference, which saw delegates from across the Commonwealth come to Edinburgh and exchange thoughts and ideas about cooperation and collaboration in agricultural globally.

The Royal Highland Centre, RHASS’ thriving events business, welcomes over 1 million visitors through its doors every year and its close proximity to Edinburgh Airport makes it a prime location to welcome international guests. Regular events like the Antique and Collectors Fair sees buyers from across Europe fly in especially to buy stock.

The Society’s educational charity, the Royal Highland Education Trust (RHET) aims to create a food literate generation of the future by working with primary age children on a variety of projects, such as its popular Food & Farming days. RHET has recently been invited to attend and present at conferences in Finland, Italy and Australia to share its experiences of working in food education and using real working farms to engage with pupils.

Perhaps the most well known of RHASS activities, and one that has undeniable international connections, is its flagship event the Royal Highland Show. In 2015 the Show celebrated its 175th anniversary by breaking its own attendance record, with over 188,000 visitors attending during the four-day event.

21% of these visitors came from out with Scotland and approximately 2,000 visitors from Europe. Show staff in the dedicated International Visitors Pavilion host these international guests, guiding them through one of the UK’s largest agricultural events.

In 2015 judges in the livestock competition came from as far afield as Canada and some of the outdoor exhibitors, including the world’s largest agri-machinery manufacturers, made the long journey from countries such as Turkey, the USA and Germany to exhibit their latest technology to a captive audience.

Each year the event sees key international figures attend from the world of agriculture.

European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Commissioner Phil Hogan visited in 2015 along with Erik Hogervost, President of CLIMMAR, the international agri-machinery distributors network representing 15 European countries.

Lastly, the Royal Highland Show started its first Live Streaming service in 2015, which saw over 15,000 people in 23 countries across the world tune in online to watch live coverage of the event. Plans are in place to grow this service for the 2016 Show.

Triumphing in Nepal and making QMU proud

By Bernie Quinn, Senior Lecturer, Division of Business, Enterprise and Management It was late February 2011 and I had just arrived in Kathmadu. It was my first meeting with the Thapa family, founders and proprietors of the Silver Mountain School of Hotel Management (SMSHM). It was an interesting meeting, taking place in an area of the world which I had never expected to become part of my working life, and one which has probably changed me in ways that I could never have imagined.

Looking back, I can see that the timing of this event coincided with the start of the Arab uprising and what would later transpire to be tumultuous events in Egypt.

Fast forward to the end of October 2015 and I again arrived in Kathmandu for what was my 16th visit. Much has happened in those intervening years.

From that early meeting, it was obvious that Samir and his wife Rachana Thapa shared a common interest. This was not only the Hospitality industry but also the provision of quality education for those who aspired to

make a career in this specialist field. Just four months later, we validated the first UK BA degree in International Hospitality & Tourism Management in Nepal. Student numbers grew quickly and enthusiasm for a UK degree led to the additional offering of a BBA and an MBA.

staff and students. Our awareness day was also supported by MSP Humza Yousaf.

Thousands of pounds were raised quickly and dispersed around Kathmandu to help with health and first aid and the rebuilding of homes as a primary school.

On the 25th April 2015, an earthquake of 7.8 magnitude struck Nepal causing devastation and the loss of almost 9,000 lives. The centre of Kathmandu was ravaged and the Silver Mountain school was severely damaged.

In October, this year, I attended the graduation of those students who had, against the odds completed their studies.

It was an emotional day to see so many students and their families, still smiling through the pain of so many adversaries over the previous months. But life goes on. Silver Mountain continues its great work, recently established a new additional partnership with Ace International Business School to deliver its Business programme. Prospects look bright with many more students enrolling on our programmes and plans are already in place to develop a new school in 2016.

With great determination, the Silver Mountain family opened their doors to the local citizens. A soup kitchen was set up and bread was distributed to thousands to people who had lost homes, family members and in some cases, everything they owned. Around 60 children, from a collapsed local orphanage, were provided with short term shelter and food in the grounds and buildings of the Silver Mountain school.

In Edinburgh, at Queen Margaret University, concerned colleagues quickly raised money with a series of fundraising events involving

QMU is proud to partner Silver Mountain in Nepal and indeed we operate similar partnership programmes in several cities in India, Singapore and central Europe.

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CHAMBER NEWS

Scale Matters in International Markets Edinburgh is the UK’s second-largest financial services centre after the City of London, and one of the world’s leading cities for the fund management industry. More than half of the world’s top 20 financial organisations have sizeable operations in Edinburgh, so it is natural that Brewin Dolphin has a major presence in the city.

Brewin Dolphin is the leading player in Edinburgh’s wealth management sector, with just under £4 billion of private client and charitable funds under management. This scale, and our reputation built over the past 250 years, enables the business to attract some of the city’s top talent in an extremely competitive market place. We now have over 40 advisers and around 150 employees in Edinburgh alone. Size does matter, as scale and variety creates a greater degree of diversification to our thinking, which provides more opportunity to develop ideas and think differently. It’s an approach that has won us a loyal following and delivered great results.

Brewin Dolphin is a FTSE 250 listed company with £32 billion under management and we have won a multitude of awards for our investment management and discretionary advice services. We specialise in offering private client investment management, as well as investment services for professional intermediaries and investment management for charities.

But while we have a broad network, a 98% customer satisfaction rating and 27 offices around the country, we are not resting on our laurels. We strive to exceed expectations for our clients and our staff, which is why so

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many of our customers have been with us for many years – some families have been with us for generations as we have earned our place as their trusted adviser.

Our financial planning team provides advice on a range of key topics from insurance to pensions and inheritance tax planning, keeping our clients’ financial affairs up to speed in a rapidly evolving retirement savings and tax landscape. We bring our extensive expertise to clients in order to provide bespoke advice, tailored to the individual’s unique circumstances.

But while we pride ourselves on the highest standards of personal service, we have the scale to compete with the largest competitors.

Our experts are backed up by a research department based in London where our specialists provide top-class independent analysis of equities, collective investments, fixed income securities and alternative investments. They are free to search across the market to find the best investment opportunities and they are an invaluable resource for our network of 27 offices around the country. This means that we have the very latest information and solutions at our fingertips. Such resources enable us to provide the high-quality service at a local level with an

absolute focus on delivery and results.

Another example of our local initiatives is the recent launch of a specialist Independent Financial Adviser (IFA) division in Edinburgh.

This is focused solely on providing wealth management solutions to the Edinburgh IFA Market Place.

In addition, Brewin Dolphin’s market leading Scottish Charity Team provides specialist investment management for charities across Scotland. We have no in-house funds, tied arrangements or parent company, which gives us the freedom to tailor a portfolio to a charity’s specific requirements.

With all this expertise, Brewin Dolphin’s holistic proposition makes us an essential “go-to” resource for local financial advisers, businesses, charities and private investors. We see terrific opportunities for growth in this dynamic city that we are committed to being part of; with the help of organisations such as the Chambers, the further development of this thriving financial hub for generations to come.

No investment is suitable in all cases and if you have any doubts as to an investment’s suitability then you should contact us. The value of investments can fall and you may get back less than you invested.

MEMBER BENEFITS

Chamber Debt Recovery We are proud to launch a new and exclusive benefit to help members get paid faster through cost-effective and professional debt recovery assistance from HBJ Gateley.

For any business looking to grow and succeed, timely payment of invoices is essential. As such, a robust approach to tracking and resolving missed payments is vital for every company in maintaining a healthy cash flow.

However, chasing down monies owed can be time-consuming and therefore places an unnecessary burden on businesses, over and above everyday operations.

The unknown factors and expense of taking formal action over a missed payment can be off-putting for those who are not familiar with the process. To help members address these issues with as little disruption and expense to their businesses as possible, Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce now offers members an exclusive range of services to help companies take quick and decisive action to claim missed payments: n 7 Day Claim – an entry-level demand letter only service n 7 Day Plus – a more comprehensive service including a demand letter and follow up n Court Claim – where court action is initiated, decree obtained and recovery sought Charged on a combination of fixed and value-based fees, HBJ Gateley will employ a range of best practice asset recovery strategies to recoup your debts at minimal cost to you, while safeguarding your reputation with your suppliers.

HBJ Gateley has over 20 years’ experience in assisting companies resolve outstanding payments owed to them. The service options have been based on its experience of what will be suitable for the vast majority of businesses which need debt recovery assistance.

Tailored services are also available in the rare instances that the above options do not provide the required cover.

To take advantage of this exclusive offer email: debtrecovery@hbjgateley.com or call 0131 222 9535.

Edinburgh ExEcutivE carriagEs

Executive Business Travel • Airport Transfers Golfing Trips • Sightseeing Tours Weddings • Special Occasions Telephone: 0131 644 3034 E-mail: enquiries@edinburghexecutivecarriages.co.uk www.edinburghexecutivecarriages.co.uk

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Want practical advice for your business?

Business Gateway know how valuable the right advice can be to the success of a business.

Call 0131 529 6644 to book your free appointment and get advice on: • • • •

Sales Marketing Sources of finance HR issues

• • • •

Business planning Cash flows Exporting E-commerce

Find out how else we can help your business at www.bgateway.com/edinburgh 0131 529 6644 bglothian@bgateway.com www.bgateway.com/edinburgh

Business Gateway services are delivered by Local Authorities, Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Government with the 10 BC February/March August/September 2015 2016 support of associated partner organisations. Maximum call charge from BT landline is 3p a minute.

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CHAMBER NEWS

More firms needed to unlock Scotland’s export success

By Alan Coats, Senior Manager, SME Banking, Bank of Scotland A great platform has been established for local businesses to succeed in international markets with products and services ‘made in Scotland’ carrying high credibility across the globe.

Business exporting has been established as a key driver for growth, creating new jobs and revenue for Scotland. This is reflected by the Scottish Government’s ambitious targets to increase the value of Scottish exports by 50 per cent by 2017.

That said, there remains a certain lack of confidence amongst some businesses as to how successful they can be. Our Bank of Scotland 2015 Business in Britain research tells us that even though three out of five SMEs (62 per cent) in Scotland are aware of the benefits of exporting they are not currently taking advantage.

Take Scotland’s food and drink offering, for example. In 2015, the nation’s food exports surpassed the £1.1 billion mark for the first time. There is clearly an opportunity here for more home-grown businesses to take

advantage of the valuable provenance message that Scottish produce can boast.

However, according to our fourth annual Bank of Scotland food and drink report, Fresh Opportunity & Growth, three out of five (60 per cent) businesses said that a lack of knowledge of international markets is stopping them from investing in or planning to engage new international customers.

Around the world, there are fantastic opportunities for Scottish firms. For those already trading internationally, the activity generates almost a third (32 per cent) of their total sales turnover.

A good example of a Scottish business successfully managing its position abroad is Browns Food Group. Bank of Scotland supports the business’ strategic plans, which include extending their presence in a number of new export markets. This is on the back of significant growth during the financial year in Europe, reporting increased sales of 35.7% (2014: £985k).

Trading internationally can be daunting but there is support available. Businesses can look to Scottish Development International and the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce

for advice and access to networks. Bank of Scotland is also here to help our customers explore opportunities overseas and manage the risks including cash management and payments.

When looking to export for the first time, having a clear export strategy, that complements your business plan, is important to ensure growth can be sustained.

The right foreign payment service is also crucial; as an example, having the ability to fix exchange rates allows businesses to budget for international projects with more financial security.

As well as these factors, good accounting practices and insight to help identify when additional credit is required. Through invoice financing, Bank of Scotland can release up to 90 per cent of the value of an issued invoice within 24 hours.

To underline our commitment to boosting international trade, we’ve pledged to grow our provision of trade finance to SMEs by 25 per cent. With the right help your business could be the next Scottish overseas success story.

Common questions asked by small businesses about auto-enrolment!

There are many questions being asked about Auto Enrolment, and no wonder – it’s a complex business. Standard Life want to help make it easier for you so we’ve put together some commonly asked questions to help get you started.

On average, it takes a business six months to make decisions and manage any changes needed to deliver a workplace pension scheme. So aim to have your chosen workplace pension scheme in place at least a month ahead of your staging date.

n What are my staging date duties?

You’ll need to write to all of your employees who aren’t already in the pension scheme – no later than six weeks after your staging date. It’s part of your duties to tell them certain things about what’s happening and what options they have in the timescales required. You also have ongoing responsibilities to talk to certain employees, such as new starts, employees entering a waiting period or those whose eligibility status has changed.

n Meeting your Auto Enrolment obligations To comply with the legislation set out by The Pensions Regulator and meet your obligations under Auto Enrolment, you’ll need to provide a qualifying workplace pension by your staging date. You’ll also need to enrol eligible employees to avoid the Pensions Regulator taking action or even fining you.

With your workplace pension scheme set up and your payroll and processes aligned, next is to get your scheme up and running. n How long will it take to set up a workplace pension scheme?

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n When do I have to tell my employees?

You must write to each member of your workforce to tell them how auto-enrolment affects them. You must tell them about the contributions that are going to be deducted from their pay and advise them that they have the right to opt out of the pension scheme if they wish to do so. If you chose

use a waiting period you must also tell them about this. n What if my employees want to opt out?

Every employee who is automatically enrolled gets a month to opt out of the scheme. Remember, as part of the Pension’s Regulator’s requirements, it’s really important that you don’t influence the choices that your employees make. Our employer website will help you manage these opt-outs, and any further ones. n What happens after my business completes staging?

Once staging is complete, you’ll move onto managing the pension scheme, which once up and running will become part of your business as usual routine.

Please visit www.standardlifeworkplace. co.uk to find out more.

ADVERTORIAL

Are you Playing Russian Roulette with your Data Security?

Online security and data protection has become a massive issue, and with the new EU General Data Protection Regulations coming into force in the near future, it will continue to be a talking point.

Security breaches can happen and you’ll read a lot about providers monitoring and strengthening their framework as a preventative action. But in today’s world the likelihood of a breach is high enough that businesses need to think about what they can do to minimise the impact of anyone infiltrating their systems.

Data Location and Security for All Systems One particularly hot topic at the moment is the issue of data location. At OpenCRM we’ve taken steps to ensure that all of our data centres (and those of all the systems we use) are based in the EU. And that includes the back-up data centres.

Even if the primary data centre is in the EU, if the back-up data centres are in the US, then so is all of your data.

And that’s just your primary data, what about those ‘low risk’ systems? When I talk about this issue, the surprise always comes when I mention about the difficulty we had in finding an instant messaging system that was EU based. Or the time it took to establish that our email provider stored all our data in the EU.

When you break it down, it’s easy to see how the ‘low risk’ systems can generate a slow leak of client data.

Passwords Another example, and one that I think everyone struggles with, is the issue of passwords.

My own team were having trouble coming up with enough passwords that were both strong and memorable. So we decided to use a password manager, which allows us to generate extra secure passwords that didn’t have to be memorable.

Encryption

need to be aware of the security of the actual data itself, including where it will be stored, how it is accessed, and the security of the device that is being used.

Customers need to be going into this level of detail with any cloud provider before signing on the dotted line. The ramifications, which could include hefty fines and worse, reputational damage, don’t bear thinking about.

If you have any cloud-based security questions, concerns, or feedback, please get in touch. I would love to hear from you. Find us at www.opencrm.co.uk or drop us a line at security@opencrm.co.uk

One relatively simply thing you can do to protect your data is to encrypt it. By encrypting your computers, phones, etc., you know that if anyone were to actually steal the device, they would be hard pressed to make any sense of your data.

Add to this your strong password control and cloud hosting of your data, any opportunistic thief isn’t going to walk away with a list of your customers.

Checking Out Your Providers

Graham Anderson, is the CEO and founder of OpenCRM, one of the UK’s leading customer relationship management systems.

It’s no longer enough to assume your providers will protect your data from viruses, malware, and cyber threats – companies

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FOCUS ON: RECRUITMENT

ADVERTORIAL

Digital revolution?

You ‘aint seen nothing yet It would be easy to assume with the digital revolution well under way that there is little that can surprise us in the year ahead.

However, according to Gareth Biggerstaff, who started Edinburgh technology and digital recruitment company Be-IT Resourcing in 2013, the most dramatic changes are yet to come and they will touch every age group and every aspect of life.

One of the big changes that he predicts is the way that digitalisation will open up job opportunities for young people as companies and organisations struggle to find the skilled practitioners they need to bring about the changes they want to make.

Gareth said: “The year 2015 saw enormous changes in the digital landscape and they will continue in 2016 as more SMEs, blue chip corporates and public sector organisations embrace the change.

“However, one challenge for several years has been how to deal with the skills shortage that started with the recession of 2008 when we saw less recruitment of people with digital skills. That has left us with a skills gap which will continue to impact hiring organisations in 2016.

“One of the big changes that we will see in

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2016 is in the increase in job opportunities that will open up for young people in the digital field.

“Organisations that tended to previously take on more experienced people are looking more and more to young people now, not just because they cost less to employ but because they also have a greater understanding of digital technology.

“As that skills gap begins to close, we will definitely see more employment opportunities for young people in a role reversal of what had been happening over the past few years.”

Another big change that Gareth sees ahead in 2016 is the way that people view the use and protection of their data, despite concerns about security and the risk of hacking.

He can see people becoming more comfortable not just with increasingly living much of their lives online but also with the idea of State surveillance of their online activity.

Gareth said: “More people are realising that they have to be part of the digital age.

You can cut yourself off, not be online if you require that kind of privacy, but that means you miss out on so many services as connectivity increases.

“I see more and more people becoming part of the digital age but one of the big changes will be the way that we regard cyber security as people read in the media about hacking and cyber-terrorism.

“This year will definitely see more hacking but I think that more people, on hearing of Government plans to increase online surveillance, will say ‘I have nothing to hide so I do not object if the Government increases surveillance on my online presence, just so long as that data is not sold on for commercial purposes.’”

He also sees increasing number of people taking more control of their own data, rather than witnessing it being sold on to commercial organisations.

Gareth said: “I think that we will see more

FOCUS ON: RECRUITMENT

ADVERTORIAL

people taking the view that they can use their own data to gain commercial advantages for themselves by packaging it up.

“Instead of the concern that data, not bank or health information but things like their shopping habits, will be sold on by someone else, I think people will demand the right to pass it on themselves. They will want the right to give permission for their information to be used just so long as they receive good deals in return.

“I think that definitely will see people taking control of the information about them that is available online.

“We are already seeing society changing and I think that the changes that we have seen will accelerate in the next twelve months.

“It has become an irreversible trend as connectivity increases and we see new platforms/apps come online and smartphone technology develop.

“Another big advance will be the use of GPS technology so that where we are at any given

time is known.”

Gareth believes that the next year will see more use of the Cloud, where businesses lodge data with off-site servers rather than investing in their own on-site hardware.

Gareth Biggerstaff

He sees increased use of the Cloud as just one of the changes that are already under way and will continue during 2016.

Gareth said: “The pace of change in digital technology is rapid and we have already seen more and more data migrating to the Cloud, which will continue in 2016, but there will be other advances that will affect the way we live.

“For instance, we will see more use of drones - we are already witnessing Amazon developing them for deliveries – and I think that we will see significant advances in the field of driverless cars as well.”

You can contact Gareth Biggerstaff at: 0131 344 4778 Gareth.biggerstaff@be-itresourcing.com www.be-itresourcing.com

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ADVERTORIAL

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FEATURE: DIGITAL FOCUS

FEATURE: DIGITAL FOCUS

ADVERTORIAL

Customers want to be treated as individuals, so brands need to put data to one side and see through real people’s eyes. In our new report, we’ve analysed over 100 UK brands to find out who does it best. How do you think you’d measure up?

For its tenth year, email has proved to be the most successful method of business communication, delivering the highest returns on investment of any marketing channel. But as we’ve discovered in our Retail Email Report, only a handful of brands know how to use it effectively. So we’re sharing our findings to bring the nation up to speed.

With everything from focus groups and interviews to benchmark studies and in-depth investigations, your free report covers:

• Opinions and experiences of real people • Analyses of top brands’ emails • The components of email effectiveness • The need for relevant real-time content • How to get the right message to the right place at the right time

Download your free copy of our Retail Email Report today.

Head to: steeledinburgh.com/retailemailreport STEELEDINBURGH.COM RESULTS. CREATED.

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ADVERTORIAL

FEATURE: DIGITAL FOCUS

Grow your business on a gig

Expansion – future proofing – improved productivity… …just some of the ways the Edinburgh CORE network could transform your business and impact your bottom line Internet up to 100x faster than standard UK connections Speed up your interaction with customers Make the most of cost and time saving cloud applications and services Save money on calls with a next generation VoIP solution

Register today at Edinburghcore.com 18

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FEATURE: DIGITAL FOCUS

ADVERTORIAL

Gigabit Cities take Scotland from strength to strength We’re in the middle of a digital revolution.

In towns and cities across the UK, the rise of new technologies and cloud services is radically transforming the way we live and work. Scotland is emerging ahead of the pack with CityFibre’s roll out of ultra-fast, next generation pure fibre infrastructure, ensuring that the country becomes a world-class digital nation by 2020.

In the central belt, the Edinburgh CORE project is well underway, transforming Edinburgh into a Gigabit City with the UK’s largest pure fibre metro roll-out.

CityFibre has also just announced a new project in Glasgow, with deployment due to commence in early 2016.

In 2014, Aberdeen was officially announced as Scotland’s first Gigabit City and business connections to the Aberdeen CORE network are now live. Customers from the oil & gas, retail, hospitality and education sectors are all experiencing the business benefits of ultra-fast speeds and improved connectivity through local service providers.

CityFibre is a builder of Gigabit Cities.

Through the deployment of a fit-for-purpose, pure fibre infrastructure, the benefits of Gigabit speed connectivity are brought to entire communities. A Gigabit City has the capacity to provide local business, Government, health and education sectors with a modern fibre infrastructure, capable of meeting their data connectivity and communication needs for years to come.

Within the UK, Peterborough, Coventry and York are already seeing the economic and business benefits, while Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow are Scotland’s first Gigabit Cities.

Benefits to the economy Research commissioned by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport found that the country gains £20 in net economic benefit

for every £1 of public investment in digital infrastructure. With readily available gigabit connectivity in place, business and councils become more nimble and efficient, indeed Edinburgh City Council has recently signed a deal to connect their buildings to the network – from schools to libraries and council buildings, resulting in Edinburgh becoming the largest pure fibre rollout in the UK.

Benefits to businesses Pure fibre is the best connectivity option available to businesses, but in most cities it is near impossible to order or afford one. In a Gigabit City, pure fibre connectivity comes as standard and businesses of all sizes are able to enjoy the speed, efficiency and productivity benefits previously only accessible by the largest businesses. Advantages include: n Gigabit speeds: Meaning businesses can effortlessly transfer the largest files in flash (10-100X faster than most business connections) n Communication: Cheaper, smarter VoIP telephony and face to face meetings with HD video conferencing tools n Cloud computing: Huge cost and time saving benefits, alongside much greater flexibility when it comes to how, when and where the Internet is accessed n Remote data storage: Cloud applications like Dropbox, Google Drive or Box becomes practical solutions with a pure fibre connection

CityFibre growth through recent acquisition The Gigabit City roll out is set to continue at a pace. The recent announcement of CityFibre’s £90 million acquisition of KCOM’s national fibre and duct network assets make the company the UK’s largest wholesale infrastructure provider after BT. The acquisition will extend CityFibre’s UK footprint by more than 300 per cent, immediately increasing CityFibre’s metro footprints to 36 cities and enabling them to target a total of 50 cities by 2020, reaching 20% of the UK market.

Commenting on the announcement, CityFibre CEO Greg Mesch said: “This is the most significant event to take place in the UK’s digital infrastructure market in a decade.

The UK now has a secure independent infrastructure alternative. Cities, service providers, mobile operators and investors have boldly embraced a new model of future-proof infrastructure provision and paved the way for its acceleration across the country. With our enlarged footprint and strong pipeline of cities demanding better infrastructure, we will continue to grow, offering existing and new partners an ever increasing opportunity to capitalise on a pure fibre future.”

If you would like to find out more about the projects in Scotland, the benefits to your business or would like to register your business, go to cityfibre.com/gigabitscotland

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ADVERTORIAL

FEATURE: DIGITAL FOCUS

2016 is the Year of the Cloud From Netflix to Whatsapp, the Cloud is changing the way we communicate and absorb information.

The Cloud is also fast becoming the go-to technology for businesses wishing to utilise the next generation of telecommunications, but there are still many companies who are not embracing its vast potential.

That is the message from the boss of rapidlygrowing company Practical Telecom, based in Livingston, whose expert team helps customers to access BT’s rapid technological advancements, including in Cloud technology.

The business, which covers a large area, including Edinburgh, the Lothians and Southern Scotland, is carrying out more and more projects in which clients transfer their services to the Cloud.

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Managing director David Hodge said: “There are so many advantages to using the Cloud, including the fact that it is more cost-efficient to use someone else’s server instead of having your own.

“If you have your own server you have this big bit of tin sitting in the corner of the office and there are ongoing engineering costs to maintain it.

“What’s more, you have to replace it every few years but none of that applies with the Cloud. The cost and the worry is taken away if you use the Cloud.

“I think the reason that more people do not make the move is fear of the unknown and a concern at lack of control but those fears really are unfounded.

“Even if there is a problem with a server, your number can be redirected in an instant so there is no problem.

“More and more companies are seeing the advantages and I think that 2016 will be a big year for the Cloud.”

You can contact the company’s expert team at Practical Telecom, Stadium House, Alderstone Road, Livingston EH54 7DN david.hodge@btlocalbusiness.co.uk

FEATURE: DIGITAL FOCUS

ADVERTORIAL

A milestone year ahead 2016 is set to be a milestone year for the international IT Services company CGI in Edinburgh and Scotland. On April 1st, CGI starts a partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council managing its IT and digital services for citizens.

This happens at a time when big cities across the world are facing social, economic and environmental challenges. Edinburgh is no different.

Socially, high population growth, an aging population, poor health and inequality are issues that cities need to tackle to ensure good citizen welfare. To prosper economically, cities have to create more jobs while working within a defined budget.

Environmentally, climate change and a lack of resources mean cities have to consider how to develop their infrastructure and how to use energy and resources efficiently.

Connected citizens, who are increasingly online anytime, anywhere and expect instant access to information, are at the heart of this transformation.

The City of Edinburgh Council as the provider of services and CGI as the enabler will work together to transform people’s lives within the capital. The aim of the partnership is to create a city that is citizen-centric, with sharing and openness at its heart. The Council has a vision which is to create a city which

is empowered through its use of Digital Services.

Maggie Morrison, who leads the Public Sector team for CGI in Scotland, said: “The Information Age has made the use of digital technology a vital tool for effective communication. Mobile technology and social media mean people living within Edinburgh can choose to engage more easily with their council and to get their voices heard.

Using digital technology, we can identify and analyse how people within Edinburgh use services provided by the council and interact with the systems in place. This will allow the Council to understand the needs of the people and the organisational changes that need to take place before spending money on new infrastructure or technology.

This is a game changer. The use of digital by the Council must add value to all those in Edinburgh whether citizens, businesses, partner organisations, students or tourists.

This digitally enabled approach will allow the Council to engage with citizens throughout the ongoing transformation to make sure that they are involved with the design and delivery of the city’s services.”

To enable this, working with the Council, CGI will implement a system that is ‘digital by default’, meaning that citizens and companies

will be able to engage with city services more effectively according to their individual circumstances and requirements.

Maggie Morrison explained: “CGI will bring best practice in this arena from around the globe. To cite just one example, in Helsinki we worked with city leaders to put in place several different digital systems that work together to improve the lives of people within the city and the services provided to the citizens. These systems include a health and social care integration system, optimising resource management and improving quality of service. The ‘CommunityCare360’ system enables those who wish to interact digitally to do so whilst freeing up resource for those who need individual face to face care. At the same time health care professionals are able to record patient visit information in real time using digital devices, reducing time spent on administration and increasing valuable time spent with those in their care. Embracing digital technology has made Helsinki into one of the smartest cities in the world. CGI is proud to be working with City of Edinburgh Council as we embark on this exciting journey together.”

Maggie can be contacted on maggie. morrison@cgi.com or Twitter @maggi_ morrison

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CHAMBER NEWS

Raising The Standard For Youth Employment Every year around 2,500 young people leave school in Edinburgh with hundreds more in East Lothian and Midlothian.

And while the majority move on to a job, training, or further or higher education a significant number find themselves without a ‘positive destination’.

Tackling this problem and its wider consequences is something Sandy Begbie is determined to do over the next three years – and he is heading a partnership approach that promises to build on recent successes.

Sandy, Chief People Officer at Standard Life, is already well-versed in the issue through his company’s whole-hearted support for The Edinburgh Guarantee – a highly successful collaboration between the private, public and third sectors – which has already seen the numbers of school leavers finding a positive destination rise from 83% in 2011 to 93% last year.

Involvement in the scheme has also contributed to a major change in the age profile of Standard Life’s workforce. Since 2010 the proportion of under-25s has increased from 0.5% to 5.5%.

Now, as Chair of the Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) initiative for Edinburgh, Midlothian and East Lothian, he intends to make even greater inroads. This is being led by the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce who will use its considerable reach and influence to help deliver the initiative under a cross-sector advisory board chaired by Sandy.

The scheme is part of the Scottish Government’s seven year plan to reduce youth unemployment by 40 per cent, ensuring more school leavers find positive work while helping businesses tap into a pool of talented young people.

Sandy said: “We need to break down the barriers to employment for young people, especially those who are traditionally ‘hard to reach’. We need to build greater and better engagement between business and education – secondary and further education – and we need to create greater understanding of what each does and what support and help each can offer.

“I worked with Sue Bruce, then Chief Executive at City of Edinburgh Council, on The Edinburgh Guarantee in 2011. At that time, Edinburgh had a poor record on youth unemployment compared to other local authority areas in Scotland. A lot of great work has been done to improve that picture but more can be done.

“Edinburgh has an unusual labour market. We have a lot of very well paid people working in high quality jobs in the financial sector, law and the professions and in some other knowledge and qualification driven sectors. We also have a big service industry, which is often less well paid. But we have a small middle market, where people earn the kind of average to slightly above average salaries. In comparison, Glasgow has a much smaller number of highly paid jobs but a much more balanced middle.

“In the Lothians there are areas in which people do pretty well and pockets where there is far less opportunity.

“So we need to work hard to ensure we are tapping into the 50% plus of young people who leave school each year who aren’t going on to further or higher education to ensure they get into gainful employment.

“We have seen some great initiatives such as The Edinburgh Guarantee make a real difference. The DYW initiative can build on that and ultimately our aim must be to eradicate youth unemployment.”

Edinburgh and the Lothians that works in this area. There are more than 130 different initiatives or programmes on the go around youth employment, all receiving funding, all needing and using resources, all delivering good work according to their own objectives.

But we need to know where there is an overlap, where there are gaps, where we might use resources better and work smarter and more efficiently.

“We need to create better and more engagement between business and education – secondary and further education and also primary schools. We need to do more to develop skills and we need to do more to ensure business better understands what our educators are doing; what is possible and what business can do to support them. Schools are there to educate our young people not to make young people, work ready but equally, we need schools and colleges to fully understand what businesses need and are looking for in school leavers.

“Finally, to ensure we are sustainable and that we look to the future, we need to start engaging with primary schools and working with younger children.”

A team has been put in place to help deliver the objectives of the DYW initiative and Sandy is hopeful the involvement of Edinburgh Chamber will be a positive factor. “Involving SMEs in this will be vital and Edinburgh Chamber, with over 1,000 SME members, is well placed to help us do that. We need to show SMEs that attracting and finding skilled and talented young people creates a win for all of us.”

For further information call 0131 221 2999 or e-mail dyw@edinburghchamber.co.uk

Sandy maintains there are a number of tactics which can be used to help make progress.

“We can document and map the current landscape of initiatives and infrastructure in

Involvement in the scheme has also contributed to a major change in the age profile of Standard Life’s workforce. Since 2010 the proportion of under-25s has increased from 0.5% to 5.5%.

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CHAMBER NEWS

Sandy Begbie from Standard Life with Roseanna Cunningham, Cabinet Secretary for Fair Work, Skills and Training, Rob Woodward from STV and David Birrell from the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce at the launch of DYW.

Sandy Begbie from Standard Life with some of the City’s youth talent.

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BUSINESS NEWS

Tech Sector seizing international opportunities The technology industry in Scotland is flourishing.

Indeed, there is a very real opportunity for Scotland to build on its already burgeoning reputation as a global hub for the industry and evidence of such a possibility can be found in the Capital. Amazon’s e-commerce platforms are developed from Edinburgh, not to mention the meteoric rise of games developers such as Edinburgh-based Rockstar North. It is a growth that is felt across the whole of Scotland, too.

IBM has been in Scotland for over 50 years and Microsoft sees the Scottish marketplace as an ideal testing ground.

It’s not just the big players. SMEs are also making a significant impact. In fact, there are more than 1,000 organisations in Scotland’s IT and telecoms industry providing a vast range of products and services to many different sectors and crucially, many in the international market. The latest ScotlandIS survey revealed that 57% of tech businesses are already exporting, with 16% planning to do so in the future.

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In our partnership with Geniac, the business management organisation that specifically supports entrepreneurs and innovators, we’ve witnessed first hand the dynamism of growth-hungry tech businesses in Scotland.

Already Scottish tech companies report to ScotlandIS that 42% of their revenue comes from outside Europe. This underlines the potential. This is set to continue with the rest of the UK (82%), Europe (74%) and USA & Canada (60%) reported as their most attractive geographical markets going forward.

The financial and regulatory environment here is also favourable with the likes of R&D Tax Credits and Grants available to support ongoing innovation.

We need to continue to back the sector’s international potential. Look at how the ‘Year of Food and Drink’ put that industry on the global stage. Could a similar approach work for Scotland’s technology companies?

With the right infrastructure and support in place from government and trade bodies, the potential success of Scotland’s technology sector, and in particular its start-ups, could see Edinburgh being recognised as Scotland’s answer to San Francisco.

The technology sector currently contributes in excess of $6bn or £4bn to the Scottish economy or 3% of our GVA. 80,000 people are employed in the technology industry, which equates to one in every twenty five people employed in Scotland.

Edinburgh has the attributes for achieving such a goal – from experience, talent and, most importantly, ambition. There’s an opportunity to harness that ambition and make a real impact on a global stage.

There’s an opportunity to grow this further – especially as the sector is reporting concerns about skills gaps and attracting the talent and resource to allow them to deliver on their goals. In our UK Tech Cities Report from

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2013, we highlighted that recruitment issues were holding the industry back (45% of those who took part in the study said a shortage of skilled workers was the biggest issue they faced, while 77% said they could grow faster if there were more skilled people available).

There is a case to be made that these issues are still very much alive in Scotland as we begin 2016. Only when governments, trade bodies and individual firms come together to fully tackle the issue will we see a marked improvement that will ultimately allow the industry to prosper further.

Making the most of the international opportunity too, means we have to address this challenge head on. We need to find ways of inspiring new blood, nurturing talent and making sure the existing workforce is at the forefront of innovations. The global opportunity is something that could attract prospective entrants to the industry. There are also some great initiatives and link ups between academia and the sector.

The sector is already seizing the international opportunity. It is essential we support its continued expansion to reap the rewards for the wider Scottish economy.

Kevin Engel, Managing Partner for Grant Thornton in Scotland

ADVERTORIAL

Host your 2016 Golf Day at Gleneagles Host Venue to The 2014 Ryder Cup and The 2019 Solheim Cup, voted The Best Golf Resort in The World

by UltraTravel magazine for four consecutive years, and home to three championship courses - Gleneagles is the ultimate venue for a corporate golf day to remember.

Holding a corporate golf day at Gleneagles will challenge your most experienced clients and colleagues with some of the finest golf courses in the UK, just as much as those enthusiastic beginners.

Golfing activities can be tailored to any event, from individual golf lessons to structured group tuition and tournament administration.

On-course corporate branding, coupled with golfing products and gifts displaying your company logo can be organised to add impact to your event.

Few will fail to be impressed by the luxury and

legacy of Gleneagles. So if you’re looking for a special yet affordable way to entertain clients, then you couldn’t choose a better place.

situated in 850 acres of beautiful Perthshire countryside, just one hour’s drive from Edinburgh and Glasgow.

And, for 2016, there are some fantastic packages on offer. Book a golf day for 8 or more golfers and Gleneagles will include the following:

The resort is home to three championship golf courses, and a range of over 20 outdoor activities including shooting; falconry; fishing; off-road driving; horse-riding and archery. It’s the ideal destination for team-building, with a whole host of unusual options on offer: explore the grounds with an interactive GPS treasure hunt; take part in your own Highland Games; or learn some new culinary skills with cookery demonstrations and whisky blending masterclasses.

n Morning bacon or sausage roll with tea or coffee n 18 holes of golf on either The PGA Centenary (Host Venue of The 2014 Ryder Cup and 2019 Solheim Cup), The majestic King’s or the scenic Queen’s Course n A two-course golfer’s meal in The Dormy Clubhouse Bar and Grill.

All of this from only £105 per person in April, £145 in May and £165 in June.

To enquire about holding your next event at Gleneagles, please get in touch with Ashley Thomson, Regional Sales Manager on 07803 857193 or email ashley.thomson@ gleneagles.com. Alternatively, call our Group Sales team on 0800 587 8806.

With 232 luxury bedrooms and suites; an award-winning Spa by ESPA; and four restaurants including Scotland’s only two Michelin-starred restaurant, Andrew Fairlie, Gleneagles is the perfect location to entertain valued clients and colleagues.

About The Gleneagles Hotel The Gleneagles Hotel was built by The Caledonian Railway Company in 1924 and is

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ADVERTORIAL

FEATURE: CREATING THE PERFECT EVENT

Creating the Perfect Event As one of the country’s leading events companies, Cameron Presentations, we’re suppliers, event organisers and a creative solution all in one.

We are constantly being approached by clients who “want to create the perfect event”.

My feedback is always the same; “I have never created or even attended a perfect event, but we will get you as close to perfect as possible”. I’ve had many clients tell me that their event was perfect, but I know about the inevitable behind-the-scenes issues that the client and audience missed. These are the differences between great, excellent and ‘perfect’ events.

Every event can be planned and executed to the highest standard by following the same processes, whether it is a corporate

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networking night for 40 guests to an international sporting event for 15,000 people. The same rules apply.

The Idea – Every event starts with an idea.

The success of that event depends on a few factors; the quality and development of the idea, understanding who the target audience is and what will most excite and involve them and, finally, the ability of the events company to execute it.

Budget – Establishing the client’s true budget is crucial. Most clients want more than they can pay for, but it is our responsibility to manage those expectations and deliver more than they expect for what their budget allows.

That’s the hard part and involves several negotiations before everyone is satisfied.

Preparation & proposal – Once you have a budget and, of course, a venue, it is time to start fleshing out the idea in a proposal. Establish a site layout, audio visual

requirements, venue dressing and furniture, digital content, an event schedule and most importantly, the cost.

Planning & Logistics - Co-ordinating and communicating with all relevant parties involved with the event from client, venue, and out-sourced contractors to our team is vital. We adhere to our pre-event schedule, which means all involved parties have a ‘paper trail’ of correspondences throughout the build-up. Access times for setup and derig have to be in writing and signed off by everyone, so there is no ambiguity. Spending time on ‘risk management’ is very important.

What could go wrong? Write down a list and find a solution in the event of the worst case scenario.

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Managing/ running of the event – Now it is event day! Arriving early and chasing up contractors gives you a head start. This is where pre-event stress can be controlled, especially for the client. As long as everyone and everything required to execute the perfect event are going to arrive in time you’re 50% there. Having a meeting with all personnel responsible for delivering the event to run through the event schedule isn’t always easy logistically, but does

FEATURE: CREATING THE PERFECT EVENT

help alleviate any last-minute worries and refreshes everyone about what is happening and when. Communicating closely with the client every step of the way ensures they are aware of everything that is going on and that reassures them that any issues will be dealt with swiftly and efficiently.

Review – Sit down with your team and review the positives and negatives from the event. Their opinions might vary from yours, but a healthy discussion will prevent mistakes,

no matter how small, being repeated and the positives improved upon. Once complete, catch up with the client and discuss similar feedback. You may work with this client again and the next event always has to be better, even if this event was ‘perfect’.

When you go to any kind of event, it’s all about the experience. We can’t control everything, but being organised and solution focused can be the difference between a great event and ‘perfect’ one.

Every event can be planned and executed to the highest standard by following the same processes, whether it is a corporate networking night for 40 guests or an international sporting event for 15,000 people.

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CHAMBER NEWS

Dividends – the end of an era?

I am often asked about tax efficient ways to extract cash from a company. For some it is the key factor in considering whether to incorporate their business.

Dividends over and above this amount will be taxed as follows:

Any responses that I give to these queries normally have dividends high on the agenda due to the favourable tax treatment associated with them. However, that could be set to change with George Osborne’s decision to introduce new rules regarding how individuals will be taxed on dividends from 6 April 2016 onwards.

n 32.5% on dividend income within the higher rate band

Current position UK dividends are currently paid with a notional tax credit of 10% which gives an effective tax rate of: n 0% on dividend income within the basic rate band n 25% on dividend income within the higher rate band n 30.6% on dividend income within the additional rate band

n 7.5% on dividend income within the basic rate band

n 38.1% on dividend income within the additional rate band The table below shows the impact of these changes on various levels of dividend. Please note that this doesn’t consider the wider impact on other income and the corporation tax impact for the company.

Unfortunately, if you are a basic rate taxpayer then the changes mean that you will always be worse off under the new rules if your dividend income is in excess of £5,000. If you are a higher-rate or additional-rate taxpayer then you will have a higher tax liability if your dividend income exceeds either £21,667 or £25,400 respectively.

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The changes will impact both shareholders in personal companies and individuals with investment portfolios alike.If you are a shareholder in your own company it may be more tax efficient for you to take additional dividends from your company in the current tax year ending on 5 April 2016 rather than wait until the next tax year. However, individuals with an investment portfolio are unlikely to be in a position to have this flexibility surrounding dividends so may want to look at other tax-efficient investments.

Regardless of your position, if you receive dividends then now is the time to speak to an adviser to ensure that you are well positioned when the new rules come into force. If you require assistance and further guidance contact John Stewart, Corporate Tax Manager, Condies john.stewart@condie.co.uk www.condie.co.uk

Dividend Received

Basic Rate Taxpayer 2015/16 2016/17

Higher Rate Taxpayer 2015/16 2016/17

Additional Rate Taxpayer 2015/16 2016/17

Dividend Tax Payable (1)

£20,000

£0

£1,125

£5,000

£4,875

£6,111

£5,715

Dividend Tax Payable (1)

£25,000

£0

£1,500

£6,250

£6,500

£7,639

£7,620

Dividend Tax Payable (1)

£30,000

£0

£1,875

£7,500

£8,125

£9,167

£9,525

New position The new measures implemented by the government will see the abolition of the notional tax credit and the introduction of a £5,000 tax-free allowance for dividends.

What to do now

CHAMBER NEWS

Edinburgh Celebrates Busiest Year Ever At A Scottish Aiport: 11.13 Million Passengers Edinburgh Airport’s December passenger numbers showing that a grand total of 11,130,584 passengers passed through the airport in 2015 making it the busiest ever year at a Scottish Airport.

The annual total represents an increase of over 950,000 passengers from the 2014 total - further cementing Edinburgh Airport’s reputation as the place where Scotland meets the World.

The success was bolstered by particularly strong international passenger figures – which in December peaked with a 19 per cent year-on-year growth.

Welcoming the annual passenger figures Gordon Dewar, Edinburgh Airport’s Chief Executive, said: “Last year we enhanced passenger choice by offering more routes and more destinations– and passengers responded by choosing to fly in and out of Edinburgh Airport in greater numbers than ever before.

“This unprecedented success of 11.13 million passengers through our doors highlights the draw of Edinburgh as a destination and the growing appeal that Scotland holds across the globe.

“The 2015 annual total also represents an increase of over 950,000 passengers from the previous year.”

“We remain focused on delivering more success in the year ahead.

In 2016 we will continue to improve the passenger experience at Edinburgh Airport with a multi-million pound investment in our check-in and baggage systems, an improved retail offering with a greater choice goods and products and we aim to expand our range of new routes and destinations in year ahead.

“I was asked late last year how much more Edinburgh Airport can grow in a country with little over five million people; I explained that it was not the 5 million I was worried about but how the other seven billion across the globe get to visit us.

“Our international passenger figures for December showing a 19 per cent year-on-year increase is a great indicator of our global ambitions and give good reason to be optimistic about further growth in the year ahead.”

Scottish Government Minister for Transport and Islands Derek Mackay said: “Reaching this milestone is a fantastic achievement and I congratulate the entire team at Edinburgh Airport for their record breaking efforts in 2015.

“The airport’s success brings benefits to both the local and national economies. By improving our international connectivity, we give Scottish businesses improved access to global markets and make the country even more attractive as a destination for tourists “Edinburgh Airport already offers a wide range of destinations, but the Scottish Government’s plan to cut Air Passenger Duty will help encourage airlines to develop new routes as well as help sustain existing ones.

“I wish Edinburgh Airport continued success and look forward to working with them once again in 2016.”

Now is the time for UK colleges to play their part By 2030, it is predicted that emerging economies will contribute 65 percent of the global GBP . The demand for skilled labour is growing faster than supply, against a backdrop of ageing populations.

Yet too many countries are not equipped to provide their young people with a high-quality education that meets their national skills demand. To address this, governments across the world have developed skills strategies that emphasise English language improvement, upskilling teachers and developing a vocational curriculum which matches the skills required by employers. To achieve this, they look to international education systems for support. As a result, there is more opportunity for the UK’s strong vocational sector to play its part in supporting this development.

UK colleges can provide support by facilitating teacher training and continuing professional development for public and private sector organisations in areas such as cultural awareness, management, leadership, and HR. Colleges can deliver offset training for companies and offer a range of consultancy services to employers. Edinburgh College, one of the largest colleges in the UK, is already helping our international network of partners develop their workforce of the future.

Edinburgh College is working with the Panamanian Ministry of Education to train both English language teachers and teachers of other subjects at primary and secondary level. Through our highly experienced English Language Centre, which provides year-round English language programmes and specialist courses, the college has trained 60 teachers at our campuses in Edinburgh, and will welcome 40 more in January 2016. In China, the college partners with regional education departments to provide specialist training programmes and we have now delivered to more than 600 English language teachers.

In Saudi Arabia, Edinburgh College has a longstanding partnership with the Technical and Vocational Corporation (TVTC) and has just delivered a suite of training programmes in Edinburgh for 120 TVTC vocational professionals. To date, we have trained more than 600 TVTC teachers and senior managers in subjects including English for Technical Purposes, Engineering Skills (using our on-campus oil test-rig), Executive Management, Quality Assurance and Accounting.

In Brazil, the college was one of five UK colleges selected by the Brazilian Ministry of Tourism to pilot a three-month government-funded studyabroad programme for Tourism and Hospitality undergraduates. With the rise of the service industries internationally, the students gained invaluable insight into the tourism and hospitality sector in the UK and received training in customer care, tourism marketing, tour guiding, as well as work experience in one of Edinburgh College’s commercial training restaurants. The creative industries too are booming. Not only does Edinburgh College play its part by training students here in the UK across a range of creative and digital programmes, but also by working closely with businesses across Scotland to support and promote the next generation of creative industry SMEs. Our business incubator Creative Exchange, in partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council, is twinned with a new incubator in Shenzhen, China, allowing companies from both sides to explore international markets.

For more information on Edinburgh’s College’s work with industry and in international education, please contact Emma Meredith emma.meredith@edinburghcollege.ac.uk or visit www.edinburghcollege.ac.uk

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INSPIRING INTERNATIONAL

Vegware grow across borders With international operations that span the continents, you could hardly describe Edinburgh-based Vegware as a “Mickey Mouse” operation…

But closer inspection shows that the fastgrowing company, which makes innovative eco-packaging for the food and drink industry, does share something in common with the mighty Disney corporation.

John Hench, one of the US giant’s most senior figures and the official artist for the iconic cartoon rodent, explained the international appeal of Mickey thus: “Mickey has never been suspected of being an American export. They gave him a local name and he’s been accepted wherever he goes.”

While in general they continue to use their own name, that “local sensitivity” approach is also paying dividends for Vegware as they continue to grow their international trade, with a series of partnerships helping them open up new markets on a regular basis.

Their success was clearly illustrated in December 2015, when the company picked up a number of awards in just one month. Two of them clearly illustrated their continued upward trajectory at home and overseas: Vegware was named by Deloitte as one of the fastest growing companies in Europe, the Middle East and Africa in the Technology Fast 500; and the company was also listed in the Sunday Times Fast Track 100 list of the UK’s fastest growing companies.

Vegware was founded in 2006. Vegware’s eco products are available worldwide through Vegware US, Vegware South Africa, Vegware Europe, Vegware Australia, Vegware Hong Kong, Horeca in UAE, and Friendlypak in New Zealand as well as a Europe-wide network of distribution partners from the Netherlands to Portugal.

Clients range from the biggest contract caterers and food distributors through to UK government offices, NHS units and independent artisan delis and cafes.

Vegware’s range of over 250 completely compostable products – made from plants, rather than plastics - include many awardwinning innovations. The company has an active R&D programme, hardly surprising given the academic and research background of founder Joe Frankel.

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He said: “The business was always conceived as an international business, using the internet to help build a global brand and sales presence.

“But along the way we’ve also learned some lessons, and for us a key one has been the wisdom of developing international partnerships to get into specific markets through distributors and other ways. That has been an essential element of our success in growing our international business, working with people who have a genuine and deep knowledge of the market, whether that be in the Far East or in the Emirates.”

While Vegware’s international journey continues apace, it is also worth recollecting that the business has international roots.

Joe Frankel, then an academic and researcher with Edinburgh University’s renowned School of Informatics, was in the US when he came upon a novel spoon while on a secondment in Berkeley in California. The spoon was made from plants, rather than plastics, and the idea hit Joe like the proverbial bolt from the blue.

“It reminded me of a bone spoon. It was both functional and stylish. They said it was made of potato and corn and I thought that was amazing. I just got excited about it very quickly. I thought if I think this is fantastic surely other people will too. “ I had no idea how I would turn this into a business but I had spent seven years working as a researcher and in research by definition you don’t know the answer before you start.

“It’s the school of hard knocks.”

But turn it into a business he did, outsourcing production and utilising his background in research to ensure that the business continued to innovate – as it does to this day with more than 250 products in its growing portfolio.

The key to the business’ success, he feels, that Vegware offers full recycling support to help operators recycle used Vegware together with food waste.

He added: “All our products are fully compostable. We have close working relationships with waste operators through our Food Waste Network, and provide a hub of specialist knowledge and advice on zero waste in foodservice. It’s a very unusual offering, and it has provided us with a real point or difference from all of our competition.”

The company’s eco credentials are hugely impressive, but it isn’t always the reason that

their products gain new territories. He added: “In the United Arab Emirates, for example, our partner there told us that the big selling point would be our Queen’s Award, and so it proved. That definitely counted for a lot.”

January certainly provided a clear assertion of the growth of Vegware as an international brand, but the company’s potential was spotted earlier by Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce when, in March 2012, Vegware

INSPIRING INTERNATIONAL

was named Green Company of the Year and was a finalist in the High Growth category in the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce Awards.

Joe Frankel, Founder and Managing Director of Vegware

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INSPIRING INTERNATIONAL

2016 A Year Of New International Routes For British Airways It promises to be a busy year for British Airways – with new routes opening up around the world at a supersonic rate.

The airline is embodying its motto ‘To Fly. To Serve.’ with 11 new international routes opening up in 2016 to a variety of destinations near and far, meaning BA now flies to around 200 destinations around the globe.

That means staggering connectivity from its London hubs at Heathrow, London City and Gatwick – and with 25 BA flights a day linking Edinburgh and London, that opens up a whole new international horizon for Scottish business and leisure travellers.

Lynne Embleton

Nearer home, a new route will link Inverness to Heathrow.

Lynne added: “We are now operating the biggest network we have ever had to around 200 destinations around the world. While many of the new destinations will appeal to leisure travellers, there will also inevitably be significant business travel – especially to places like California.”

While BA’s international network is accessed through its London hubs, Lynne is convinced that Edinburgh’s business community will support the new routes.

“BA has an enormous commitment to Scotland, and to Edinburgh. Here’s an interesting statistic – BA operates more flights to Edinburgh than anywhere else in the world. Our flights linking Edinburgh and London are among the busiest routes in the world. We have a very strong customer base among Edinburgh’s business community.”

Around the network, BA reckons around 20% - 40% of its customers are business customers. Lynne maintains that the Edinburgh – London service is very much at the higher end of that range.

The airline’s continued commitment to Scotland has real value. Lynne said that the company’s own research showed that BA is supporting – directly and indirectly – around

Lynne Embleton, Director of Strategy at BA, is adamant that 2016 promises to be a bumper year: “We’re certainly very excited. It’s a lot of new routes, so it promises to be a busy year.”

She’s particularly enthused about new long haul routes from Gatwick to Lima in Peru and to San Jose in Costa Rica, as well as the new flight to San Jose in California from Heathrow, which will provide a new link for British and Scottish companies seeking to do business in Silicon Valley.

But there are also a raft of shorter haul routes, for example to Crete and Kalamata in Greece, to Porto in Portugal, to Menorca in Spain, Biarritz in France and to Palermo in Italy.

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4000 jobs in Scotland.

She said: “We don’t just fly people out, we fly people in. We bring a lot of visitors and business people to Scotland, and to Edinburgh in particular.”

Whilst Heathrow remains central to the BA network, the airline has seen significant growth at both Gatwick – where imminent terminal work will streamline the travel process for customers – and at London City.

Lynne said: “Gatwick is really motoring, significantly so, and the growth at London City has been phenomenal That’s because a lot of customers choose to travel with BA because they see us investing in our fleet and in our product.

INSPIRING INTERNATIONAL

“BA has an enormous commitment to Scotland, and to Edinburgh. BA operates more flights to Edinburgh than anywhere else in the world.”

“But it is also because we are very aware that technology is playing an increasingly important role. Our customers expect it to be as easy as possible to make their travel plans from their smart phones, and we now have 5 million users of our BA app. We also relaunched our On Business points scheme aimed specifically at small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) which helps them gain discounted prices and points where they might once have thought we didn’t offer anything for smaller businesses. That is also proving popular.”

efforts. The airline is also playing its part in other ways.

Lynne said: “We like to showcase Scottish produce and products whenever we can. For example, we use 16 million litres of a wellknown brand of Spring Water, and 100,000 bottles of Scotch Whisky on our flights and in our lounges around the world every year.

That’s a lot of whisky and water.

“We also champion other produce, for example Scottish salmon, so we’re doing our bit to keep Scotland on the global stage…”

It’s not just through its flights that BA is supporting Scotland’s international business

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ADVERTORIAL

FEATURE: LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT

Why professional development is more important than ever Never has the need for developing the skills of staff been more apparent for businesses.

Indeed, many business and economic support agencies have identified training and Continuous Professional Development as playing a key role in helping companies to take advantage of the opportunities presented to them as the economy recovers.

They argue that well-trained staff are able to better support their employer as well as identify new opportunities and bring forward fresh ideas because they have been exposed to different ways of thinking.

That training can mean employers giving them time off their daily duties to take an MBA or other degree-level qualifications which can broaden their knowledge, or offering financial assistance towards the costs.

The value of such courses and training programmes is that they can open the mind in such a way that it sparks ideas that develop into a new product or maybe brings about new ways of working.

There are plenty of colleges, universities and online organisations that can help employees to take such courses, designing them to fit around the demands of working life.

Lifelong learning at such institutions is one way o improving employees’ education but not the only one.

On-site training is also crucial.

Training falls into two categories, the re-training of people for new roles and the training of those already in jobs but who wish to develop their skills further.

Training specialists point out that, even in difficult trading times, cutting back on training is a false economy because well-trained staff are better able to meet challenges.

A key part of the training is teaching practical skills, everything from understanding changes in legislation to keeping on top of effective customer service, but training companies also help employees recognise opportunities when they see them.

That could be anything from tapping into new markets to coming up with ways of making sure that their employe makes inroads into foreign markets.

Sometimes, the opportunity to step aside from the day job and spend time in a training session or on a course can have dramatic outcomes.

More and more businesses are seeing the benefits of such an approach, not just to their companies in terms of growth but also because lifelong learning can make staff members more fulfilled and more likely to stay with the business.

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FEATURE: LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT

ADVERTORIAL z

Challenge, inspire & transform your thinking Executive Education The University of Edinburgh Business School brings you a range of opportunities to help develop your professional skillset as a manager and business leader. Being delivered by a University ranked 21st in the world, attendees of our courses and classes will benefit from worldleading academics as well as top practitioners in their fields of expertise.

In 2016 we are delivering a range of topics that will help current and future leaders think and act strategically in a context of competition, change and uncertainty.

Masterclasses and Short Courses for Spring 2016 09/05/16 Innovation Management 14/03/16 New Venture Creation 16/05/16 Negotiations 21/03/16 Managing Stakeholder Communications 17/05/16 Strategic Communications 19/04/16 Behavioural Finance 23/05/16 Digital Strategy 28/04/16 Reporting, Governance and Leadership 25/05/16 The Future of the Finance Function – 02/05/16 Financial Aspects of Executive Retreat Mergers and Acquisitions 15/06/16 Building a Sustainable 02/05/16 Project Management Business 05/05/16 Leading Strategic Change

Find out more 0131 651 5245 executive@business-school.ed.ac.uk The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, with registration number SC005336

business-school.ed.ac.uk/executive

Support must be localised to realise Scotland’s unicorn potential, says study Scotland’s business development agencies should focus on tailoring support to the needs of local entrepreneurial networks, according to a new report.

Academics at University of Edinburgh Business School say Edinburgh’s success as a hub for fintech and software start-ups could be replicated in other cities with the right targeted backing.

The capital currently has the most ‘Unicorn’ $ billion dollar companies per-capita outside the US. The study found the growth of smaller support organisations, incubators and networking clubs tailored to Edinburgh’s entrepreneurial characteristics have had a significant impact on the development of Scottish start-ups.

The report argues other regions looking to accelerate start-up activity should embrace this approach.

It says cities like Glasgow, Dundee and Aberdeen could benefit from forming similar networks of organisations to support highgrowth entrepreneurs based on their unique local needs, rather than the current Scotlandwide -wide approach taken by Scottish Enterprise and Business Gateway.

Dr Ben Spigel, Chancellors Fellow at University of Edinburgh Business School, said: “Edinburgh significantly punches above its weight as an international entrepreneurial hub.

“Which is in no small part down to the network of more than 40 support programmes – ranging from multimillion pound, Government sponsored organisations - to small coffee groups run for entrepreneurs, by entrepreneurs.

“These groups are so well networked together, their proliferation has allowed specialisation of support for different types of entrepreneurs at different stages in business development.

“There is huge potential to adopt this targeted, city-specific model of support to developing the existing entrepreneurial networks in Scotland’s other major cities.”

“Edinburgh significantly punches above its weight as an international entrepreneurial hub.”

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Building the future – SQA and Morrison Construction

36

SQA is committed to improving the prospects for

Alice Harley, Skills Manager at Morrison Construction,

young people in Scotland by helping them gain

said: “Since being awarded the contract, we have

the qualifications to succeed in today’s world.

worked in partnership with Midlothian Council to

By working with specific sectors, industries

offer school pupils at Newbattle the opportunity

or businesses, we can tailor and adapt those

to complete our dedicated Employability and

qualifications to ensure they are relevant and useful.

Construction programme.

Morrison Construction have adopted SQA

“We engaged with the School to discuss a range

Employability Awards as part of their corporate

of community benefit opportunities that have the

social responsibility strategy. In late 2013,

capacity to support both the staff and pupils.

Morrison Construction was awarded the contract

Our Employability and Construction programme

to construct the new Newbattle Community High

is one of a clutch of activities and programmes

School in Midlothian.

that focus on education and careers.”

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The programme is mapped to SQA’s Employability Award at SCQF level 4, and it provides an introduction to the world of work, focusing on generic employability skills and attitudes relevant to all areas of employment.

Alice continued: “Bridging the gap between education and employment is crucial to addressing the current skills shortage and to aid sustainable economic recovery. We provide young people with a structured and direct link to industry and are committed to having a positive influence on the future generation of construction workers.

“The programme incorporates our staff’s first-hand knowledge and experience of the Construction industry, Welfare to Work and training sectors, and blends practical learning and coursework so that the participants can appreciate how their knowledge can be applied in real life situations.”

Participants undertook work experience placements at several of our live construction sites, allowing them to gain valuable first-hand knowledge and experience of a live build project.

“This is of particular benefit when considering the recent recommendations of the Commission for Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce, which wants to make stronger connections between the skills and knowledge young people have and the competencies employers require, give young people practical experience of the workplace and build lasting relationships between schools and employers.”

Morrison Construction delivers significant community and educational benefits across Scotland. To ensure the long term success of our business goes beyond economic sustainability, the work we do in the community supplements our society as a whole.

Morrison Construction’s employer-led ‘Employability and Construction’ programme directly supports young people in developing a wide range of workplace skills. We support the ‘Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce’ agenda to improve the prospects of young people.

To find out more about SQA Wider Achievement Awards visit: www.sqa.org.uk/widerachievement

Similar programmes are happening all over Scotland. SQA Employability Awards or similar SQA Wider Achievement Awards can be delivered and assessed over a period which is most appropriate for centres and learners.

To find out more about the Commission for Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce visit: www.sqa.org.uk/journeys Meet SQA’s Regional Team in Scotland – www.sqa.org.uk/businessdevelopment

Dr Janet Brown, SQA Chief Executive, said: “SQA’s Wider Achievement awards help candidates to identify, develop and enhance skills that can help them move on to the next phase of their learning.”

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ADVERTORIAL

FEATURE: APPRENTICESHIPS

Highest number of students complete fulltime Higher Education courses at college

The number of Higher Education students studying full-time for recognised qualifications at Scottish colleges has grown by 22 per cent since 2008-09.

Figures published by the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) on college performance show that in 2014-15, 23,717 students successfully completed such courses at that level, the highest ever number.

Successful full-time Further Education course completion is also 5.2 percentage points higher than in 2008-09, while there were 119,078 funded full time equivalent students at college last year, over 3,000 more than the Scottish Government target of 116,000.

Figures also released by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) show there has been more Scottish-domiciled full-time first degree entrants to Scottish universities compared to last year.

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Overall enrolments at Scottish institutions are up one per cent, compared to a two per cent drop in England. First degree qualifiers from Scottish universities are comparable to last year, compared to a seven per cent drop in England.

Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning Angela Constance said: “2015 was a landmark year for Scotland’s young people. A record 34,775 Scots-domiciled students were accepted to university. School and college leaver destinations have been very positive, and figures in December showed that youth employment was at its highest August to October level since 2008.

“A year ago we were also looking at record rates of successful completion in our colleges and the latest figures show continuing high standards across the board, particularly when compared to 2008-09. The ambitious changes in our college system continue to bed in following a period of intensive reform and will ensure colleges are focused on our economic growth.

“Compared to 2007, the number of learning

hours delivered to students with a disability has increased considerably, as have the average hours of learning per student and learning hours delivered on courses leading to a recognised qualification. We have also once again comfortably exceeded targets on full time equivalent college student numbers.

“These figures suggest that our reforms are working and that more students successfully completed full-time courses leading to recognised qualifications that would lead to additional study or to relevant training or work.

“The latest university student numbers back up recent record UCAS figures and complement our continuing delivery of free tuition for Scottish undergraduate students, sparing them from the additional debt incurred by having to pay fees.

“When compared to a two per cent drop in English domiciled enrolments at English universities and a seven per cent drop in first degree qualifiers in England, the HESA figures clearly show a strong performance for students in Scotland.”

FEATURE: APPRENTICESHIPS Modern Apprenticeships & Foundation Apprenticeships at Edinburgh College ADVERTORIAL

As we approach Scottish Apprenticeship Week in May, Edinburgh College and the further education sector will be showcasing the need for modern apprenticeships and how we are helping the government create new chances for young people.

The Scottish Government’s youth employment strategy, influenced by the Commission for Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce report, recommended a focus on vocational training, combining work experience, practical learning and theory, to make sure young people are fully prepared for industry. Modern apprenticeships will play a crucial part in reducing youth unemployment over the next seven years.

Skills Development Scotland had a target of 25,000 modern apprenticeships in 2014-15, which was met, and is working to increase the number of modern apprenticeships to 30,000 by 2020.

At Edinburgh College, we are helping to achieve these ambitious targets and are working with employers to increase our modern apprenticeship provision. This year we offer a total of 165 modern apprenticeships across

a range of key sectors including engineering and hospitality. We are committed to working with employers across the region to make sure we’re offering effective training that meets their needs and provides them with skilled employees. Next year we hope to increase our modern apprenticeships by 20%, with the introduction of creative industries and development of our current apprenticeship programmes.

As well as focusing on our current core provision, we’re continuously listening to businesses to make sure we’re prepared to expand our offering year on year to keep up with evolving requirements. Edinburgh College also works with employers and training providers to deliver apprenticeship training in additional areas including construction trades, care, business administration, waste management and sports development. And beyond this we’re looking at introducing modern apprenticeships in growing industries such as IT, energy services, life sciences, business, finance and management.

Modern apprenticeships are fantastic ways to gain vocational training, but it’s crucial that we don’t simply offer a

one-size-fits-all solution, as one of our main principles as a college is to provide training accessible to people of all learning needs.

We are currently working with SDS and the SQA to explore the delivery of foundation apprenticeships, which are aimed at school pupils. Foundation apprenticeships give students a head start towards a career or a modern apprenticeship while they are still at school. Initially, we are conducting foundation apprenticeships in financial services.

Throughout Scottish Apprenticeship Week, we will be highlighting fantastic good news stories about our apprentices’ success, showing how the employers and college are providing them with a platform to develop their careers in their chosen sector.

Developing the young workforce is a priority for economic growth and we are privileged to be able to work in partnership with a number of business sectors to give young people in Edinburgh and the Lothians the opportunities they deserve.

For more information about modern apprenticeships and foundation apprenticeships at Edinburgh College please contact Julie Rowcliffe julie.rowcliffe@edinburghcollege.ac.uk 0131 535 4800

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MURRAY MURRAY MURRAY MOTOR MOTOR MOTOR COMPANY COMPANY COMPANY MURRAY MURRAY MURRAY MURRAY MOTOR MOTOR MOTOR MOTOR COMPANY COMPANY COMPANY COMPANY NOW TO BOOK YOUR TEST DRIVE 0800 804 4577 22 Bankhead 22 Bankhead 22 Bankhead Drive, Drive, Sighthill, Drive, Sighthill, Sighthill, Edinburgh Edinburgh Edinburgh EH11 EH11 4DJ EH11 4DJ4DJ 22 22Bankhead Bankhead 22 Bankhead 22 Bankhead Drive, Drive, Drive, Sighthill, Drive, Sighthill, Sighthill, Sighthill, Edinburgh Edinburgh Edinburgh Edinburgh EH11 EH11 EH11 4DJ EH11 4DJ 4DJ4DJ www.murraylotus.co.uk www.murraylotus.co.uk www.murraylotus.co.uk www.murraylotus.co.uk www.murraylotus.co.uk www.murraylotus.co.uk www.murraylotus.co.uk MURRAY MOTOR COMPANY

22 Bankhead Drive, Sighthill, Edinburgh EH11 4DJ www.murraylotus.co.uk

Official Official fuel Official fuel consumption fuel consumption consumption for the for Lotus the for Lotus the range Lotus range inrange mpg in mpg (l/100km): in mpg (l/100km): (l/100km): Urban Urban 19.5-34.0 Urban 19.5-34.0 19.5-34.0 (14.5-8.3), (14.5-8.3), (14.5-8.3), Official Official Official fuel Official fuel fuel consumption consumption fuel consumption consumption forfor the forthe Lotus the forLotus Lotus the range Lotus range range inrange mpg in mpg mpg (l/100km): in mpg (l/100km): (l/100km): (l/100km): Urban Urban Urban 19.5-34.0 Urban 19.5-34.0 19.5-34.0 19.5-34.0 (14.5-8.3), (14.5-8.3), (14.5-8.3), (14.5-8.3), emissions: emissions: emissions: 235-149 235-149 235-149 g/km. g/km. g/km.

Extra Extra Urban Extra Urban 37.2-56.5 Urban 37.2-56.5 37.2-56.5 (7.6-5.0), (7.6-5.0), (7.6-5.0), Combined Combined Combined 28.0-44.8 28.0-44.8 28.0-44.8 (10.1-6.3).

(10.1-6.3).

(10.1-6.3).

CO2 CO CO 2 2 emissions: emissions: emissions: emissions: 235-149 235-149 235-149 235-149 g/km. g/km. g/km. g/km.

Extra Extra Extra Urban Urban Extra Urban 37.2-56.5 Urban 37.2-56.5 37.2-56.5 37.2-56.5 (7.6-5.0), (7.6-5.0), (7.6-5.0), (7.6-5.0), Combined Combined Combined Combined 28.0-44.8 28.0-44.8 28.0-44.8 28.0-44.8 (10.1-6.3).

(10.1-6.3).

(10.1-6.3).

(10.1-6.3).

CO2 CO CO CO 2 2 2 MPG figures MPG are figures MPG obtained are figures obtained from arelaboratory obtained from laboratory from testing laboratory and testing intended and testing intended forand comparisons intended for comparisons for between comparisons between vehicles between vehicles and may vehicles and notmay reflect and notmay real reflect driving notreal reflect results. driving real results. driving Published results.

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Published MPG Published Published figures MPG MPG and figures performance figures and figures performance and and performance performance and safety and laws safety and must laws safety be must obeyed laws be must and obeyed safety be and obeyed belts safety and worn belts safety at worn all belts times. at worn all times. at all times. results results are results are intended intended are results intended for are for comparisons intended comparisons for comparisons for between comparisons between between vehicles vehicles between vehicles only.

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Lotus recommends Lotus recommends that recommends all local that all that speed local that all all speed local localspeed speed February/March 2016 and andsafety safety andlaws safety laws and must must laws safety bemust be obeyed laws obeyed bemust and obeyed and safety be and obeyed safety belts safety belts and worn belts safety worn at worn allbelts at times. at allworn all times. times. at all times.

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Official fuel consumption for the Lotus range in mpg (l/100km): Urban 19.5-34.0 (14.5-8.3), BC Extra Urban 37.2-56.5 (7.6-5.0), Combined 28.0-44.8 (10.1-6.3). CO2 emissions: 235-149 g/km.

MEET THE ALL-NEW XF

There is nothing usual about the All-New Jaguar XF. From its lightweight Aluminium Intensive Architecture, to its extraordinarily efficient Ingenium engine and state of the art connectivity. The All-New XF has arrived and it’s time for you to put it through its paces. Prices start from £32,300.

LOWER EMISSIONS From 104g/km CO2 (18% BIK) HIGHER FUEL ECONOMY Up to 70.6mpg LOWER TOTAL COST OF OWNERSHIP From Group 25E Insurance rating

Contact us today to book your test drive.

PENTLAND JAGUAR

107 GLASGOW ROAD, EDINBURGH, EH12 8LH

WWW.PENTLANDJAGUAR.CO.UK 0131 603 5238

THE ART OF PERFORMANCE Model shown XF 3.0D 300ps S Auto. Official fuel consumption for the all-new Jaguar XF range in mpg (l/100km): Urban: 24.1-58.9 (11.7-4.8); Extra Urban 44.8-78.5 (6.3-3.6); Combined 34.0-70.6 (8.3-4.0).

CO2 Emissions 198-104 (g/km). Official EU Test Figures. For comparison purposes only. Real world figures may differ.

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GETTING STARTED

Name: Jenny Emslie Business name: Sunshine Communications Start up date: 1st Jan 2015 Website: www.sunshinecommunications.co.uk Q1: Tell us a bit about your business?

We’re a small but perfectly formed, social-first, digital agency that focuses on creating energetic, bright conversations and communications.

Q2: What gives your business ‘the x-factor’?

We’re a completely agile, flexible agency that operates 24/7, 365 days a year to service our clients in the UK and overseas.

Q3: What motivated you to set up in business for yourself?

I was made redundant from a digital agency and saw an opportunity to approach the existing clients and set up on my own.

Q4: What do you like most about working for yourself?

Being my own boss and I can work anywhere anytime.

Q5: What has been your greatest business success to date?

Q7: In terms of business achievements, where do you want to be within the next 5 years?

Being accepted to the Entrepreneurial Spark programme which is run by RBS.

My goal is to have a team of 15-20 talented individuals that do great work that works.

Q6: What has been your lowest moment?

Q8: What would be your top tip to someone thinking of starting up their own business?

The first few months were very stressful - finding new clients, delivering for existing clients and doing all the business admin to set up my business.

Have a strong vision and then find talented people to help you turn that into a reality. And always listen to your gut instinct.

NEW MEMBERS

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Blue Box Images

Fighting Edge Ltd

Premiair Parking Edinburgh

Cafe Rouge

Freeagent Limited

Skyscanner

Chesterton Consulting

Gordon MacRae & Co Ltd

Smart PA

Cornerstone Community Care

Inspired by Technology

Sunshine Communications

Digital Orchard IT

MainStreet Consulting

SYZ & Co Asset Management

DocEditor

Management Today

The East India Company Fine Foods

Dram Communications

Moorepay

The Law Society of Scotland

Edinburgh International Book Festival

No 11

thebestof Edinburgh

Edinburgh Office

Non Consumables

Worldpay UK Limited

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ASK THE EXPERT

How to write tenders and proposals that beat the competition (without cutting prices) I spend much of my time training and advising businesses on how to win tenders. Not surprisingly, many of the people I work with tell me that they find writing bids and proposals a time consuming and frustrating task. However, they all recognize that tenders are the lifeblood of their companies and that winning bids is, in many ways, the most important single thing that they do.

The sobering truth is that, every year, many businesses get into serious difficulty because they do not secure a key contract, or do not win a re-tender with a significant client who they have worked with for years. Often the problem is one of complacency, and many people tell me that ‘if only’ they’d given a tender the proper priority and approached it in the right way, then they would have won.

Although writing winning tenders isn’t rocket science, there are lots of things to keep in mind when you approach the challenge. Here are ten to start you thinking: Highlight your Win Theme: The win theme is the single most important element of your bid, proposal or tender. It’s the reason the client should work with you. It should be highlighted in your tender at every opportunity.

Offer Best Value: One of the key things that clients are looking for through the tender process is ‘best value’. Use the tender process to show how you use your expertise to offer innovative solutions that save money and do things better and faster.

Sell yourself: Treat every question as an opportunity to sell yourself. Don’t assume that the client will know something (even if you’ve been working with them for years).

Use statistics, case studies and testimonials to ‘prove’ what your saying.

Show that you know the business: Show that you understand your client’s business and the constraints they work under.

Update policies and procedures: To streamline the tender process ensure that your policies and procedures are relevant, upto-date, and that they represent best practice.

Put together the best Tender Team: It is important to involve the staff who actually ‘do the job’ as they can contribute the ‘nuggets’ that can turn an average proposal into a winning one.

Ask yourself ‘so what?’: Make sure that you highlight the relevance of the points you’re making. Let the client know what benefits you’ll bring them.

Get the language right: Ensure your tender documents are well written, clear and concise.

Make it someone’s job to proof read the final version – for both content and language.

Use great graphics: Make sure your graphics are visually appealing and easy to understand.

If they look amateurish then revise or remove them.

high-impact tender and bid documents.

You’ll find out how to increase your win rate, sell at higher prices and streamline your bid production process, saving you and your team lots of time and stress!

Course details: Bidding to Win: How to write tenders and proposals that beat the competition (without cutting prices) Date: 24/02/2016 Time: 09:30 - 16:30 Member Rate: £200.00 +VAT Non Member Rate: £250.00 +VAT This course is approved for ILA Scotland Funding.

Location: Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, 40 George Street, Edinburgh EH2 2LE

Re-tendering: Throughout the delivery of your existing contract, ‘sell’ the renewal and try to lock-out the competition.

At my next course, I am giving an intensive one-day course that will provide all of the tools and techniques needed to produce

Anne Farr, Rothera Group Limited

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FEATURE: FINANCE/LEGAL

ADVERTORIAL

Auto enrolment – your FAQ’s, answered

By Lisa Bruce, Director at Acumen Accountants & Advisors.

What is auto enrolment?

Previously, many workers have missed out on the benefits of a pension because their employer either didn’t offer them one, or they didn’t choose to join up. A new law has come in to place that makes it compulsory for employers to automatically enrol eligible workers into a pension scheme.

For employees 1. Do I have to contribute into my pension?

If you are eligible, you will automatically be enrolled into your employer’s pension scheme. You will then start contributing towards your pension, as will your employer.

If you do not want to contribute, you may choose to opt-out and either stop contributions completely or opt to set up your own private pension scheme.

2. Who qualifies for auto enrolment?

If you: not sure if I like this maybe change to Employees who: n Are not already in their employer’s pension scheme n Are aged 22 or over n Are under state pension age n Are earning more than £9,440 per year and n Work within, or normally work within the UK Those who are working part-time or are in temporary, casual or are an agency staff member, there is no difference in rights compared to a full-time employee – you will be automatically enrolled and receive employer contribution as long as you meet the eligible criteria.

3. How much will I get from my workplace pension when I retire?

You are able to get a pension estimate or pension projection from your workplace pension scheme provider. They often also have an online calculator, which will help you to work out your potential income once you retire.

For employers 4. Does auto enrolment apply to me if I am self-employed?

By law, if you are self-employed, you do not have to enrol yourself into a workplace pension.

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It is, however, essential to think about what you are going to do for income once you reach retirement age.

At the same time you must provide them with a written explanation of how to opt-out and how this works.

5. My company already offers a workplace pension. Do I still have to enrol my employees?

Your employee will then have a month to opt-out. This means that any contributions paid by the employer or deducted from the employee’s pay will be refunded. They can then arrange private contributions to their own scheme.

You may not have to, but it is essential to check.

Even if all your employees, including all temporary staff, are current members under an existing scheme, they have to meet qualifying criteria. Therefore, it is necessary to check if there are further actions to take. Under this new law, there will also be additional payroll and reporting requirements.

6. How do auto enrolment opt-outs operate?

When your employee is auto enrolled they will receive a letter which tells them they have been enrolled.

Employees who opt-out can re-enrol but only once every 12 months.

Three years after employees opt-out the employer must re-enrol them again.

Employees then have the option to opt-out again if they wish.

For more information and assistance, contact Acumen at 0845 2701688

FEATURE: FINANCE/LEGAL

ADVERTORIAL

Handelsbanken - an alternative for your Asset Finance needs?

Relationships count Handelsbanken has a different perspective from most other banks. As a relationship bank, we are driven only by what our customers want, designing tailored solutions to suit their demands. And because we are not target driven, we take a long-term view, investing time to get to know our customers, their needs and ambitions.

Your local Handelsbanken branch staff can access Handelsbanken Finans, who provide financial solutions for the acquisition or rental of assets across a broad spectrum of industry sectors. Cashflow management is essential in any business, which is why Handelsbanken Finans is able to offer your business a tailored alternative to fund your business assets.

Hire purchase Whether you are buying vehicles, machinery, construction equipment, or other commercial assets, Handelsbanken Finans can offer your business a flexible and costeffective way to fund these assets without utilising valuable cash reserves. Plus, when the repayment term is finished, you own the asset.

Finance Lease With a Finance Lease, Handelsbanken Finans owns and funds the asset in return for rentals. The repayment plan can be tailored to meet your business needs. The title to the asset remains with Handelsbanken Finans throughout the term.

Key Benefits n Tailored repayments structure n Helps your cashflow and enables simple budgeting n Fixed or variable rate funding n Option of final balloon payment n Availability of writing down allowances n Depreciation to suit wear and tear

n Access to our asset finance specialists

Focus on your core competences Asset Finance can be used as a part of working capital management to optimize your business cashflow. With Asset Finance you don’t tie up your cash on the balance sheet but keep liquidity that you can use in growing your business – keeping focus on your core business. As a side benefit, administration is simple and investments can be planned well in advance together with your local Handelsbanken Corporate Account Manager.

Types of assets Asset Finance can be used to fund most assets as long as they are movable and identifiable.

Some of the different assets are listed here:n n n n n n n

Trucks, vans and cars Trailers and tankers Buses and coaches Construction equipment Transport and logistic assets Lifts and work platforms Cranes and crushers

n n n n n n n n n n

Farming and agricultural assets Tractors and harvesters IT and computer assets EPOS Manufacturing and workshop machinery Packaging and production lines Fork lift trucks Containers and cranes Warehouse equipment Sale and hire purchase back refinance

If you have bought any assets within the last six months you might be able to refinance and free up cash that you can use to develop your core business.

To discuss your Corporate Banking or Asset Finance needs, please feel free to contact Iain Henderson, Branch Manager, Edinburgh West End on 0131 337 0581 or e-mail iahe01@ handelsbanken.co.uk or Mike Mullins, Branch Manager, Edinburgh Charlotte Square on 0131 225 1171 or e-mail mimu04@ handelsbanken.co.uk

Cashflow management is essential in any business, which is why Handelsbanken Finans is able to offer your business a tailored alternative to fund your business assets.

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FEATURE: FINANCE/LEGAL

ADVERTORIAL

Getting the finances right with John Scott Davidson We live in an age when financial planning has become ever more complex which means that it makes sense to turn to an expert before making any big decisions.

Major changes to pensions for high earners: Whilst there has been significant focus over the past year in relation to the Government’s attempt to compel people to save for their own retirement through Auto Enrolment, there is an area that has been given less attention in the media.

Income (£)

Annual Allowance (£)

0 – 150,000

40,000

160,000

35,000

170,000

30,000

180,000

25,000

190,000

20,000

200,000

15,000

210,000 or more

10,000

In July 2015’s Budget George Osborne confirmed that tax relief on pension contributions for high earners would be restricted from 6 April 2016 by introducing

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a tapered Annual Allowance in line with the following table: Under the new rules there will be a reduction in the Annual Allowance of £1 for every £2 of ‘adjusted income’ over £150,000 down to a minimum Annual Allowance of £10,000.

Whilst on the surface, this change looks relatively straightforward to understand, it brings with it a level of additional complexity not least because income, here, is based on adjusted income which can include the value of pension contributions. This means that salary sacrifice is not an effective way of avoiding this.

Although HMRC estimate that only 300,000 people have income of more than £150,000, the inclusion of pension contributions in the definition of adjusted income may mean that people with income much closer to the £110,000 ‘threshold income’ figure will be affected by this change and could see their tax relief on pension contributions reduced next tax year.

Individuals who are affected by these changes have a limited opportunity, therefore, to maximise their pension contributions now, making best use of the tax relief available, and pay up to £180,000 (depending on the level of contributions already paid in the last three years) before 6 April.

After 5 April, individuals will lose any unused Annual Allowance from 2012/13.

The tapered Annual Allowance: The new tapered Annual Allowance comes

into force on 6 April and is determined through the calculation of an individual’s ‘adjusted income’. In the event that an individual exceeds their Annual Allowance, there will be an Annual Allowance Charge.

The total excess will be added to their income and taxed at the individual’s highest rate with the charge declared and paid through the individual’s Self-Assessment Tax Return.

In order to calculate an individual’s adjusted income it may be worth considering contacting an accountant for assistance given the potential complexity of the calculation.

Will this affect me?

To provide some certainty for individuals and to ensure that lower paid individuals will not be affected when pension contributions are taken into account, the restricted allowance will be subject to an income floor (which will be known as threshold income) of £110,000.

Regardless of the level of their adjusted income, an individual with income below the threshold will not have their Annual Allowance reduced.

The calculation to determine an individual’s threshold income is defined as follows: The individual’s net income for the tax year (from all sources less allowable reliefs),

less The amount of any lump sum death benefit inherited by the individual in the tax year from someone with pension or drawdown benefits who dies after age 75,

ADVERTORIAL

plus

FEATURE: FINANCE/LEGAL

less

still be available, so any unused Annual Allowance from the three previous tax years can be added to the individual’s tapered Annual Allowance. If the Annual Allowance in a particular year has been reduced by the taper, the unused Annual Allowance will be the balance of the tapered amount.

The gross amount of any relief at source pension contributions. Carry forward will

The levels and bases of taxation and reliefs from taxation can change at any time and

The amount of any employment income given up for pension provision as a result of any salary sacrifice made on or after 9 July 2015,

are generally dependent on individual circumstances.

To receive a complimentary publication covering issues of interest to Business Owners, Retirement planning or Inheritance Tax planning, produced by St. James’s Place Wealth Management, contact John Scott Davidson on 0131 303 0031 or email johnscottdavidson@sjpp.co.uk

The Partner Practice represents only St. James’s Place Wealth Management plc (which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority) for the purpose of advising solely on the Group’s wealth management products and services, more details of which are set out on the Group’s website www.sjp.co.uk/products. The ‘St. James’s Place Partnership’ and the titles ‘Partner’ and ‘Partner Practice’ are marketing terms used to describe St. James’s Place representatives.

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60 SECONDS

Name: Douglas Cross Company Name: Denholm Associates Website: www.denholmassociates.com Q In five words or less, what do you do?

A Executive search, recruitment, talent attraction.

Q How long have you been a Chamber member?

A This will be our second year as a member.

Q Why did you join?

A Expand our network and meet other like-minded business professionals and raise our profile as a specialist Sales & Marketing talent attraction specialist.

Q What services do you use?

A I attend breakfast connections when I can and also keep an eye on all other lunch/dinner events based on my interest in who is presenting. As a

team at Denholm we try to spread our attendance over a range of events.

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

A The opportunity to meet and introduce Denholm to a number of new businesses in both a formal and informal environment.

Also hearing from other businesses on their story and the challenges and successes they have had, generates thoughts and ideas that I can bring back and use at Denholm.

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

A I am sure there are but there always is something new happening for us to consider.

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

A You will get to meet with a great cross section of business across Scotland and there is a huge variety of interesting events and informative speakers.

Q Where do you read your copy of Business Comment?

A Over the he mid-morning cup of tea in the office so I can share interesting articles with the team.

China’s growing online appetite With Chinese consumers spending more and more time online, therein lies the need for foreign businesses to increase their knowledge of the country’s complex and burgeoning social media landscape. James Matheson, PR account manager at Grayling, explains.

As a self-confessed internet addict, the most concerning thing for me ahead of my recent first-time trip to Grayling’s offices in China wasn’t the language barrier or the exchange rates – it was knowing that in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) a number of popular, global websites are banned by the government. The thought of going two weeks without Twitter or YouTube didn’t bear thinking about. Of course, I soon realised there are popular ways to get a round this via a VPN – Virtual Personal Network. However, the much-publicised government censorship on certain websites (others include Facebook and Wikipedia), does play an important role in understanding China’s current social media and mobile appetite.

The government ban has allowed for the development and growth of a globally distinct social media culture and platforms to match. It is also distinct in its size with a vast untapped user base. Depending on your source, China has an internet usage of approximately 650 million – that’s roughly

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twice the entire population of the United States of America.

Another observation is that the Chinese public are glued to their phones just as much, if not more, than we are here in the UK. But there are also interesting nuances, such as the frequent and common use of QR (Quick Response) codes. They’re everywhere. While they exist and are used in the UK to an extent, it is nothing compared to their popularity in China.

To understand this mobile trend, and others, a good place to start is with the popularity in China of WeChat. Often referred to as China’s version of Facebook, WeChat’s 600 million user number falls short of the 1 billion daily global users Facebook boasts. But it does mean the app, owned by Tencent, has the market share on China’s social and mobile industry in comparison to competitors.

Needless to say, it is immensely popular.

Such popularity appears to stem from the fact that, unlike a lot of western messaging apps, you can do just about anything with WeChat. It’s not just a messaging service, but can be used to also pay bills, buy clothes, make doctor appointments, book flights, read news or post on social media. It is essentially one platform that integrates commerce, messaging and social networking all in one place. Social and messaging applications such

as Facebook have already trialled systems which allows users to purchase a product without leaving Facebook and more are expected to follow suit and allow users to perform more functions from an app as a consumer.

There are lessons here for the likes of Facebook of course, but also for businesses and brands. For those looking to enter into the Chinese market or expand their presence, ignoring social media is now considered a major risk. As a growing number of people look to make purchases and organise their lives without leaving the comfort of social media or messaging apps, businesses need to reconsider what being online really means and how they use social media channels.

That said, the challenge for Scottish or UK businesses looking to build relationships and tap into online communities in China doesn’t differ all that much from any other market: research and understand the market, its trends and politics, find your angle and message and you might be able to serve up an offering that will satisfy China’s growing mobile and social appetite – well, for a short time at least.

Get in touch via @GraylingSCOT or email james.matheson@grayling.com for more information.

PARTNERS IN ENTERPRISE

Working with Consultants – some top tips In her final article in this series Gaynor shares her views on the consultancy and coaching profession and offers some advice for clients looking to engage with a 3rd party advisor…

A few years ago I attended some predinner drinks with my husband; he was chatting away with a well-known MSP and unfortunately, just as I joined the conversation the topic turned to the MSPs dislike for the consultancy profession!

“They just borrow your watch and tell you the time…they’re just a bunch of greedy parasites…” were just a couple of the choice phrases!

My husband, highly amused, proceeded to introduce me to said MSP with a rather droll, “Gaynor, perhaps you might like to tell my old school chum what you do for a living…?” Worse still, they sat me next to him at dinner….

On reflection his reaction was not unique and does summarise what a lot of people think.

However, what does make me squirm is when someone makes a sweeping statement about consultants when they have never experienced working with one before. We would never berate a professional sports person for having an entourage of coaches and specialist advisers, yet we expect business people to float through their 40 career never seeking any sort of professional advice bar their annual brief conversation with their accountant.

I am aware though that the consultancy profession doesn’t help themselves either – I have spent hours at networking events meeting coaches, mentors, advisers and consultants without really understanding what many of them do. I ask questions and find myself none the wiser as they spout out meaningless jargon, using lots of turgid,

gobbledygook management speak while I lose the will to live.

So my top tip for someone looking to engage is simple: clarity.

Do you want an advisor to give you the answer (consultant) or for someone to tease the answer out of you (coach)?

Do you want a quick intervention that is undertaken on your behalf (consultancy) or would you rather do it yourself with someone there supporting you through the journey (coach)?

Do you want someone who has been there, done it and got the badge to bounce ideas off (mentor) or are you looking for someone to help you learn a particular skill (trainer)?

Similarly, if you are looking for a coach then what type? A business coach? An executive coach? A team coach? A confidence coach?

A personal coach? A career coach? A motivational coach? The list is endless.

The price spectrum runs from as cheap as chips to off the scale and price is no guarantee of service – to reiterate, clarity is essential.

I once had a client who said she wanted a business coach then got frustrated because I wouldn’t give her the answers… yet that’s not what a business coach does. So be really clear. And if you don’t know what you need then ask around, find someone first and foremost that you like and feel you can trust and then trust their expertise.

I often invite new clients to ‘try me out’ and trust the process. So I usually suggest a small initial project with a clear beginning and end, for an agreed fee – something that allows me to get inside the business and see what I find

out and what I suggest we can do together. The client gets to have a look at my work and I get to look at them and their business. Because I am looking at you too and wondering whether I can realistically help and make a difference.

Make no mistake, there are some nutter clients out there who can drain every ounce of energy from an external adviser, so my ‘prat‘ometer’ is always on at a first meeting.

Score high and I wont touch you with a barge pole. But score low and you and I might have something to talk about.

And beware of those consultants and coaches keen to get you on to a retainer too fast. They need the work. Equally don’t expect them to do stuff for free. You wouldn’t walk into a shop, take something off the shelf and walk out without paying – so why would you expect a professional business person to do the same? In my book free work equals work you don’t really value.

And yes it is about value but I don’t mean cheap. It’s about you building a relationship of trust, getting something you really want – whether that be making more profit, selling your business for a stack of money or being able to see more of your kids. One of the most rewarding pieces of work I did recently was to help one of my clients take a 3 week holiday, leaving his mobile phone in the safe during the day - you should have seen his face. I helped him create that time away; he didn’t worry about his business because we’d sorted that… and it made me feel really proud.

Gaynor McIntyre

We thank our Partners in Enterprise for their continued support of the Chamber.

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BE THE BEST

International e-Commerce: Anopportunity for 2016?

If you are thinking of expanding abroad, consider the key challenges you will face when taking your business to an international level.

Do you know why existing online visitors come from abroad and are they converting into customers?

Digital technology can underpin international expansion and you should assess: Competitive Pricing – your products maybe competitively priced in your local market will they provide value for money elsewhere?

Targeted Digital Marketing – do you have a strategy for running localised marketing campaigns?

Location & Taxes – do you understand how local taxes and charges vary?

Language – does your website provide a seamless experience to users in different languages?

Website speed – just because your website performs well here, does it work as well in other countries?

Sales and Support – how will you support your sales process and provide after sales care to foreign markets?

Selling abroad can transform your business but be sure to understand the steps of how to be competitive in non-domestic markets.

Payments options – across cultures preferred methods of payment vary widely from cards to online money transfers and cash on delivery. Understand how people want to pay in your target market.

We run a number of e-commerce, social media and digital marketing training courses. For further information visit www. edinburghchamber.co.uk/training/courses e-mail training@edinburghchamber.co.uk or call 0131 221 2999 option 3

Delivery – work with reputable logistic partners to ensure secure transit and no unwelcome surprises such as custom charges.

Returns – for some cultures it is normal to order multiple items and sizes so that once tried, most can be returned. How will you handle returns and associated costs?

GET WITH IT Edinburgh is consolidating its position as a leading European hi-tech hub attracting overseas investors, thanks to a rising tide of globally-rated digital expertise.

Cortex Worldwide, Pufferfish, Rockstar, Skyscanner, Fanduel..the list continues to grow and impress in terms of the Capital’s collective technological offering.

Scottish Development International has singled out Cortex as representative of such a rising trend and acceleration of the hub’s continued growth.

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By Julian Blake

By Bill Magee Scottish Business Technology Writer of the Year

SDI points to how this young Waverley Gate-based outfit has, in under 12 months, attracted global website business from Dyson, Saban Brands - of Power Rangers fame - and Microsoft Education. Cortex has more large global companies in the frame.

CityFibre had extended its existing Gigabit City project, a seven-year deal in conjunction with national telecoms provider Commsworld part of a wider £186 million outsourced ICT procurement programme for the council by CGI.

SDI also reports that over the last five years, the University of Edinburgh has supported the start up of more than 180 new companies in the city’s catchment area, of which 44 have been assisted by the university’s commercialisation department, Edinburgh Research and Innovation.

Edinburgh’s 17,000 businesses, across all sectors, are benefitting as the network grows to areas like The Gyle which was not included in the first phase of the roll-out.

The Capital’s international appeal - not to mention digital connectivity - has also been boosted by becoming the largest pure fibre metro roll-out in the UK.

Such a city-wide digital infrastructure plus more IT stars on the horizon places Edinburgh in prime position as a high-tech hub - one with global appeal.

EUROPE DIRECT EDINBURGH

The European Union & International Trade The Europe 2020 strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, continues to facilitate the further development of links with the rest of the world, this is a vital element of the European Union International trade policy.

Emerging economies are capturing an increasing amount of the global market; however, Europe is still the largest trading power. This strength comes from Member States agreeing to follow a common policy on international trade and investment, thus enabling maximisation of influence through a single voice.

The EU also enjoys a special relationship with a number of non-European G20 member countries, in particular with the most important advanced and emerging market economies. Through these links the EU is strengthening relations with the Asian & Latin American markets.

The Europe 2020 policy includes an Investment Plan with three main objectives: 1. Removing obstacles to investment by deepening the single market

2. Providing visibility and technical assistance to investment projects

Some areas that are targeted by the EFIS for growth enhancing assistance are:

3. Making smarter use of new and existing financial resources

n Infrastructure (transport, energy, digital, environment, urban and social sectors)

Implementation of the Plan is estimated to add €330 to €410 billion to the EU’s GDP over a three year period, and create 1 to 1.3 million new jobs. In addition it aims to address the current situation where private investors are investing below required levels.

n Education and training, health, R&D, ICT, innovation

In Jan 2015 the EU legislated to create the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) which contains a series of measures including; pre financing projects to assist companies desirous of international trade within certain markets.

In order for a company to benefit from the fund they must be working within infrastructure and innovation, or be a Small or Medium sized Enterprise looking for finance.

Further criteria for investment from the EFIS dictates that projects must have high societal and economic value, enabling contribution to the EU policy objectives. They must also be economically and technically viable, and therefore will attract private capital by addressing market failures. In addition to these requirements EFIS will assist projects that already fall under existing EIB and EU financing possibilities and so are consistent with EU state aid rules.

n Renewable energy and energy efficiency n Support to SMEs and mid-cap companies.

The mobilising of private finance for strategic investments, which the market cannot finance alone, will be carried out by the EFSI, which will bridge the current investment gap and reduce risk for small businesses.

Investors are encouraged to participate through project co-financing on a risk sharing basis in partnership with the European Investment Bank, which is covered by the EFSI. Anyone, not just Member States, can submit a request for finance within the outlined parameters, they may do so directly and do not need to go via a Local Authority or Government.

For further information please visit: EIB website: www.eib.org/about/invest-eu/ index.htm?lang=en

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ADVERTORIAL

FEATURE: HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Business Medical – Occupational Health: Management Referrals Problems with any of your staff who/which might have an underlying health issue?

Need advice on whether there is a health issue which might come under the Equality Act 2010, and what adjustments might need to be considered?

We deal with these type of management concerns and, following a referral from HR or a manager, can meet with the employee, carry out a full health assessment with questions and examination as necessary for the health condition, and write an advisory report to the referring HR/manager and employee.

What types of situations might warrant an occupational health referral? Let’s look at a few examples.

Long term sickness absence: In general, employees who have been on long-term sickness absence have, or have had, major health conditions, such as an operation, heart attack, or had treatment for cancer, etc. They are usually keen to return to duties but need advice on a phased return to hours and duties, or adjustments required.

Some employees with chronic progressive health conditions such as Multiple Sclerosis need further assessments as the condition develops.

Stress: People usually cope with a lot of “stress” at home, if they can go to work and it is mainly stress-free and manageable. People can usually cope with a lot of “stress” at work due to organisational change or workload etc., if they can go home and put their feet up with no worries. But if they are trying to cope with stress at home and at work then that’s where it can all go pear-shaped. Often the work is blamed entirely, and the home factors tend to get played down. We can help to tease out these issues and give advice on support and adjustments to aid the employee.

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Frequent short-term sickness absence: In general (but not always!) there are no significant medical conditions. But, for example, a frequent Monday off might point to an underlying alcohol or drug problem.

Health affecting performance or safety: Sometimes people with chronic conditions affecting safety of themselves, colleagues or the public (eg. a roofer with angina, driver with eye problems, foodhandler with bowel problems) can be very worried about losing their job and hide or downplay the condition. We can give an independent medical assessment of fitness for duties and adjustments required.

Alcohol or substance abuse: We can test the employee for drugs or alcohol, discuss the issues in detail, assess their motivation to control their behavioural problem, refer them for counselling, get proof of their attendance and co-operation at counselling or “treatment services”.

Following an accident at work or illness due to work: For an independent assessment of the extent of the injuries/illness, the relationship between the illness/injury and work, timescale for return to duties and likely longterm effects.

For ill health retiral assessment For those with permanent medical conditions affecting fitness for duties.

We are independent Occupational Health specialists with a knowledge of the workplace providing advice to employers, employees, legal and union representatives.

Dr Linda Bell, Business Medical Ltd. Tel 0131 225 4618 (Haymarket office) www.businessmedical.co.uk

ADVERTORIAL

FEATURE: HEALTH AND WELLBEING

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CHAMBER TRAINING

Training Course Calendar February

March

Monday 1st February 2016 09.30 – 16.30 Sales Skills

Tuesday 1st March 2016: 09.30 – 16.30 Business Planning & Strategy Development

Tuesday 2nd February 2016 09.30 – 16.30 Process Mapping

Thursday 3rd March 2016: 09.30 – 16.30 Management Essentials Day 1

Thursday 4th February 2016 09.30 – 16.30 An Introduction to Google Adwords and SEO

Monday 7th March 2016: 09.30- 16.30 Networking Skills

Friday 5th February 2016 09.30 – 12.30 Instagram, Google + & Facebook for Business

Tuesday 8th March 2016 – 09.30 – 16.30 Introduction to Project Management

Monday 8th February 2016 09.30 -16.30 Finance for Non Finance Managers

Wednesday 9th March 2016: 09.30 – 12.30 HR for Non HR Managers

Tuesday 9th February 2016 09.30 – 16.30 Difficult Situations - how to deal with difficult customers and staff effectively and confidently

Thursday 10th March 2016: 09.30 – 16.30 How to Write Compelling Web Content

Friday 12th February 2016 09.30 – 12.30 LinkedIn for Business Development Friday 15th February 2016 09.30 – 16.30 Negotiation Skills Wednesday 17th February 2016 08.30 – 10.00 Inspiring Insights - Implementing a growth strategy Friday 19th February 2016 09.30 – 12.30 An Introduction to Basic Google Analytics Monday 22nd February 2016 09.30 – 16.30 Keep the Customer Wednesday 24th February 2016: 09.30 – 16.30 Bidding to Win

Monday 14th March 2016: 09.30- 16.30 Time Management Monday 21st March 2016: 09.30 – 16.30 Sales Skills Wednesday 23rd March 2016: 08.30 – 10.00 Inspiring Insights – The Reluctant Salesperson Tuesday 29th March 2016: 09.30 – 16.30 Leadership Skills Wednesday 30th March 2016: 09.30 – 16.30 LinkedIn Masterclass, Theory & Practice Thursday 31st March 2016: 09.30 – 16.30 Management Essentials Day 2

Wednesday 24th February 2016 09.30 – 16.30 Bidding to Win Thursday 25th February 2016 09.30 – 12.30 10 Steps to Convert Website Traffic into Sales Friday 26th February 2016 09.30 – 12.30 Incoterms 2010 Monday 29th February 2016 09.30 – 16.30 Winning Presentations

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To book please contact the training department on 0131 221 2999 option 3 or email: training@edinburghchamber.co.uk www.edinburghchamber.co.uk/training/courses

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Company name: Tree of Knowledge Who? Gavin Oattes (Managing Director) Website: www.treeof.com

What were you doing between 10 and 12 this morning?

I’m very excited to be hosting TEDx Dundee in May so I’ve been doing some writing for this.

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

come. If you can do this and be likeable then more success will come.

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

Finding the right people to join us. It’s always been a good challenge.

Keep it fun and don’t be an asshole.

What do you consider your biggest business triumph?

My hero as a boy was ex Scotland & British Lions captain David Sole.

Leading an MBO at the start of the recession and growing the company every year since.

Do you have any money-saving business tips?

Get a great accountant.

Where do you stand on work/life balance?

Is there such a thing? Work is part of life. Just be sure to do something you love, with people you love working with and make loads of time for your family. Sorted!

What do you like to do on your spare time?

Who is your hero?

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

We are launching Study Ninja Ltd. Study Ninja is a kick-ass App designed to help you smash your exams. There’s already a lot of excitement around this product.

Other than your current position, what would be your dream job?

Rock star. Lead singer in particular. I can’t sing, but I would definitely rock!

Play with my kids, watch movies and eat good food.

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

What qualities do you need to see in your employees?

Just my dad.

Happiness, Passion, Commitment, Positivity and Kindness.

Outside of business, what is the most important thing in your life?

In business, is it more important to be liked or successful?

You have to be good at what you do. If you are, then success will

My son Kian (7) and my daughter Ellis (4).

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INSPIRING CONNECTIONS

What a year the Events team have had, with delegates attending a record 130 events in 2015!

We started November with our ’60 Really Useful Minutes’ with Kirsty from ABC Events, who gave hints and tips for businesses looking to run successful events.

Our final Chamber Dining Club of the year was held at the Voodoo Rooms where our delegates were treated to a delicious 2 course meal. Our Chamber Dining Club will be back in 2016 and will be taking place at some of Edinburgh’s top Restaurants including La Favorita, Revolution Bar, Indigo Yard and The Bonham.

Our Breakfast Speed Networking event was successful as always as we watched delegated make new contacts and left with plenty of business cards!

Our final event in November was our highly anticipated Breakfast Connections with Ian

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Craig, whose presentations reflected on the last 12 months of Transport for Edinburgh, focusing on trams, triumphs and turning points!

Our final 3 events in December included Colin Gilchrist from Social Tailor speaking about digital trends in 2016 at our ’60 Really Useful Minutes’ event. Our Inspiring Women in Business End of Year Lunch at the Waldorf Astoria – The Caledonian was a great success, with talks from Roseanna Cunningham MSP and Nora Senior, MD of Weber Shandwick and President of British Chambers of Commerce.

We ended the year with on a high with our festive Christmas Party at the Hilton Grosvenor. Our delegates were treated to some magic from Elliot Bibby and enjoyed the salsa dancing competition!

2016 is set to be another fantastic year for the events team as we celebrate our 230th anniversary. Preparations are well underway for our 5th Annual Business Awards on the 29th February at the Sheraton Grand Hotel.

Tickets are selling fast so book on quickly.

The first event of the year was our Breakfast Connections event with Andrew Kerr, CEO of the City of Edinburgh Council. Andrew shared with us his plans for Edinburgh and the importance of the Edinburgh Businesses working together with the council.

Other Events in January included Our Chamber Dining Club at La Favorita, Inspiring Women in Business Lunch with Susan Morrison of The Scotch Whisky Experience and our Annual Chamber Curry Night at The KhuKuri.

Events to look forward to in the future months include our Premier Series Dinner with Andy Street, MD of John Lewis, Influencers Breakfast with the Lord Provost, our Inspiring Women in Business Lunch with Marie Owen, CEO of LS Productions and a Responsible Business Seminar with Leeann Dempster, CEO of Hibernian Football Club.

We look forward to welcoming you to our events in 2016!

INSPIRING CONNECTIONS

This year we are celebrating our 230 year anniversary as the Capital City Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce serving our members and inspiring connections. Throughout the year we will be running a number of events and campaigns to celebrate our anniversary. We will be launching a new section on our website showcasing our members, and why Chamber membership is of

benefit to your business. And we want to hear from you. This is a fantastic way to get involved and receive some free PR. Please e-mail a couple of paragraphs about your business, why you joined the Chamber, when you joined, and enclose an image to marketing@edinburghchamber.co.uk

FORTHCOMING EVENTS February

March

April

Tuesday 2nd Premier Series Dinner with Andy Street, MD of John Lewis (The Balmoral) (6:00 – 9pm)

Wednesday 2nd 60 Really Useful Minutes, 40 George Street (10:00-11:00am)

Wednesday 6th 60 Really Useful Minutes 40 George Street (10:00-11:00am)

Wednesday 3rd 60 Really Useful Minutes- 40 George Street (10:00-11:00am)

Wednesday 9th Chamber Dining Club Lunch, Indigo Yard (12:30-2:30pm)

Wednesday 13th Chamber Dining Club Lunch (12:302:30pm)

Tuesday 9th Breakfast Pension Seminar – ‘How to make sure you use the new rules to get the retirement you deserve’, Brewin Dolphin (144 Morrison Street, Edinburgh) (07:45–09:30am)

Tuesday 15th Inspiring Women in Business Lunch with LS Production (12:30-2:30pm)

Thursday 21st Chamber Dining Club Executive Dinner (6:00-8:00pm)

Thursday 17th Breakfast Connections with Charles Hammond CEO Forth Ports - Surgeons Hall (8:30am-10:00am)

Wednesday 26th Inspiring Women in Business Workshop (12:30-2:00pm)

Tuesday 9th Inspiring Women in Business Workshop with Lynne Lamont, Head of Charity at Brewin Dolphin (144 Morrison Street, Edinburgh) (12:30-2:00pm) Wednesday 10th Chamber Dining Club Lunch, Revolution Bar (12:30-2:30pm)

Thursday 31st Responsible Business Breakfast – Leanne Dempster (Hibernian FC, East Road (8:30am-10:00am)

Friday 29th Spotlight Breakfast with Bruntsfield Links and Visit Scotland CEO Malcolm Roughead (8:30- 10:30am)

Friday 26th Influencers Breakfast with Lord Provost, Donald Wilson – The Royal Yacht Britannia (8:30 – 10am) For all event queries please contact the Events Team on 0131 221 2999 option 2, e-mail events@edinburghchamber.co.uk or visit www.edinburghchamber.co.uk/ events/events

Monday 29th The 5th Annual Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce Business Awards- Sheraton Grand Hotel and Spa (6.45pm till late)

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MOVERS AND SHAKERS Maureen Kinsler elected Chairman of Marks & Clerk International Dr Maureen Kinsler has been appointed International Chairman of Marks & Clerk, one of the world’s leading intellectual property service providers, and the UK’s largest firm of patent and trade mark attorneys.

Kinsler has been elected for a three year term and will be working with the global boards to lead the business. Kinsler, who joined Marks & Clerk in 2002 and was made partner in 2004, said she intends to place a renewed focus on SMEs in her new role, aiming to drive fresh innovation across Scotland and the world.

On taking up her position, Kinsler commented: “This is a very exciting time to become Chairman of Marks & Clerk’s international business. We have a young partnership, a strong reputation and a wide and diverse client base. This is particularly the case in Scotland, where we support a whole range of local SMEs, multi-nationals and universities.

“All companies start out life as an SME, many of which grow to become global players, and so a key focus for all offices in Scotland and internationally is the local marketplace.

We are also keen to continue working with international IP bodies and contributing to the sector and development of the profession.

BUSINESS COMMENT IS AN EDINBURGH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PUBLICATION. Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, Business Centre, 2nd Floor, 40 George Street, Edinburgh EH2 2LE www.edinburghchamber.co.uk President: Scott Black Chief Executive: Dave Birrell E D I TO R: Mayan Grace, Tel: 0131 221 2999 Email: mayan.grace@edinburghchamber.co.uk F E ATU RES EDITO R David Forsyth, Tel: 07887 955778 Email: david@benchmarkpr.co.uk PRO DU CTIO N & DES IGN Distinctive Publishing, Unit 6b, Floor B, Milburn House, Dean Street, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 1LE Tel: 0845 884 2383 www.distinctivepublishing.co.uk ADVERTIS ING Distinctive Publishing, Unit 6b, Floor B, Milburn House, Dean Street, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 1LE John Neilson, Tel: 0845 884 2343 john.neilson@distinctivegroup.co.uk

DI SC L A IM E R

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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Paulina Barela joins Albagaia as Business Development Manager Paulina Barela recently graduated from Edinburgh Napier University with a first class honour degree in Business Management.

Pauline gained experience working as an intern for brand design agencies, where she was responsible for identifying and implementing suitable marketing and business growth strategies. Pauline is delighted to have join Albagaia Ltd as a Business Development Manager. Pauline will focus on improving customer relations, developing a global portfolio of ‘Value Added Resellers’ and defining and researching new markets for Albagaia products.

AM Bid Services creates new Bid Development Executive role AM Bid Services Ltd has appointed Cameron Houston to this new role. With AM Bid Services experiencing rapid business growth as they assist a wide range of companies through developing winning bids and proposals, Cameron joins at an exciting time.

Old Town Chambers appoints new GM Old Town Chambers, award-winning luxury five-star serviced apartments in Edinburgh’s historic old town, has appointed Gavin MacLennan as General Manager. With over 22 years of hospitality experience under his belt, Gavin first cut his teeth in the industry as a food and beverage server at the city’s Caledonian Hotel. Throughout his career he has worked his way up the ranks at the country’s leading five-star hotels including Turnberry, Gleneagles and the Balmoral. For the last 12 years he has worked for Starwood Hotels & Resorts in Edinburgh, Belgium and USA holding senior positions.

Returning to working in Edinburgh after a six year hiatus, Gavin, who lives in St Andrews, said: “Edinburgh is where I first started my career and I’m delighted to be back and joining Old Town Chambers. “Since it opened two years ago it has amassed a number of awards in such a short space of time which is testament to the product – luxurious, but not old fashioned despite having 15th century elements - and team in place.” He added: “The capital is one of the top visitor destinations, and our enviable position of overlooking the city makes staying at Old Town Chambers even more magical.”

Cameron will be focussed on developing: new business contacts; the company website and use of social media; marketing and business development. Cameron, holding both Masters and honours degrees in English, is also looking forward to getting involved with bid writing and assisting companies develop their web content.

Sandemans SANDEMANs NEW Europe has appointed Sabz Thompson as its new Regional Director for the UK and Ireland. SANDEMANs is the world’s largest supplier of walking tours, and ranked number one on TripAdvisor in Edinburgh, London, and Dublin. Having previously worked with SANDEMANs in Berlin and London, Sabz has a background in marketing and PR, and brings an international CV to this international organization, with experience in the USA, UK and the UAE. Sabz has always been a big fan of Edinburgh and its people, and is thrilled to be in the city. She looks forward to maximising the considerable tourism opportunities Edinburgh provides for the SANDEMANs network.

SMART PA appoints a new Head of Corporate Sales In her recently appointed role as Head of Corporate Sales, Louise Medve has been driving the rapid expansion of SmartPA. Louise has a wealth of experience in business development, previously working for corporates within International Finance and the Oil and Gas sectors. SmartPA are leading experts in outsourced business support for companies of all sizes. Through industry experience and expertise, Louise has used her knowledge to secure a growing number of clients for SmartPA, allowing them to create leaner business functions. Louise explains;” We are revolutionising the way companies are run on a daily business through technology and expert Partners. SmartPA are ahead of the curve which makes it a very exciting place to be.”

Chest Chest Heart Heart & & Stroke Stroke Scotland Scotland

Would Would you you like like to to help help your your staff staff achieve achieve healthy healthy goals? goals?

We’ll take care of it!

We’ll take care of it!

The Health Promotion Scheme is an exciting programme aimed at businesses The Health Promotion Scheme is an exciting aimed at businesses across central Scotland from Scotland’s Healthprogramme Charity, Chest Heart & Stroke across central Scotland from Scotland’s Health Charity, Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland (CHSS).

Scotland (CHSS).

This innovative scheme delivers blood pressure screenings with individual This innovative scheme pressureactivities screenings with lifestyle assessments anddelivers a choiceblood of interactive from ourindividual team of lifestyle Promotion assessmentsSpecialists. and a choice of interactive activities from our team of Health Health Promotion Specialists.

In Scotland: In n Scotland: 1 in 10 people is living with chest, heart or stroke illness n n n n

10people peoplehave is living chest, heart or stroke illness 1 in 3 highwith blood pressure 1 in 3 45 people havesomeone high blood Every minutes haspressure a stroke 45 minutes someone has a heart strokeattack Every 55 Every 55 minutes someone has a heart attack

What’s on offer?

What’s on offer?

Blood pressure screening and lifestyle assessments

Blood and levels lifestyle assessments As well pressure as checkingscreening blood pressure for staff, our Health Promotion As well as checking blood pressure for staff, our Health Promotion Specialists will offer individual lifestylelevels assessments to raise awareness of risk Specialists offer individual lifestyle assessments to raise awareness of reduce risk factors for will chest, heart and stroke illness and provide advice on how to factors chest, healthier heart andlifestyle stroke choices. illness and provide advice on how to reduce these byformaking these by making healthier lifestyle choices.

Interactive workshops Interactive workshops We have fun and engaging sessions to equip staff with important healthy We havemessages. fun and engaging sessions to equip staff with important healthy lifestyle lifestyle messages.

Support for staff-run health promotion activities Support for staff-run promotion activities Further resources can be health provided to support your staff to run their own Further resources be provided regular health and can wellbeing groups.to support your staff to run their own regular health and wellbeing groups.

I enjoyed the fact that I could get a blood pressure Icheck enjoyed the fact that an I could get a blood without making appointment andpressure waiting check without making an appointment and waiting at my GP outside of work hours at my GP outside of work hours Workshop Attendee Workshop Attendee

What are the benefits?

What areinthe benefits?

Participation the scheme can help meet staff health and corporate social Participation ingoals the scheme help meet staff health and corporate social responsibility for your can business. responsibility goals for your business.

Research shows that a workplace Health Promotion Researchcan: shows that a workplace Health Promotion Scheme Scheme n Reducecan: employee absenteeism by an average of 30-40% n n n n

Reduce employee absenteeism by an average of 30-40% Improve work performance by 10% Improve employee work performance by 10% Increase job satisfaction Increase aemployee job satisfaction Achieve positive return on investment Achieve positive return investment – at leasta£3 for every £1 on invested – at least £3 for every £1 invested

How you can get involved?

How can get you involved?

In returnyou for this service, can work in

In return forwith this service, youfunds can work in partnership us to raise to provide partnership withsupport us to raise funds to provide services which people living with chest, services people livingScotland. with chest, heart andwhich strokesupport conditions across Ideas heart and stroke conditions across Scotland. Ideas include: include: n Choosing CHSS as your ‘Charity of the Year’ Choosing CHSS as your ‘Charity of the Year’ n Organising fundraising events in your workplace n Organising fundraising events in your workplace Entering CHSS fundraising events - individually or n as Entering CHSS fundraising events - individually or corporate teams corporatepayroll teams giving n as Promoting Promoting payroll n Encouraging staff togiving volunteer for us n Encouraging staff to volunteer for us

To find out more visit To find out more visit www.chss.org.uk/health-promotion www.chss.org.uk/health-promotion or call George Grierson or Laura Hastings or call George Grierson or Laura Hastings on 0131 225 6963 on 0131 225 6963 February/March 2016

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SQA JOURNEYS FOR SCOTLAND’S FUTURE Scotland’s future is our young people – the workforce of tomorrow.

SQA qualifications prepare them for work, and give them the skills employers like you are looking for.

Find out where SQA Journeys can take your business.

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Business Development T: 0303 333 0330 E: mycentre@sqa.org.uk W: www.sqa.org.uk/journeys