Business Sept Oct 2016

Bank of Ireland UK

Helping local businesses to seize growth opportunities Features: 10

31

Forensic Accounting…The Harbinson Mulholland Approach

STRAIGHT TO BUSINESS Up to 40 flights a day around the UK from Belfast City. flybe.com

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The Legal 500…

NI’s Top Law Firms

Issue 163 September/October 2016 £2.50 Voted best Business Magazine in Ireland 2005 and Magazine of the Year for Northern Ireland

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CONTENTS

Sept/Oct 2016 ISSUE 163

Cover Story

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Bank of Ireland... Helping Local Business To Grow

Specials

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Brexit...The Known Unknown Mills Selig might be a Belfast-based law firm but it’s a firm that has grown to become a serious player on the international stage when it comes to deals, mergers and acquisitions involving its Northern Ireland-based clients.

Building a successful business requires hard work, determination and, when it matters, the right support to scale the opportunity to take it to the next level. One local bank reckons that it has exactly the right people and products to help.

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Randox International Polo Event

New Team, New Ambitions

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Brian Donaldson, Maxol’s New CEO Plots A Positive Course

One of the sporting and social occasions of the year took place in the village of Bushmills recently when Randox staged its first international polo event followed by a gala dinner and fireworks display.

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The Legal 500 for 2016 We take a look at The Legal 500 for 2016, the influential annual report on Northern Ireland’s top law firms and top individual lawyers, including the firms and lawyers at the top of their games across all of the major categories of legal work.

Brian Donaldson has been at Maxol, Ireland’s premier family owned fuel company, for 30 years...so there’s little he doesn’t know about the organisation or an industry increasingly dominated by convenience retailing rather than fuel sales. He talks about Maxol’s recent developments and future plans

Business & Education... A Vital Link

Forensic Accounting

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A Life In Crime.....Specialist Accountants Tell Their Story

Belfast Met Chief Executive Marie-Therese McGivern and Ulster University Business School’s Michael McQuillan are among those talking to Business Eye in a special report on how links between business and education here have improved in recent years.

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Jim O’Neill... Legends Of The Drinks Industry It’s fair to say that there’s almost definitely no one working in the drinks industry in Northern Ireland who has been there for as long as Jim O’Neill, formerly of United Wine Merchants and now the driving force behind Botl.

The specialists at Belfast firm Harbinson Mulholland might just know most of the tricks in the financial book....if not all of them. In a sixpage special, we take an in-depth look at the work of one of our most experienced teams of forensic accountants, as comfortable in the witness box as they are behind a desk

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Down Royal....Racing Ahead Towards Big Date

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Placed For Success

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Some of the top National Hunt horses in the country will be at Down Royal in early November for the 2016 Down Royal Festival of Racing. It’s the biggest meeting of the year at a venue which has been transformed by its top team of Chairman James Nicholson and General Manager Mike Todd.

Brian Ambrose...On Course For Record Year Off the back of one record year and on course for another one, it’s hardly surprising that George Best Belfast City Airport Chief Executive Brian Ambrose is in relaxed mood, despite the ever present turbulence that seems to surround the fast-moving world of airports and airlines.

Regulars

Eye on Insurance

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Eye on Telecomms

43

Eye on Entrepreneurs

92

Eye on Technology

18

Eye on Interiors

68

Eye on Charity

98

Eye on Finance

28

Eye on Waste Management

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Eye on Moving On

106

Eye on Small Businesses

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Eye on Advanced Manufacturing

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Eye on Motoring

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Buckley Publications 20 Kings Road Belfast, BT5 6JJ Tel: (028) 9047 4490 Fax: (028) 9047 4495 www.businesseye.co.uk

Editor Richard Buckley Commercial Director Brenda Buckley

Business Development Manager Ciara Donnelly

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Photography Press Eye 45 Stockmans Way Belfast, BT9 7ET Tel: (028) 9066 9229 www.presseye.com

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Get a group of business people together at the moment and the odds are that a couple of topics of conversation are almost bound to arise. Or are they?

Comment

“We have to follow through on our planned corporation tax cut to set this region apart from the others and to reap the rewards before others get a chance to follow suit. We have to be energetic. We have to get out there and sell what is a unique region”.

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A

Richard Buckley EDITOR Irish Magazine Editor of the Year 2005

few short weeks ago, the so-called NAMA scandal would have been one of them.

The BBC Spotlight programme and its less than earth-shattering revelations apart, very little seems to be happening on that front despite the best efforts of a couple of unlikely cheerleaders.

Down in Dublin, the only person to get excited about it all is the Independent TD Mick Wallace. Up here, some sections of the media remain titillated by the revelations, or rather the lack of revelations, but it’s becoming clear that most of us are getting a bit tired of it all.

It’s all pretty simple really. If the authorities or anyone else can produce the smoking gun that will prove that people in very high places were involved in some form of corrupt plot, then the story will be back on all of our agendas. If not, it’s all going to fade away and die.

Our second topic of conversation, Brexit, is also lacking in stamina. There’s no evidence yet of any real downward effect from the June referendum vote.

But, and it appears to be a big ‘but’, the experts (for experts, read economists) keep reminding us that the actual process of Brexit hasn’t happened yet.

Only when we cast off the ropes holding us to the rest of Europe, they say, will the economic effects be felt.

Not everyone thinks that those effects will be wholly negative. There are optimists out there. The problem is that there doesn’t appear to be too many of them.

One thing is for sure. We are where we are and we’re not going to be able to change anything. Talk of fresh votes and legal challenges are patent nonsense and complete wastes of time (and money).

The priority for Northern Ireland must be to prepare, and prepare right now, for the postBrexit economy and the post-Brexit world.

We have to follow through on our planned corporation tax cut to set this region apart from the others and to reap the rewards before others get a chance to follow suit. We have to be energetic. We have to get out there and sell what is a unique region.

And, to move on to our third topic of conversation, we have to make sure that the political stability is there to enable us to move quickly and optimise our chances of surviving and making the most of the post-Brexit world.

But political stability and Northern Ireland aren’t terms that go together easily. To be fair, the DUP/Sinn Fein partnership looks as strong at the moment as it ever has. Arlene Foster and Martin McGuinness are getting on with the job and working hard, and we have some decent Ministers doing a recent job. Simon Hamilton at Economy deserves a mention.

He’s an intelligent guy who seems prepared to listen to the views of business people....and that’s a good start.

The much-vaunted opposition system isn’t up to much, though. Mike Nesbitt and Colum Eastwood have failed to forge any kind of partnership in opposition at Stormont, but lets face it, a good working partnership between the two main parties means that they’re effectively out of the loop in any case.

But it’s vital that we don’t take a head in the sand approach. Politics and the Stormont administration faces big challenges going forward, not least because of the result of the referendum back on the 23rd of June.

Now, perhaps more than ever, it’s hugely important that the politicians make it work.

So our message to Arlene & Martin is clear. To borrow a memorable line from the wonderful Leslie Nielsen film Airplane.......

Just wanted to let you both know....

We’re all counting on you.

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Eye on News

OPPORTUNITY EXPORT OPENS WORLD OF EXPORTING TO LOCAL BUSINESSES

Helping to launch Opportunity Export at Craigavon Civic centre were, from left, Nicola Wilson, Head of Economic Development Department, Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council, Simon Devlin from Full Circle Management Solution, Lord Mayor of Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon, Cllr Garath Keating and Roger Wilson, Chief Executive of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council.

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major export event, aimed at highlighting the potential rewards for seeking business opportunities in key export markets, has been launched by Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council in partnership with Full Circle Management Solutions.

Opportunity Export, which will take place at Craigavon Civic Centre on Monday 17th October, will feature export experts providing advice and information on how to do business across a range of key markets. The event, which is

free, calls on all businesses in the borough, with the potential to export, to come along and hear about the opportunities available.

Opportunity Export will incorporate a series of workshops that are market specific. Attendees will hear from experts on; gearing up to do business in ROI; identifying, targeting and maximising new business opportunities in North America; fast-tracking business growth in India; doing business in China and doing business in other parts of the UK. Attendees will also have the opportunity to hear about

winning business with international financial institutions and how they are actively encouraging SMEs and micro enterprises to tender for international projects.

Launching Opportunity Export, Lord Mayor of Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough, Cllr Garath Keating, said: “On behalf of the council I am delighted to announce the launch of Opportunity Export. This is a fantastic opportunity for any business in the borough to hear from experts and get their advice on how to take that next step into exporting. Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough has many successful exporters and as a key priority we are keen to grow, build and develop this entrepreneurialism within the borough. We would encourage anyone who is thinking about exporting or who is thinking about targeting new markets to get along to Opportunity Export and let us help get you started.”

Roger Wilson, Chief Executive for Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council commented: “ Whilst we are operating in an environment of uncertainty and a changing economic landscape for exporting, Armagh City, Banbridge

and Craigavon Borough Council is taking this opportunity to help local businesses consider the range of potential options to do business in markets such as India, China and North America. Opportunity Export will provide attendees with access to in-market experts and hear directly from them regarding exporting opportunities and challenges. We would urge businesses in the borough to come along, be inspired and open the doors to a world of possibilities.”

Throughout the event guest expert speakers will deliver market tailored workshops offering advice and support on how to maximise the potential of exporting. The workshops are designed to ensure that attendees obtain as much information as possible to open up the world of exporting to their business as well as signpost them to the additional support and services available.

For registration and further information on Opportunity Export visit opportunityexport.eventbrite. co.uk Registration closing date is 5pm on Wednesday 12th October.

Also, check out Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council facebook and twitter page by following #OppExport.

Conference delivers key insights to ‘The Future of Business’

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orthern Ireland’s most influential businesswomen and men gathered at the Ramada Plaza, Belfast recently to hear from

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a line-up of international speakers about how the future of business looks and how we must adapt to it.

Economy Minister Simon Hamilton MLA was among a number of special guest speakers to address delegates at the eighth annual Women in Business Conference, supported by leading global ICT solutions company Fujitsu.

Also speaking at the Conference was keynote Regina Moran, Head of Industry Sectors Business Application Services for Fujitsu EMEIA, ‘Tweeting Goddess’ Samantha Kelly, leading authority on leadership and cultural transformation Molly Harvey, President of AES UK & Ireland Carla Tully, and finally, futurist, comedian and broadcaster Timandra Harkness.

Commenting on the event, Simon Hamilton MLA said; “Today’s conference theme ‘The Future of Business’ encourages us to ponder how we want to shape the years ahead. I am clear that our focus should be full square on transforming Northern Ireland into a globally competitive economy.

“Businesses must ensure that their most talented employees rise to the top – that the best, brightest and most able employees are promoted into positions of leadership. A diverse workforce broadens the mix of knowledge and skills in an organisation, fostering innovation to enable companies to grow in today’s global marketplace.”

“Today marked a significant day for

Women in Business and its members,” commented Roseann Kelly, the organisation’s Chief Executive.

“Not only did we have an incredible panel of inspirational and thoughtprovoking guest speakers around the subject of how the future of business looks, from both a technological and social standpoint, but we also announced our five male gender diversity champions.”

The new Women in Business ‘gender diversity champions’ are Malcolm McKibbin (Head of the NI Civil Service), John Healy (Managing Director, Allstate NI), Ray Hutchinson (Managing Director, Gilbert-Ash), David Gavaghan (Chair of CBI NI), and Queen’s University vice-chancellor Patrick Johnston.

Eye on News

GUINNESS EXPERIENCE COMES TO TESCO TASTE FEST 2016 The Open Gate Brewery transported some of the magic from St James’s Gate to Belfast for this year’s Tesco Taste Fest. This is the first time the Guinness Open Gate Brewery was at the festival showcasing some of their experimental brews for consumers to try.

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uinness launched The Open Gate Brewery at St. James’s Gate, Dublin last November.

This experimental brewery has been at St. James’s Gate for over a hundred years, and is where the brewers are given license to explore new recipes, reinterpret old ones and experiment freely to bring exciting new beers to life. For the first time in its history, the brewers in St. James’s Gate opened the doors of its home of brewing experimentation and innovation with the launch of The Open Gate Brewery.

Over the last seven months, the brewers have welcomed thousands of people into The Open Gate Brewery to enjoy the unique brewing experience at St James’s Gate; chat to them about great beer and of course, savour the regular pipeline of amazing, small batch brews that are created each month, which has included 1516 Pilsner, Chocolate and Vanilla stout, Antwerpen Export stout and Strawberry Porter.

Peter Simpson, Brewer in the Open Gate Brewery said; “Since we launched The Open Gate Brewery, we have had

(L-R) : Duncan Hoy, Tesco; Junior Minister Alastair Ross; Economy Minister Simon Hamilton; Jorge Lopes, Diageo NI; St James Gate brewer; Brendan Guidera, Tesco and Sean Largey, Tesco.

many requests to make our small batch brews available beyond the Open Gate Brewery so that people can experience our beers. While some of the brews will remain exclusive, we are delighted that some of the small batch brews are now available in Belfast and equally delighted to be able to bring The Open Gate Brewery experience to the Tesco Taste Fest for the first time. Consumers visiting our stand will be able to sample our Open Gate Brewery beers and generally learn more about food and beer pairing.”

One of the experimental brews on offer

for consumers to taste was Rye Pale Ale. The latest addition to the fold, Rye Pale Ale has been available in draught from mid-July in select outlets across Belfast.

However, following a great consumer response to the brew, Guinness has now launched Rye Pale Ale in bottle format in Tesco stores across Northern Ireland.

A selection of The Open Gate Brewery beers are available in Tesco stores nationwide, with Rye Pale Ale joining the current line-up of Hop House 13, Guinness Golden Ale and the Dublin and West Indies Porters.

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Eye on Economy

Brexit: The Known Unknown

By Richard Ramsey, Chief Economist, NI, Ulster Bank

More than three months have passed since the UK’s EU Referendum result. And I am tempted to count how many times the word Brexit has been used by journalists, commentators, politicians and economists - myself included - in that time.

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here is no doubt that the vote is an enormously important event in UK political and economic history, and is worthy of significant coverage and analysis. But are we in danger of looking for the Brexit factor in everything bar the weather?

In the weeks since the vote, two of the most high profile economic impacts have no doubt been on stock markets and exchange rates.

Initially the UK stock market was hit hard by the outcome of the referendum; UK stocks had their worst fall since the financial crisis, as markets took stock of the decision to leave the EU. The FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 were down 6 percent and 14 percent respectively in the week that followed.

However, in a matter of days, the FTSE 100 had regained all of the losses

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since June 23, and more. Indeed, it is currently sitting around 8 percent higher. Those investors who followed the advice to “sell in May and stay away” would have missed double-digit gains in the FTSE 100. Though it should be noted that some sectors, notably banking and financial stocks, are still well down on their June 23 levels.

“Sell in May and stay away” should however have been heeded by those holding sterling in favour of other currencies. It is the exchange rate, much more than stock markets, where the more sustained impact has been felt. Following the vote, the pound hit its lowest levels against the dollar for more than 30 years. The pound remains around 12 percent lower against both the euro and dollar than it was on June 23, 2016.

This has implications for imports,

exports, tourism, inflation, and more.

Sterling’s slide has been linked to falling interest rates and concerns over the UK’s economic outlook.

This spurred the Bank of England to halve its Bank Rate to a fresh record low of 0.25 percent and embarked upon another bout of quantitative easing. The Bank has indicated that it may cut interest rates again to ward off an economic downturn.

In the meantime, the incoming economic news has been much stronger than expected. But it is worth remembering that Brexit hasn’t happened yet. Three months on we remain none the wiser as to what Brexit is actually going to look like. ‘Brexit means Brexit’ is about as much as we know. And as all eyes start turning to the US presidential elections, a phrase by a former US Defence Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, comes to mind. To paraphrase him and apply it to Brexit, it could be said that we are dealing with a known unknown. But will it be a soft Brexit or a hard Brexit? Full fat, or semi-skimmed? And what do those terms actually even mean?

Will UK / NI no longer have access to the single market for labour? Will the UK financial sector have EU passporting rights? What will the UK’s replacement for the CAP policy look like? Will there be a hard border between NI and the Republic of Ireland? Will there be free trade with the EU and if not, what will the tariffs be? At this stage, there are many questions with very few, if any, answers.

Clearly there are a whole host of known unknowns. But to take Rumsfeld’s logic further, after over 40 years of a relationship with the EU, a divorce will inevitably throw up things that could happen that we haven’t yet realised. These are the unknown unknowns, and there will likely be many of these.

It will likely be years before we receive real clarity. For some, it may be a case of business as usual while for others it will mean reduced or deferred investment. In the meantime it is a case of “uncertainty means uncertainty”. But let’s hope the economic data continues to be stronger than expected. Unknown unknowns can be positive as well.

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Eye on News

Once In A Lifetime Celebration For Apprentice Cooper Chris Kane Bushmills Irish Whiskey has notched up a milestone in the 400 years of whiskey making history in the area, as apprentice Chris Kane becomes the first person from the Island of Ireland to graduate as a Cooper in more than 30 years.

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hris, who hails from the village of Bushmills itself, is the fourth generation of his family to cooper casks at the Old Bushmills Distillery, totalling 140 years of family service.

His great grandfather, Jimmy Kane, started coopering in 1935, followed by his grandfather, Johnny Kane, in 1951.

Chris himself began coopering at home with his father, Alastair, at the age of nine and today he and his father keep this tradition alive as they work side-by-side in the Old Bushmills Distillery Cooperage.

It takes five years to learn the highly

skilled trade of coopering. Testament to his talent and determination, Chris took only four years to master the skills, using the same tools that his great grandfather wielded over 80 years ago.

Today the art of coopering, as is symptomatic of many manual trades, is a dying craft. As industries become increasingly mechanised, the need for hand-craftsmanship becomes less and less relevant.

Chris explains: “It might not be an obvious career choice but coopering has been a part of my life since I was a young

Chris & Alastair Kane

guy. When the apprenticeship opportunity came up four years ago, I left what was probably deemed a good ‘sensible’ job to follow what has always been my real passion. The wood, barrels, tools and craft, along with the opportunity to work with my dad each day, have given me the chance to contribute to the Bushmills Irish Whiskey story – it’s a dream job!”

Helen Mulholland, Master Blender of Bushmills Irish Whiskey said: “We are delighted to share in Chris’s success as he becomes a fully-fledged Cooper today. His family has been an integral

part of Bushmills’s legacy for the past 140 years. He is a true artist, born to his craft, as the skill and attention that is required to cooper is nothing short of spectacular. Coopering is fundamental to our Irish Whiskey making process; to ensure we produce the same premium quality whiskey that we began making 400 years ago. With up to 80% of the character of our whiskey coming from the cask, our coopers are true guardians of Bushmills Irish Whiskey.”

Local Engineering Firm Helps Land Speed A Newtownards engineering firm has used the latest Record Attempt in engineering technology to help a local entrepreneur develop and build a motorcycle which he will use in a world land speed record attempt.

Larne entrepreneur Sam Marsden, Robert McConnell, Director CCP Gransden and Jim Erskine, Managing Director, CCP Gransden with the Velocity motorcycle, which Sam will drive in an attempt to break a world land speed record next year. CCP Gransden manufactured the super lightweight casing for the bike.

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CP Gransden developed and manufactured the super lightweight composite streamlining casing for the Project Velocity motorcycle for Larne man Sam Marsden, a Queen’s University engineering graduate. Sam has been working for the past 5 years

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on the development of the motorcycle, to attempt to break the 1000cc world land speed record at the Bonneville Salt Flats, USA later this year.

CCP Gransden Director Robert McConnell said, “Sam had been looking around the whole of Ireland to find a

company that would have the technology and skills to develop this vital part of the motorcycle. We were delighted to take up the challenge to develop a superlight yet strong casing that would give Sam the streamlined shape required to fit over the motorcycle for the record attempt.

‘The team involved at CCP Gransden who have designed and installed this casing for Sam have years’ of experience between them of working in the racing car industry, so there is a deep understanding of what’s required. We are all delighted with the finished result and we wish Sam every success in his attempt next year.”

Sam Marsden commented, “This was a massive undertaking and a challenge for CCP Gransden, and I am delighted with the end result. I have had amazing support from them and indeed other local firms who supported the project.

They have all shared in my enthusiasm and vision that we can bring a world land speed record to Northern Ireland.”

The streamliner body is made from composite materials normally used in

the Aerospace, Marine and Automotive industries. CCP took Sam’s initial drawings and designs, redefining them, making the moulds required and a small dedicated team spent 100s of man hours manually refining and perfecting the shape.

Sam came up the idea as part of his Engineering degree and has spent the past five years getting the bike ready.

The attempt was delayed this year due to adverse weather conditions on the Salt Flats, but he hopes to make the attempt next year, weather permitting. He and the project will be featured in an upcoming Discovery Channel documentary series about young inventors.

Robert concluded, “The strength of the local composites engineering sector is evidenced by our and indeed other engineering firms’ involvement in this innovate project. SME’s like us are the backbone of the industry here and we will continue to invest in machinery and research and development to build on this reputation.”

Northern Ireland’s Leading Support Services Business Secures 3 year contract to provide Cleaning Services to Queen’s University Belfast.

Queen’s University Belfast has awarded a 3 year contract to Robinson Services to provide the cleaning services to approximately 40% of the university campus. The contract involves the provision of cleaning and laundry services to some of the most interesting and iconic buildings in Northern Ireland. The contract commenced on 9 July 16 and will run concurrently for a period of 3 years.

Queen’s University Belfast is steeped in heritage yet benefits from world-class, state-of-the-art facilities and Robinson Services are proud to have an association with such a high profile centre of excellence . Under the contract, which runs until 2019, Robinson Services will provide specialised services to ensure the 3700 employees and 25,000 undergraduate/postgraduate students receive the highest possible hygiene standards.

David Robinson commented “This is a highly significant contract award with one of the UK’s leading universities. We look forward to providing the highest standard of service to Queen’s University Belfast for the next 3 years” Robinson Services offer our wide range of services to schools, colleges and universities throughout Northern Ireland. Our management teams are well versed and familiar with the most

Pictured left to right: Bernard Bogues, Commercial Director & David Robinson Managing Director, Robinson Services challenging issues being faced within the education sector. They work tirelessly to offer a solution that is cost effective, diligent and meets the required standard. Each employee is trained to The British Institute of Cleaning Science Standard, an industry recognised accreditation and qualification. Quality assurance and regular communication is

It’s our business to support yours.

Robinson Services has been associated with the FM industry since 1968 when James Robinson had the idea of cleaning windows on a part-time basis in Antrim town. Today the organisation employs 1700 people, providing services to a range of customers from the public and private sector including universities, colleges, offices, shopping centres, car showrooms and retail outlets.

We pride ourselves on forming valuable partnerships with customers and employees to deliver a high quality innovative service which the market both demands and requires.

Our professional reputation in the support services market is based on consistent delivery and continual growth to a client base that now exceeds 4000.

Our success has been achieved by providing a quality service at a competitive price.

Our ability to create partnerships with staff and customers has made us one of the leading support services providers in Northern Ireland.

Get in touch to find out more email: info@robinson-services.com Tel: 028 9442 9717 www.robinson-services.com

key to our service, offering a transparent and personalized education cleaning service, tailored to fit the needs of your organisation.

For more information contact Robinson Services on 028 9442 9717 or email info@robinson-services.com

ON-SITE SHREDDING IS FOR YOUR EYES ONLY.

OUT OF SITE SHREDDING IS FOR THEIR EYES TOO!

Eye on Events

Lockton Belfast Dines with the Dame at Hillsborough Castle

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ed by Chairman of Lockton International, Mike Hammond, the Belfast operation of the world’s largest privately owned, independent insurance brokerage firm, Lockton Companies, recently played host to a unique industry dinner event set against the backdrop of the historic Hillsborough Castle in County Down, which offered an invaluable networking opportunity for distinguished guests to the intimate affair which aided Lockton Belfast’s charity partner, the Dame Mary Peters Trust.

Attended by top executives from leading UK an European insurance agencies AIG, Allianz, Zurich, Chubb, and MS Amlin as well as key clients of Lockton and representatives of the Mary Peters Trust including Dame Mary Peters herself, the event included a guided tour of Hillsborough Castle, a Historic Royal Palace, before kicking off an evening of networking and celebration of the strength of the industry in aid of the Mary Peters Trust..

Eilish Rutherford, Mary Peters Trust with Rachel Bethel, Matthew Elliott, Jack Agnew and Casey Jo Bell & Dame Mary Peters.

Ian Millar, Lockton & Michael Claney, Lockton

Wendy Graham & Jeff Graham, Lockton

Stephen Campbell, Almac; Helen Hutchinson, Allianz &Darren Tom Glover, MS Amlin & Simon Power, Lockton McCreevy, Lockton

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Jim Kirkwood, Mary Peters Trust with Ross McLeod, Stuart Eddington, James Lafferty & Ian Cummings, AIG

Jonathan Kerr, Neil Irwin, Stephanie McComb, Pamela Reading & David Blanchflower, Zurich

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Eye on News

What Are Your Old Levi’s Worth?

Belfast school friends turning rags to riches in aid of the environment

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riday 2nd Sep 2016 - Sam Lynas and Jacques Hill announced the launch of their company, Thrift Clothing Based in Belfast, trading online, the business sells vintage and retro clothing. The company is based on the idea that they can supply shoppers with an alternative to the high street.

According to the Oxford Dictionary, ‘Thrift is the quality of using money and other resources carefully and not wastefully.’ This is, in essence Sam and Jaques vision as through their recycling

of style they provide shoppers with a more individual, original look while reducing production.

Jacques and Sam have been friends since school when they both studied at Campbell College Belfast. Sam is currently working for FindOut Training, marketing a series of corporate and personal training courses. Jacques works on the business in between studying Accountancy at University of Ulster and an accounting placement.

Jacques has always had a passion for clothing, in particular vintage and retro clothing, and

Sam has always been interested in creative ways of caring for the environment and reusing resources. Thrift Clothing is the result of putting these two passions together and they feel it is something yet to hit Belfast.

It is this student population that they have aimed at as their target market. Being in this

market themselves they feel they are in an ideal position of knowing the minds of their customers and keeping up with current vintage fashion trends.

Their long term goal? To be a student lifestyle shop and a hub of the vintage and retro clothing culture that is quickly spreading throughout the world.

Foster Welcomes Growth in Mivan Antrim Fit Out Company celebrates boost in employment, order book and confidence The Mivan senior team with this year’s apprentices in joinery, carpentry and metalwork.

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irst Minister Arlene Foster has welcomed the growth of Mivan, which is celebrating the recruitment of 65 additional team members and a strong forward order book stretching into 2018.

Fifty-five of the new staff at the high end joinery and fit out company were recruited with £495,000 support from Invest Northern Ireland.

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During a visit to the Antrim facility, owner Brian McConville briefed the First Minister on a 50% year-on-year growth in the company’s turnover in 2016 and shared plans to continue that pace of growth into the future.

First Minister Arlene Foster said: “Mivan is an internationally renowned company and its resurgence to competitiveness with a healthy order book is a

tremendous result for the manufacturing business and positive news for Antrim town and Northern Ireland.

“Invest NI is working closely with the business to support the generation of much needed employment opportunities in the area. I welcome the recruitment of 65 new jobs which will generate £1.8m in additional salaries and give Mivan the resources required to secure valuable new business.

“Mivan has a long established reputation and was renowned for its export success. I commend Brian McConville and his entire team and look forward to the company’s continued growth.”

Brian McConville said the company, which directly employs more than 160 people, has positive growth plans for the next five years.

“Projects secured this year exceed £25m, giving us a strong order book for 2017 and beyond,” he said. “We are confident that the business is on a secure and sustainable position to attract further orders from customers in line with our development plan.

“We have been recruiting, and investing in, people and facilities to help deliver Mivan’s secured orders and the team is committed to developing business in our fit out land and marine target markets.”

Mivan has just completed a £2.5m contract to fit out the Belmond Grand Hibernian luxury train, a first for Mivan and Northern Ireland. Current projects are in diverse locations such as Great Britain, Puerto Rico, Grand Bahamas, Spain and the Galapagos Islands.

During her tour of the facility, Mivan CEO Neil Ward invited the First Minister to present certificates to five apprentices who have just completed their 1st year qualification. The company currently has 12 apprentices in wood occupations and metal fabrication, along with 5 trainees in estimating, design and contract management.

“Invest NI’s funding is helping Mivan provide jobs for Antrim and the wider area,” said Neil. “We are committed to offering secure employment which will help Mivan deliver current and future orders, alongside offering solid opportunities for career development.”

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Eye on IT

Xperience IT Solutions Partner with Microsoft to help local SME’s Kick-Start their ‘Digital Transformation’

Xperience IT Solutions to partner with global software giant Microsoft, hosting a Digital Transformation workshop at the IFA’s Windsor Park, on Wednesday 19th October 2016.

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he ‘Tactics for Digital Transformation’ workshop, hosted by Xperience IT Solutions, will help organisations to unleash the power of digital to improve business agility and increase competitive advantage.

Gartner predict that by 2025, every industry will be transformed by ‘digital business’, so it’s essential for companies to be equipped with the right tools to aid in this transition.

The event promises to educate local SME’s on the digital technologies which can facilitate a pain-free digital transformation journey.

Microsoft will showcase cutting edge digital tools which are set

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to pave the way forward for modern SME’s. Companies will understandably be in different stages of their digital journey, so attendees will be able to choose from a ‘Digital Evolution’ or ‘Digital Revolution’ workshop. By attending, delegates can expect to discover how the latest stack of Microsoft technology can empower staff, increase productivity and ultimately, set themselves apart from their competition.

Patrick Leggett, Director at Xperience IT Solutions comments “SME’s are facing a period of uncertainty following the recent EU referendum decision this year.

So, it’s essential they are armed with the latest knowledge which will enable them to leverage technology and stimulate business growth. Our aim is to support and educate local businesses to help them realise the opportunity digital transformation presents.”

Both workshops are set to ‘kick-off’ on Wednesday 19th October, 2016, at the home of Northern Ireland Football Club, the National Football Stadium at Windsor Park. The recent redevelopment of the South Stand, now houses top of the range conference facilities. Xperience IT Solutions will be among the first to avail of the state-of-the-art events rooms. In addition to learning about the future of digital, delegates will also be in with the chance of being a part of future NI football.

By registering and attending one of the workshops, attendees are

in with the chance of winning a pair of tickets to the Northern Ireland World Cup qualifier game against Azerbaijan in November.

About Xperience IT Solutions Xperience IT Solutions, an Xperience Group business, is a leading IT solutions provider in Northern Ireland, specialising in cloud technology, IT solutions and business management software.

They work in close partnership with Microsoft to provide customers with best-in-class cloud solutions, and are currently Microsoft Ireland Hosting Partner of the Year, 2016.

For more information and to register for the event visit: bit.ly/xpevent

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Find out how simple can work for you. Visit itfuel.com/sap

© 2016 SAP SE. All rights reserved.

IN A GROWING COMPANY, YOU WORK 9-5 AND 5-9.

Eye on Cover Story

Bank of Ireland UK

helping local businesses to seize growth opportunities Building a successful business requires hard work, determination and, when it matters, the right support to scale the opportunity to take it to the next level.

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n 2009, having secured a special business startup package from Bank of Ireland UK, Grainne Kelly, the multi-award winning creator and CEO of BubbleBum, the world’s first inflatable car booster seat, took her idea from concept to shelf in just nine months.

Grainne says: “Bank of Ireland UK recognised our innovation and its potential and were on board with us right from the start – they gave us the solid financial structures on which to build the company and their support for us in those early days both personally and for the business was amazing.”

Nearly seven years on and BubbleBum has scooped more than twenty awards, with accolades from parenting media through to design; the product sells into 27 countries across the world including the US, UK, Ireland, France and Spain and it is stocked by some of the world’s biggest names in retail including Target, Walmart, Amazon, Argos, Boots, John Lewis and Halfords.

The journey has not been without its challenges, and yet it is clear that the phenomenal success achieved to date is only just the start. Grainne and Fintan Kelly, co-founders and Directors of the business have big ambitions for the company and their appetite for growth is articulated in their vision statement that is, ‘to create a global brand of products which are cool, functional and innovative travel solutions for families.’

Grainne says: “We are currently exploring several different growth channels. We are fast becoming the best-selling booster seat on the market. We’re looking at entering new markets such as Germany and Chile, at new opportunities with licensing partners and with car hire companies and we’re looking to expand our product range within existing lines.

“With so much to do we need to know we have the benefit of financial expertise at the end of a phone and that our financial structures match our ambitious targets and that’s where Bank of Ireland UK have excelled.”

Bank of Ireland UK has long recognised the importance of strong customer relationships and invests heavily in developing a long term

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understanding of customers’ needs. It’s an approach that Grainne fully recognises and endorses as she talks about their ‘go to’ Business Adviser, Eighrean Horner.

Grainne says: “Eighrean provides us with very personal attention. She is a straight talker, who brings a refreshing attitude to our business and goes well beyond the call of duty in all that she does for us. With her entrepreneurial approach to working through financial solutions she is now a vital extension to our small team.”

Eighrean says: “The business did look beyond us for support at one time but our door is always open and I am delighted that we are once again working closely with Grainne, Fintan and the team to provide the funding and support as they scale and grow the business.

“I understand the business, I know everyone on the team and I understand the challenges they have and the need for speedy decision making.

Above all, I provide the financial expertise the business needs to move to the next level.”

Bank of Ireland UK is committed to supporting and nurturing entrepreneurs across Northern Ireland and is well placed to do so with an experienced and knowledgeable team of local business advisers available across the bank’s branch network, supported by dedicated experts across specialist areas.

Fintan Kelly is BubbleBum’s COO, he says: “While Eighrean is our first point of contact, we know we have specialists available to us as and when we need them and that gives us great confidence in the bank.

“The Commercial Finance now available to us means the more we sell, the more we can borrow – it’s a real game changer for us. We’re operating across multiple markets and lean in heavily to the bank’s Global Markets team who have the knowledge and experience in Foreign Exchange, Interest Rate Management and Trade Finance.

“We have a dedicated foreign exchange dealer who knows us, knows the business and the margins we operate to and who help us to mitigate and manage the risks of trading globally.”

From left: Grainne Kelly, Founder and CEO of BubbleBum and trusted Bank of Ireland UK Business Adviser, Eighrean Horner with daughter Caragh Horner on one of the company’s award-winning BubbleBums.

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Eye on Cover Story From left: Grainne Kelly, Founder and CEO of BubbleBum, Bank of Ireland UK Business Adviser, Eighrean Horner and Fintan Kelly, COO of BubbleBum with some of the expanding product range that’s fuelling growth and success at BubbleBum.

Eighrean says: “We know that growth businesses face challenges around competition, pricing, profitability and cash flow and that’s why early last year the bank launched a Small Business Growth account and an Agri Business current account with discounted fees and other real benefits.

Both accounts recently received a 5 Star Rating from Moneyfacts the UK’s leading independent provider of personal financial information.”

It’s about strong partnerships too. Bank of Ireland UK is very active in the Northern Ireland business community and works with key industry bodies and business influencers to ensure they continue to provide relevant support to local companies.

In partnership with the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce & Industry through the Connecting for Growth Programme the bank is helping local companies to grow by offering opportunities to be in front of large buyers and thus increase cross border trade activity.

The bank also plays an important role in supporting the growth of Northern Ireland’s Knowledge Based Economy through its sponsorship of Catalyst Inc‘s INVENT programme which showcases the most exciting prototype technologies emerging from Northern Ireland.

While in recent years, the bank’s own unique and pioneering Enterprise Week initiative, which

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“ With so much to do we need to know we have the benefit of financial expertise at the end of a phone and that our financial structures match our ambitious targets and that’s where Bank of Ireland UK have excelled.”

is designed to champion the ambitions of local enterprise, has proved to be the model for engaging with small and growing businesses.

Grainne Kelly wears her success lightly. While Eighrean Horner recognises her ‘business acumen’ Grainne puts her achievements largely down to common sense.

What is clear is that having made the transition from Travel Agent to an inspiring and award-winning entrepreneur, Grainne is looking forward to continued growth and success, and is delighted to have an enterprising banking partner working with her who shares her passion and commitment to see that the business reaches its truly global potential.

Eye on Events

Shredbanks’ Free Community Shredding Event Be Safe, Be Smart, Shred.

Your identity is your most valuable asset but if you lose it, it can be your greatest liability. If your information (bank accounts, passports, driving licenses) gets into the wrong hands then you could be a victim of identity fraud which could be extremely costly. Today identity fraud accounts for 41% of all fraud, making it one of Britain’s fastest growing crimes. Action Fraud reported that in 2015 there was a 52% increase in identity theft with around 24,000 people below the age of 30 alone falling victim to identity fraud which is more than double the victims reported in 2010.

Shredding is the best protection Protecting your personal information is the most effective way to avoid becoming a victim. Shredding your confidential documents such as receipts, bank statements, credit card statements or any letters with your name and address on them is one of the easiest ways to protect yourself.

What ShredBank do?

ShredBank, Northern Irelands’ multi award winning on-site shredding company, are aware of the increasing criminal activity around identity fraud in Northern Ireland.

CIFAS reported that 1 in 3 people admitted to not shredding letters before throwing them away. Our free community shredding event aims to raise awareness of identity theft and the importance of securely disposing personal information in an environmentally friendly way.

Our free community shredding events encourage the general public to bring their confidential documents to be securely shredded free of charge in our state-of-the-art mobile shredding trucks, making the process of shredding easy, quick and secure.

What you should do?

Make sure to shred your chances of falling victim to identity fraud by joining us at Forestside Shopping Centre for our free shredding events held on the last Friday of every month from 12pm – 2pm. The next shredding event will be held on Friday 28th October 2016 at Forestside Shopping Centre.

Donations are collected at each event in aid of Alzheimer’s Research UK, a charity which is very close to the heart of ShredBank.

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Eye on Events

RANDOX INTERNATIONAL POLO EVENT AT BUSHMILLS The Randox International Polo Tournament took place on the North Coast, with the town of Bushmills as the backdrop.

New Grand National sponsor, Randox, hosted a unique event in Bushmills recently – an International Polo tournament with teams taking part from Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Scotland, and South Africa.

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uests from around the world who made the journey to Northern Ireland for the Polo event were given a warm welcome – they were treated to an intimate performance from world renowned concert pianist Barry Douglas on the evening of Friday 16th September, in the Dundarave Estate, recently acquired by Randox Managing Director Dr. Peter FitzGerald.

The Randox NI Polo was the first of its kind and over 500 guests made their way to the North Coast town to attend

the inaugural event. The day kicked off with the Police Service Northern Ireland pipe band who entertained the crowds before the tournament began.

It was a victory for Scotland during the first nail-biting game of the tournament, as they went head to head with the team from Northern Ireland. But it was South Africa who emerged the winners of the 2016 tournament, after beating the team from the Republic of Ireland and scoring more goals than any other team. The weekend’s events

The Police Service Northern Ireland Pipe Band entertained guests at the tournament with music throughout the day.

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ended with a Gala Ball and dinner, followed by a breath-taking firework display which was also enjoyed by members of the Bushmills community.

Randox Founder and Managing Director, Dr. Peter FitzGerald, a keen horseman and horse sports enthusiast, was delighted with the inaugural event.

“We’ve been engaged on the Point-toPoint scene in Northern Ireland for many years, close to our Randox headquarters in County Antrim, but up until now have never had the opportunity to also host

a Polo tournament in Northern Ireland.

We’re delighted to be able to now hold the event in the beautiful scenery of the North Coast and to bring the Randox Health message to our Polo guests. By taking care of your wellbeing you can ensure that you enjoy days out in Northern Ireland – such as the Randox Polo event – to the fullest.”

Earlier this year, it was announced that Randox Health will sponsor the Grand National, in a five year deal which starts in 2017.

Guests enjoying the Polo tournament from the Randox marquee.

Eye on Events

(1) Finalists of the Ladies Hat Contest pose for the camera. (2) Edel Doherty, Alan Graham, Shauna Burns and Pamela Ballantine enjoying the Randox Polo event. (3) Matt McGovern, Olympic Sailor, Melissa McGovern, and Jonathan Acheson, Randox Health Sales Executive. (4) The Northern Ireland Polo team – Jamie McCarthy, Daniel Laverty, Angharad FitzGerald, Colm Kelleher and Robert Park. (5) Gordon Rennie, Robert McCutcheon, Pamela Ballantine and David Rennie enjoying the Gala Ball. (6) Dr. Peter FitzGerald and tournament umpire Jonny Kavanagh. (7) Lord Lieutenant Mrs Joan Christie OBE presented the match ball to the teams. (8) Guests gave a helping hand between matches by replacing the divots made by the ponies. (9) Guests enjoyed a surprise fireworks display that lit up the night sky in Bushmills

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Eye on Investment Brian Donaldson might be new to the job of Chief Executive at Maxol, but the County Down man certainly isn’t new to Ireland’s leading family-owned oil company. In fact, he’s just about to celebrate 30 years since joining the company as a graduate trainee.

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Chief Executive Officer Brian Donaldson & Maxol’s New Era

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here’s little that Donaldson doesn’t know about Maxol or about the fuel and convenience retail sector around Ireland. Based for the most part at Maxol’s headquarters in Dublin’s IFSC, he has a second office at the company’s Mallusk depot.

Having taken over the reins from the long-serving Tom Noonan, he’s going to be leading the Irish brand through a continued period of transformation which kicked off several years ago.

“Back in 2011 we embarked on a full brand audit which involved just about everyone – our retail network, the McMullan family who own the business, our staff, consumers and our supply partners. We’re talking about a really comprehensive 500-page document.

“What did it show? It showed that, if we were a car, we’d be a Volkswagen....solid, reliable, trusted for quality but perhaps not the model that most people aspire to. So we set out to change that right across the business.”

It’s a business that spans three key areas of activity – the core business of forecourt convenience, Maxol’s thriving lubricants operation with a centralised warehouse in Dublin and Maxol Fuel Cards, a leader in the private business and public sectors operated out of its offices in the North.

The company withdrew from the home heating oil sector in late 2011 having decided that it didn’t see a future in a business under increasing threat from

Eye on Investment the rise of natural gas. That decision also helped to free up working capital and resources for investment in the Maxol brand.

“The business has changed.

We might be seen as a fuel company, but fuel is becoming more secondary these days.

Our business is about forecourt convenience with a focus on freshly prepared food for on-site consumption or take home along with offering a full service to our customers,” says Brian Donaldson. “It’s all about the right environment, the right products, the right delivery and the highest of operational and customer service standards.”

Maxol has invested close to €95 million on the island of Ireland since 2012 with 16 new properties acquired and trading in that time along with developing a further 17 sites in the existing network. In addition, more than 30 store refits have taken place and the new forecourt brand identity introduced to its 234 service stations on the island.

As a general rule, the company prefers to acquire freehold properties. That’s been something of a mantra for Maxol and the McMullan family. The company was first established by William McMullan back in 1920 and the fourth generation of the family, Thomas and Barry are now on the board of directors at Maxol.

These days, it thinks bigger about its retail plans. Its 2.5 acre site at Mulhuddart, on the main N3 north west of Dublin, has 10,000 sq.ft of buildings on site and is effectively a motorway service station without the motorway.

Retail and food facilities include an outlet of the Chopped fresh food chain, Maxol’s own Moreish deli, a Supermac burger restaurant and an Insomnia barista coffee offering. All strong indigenous Irish brands under one roof. The site has become a destination and is independently operated

by Maxol licensees, Donal & Liam Fitzpatrick, who employ 90 staff.

“Mulhuddart shows what we can do as a company and it’s a concept that we’ll be extending to other suitable sites over the next 3 years,” says Brian Donaldson.

Northern Ireland will get its own version of a Maxol super site in

“ It is a constant process of investment and re-investment in our network.

The key for us is to invest in the right sites at the right time and to benefit all of our stakeholders.”

the not too distant future. The company has recently purchased the existing Tannaghmore site on the main A26 between Antrim and Ballymena, and intends to develop retail sites on both sides of the dual carriageway, with work to begin on the Ballymenabound facilities in September. The development of Tannaghmore will represent a £3.5 million investment by the company and will create more than 60 jobs.

Also north of the border, Maxol has current investment projects running at seven different sites around the region.

“It is a constant process of investment and re-investment in our network,” says Donaldson.

“The key for us is to invest in the right sites at the right time and to benefit all of our stakeholders.

“From research conducted last year we have already traded in the Volkswagen and upgraded to a BMW. “Our vision is to have a network of innovative retail convenience destinations where customers want to come, be inspired, be entertained and feel welcome. We’ve been through a detailed review of the business and we really think that we’ve achieved a lot by concentrating on what we call the three ‘C’s – Communications,

Consumers and Creativity.

“In a nutshell, it means that we’re delivering what our customers want from us.

Creativity is a very important part of that. We’ve looked at forecourt retailing best practice all over the world as part of the process.”

But that best practice works both ways. A group of American and European retailers recently flew into Dublin to see the new Mulhuddart facilities at first hand.

Brian Donaldson and his senior management colleagues might have their base in central Dublin, but they all spend a fair amount of their time out in the field.

Maxol, in fact, has a relatively small team of 80 people at its corporate base, but employs upwards of 1500 indirectly.

Donaldson describes himself as a ‘detail guy’ but stresses that he’s planning to engage with almost every stakeholder in his continued effort to modernise and change the face of the business.

“We’ve got to continue to sweat our assets. There’s no doubt about that,” he adds. “And we’ve also got to keep an eye on trends on retailing as they emerge.”

The fuel business, he’s quick to add, also has its challenges. The rise in the popularity of hybrid and electric vehicles, for instance, will impact on the fuel retailing

marketplace in the next 5 years.

“We also have to keep our options open when it comes to the food offerings we have on site, and at the kind of technology we’re harnessing, right down to investing in the very latest PIN pads to make sure that our customers get the right kind of experience in store.”

On the subject of customer experience, the company invested in a new TV advertising campaign recently, getting its retail message across in a feel good-style ad featuring a father and daughter emerging from a Maxol outlet.

“It’s about emotional connections and it’s also about being part of the local communities we’re serving.”

Brian Donaldson is all too aware that he’s got plenty in his inbox.

“Yes, I suppose there is a bit more weight on my shoulders than they’re used to be. But I’m really enjoying it. I’ve always believed in the strength of the Maxol brand, and our plans are more ambitious than ever before.”

“When we get to 2020, we’ll be celebrating our 100th year in business under the sole ownership of the McMullan family.

We want to be able to do that in style...and as an innovative leader in the forecourt retail marketplace here in Ireland.”

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Eye on Finance

Peace of mind on the financial road ahead

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ou’d be forgiven for thinking that, in the current economic climate, you are in something of a no win situation when it comes to working out what to do with your money.

With interest rates at record lows as the economy continues to return to health and uncertainty about the post-Brexit environment, the return on cash is so low that anyone with the potential to save or invest their money must now actively look for new options.

But with so much information and commentary on financial markets that

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seemingly change every day, it can be a daunting situation for most people.

It is important therefore to get the right advice. Danske Bank’s wealth planning and asset management team has 14 Independent Financial Advisers who cover the whole of Northern Ireland, operating through the bank’s branches, Private Banking Teams and business centres.

It is the only bank in Northern Ireland that has an IFA offering and which offers totally independent advice via highly qualified staff – many of whom are Chartered practitioners.

“With markets in a state of flux at present, we are finding that more people than ever have realised they need that advice to safeguard their future,” says Patrick Mullan, Head of Specialist Sales.

“Our advisers are helping customers plan for the financial road ahead, whether that’s for their personal finances or their business, providing them with different options to meet their short, medium and long term financial goals, while at the same time protecting their financial interests if the unexpected occurs.”

As Danske’s wealth planning and asset

management service is independent and impartial its advisers are not restricted to any particular products or providers and can recommend the most suitable products and solutions from the whole of the market.

Another key differentiator for Danske Bank is that its asset management is done in Northern Ireland, with funds managed as an in-house service. The bank’s service marries in-depth local knowledge with extensive international expertise, resources and financial insight from Danske Bank Group.

Eye on Finance

Most of us have financial goals and dreams for ourselves, our families and our businesses. In life, however, no-one can be sure of what’s around the corner and in the current economic environment, Danske Bank’s wealth management team has found its advice being sought more than ever.

L-R: Elaine Junk, Morgan McSorley, Julie Hamill, Craig Routledge, Samuel Johnston, Tim Hanna, Adrian Patterson (seated), Trevor Johnston, Jennifer Elliott, James Norman, Patrick Mullan, Doris Coiley, Stephen Kane, Bridget McGovern (seated), Amanda Molloy, Roisin McMahon, Alison Dean, Lisa Lucas and Mark Arndell.

Danske’s wealth management team also advise business owners on a raft of financial issues that impact them both at a personal and organisational level.

This includes: • Wealth Protection - covering individuals, their families and their business should the unexpected happen; • Retirement Planning – understanding how you may be able to maximise your income and plan for a financially secure retirement • Investing & Asset Management

– making the most of your assets and making your money work hard for you in line with your individual investment risk profile.

• Tax & Estate Planning - so accumulated wealth can be passed on to loved ones as tax efficiently as possible, mitigating the need for inheritance tax.

Jennifer Elliott, Senior Manager Financial Advice says it’s about planning for the future: “Our business customers are busy running their businesses and driving performance. It can leave them little time

to consider their financial future and contingency plans should the unexpected happen. How would the critical illness or premature death of a key employee affect your business and your dependants?

“Succession planning is another key concern for business owners. How best to pass on a family business to the next generation is a big challenge to face and one that will affect both the business and the family.

“We cover all financial needs, whether its investments, auto-enrolment pensions, succession planning, key

person dependency risk, shareholder and partnership protection, inheritance tax, capital gains tax or preparation for retirement,” says Jennifer.

“Our advisers have expertise in a range of areas and our team is closely linked in to the branch network, our private banking managers and business banking managers within Danske Bank.

We deliberately make the process of engaging with our advisers as simple as possible and our overriding goal is to provide people with peace of mind on the financial road ahead.”

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Eye on Profile

Alistair Cooke is director ASM Chartered Accountants…

Q:What is your role: Director, ASM Chartered Accountants based in Dungannon Office Q: Years in this role: Too many to want to count! ASM acquired an existing Accountancy business in Dungannon in 1999 where I was already employed.

I became a director in 2006. It is now one of the largest accounting and management consultancy firms in Ireland, with offices in Belfast, Dublin, Dundalk, Dungannon, Magherafelt and Newry.

Q: Tell us about yourself and your company: I started Accountancy straight from school, the modern equivalent of an apprenticeship. I qualified as an Accounting Technician and then went onto become a Chartered Accountant.

This was all done by studying on day release or at night/weekends.

Although it was tough at the time I have no hesitancy in recommending this route and do so on a regular basis when chatting to students. I have been very lucky to have the opportunity to progress through the ranks to the positon I hold today. I am responsible for a large part of what happens in the office, be it staff recruitment, attracting new clients or ensuring we provide a professional service to our clients.

Q: What does an average day look like for you?

No two days are the same which is part of the reason I enjoy my job so much. I have a responsibility for a wide range of clients and so within the same day I could be assisting clients with obtaining new bank finance, dealing with HMRC correspondence, meeting clients to put in place some tax planning initiatives as well as dealing with the endless telephone calls that seem to come in on daily basis. I could also be attending local networking events such as Up for Business which

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I am involved in which seeks to Make a Difference to local companies through networking and mutual support and advice. Alongside this, I am also running the commercial side of ASM so I get to experience, first-hand, how business-owners feel when there simply aren’t enough hours in the day!

Q: What is the most enjoyable part of your job?

I really enjoy being able to help solve a situation which a client has seen as a problem. I also enjoy the numbers and really being able to dig down through the figures and understand how a client’s business operates and what makes it tick.

Q: How is the business landscape in Dungannon?

It largely depends on the sector you are in. Dungannon & Mid Ulster people are always very positive when it comes to business. Agriculture plays a large part in the local economy and is going through a very tough patch, however, I have no doubt it will recover. Other sectors such as engineering and food production have also been traditionally very strong in the area and continue to prosper, although some organisations have been affected by the recent fluctuations in exchange rates following the Brexit vote Q: What one thing would you change about business to make your role easier?

The amount of red tape, compliance and paperwork that a small business has to look after. It can be overwhelming and for most business owners they see no value in it, be it continuous Governmental surveys, or constant changes in legislation. Small business owners, although they understand the need for regulations, just want to be able to take on with running their businesses. Although part of

our job is compliance-based we seek to add value where possible so that clients can see a real benefit from it.

Q: How has Brexit affected business at ASM? To date, Brexit has not really affected business. Some clients have obviously experienced difficulties arising from the exchange rate fluctuations in the immediate aftermath of Brexit, whilst for others this has provided an opportunity.

Many farmers for example were in favour of Brexit whilst many other businesses have a keen interest in it due to large number of international workers based in Dungannon. Depending on the outcome of the Brexit negotiations, the whole situation as we know it, with regards to VAT, tax etc. on exporting and importing, may change and this will provide us with an opportunity to re-educate our clients on the new system and hopefully give our own business a boost.

Q: Have you any unfulfilled ambitions?

Not really. ASM has done fantastically well since it launched back in 1995 and today stands as one of the biggest accountancy firms in Ireland – for which

I am very proud to work for. Outside of work I was involved in the 2012 London Olympics as a volunteer and really enjoyed this experience. However, with a young family at home Rio was just too far away to even think about repeating that experience this year.

Q: How does the future look for ASM? The future is very bright for ASM. We have a fantastic group of people, from the senior management at the top of the organization, to the newest trainees who have just started with the firm.

Everyone plays their part in helping to drive the firm forward. Although we have come a long way, we are in no means sitting back on our laurels, as a management team we want to continue to provide clients with top quality service and advice and are continually seeking new ways of doing this.

To contact Alistair Cooke,Director, ASM Chartered Accountants, email: Alistair.cooke@asmdungannon.com or call 028 8772 2139 www.asmaccountants.com

Eye on Forensic Accountancy

As Harbinson Mulholland prepare to celebrate their 3000th forensic case, the team give us a rare insight into their work as the “detectives of the accounting world�

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Eye on Forensic Accountancy

Our Life in Crime

Some of the old jokes might be unfair, but even the happiest accountant might just admit that his or her profession isn’t always viewed as the most exciting one around.

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ut there’s an arm of the profession which defies the traditional image of the number-crunching accountant.

Forensic accounting involves its specialist practitioners in a mixture of fascinating scenarios where ‘normal’ accountants wouldn’t expect to find themselves.

In the wake of numerous corporate scandals, the work of Forensic Accountants has been brought

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to the fore and demand for their specialist skills has greatly increased.

Playing a critical role in financial investigations, these experts provide independent scrutiny in cases such as fraud and money laundering, shareholder disputes, medical negligence and uncovering assets in divorce cases, to name but a few.

At Harbinson Mulholland’s Belfast office, there’s a specialist Criminal and Commercial Department where a team of accountants work on a wide variety of cases on any given week, ranging from the most complex of financial-based court cases to disputes between companies and just about anything in between.

Any matter, in fact, where the expert views of a professional accountant can be useful.... and that covers a lot of ground.

The Harbinson Mulholland unit is headed by Partner Brendan Dwyer and Senior Manager Vincent Bradley, two men with a wealth of experience across a range of forensic accounting cases.

Both came from a traditional accounting background. Brendan qualified with a leading firm before spending a few years in the automotive industry, an element of direct commercial experience that he says has been invaluable in his current role as a forensic accountant.

Vincent trained with one of the Big Four accountancy firms and initially worked in audit before moving on to specialise at Harbinson Mulholland in Criminal and Commercial work.

“There’s definitely an edge to it, two and sometimes three sides to every story, which sets this

kind of work apart. I enjoyed it right from the start,” he smiles.

Harbinson Mulholland’s Criminal and Commercial Department might find itself working on a variety of breach of contract cases, where loss of profit has resulted, or investigating cases where companies have been defrauded during procurement processes.

It will also act on either side in situations where either companies or individuals are being sued as a result of fraud or other actions.

“We are instructed to give an independent view” explains Brendan Dwyer. “And that can mean giving evidence in court.

We have a clear duty to the court to act as expert witnesses in matters of a financial nature.”

The Belfast-based team of

Eye on Forensic Accountancy

accountants have investigated smuggling cases and a wide variety of matters involving the proceeds of crime, including wellpublicised cases where individuals have been both convicted of defrauding local companies and found not guilty in court.

“What never ceases to amaze is that the people convicted of these offences come in all shapes and sizes and from every section of society...... there’s certainly no typical fraud suspect,” says Vincent Bradley.

Forensic accountants, in most matters, are engaged by legal teams working on cases if and when specialist financial investigation is required.....whether or not the case results in one of the accountants giving evidence in court.

“Before it even gets that far, we can be called in by businesses or individuals to take a look for suspected problems to either allay suspicions or assist in reporting to the relevant authorities. If need be, we can do an initial check quietly and effectively, and the business can decide based on our findings whether to take things further.”

While some cases result in a full court case and expert witness evidence, plenty of others are settled out of court, and in many cases, on the steps of the courthouse.

But between initial engagement

and any legal resolution, a lot of work can be carried out by the accountants. And not all of it involves a desk and a calculator.

Vincent Bradley remembers working on a commercial dispute where the team had to spend time at sea in a boat observing a niche business operation at first hand through a pair of binoculars. “There are times when we just have to see things for ourselves to form an opinion. That’s an extreme example, maybe, but it had to be done.”

Fraud cases around procurement can involve a little less practical legwork, but a lot of paperwork.

“With the amount of experience we get, we’re pretty adept a sifting through piles of invoices and other documents and at spotting the kind of problems that can tell a story,” adds Brendan Dwyer.

Common fraud areas include fraudulent procurement processes, where the correct systems might appear to be in place to ensure fair competition, but tenders always seem to end up with one or two suppliers.

But forensic accountants can find themselves being asked to get involved in criminal cases well outside of the world of normal day to day business.

Brendan Dwyer investigated a business in England in a case

where one of Northern Ireland’s most notorious murderers of recent years was convicted. He was also involved on a fraud case involving a very famous rock star.

“We can be pulled into all sorts of cases, from fairly straightforward frauds to the most complex and time consuming of criminal cases.”

The Harbinson Mulholland Criminal and Commercial team can call upon specialist colleagues elsewhere in the firm... and regularly do so. “If we need advice on tax or insolvency matters, we’ll ask one of our colleagues to help,” says Brendan.

“And I’ll not be standing up in court to give evidence on complex tax issues.

I would be found out fairly quickly!”

That said, Harbinson Mulholland was involved in one of the largest tax evasion cases to take place in Northern Ireland over recent years.

“Our aim isn’t just to investigate financial matters. We also set out to add value to any cases that we’re involved in, even when it can mean wading through box after box of documents and files. Whatever the case, the quality of work that we provide is very important to us.

“Discovery can be the most important element of any case. This business is all about getting the right information to be able to work with.

Without that, it just wouldn’t be possible. So the whole discovery side of things can take up a lot of time.

“Sometimes, we have to ask for information that is commercially sensitive but that’s the nature of our work.”

Both Brendan Dwyer and Vincent Bradley have found themselves working on cases, and acting as expert witnesses, well outside of Northern Ireland, from the Republic to GB, and as far afield as Denmark and even Brazil.

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Eye on Forensic Accountancy

“ We enjoy working with a leading organisation such as the IFA and it is a relationship we value very much.”

And for something entirely different, as well as their investigative work, Brendan and his team also work alongside the Irish Football Association (the IFA) as part of the club licensing process.

As part of their application for a licence, all local clubs submit certain financial information to the IFA which Harbinson Mulholland then assess against a financial criteria set by both the IFA and UEFA. “We enjoy working with a leading organisation such as the IFA and it is a relationship we value very much” says Brendan, who also sits on the IFA Club Licensing Committee which grants licences to local clubs to play in both domestic and European competitions.

In conclusion, Brendan says “I suppose it’s fair to say that we take a forensic approach to everything we do. We tend to look at things a little differently than most accountants. Our mind-set is different.

“Of course we have to understand the figures and situations very quickly. However it’s also essential to understand the why and how behind the events along with the personalities at play. That’s crucial in this job.

And naturally, we’re all team players”

For more information on the work of Harbinson Mulholland’s Forensic Team please visit www.harbinson-mulholland.com

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Eye on Forensic Accountancy

The HM Personal Injury Team Cool, calm and collected are words which could easily be used to describe Dearbhail Beatty, Jeremy Harbinson and their forensic team, as they work across the highly complex and specialised area of Personal Injury and Fatal Accident Claims.

T

he Personal Injury Team use their expertise to quantify the extent of financial loss as a result of injury or accident. This can include assessing loss of earnings, loss of pension or loss of dependency in the case of loss of life.

The team are often involved in

cases of compensation arising from road traffic accidents, as well as cases involving accidents at work, medical negligence or cases coming from criminal injury claims.

Representing both claimant and defendants in claims, the highly experienced team also

work on behalf of Insurance Companies and have to maintain an understanding of legal principles relating to personal injury law, as well as reading medical evidence and liaising with other experts such as doctors, nursing care experts and employment experts.

The Personal Injury team is made up of (from L to R) Wendy McGrath, Dearbhail Beatty, Nora Tallon, Jeremy Harbinson and Shree Burns, who along with the rest of the HM Forensic team have built a reputation for providing fast, clear and concise reports to the Legal Profession.

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Eye on Forensic Accountancy

Analysing the Financial Side of Matrimonial Disputes Even in the most amicable of divorces, dividing assets can be difficult, and more so when a business is involved and for individuals with complex financial portfolios.

P

roviding a valuation of business assets, advising on liquidity and potential means of extracting funds are some of the key ways in which the HM Forensic Team can be involved in advising legal teams. In determining income, not only do they need to have a keen eye for not only what financial records show, but also what they don’t. The work of

The HM Forensic Partners Brendan Dwyer, Dearbhail Beatty and Jeremy Harbinson 36

HM’s experts can involve tracing and evaluating assets and in some cases, they can also be involved in restructuring businesses as a result of matrimonial dispute In addition, there are often tax considerations involved in divorce settlements and the team advise individuals from both a personal and corporate tax perspective.

The Forensic Team call on our

wider advisory team on many occasions and in those cases involving divorce, our tax and corporate reconstruction teams are often called to marry their specialist skills with our forensic expertise.

Our Matrimonial Team is led by Jeremy Harbinson and Brendan Dwyer alongside Paul Mulholland, Noel Lavery, Joan Rice and Brendan McGuckin.

To contact the team call 028 9044 5100 or visit Harbinsonmulholland.com for more information.

Eye on Enterprise

The Challenges Of Business Start-Up “I

started JK Training Solutions in Ballymena in 1998, establishing myself as a provider of Sage Software Training. The training specialises in Sage 50 Accounts, Sage CIS (Construction Industry Scheme), Sage Project Costing and Sage Payroll which now can include the Auto-Enrolment Pension Module. Over the last 18 years, I have built a strong reputation for work of an exceptionally high standard and invested significant time in ensuring that the products and services I deliver are tailored to the needs of my customers, providing both on-site and classroom based training and advice.

In recent years, the marketplace has undoubtedly become “ That is one of the much more competitive, reasons I joined FSB… with new entrants I want to play my part offering off-the-shelf in highlighting the packages that simply don’t match the potentially negative quality of the bespoke impacts of policies solutions I offer. The such as quarterly requirements of tax reporting on employers have also small businesses, become more advanced, as they are now looking as well as lobbying for a more detailed for a reduction in reporting capacity on unnecessary red tape various aspects of their that does nothing to business activities. I enhance productivity know that the best way for them to or profitability achieve this is through but simply wastes a detailed analysis of precious resources their financial accounts, that could be more and I can provide solutions to achieve constructively their objectives through utilised.” software products and appropriate training.

Changes in expectations from employers have required specialist providers like me to invest significantly

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in new software, upgrades to existing programmes and continuous developments to training services.

Responding to legislative changes, such as Auto-Enrolment, has also increased the demands on our services, and creates a tension that is hard to resolve, i.e. how to remain competitive in a crowded market without compromising on the quality of service provided to our clients. I am extremely fortunate to have a catalogue of customers who not only return regularly with repeat business, but also pass on invaluable recommendations to others, promoting my business and the value of what I do throughout their networks.

When I survey the environment and consider the role of government in supporting small businesses to survive through times of economic stress and uncertainty, I believe that more could and should be done to support firms like mine to prepare themselves effectively for changes in the regulatory landscape that will impact on their bottom line.

Pension Auto-Enrolment is an obvious example, as many businesses have struggled to grapple with the new legislative requirements placed upon them, and to make informed decisions about the best options for them in what is a highly complex area. Most people are so focussed on running their business that they have neither the time nor the capacity to navigate the vast array of products on the market that appear to offer the ‘best’ solution for them, and often end up choosing the one that is recommended by someone else, or is the least expensive. Short term savings may, however, be outweighed by longer term costs if mistakes are made at the crucial stage of choosing a pension provider that is appropriate for your business.

Difficult as those changes might

be, it is the hidden costs of regulation that can be the most challenging for employers, as it often seems like those making government policy fail to even consider the potential impact on small businesses. That is one of the reasons I joined FSB. I wanted to be part of the collective voice of thousands of members who together can challenge and hold government to account for the decisions they make. I want to play my part in highlighting the potentially negative impacts of policies such as quarterly tax reporting on small businesses, as well as lobbying for a reduction in unnecessary red tape that does nothing to enhance productivity or profitability but simply wastes precious resources that could be more constructively utilised.

Fundamentally, my personal goal mirrors FSB’s, in striving every day to help smaller businesses to achieve their ambitions.”

Enter at utvawards.businesseye.co.uk ENTRY DEADLINE - FRIDAY 21ST OCTOBER

Eye on Awards

UTV Business Eye Awards 2016 CATEGORIES AND SPONSORS Business Personality of the Year SPONSORED BY

The Northern-Ireland based business personality who in the opinion of the judging panel has contributed most to the local business sector and the local economy as a whole in the last 12 months.

Tourism/Hospitality Project of the Year SPONSORED BY

Company of the Year

SPONSORED BY

The Northern Ireland-based private sector company which has made the biggest positive impact across the spectrum over the past 12 month period in the view of the judges‌.for reasons which may include business and/or employment growth, acquisitions or other deals, export achievement, etc.

Employer of the Year

SPONSORED BY

The individual project within Northern Ireland which, in the view of the panel, has done most to raise standards in the hospitality industry and to attract

The Northern Ireland company or organisation which, in the view of the judges, has done the most to create a balanced, satisfying and fulfilling working

more tourists to the region.

environment for its employees.

Young Business Personality of the Year SPONSORED BY

This brand new category sets out to identify the achievements of Northern Ireland’s young (35 years old or under) entrepreneurs and business leaders, with entrants able to demonstrate clear achievement and dynamism in their chosen field.

Fast Growth Business of the Year SPONSORED BY

The Northern Ireland-based business of any size which can demonstrate a substantial growth in sales/turnover and/ or employment levels over the past 12-18 months.

International Award

SPONSORED BY

This award is open to organisations trading internationally from Northern Ireland, and will recognise the most important achievement/ contribution by such a company outside of Northern Ireland during the period, whether in terms of export sales, overseas expansion/ investment or acquisition.

SME Award

SPONSORED BY

The small to medium-sized enterprise (up to 100 employees) which, in the opinion of the judges, can demonstrate significant business growth over the past year to 18 months across any sector of the local economy.

Eye on Awards

Best Digital/Online Company of the Year

Enter now utvawards.businesseye.co.uk Entry Deadline - Friday 21st October

Business Marketing Award SPONSORED BY

Foreign Direct Investment Project of the Year Award SPONSORED BY

The company or organisation which has demonstrated the most successful and most innovative use of online/digital technology to advance its business aims. Entrants can include organisations which have successfully adapted to online/digital from more traditional foundations as well as pure online/ digital enterprises.

Agri Food Innovation Award SPONSORED BY

Research and Development Project of the Year SPONSORED BY

Open to companies in all sectors of the local business community, this award sets out to recognise and showcase the organisation which best uses marketing - including advertising, PR or the strategic use of digital platforms and social media to enhance business performance across the board.

A new category for the UTV Business Eye Awards 2015 recognising the recent foreign direct investment project which, in the opinion of the judging panel, has brought the most benefit, in terms of employment or other relevant factors, to the wider Northern Ireland economy and business community.

A new award category reflecting the strength and growth of the NI agrifood and food processing sectors.

The awards sets out to recognise the organisation which can demonstrate outstanding innovation in a sector where innovation is crucial to business sector. Evidence of commerical success or commercial potential as a result of innovation should be demonstrated.

Open to companies and organisations which can show clear evidence of an innovative research and development project either on an in-house basis or on behalf of clients.

Lifetime Achievement Award

Most Innovative Company of the Year

Waste Reduction Project of The Year Award

Outstanding Leadership & Management Award

SPONSORED BY

The Lifetime Achievement Award will honour a leading personality from the wider Northern Ireland business community who has made a significant and lasting contribution to business and the economy in the region.

SPONSORED BY

SPONSORED BY

SPONSORED BY

With innovation at the heart of many NI-based enterprises, this award sets out to recognise the organisation which, in the

Aimed at the increasing number of local companies making a contribution to the environment by reducing commercial and industrial waste. Entrants must outline evidence of how

A new award recognising exemplary leadership and/or management as demonstrated by a leading individual or by a management team. The achievements of the organisation

view of the judges, exemplifies best practice in product and/ or service innovation.

substantial waste reduction has been achieved by a single project over the past 12 months.

and the contribution of the specific manager or team must be clearly demonstrated.

Eye on Communications

Security threats and challenges are all around the business world. The level of cyber-attacks on our phone and IT networks has never been greater so their is a need for business irrespective of size, to respond and ‘tool up’ accordingly to protect against these threats. Whilst there is an associated cost with this, the key question to ask is what would it cost your business (and reputation) if you fell foul of such an attack!

How safe is your business?

By Stuart Carson, Rainbow Communications

P

hone system fraud, as we have referenced previously in this publication, is becoming more frequent and sophisticated but with some relatively simple measures you can reduced your exposure considerably. SIP (Session Initiated Protocol) Trunk Security protects your phone system from attack and also limits the costs considerably if an attack occur. It can quickly interrupt a hack and cut down significantly on spend limits by quickly barring calls. Furthermore, SIP Trunk Security can block known fraud in ‘at risk’ countries so that the threat does not even reach your telecoms network in the first place.

Firewall Protection The battle continues to rage in the IT world in the effort to keep businesses safe. Whilst antivirus software helps to protect the file system against unwanted programs, a firewall helps to keep attackers or

external threats from gaining access to your systems in the first place.

A firewall monitors all the traffic entering your computer network.

A two-way firewall does a double duty and monitors the traffic exiting your network as well. Information is sent over networks in ‘packets’.

Those ‘packets’ are what the firewall investigates to determine if there’s something they contain that could potentially be hazardous to your network. Even as the sender you can transmit something harmful, without knowing it, which is why it’s important to have a firewall police the traffic on your network.

Other threats travel from computer to computer without the users knowledge. They find computers that have lower security settings or unpatched vulnerabilities, and insert themselves onto that system without the user ever knowing it happened. Worms and Trojan horses, often known as “bots”, travel this way.

Keylogger Attackers will often try to steal personal information for the purposes of financial fraud. All of this activity takes place in the background without the user knowing what is happening. Having firewall security will reduce the risk of ‘keyloggers’ monitoring your activities. A keylogger is spyware software that cybercriminals try to put on your computer so they can target your keystrokes. Once installed they can identify what you’re typing and where your typing it, then they can use the same information to do the same thing.

This knowledge can help them log in to your private online accounts.

There are two basic types of firewalls: client firewalls and appliance firewalls. A client firewall is software that resides on the computer itself and monitors all of the network traffic on that computer. An appliance firewall is a hardware device that is connected between the Internet and your computer. These devices are often used in network environments where several computers need to share the same Internet connection. The small routers that many people use in their offices and homes usually have built-in firewalls, so if you use a router make sure it has a firewall.

Next gen...

Both types of firewalls can keep the attackers from gaining unwanted access to your computer. Business user who travel should always have a client firewall installed on their system. You don’t want to take any chances when you are connected to the Internet away from the office or home.

Already we are at the ‘Nextgeneration’ firewall stage which combine the capabilities of traditional firewalls including packet filtering, network address translation (NAT), URL blocking and virtual private networks (VPNs) -- with Quality of Service (QoS) functionality and features not traditionally found in firewall products. So there’s no really no excuse. Cyber-crime is on the increase so we all need to up our security levels and protocols to protect our business assets and reputation or they could disappear... in an instant!

Rainbow Communications info@rainbowcomms.com 0800 018 8082 www.rainbowcomms.com.

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Eye on Travel

Brian Ambrose

On Course For Another Record Year 44

Eye on Travel Airports and air travel are rarely out of the news for too long here in Northern Ireland, and that’s something Brian Ambrose is all too aware of. But the Chief Executive of George Best Belfast City Airport seems relaxed amidst the furore surrounding Stormont bail-outs for both City of Derry Airport and one of the key routes up the road at Belfast International.

“I

t’s none of my business,” he says simply. “But that’s not to say that I haven’t been a bit surprised by what’s been happening.”

And relaxed he might be. Belfast City Airport logged a record year in 2015 and 2016 will surpass that. “We’re in good shape. We’ve just been through a refinancing process and our shareholder is very happy with the solid growth that we’ve produced as a business.”

Currently owned by Eiser Infrastructure Partners, which bought the airport from Ferrovial, Belfast City looks set to change hands again, although any new owner has not yet been confirmed.

On the business front, Brian Ambrose says that the airport’s ‘game plan’ is working. “Traditionally, we’ve concentrated on a domestic route network but that has changed. In more recent times, we’ve expanded our European network, starting out with sunshine routes, building up our international infrastructure and then moving towards inter-city services.

“We now have the KLM Amsterdam route well established and doing very well alongside the new Brussels Airlines service to the Belgian capital,” he says. “And we’ve got firm plans to increase the number of European routes...or city pairs, as we call them.”

The airport’s Commercial and Marketing Director, Katy Best, was in China recently at the annual World Routes event, where airports from across the world assemble to meet with airlines and discuss future air route development opportunities. Katy and the team played a key role in Belfast City Council and Invest NI’s successful bid to bring Routes Europe to Belfast in April 2017.

Brian Ambrose says that the presence of the International Airlines Group (IAG) as one of the main operators at

Belfast City is important. British Airways and Aer Lingus (both owned by IAG) provide London, and in Aer Lingus’ case, European services. The group also owns Iberia, Iberia Express and Vueling.

“Through IAG, we can seamlessly offer up to nine flights a day to and from London Heathrow and that’s a major part of our business.”

A priority this winter will be to replace the successful summer Aer Lingus sunshine routes with other leisure flights, and three direct ski routes are scheduled. Looking a bit further ahead, the new generation of aircraft, including the Bombardier C Series, opens up the possibility of direct year-round flights linking Belfast City Airport with the Canary Islands.

With regards to investment and infrastructure, the airport continuously invests in its facilities and retail offering for customers, with Starbucks recently announced as the latest addition to the Departure Lounge along with the creation of 25 new jobs.

“As the number of routes expands and passenger numbers grow, the retail offering we have at the airport has to develop. Passengers expect to have certain retail facilities available to them, and our job is to provide them.”

It might surprise some that there are some 35 different organisations represented at the airport now, from retailers through to car hire companies.

The next area to benefit from capital investment is likely to be car parking, which, at airports, is often a source of complaints from passengers.

“We know that airport car parking can be a problem, and we know that we’re going to have to spend money on

continuously improving our facilities,” says the Airport Chief Executive. He continued “That said, we have already invested in covered walkways from both our short and long stay car parks, and the distance from our car parks to the terminal building remain one of the shortest in Europe.”

“It’s a multi-faceted business and it certainly goes a whole lot further than just making sure that we’ve got plenty of routes to offer our passengers.”

Brian Ambrose tries not to show his irritation when the thorny old subject of Northern Ireland’s three airports comes up.

“Look, it’s like this,” he says. “Of course we don’t need three airports.

But we have three airports. When you have a Tesco and Sainsbury’s close to one another, does anyone suggest that one should be closed down?

“If someone really wants to close us down and concentrate all the Belfast flights at the International Airport, they’d need to produce a cheque for north of £100 million for our owners first. Then, once they’d bought this place, they could close it. But it wouldn’t make a lot of business sense, and they’d need to think of the 1,600 people on site as well.

So it’s all a bit of a fantasy, isn’t it?”

Ambrose is also keen to lay to rest the myth that Belfast can be compared directly with Dublin on the airport front......even if our two main airports were to combine. “We’re comparable in size terms to an airport like Bristol.

Dublin is the same size as an airport like Manchester. That’s a big difference.

“Comparing Belfast with Dublin simply doesn’t work. Dublin is a capital city with a well-developed airport offering a range of long-haul flights -

so it’s not comparing like with like.”

If British Airways’ return to Belfast is one obvious measure of success for the airport, others include the success of Flybe’s route linking Belfast City with London City Airport. “We tried the route a few years ago and it didn’t work out,” says Brian Ambrose.

“But the new route has been a big success to the extent that it could soon become a five flights a day service.”

While routes come and go, Ambrose says that his role is clear cut. “I’m here to grow the bottom line,” he says simply. “That’s what I’m paid to do.

And I think all of us here have put a fair amount of energy into growing that bottom line over recent years.

“This really isn’t a complex business. We have to invest each year and we have to try to grow all the time. But we’ve got a great location and we’ve managed to do the best we can with it over the years.”

George Best Belfast City Airport has an enviable record when it comes to its links with the community, and under Director of Human Resources and Corporate Responsibility, Michelle Hatfield’s leadership, the airport’s community links continue to strengthen.

It’s held up as a pioneer of a successful apprenticeship programme which has led to young people from the airport’s East Belfast hinterland being trained for employment in various roles at the airport such as trainee firefighters or within retail and food outlets, but also externally.

“The biggest contribution to our community that we can make is to create jobs,” says Brian Ambrose. “We’ve always seen ourselves as being part of our community, and it’s important that we keep our strong community links intact.”

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Eye on News

Electric Ireland Wins Contract With The Merchant Hotel Electric Ireland today announced that it has won the energy contract to power The Merchant Hotel, part of the Beannchor Group and one of Belfast’s oldest Grade A listed buildings dating back to 1857, which was awarded Northern Ireland’s first and only AA 5 Red Star hotel rating.

E

lectric Ireland currently supplies a number of premises within the Beannchor Group, a company which has played a significant role in the regeneration of the hospitality sector in Northern Ireland and has recently announced an investment of £4m in a new tech-savvy hotel ‘Bullitt’ creating 100 new jobs.

The new dual fuel contract, worth £228k, will see Electric Ireland provide The Merchant Hotel with 1.8Gwh’s of electricity and 2,352,000kwh’s of gas per annum and the opportunity to access smart technology to review consumption on a daily basis, maximising their energy efficiency.

Commenting on the contract, Electric Ireland’s Business Markets Manager, Tony Dunlea said, “Electric Ireland has a long and established presence of providing flexible and targeted products and services for businesses across

Northern Ireland and our team has a deep understanding of the bespoke needs and challenges of all industry sectors. It is those insights, the ability to adapt and our competitive approach that supports our strategy of building market share and helps grow strong partnerships with customers such as the Beannchor Group.

“A key commitment of Electric Ireland is to support the growth of the Northern Ireland economy and we see our competitive and tailored energy provision to Beannchor Group venues, which are making such a significant socio-economic contribution, as being integral to that.

Kevin Reilly, Group Procurement Manager, Beannchor Group commented, “To help enhance and grow our businesses it is vital that we have an energy supplier that can support all of our needs and is able to provide us with a flexible and competitive energy offering.

“In Electric Ireland we have that trusted supplier. They have the knowledge, surety of supply and through their on-line monitoring service they are providing us with the opportunity to consistently assess and review how we can improve our energy efficiency.

“The Beannchor Group is rightly proud of the role that The Merchant plays both attracting people locally and internationally and we are also

very excited about the development of our new hotel, Bullitt, which we believe will add a new dimension to Belfast City Centre.”

For further information about Electric Ireland visit www.electricireland.com or follow us @ElecIrelandNI www.facebook.com/ElectricIrelandNI

Bubbles to your Bash in a Prosecco Call off the search! It’s finally here…Bubbly Bar – Northern Ireland’s first mobile Champagne & Prosecco Bar.

T

he bespoke built ‘Bubbly Bar’ is a vision of black and copper making it a classy addition to any occasion – and what occasion would really be complete without a glass of fizz in hand?

Set up by local businesswoman, Alex Megarry (27), Bubbly Bar is available to hire for weddings, parties and corporate events, offering a unique sparkling reception for your guests.

Alex commented, “Prosecco’s popularity has continued to rise, adding a touch of luxury to an event without the unaffordable price tag. Trying to get a glass of it in at an outside event however is a different story and that’s exactly how Bubbly Bar was born. Being

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mobile means we can go to wherever you are, in a garden, a marquee or outside your wedding venue.

Brides crave something new and fun at their reception and with the sweetie carts and photo-booths having done the rounds; Bubbly Bar provides a refreshing alternative.”

For more information and to book Bubbly Bar for your event you can contact Alex Megarry at alex@bubblybar.com or visit the website for all social media links www.bubblybar.com

Eye on Legal 500

LEGAL 500... The Leading Individuals Overview

Although Northern Ireland remains part of the United Kingdom, its Northern Ireland Executive and the 108-member Northern Ireland Assembly operate with limited autonomy under partdevolution. The province has its own distinct legal system.

E

conomic recovery has been the driving force behind many of the Assembly’s legislative and policy reforms, although growth remains modest. As part of these efforts and its wider strategy to reduce the dependency on public spending, the government took the decision in late 2015 to reduce corporation tax from the UK-wide 20% rate to 12.5% in a bid to attract greater foreign direct investment.

The change is due to come into force in 2018.

Law firms have noted a rise in M&A activity, driven in large part by the sale of distressed loan portfolios and private equity investments. Although the overall value of deals in Northern Ireland throughout 2015 increased, although the number of deals did decrease.

Leading individuals

Commercial property

Corporate and M&A

Banking and finance

Phyllis Agnew Tughans

Richard Gray Carson McDowell LLP

Tom Adair Carson McDowell LLP

Rosemary Carson Carson McDowell LLP

Michael Johnston Carson McDowell LLP

Judith Brown A&L Goodbody

Kathryn Collie Cleaver Fulton Rankin

Paul McBride Pinsent Masons Belfast LLP

Stephen Cross Cleaver Fulton Rankin

Jeremy Hill Carson McDowell LLP

Kevin McVeigh Elliott Duffy Garrett

Avril McCammon John McKee Solicitors

Jim Houston Cleaver Fulton Rankin

Neasa Quigley Carson McDowell LLP

Kieran McGarrigle Arthur Cox Belfast

Peter McCall Millar McCall Wylie LLP

Peter Stafford A&L Goodbody

Sinead McGrath Carson McDowell LLP

John Mills Tughans

Alan Taylor Arthur Cox Belfast

Kevin McVeigh Elliott Duffy Garrett

Tracey Schofield Tughans

Mark Thompson A&L Goodbody

Fearghal O’Loan Tughans

Mark Tinman C & H Jefferson

John-George Willis Tughans

Rowan White Arthur Cox Belfast

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Standout firms include Tughans, Cleaver Fulton Rankin and Carson McDowell LLP, which merged with defendant insurance firm McCloskeys Solicitors in October 2015, strengthening the firm’s disputes capability. Other key players include A&L Goodbody and Arthur Cox Belfast, both of which have historical origins in Dublin, and Pinsent Masons Belfast LLP, which benefits from the firm’s footprint across the UK and globally.

Eye on Legal 500

LEGAL 500... The Leading Individuals Construction

Energy

Personal injury: claimant

Michael McCord Tughans

Stephen Cross Cleaver Fulton Rankin

Oonagh McClure Thompsons NI Solicitors

Andrea McIlroy-Rose Pinsent Masons Belfast LLP

Richard Murphy Pinsent Masons Belfast LLP

Ernie Telford McCartan Turkington Breen

Andrew Ryan TLT Dispute Resolution

Mark Thompson A&L Goodbody

Brendan Fox A&L Goodbody

Personal injury: defendant Peter Campbell BLM

Catriona Gibson Arthur Cox Belfast

IT and Telecoms

Hugh McGrattan Carson McDowell LLP

Gareth Jones C & H Jefferson

Paul McBride Pinsent Masons Belfast LLP

Roger McMillan Carson McDowell LLP

David Kirkpatrick Pinsent Masons Belfast LLP

Adrian O’Connell Tughans

Amanda Wylie Kennedys

Michael McCord Tughans

Insolvency and Corporate Recovery

Personal tax, trusts and probate

Paul Spring Mills Selig

Jeanette Donohoe Cleaver Fulton Rankin

Neil Bleakley Carson McDowell LLP

Amanda Wylie Kennedys

John Gordon Napier and Sons

Michael Graham Cleaver Fulton Rankin

John Kearns Mills Selig

Stewart Nash Elliott Duffy Garrett

Declan Magee Carson McDowell LLP

Employment

Kieran McGarrigle Arthur Cox Belfast

Anna Beggan Tughans

Toby McMurray Tughans

Planning and environment

Adam Brett Jones Cassidy Brett Solicitors

Michael Neill A&L Goodbody

Karen Blair Cleaver Fulton Rankin

Rosemary Connolly Rosemary Connolly Solicitors

Gary McGhee Carson McDowell LLP

Beverley Jones Jones Cassidy Brett Solicitors

Intellectual Property

Orlagh O’Neill Carson McDowell LLP

Paul McBride Pinsent Masons Belfast LLP

Project finance and PFI

Paul Spring Mills Selig

Gerard Armstrong Carson McDowell LLP

Alan Taylor Arthur Cox Belfast

Adrian Eakin Pinsent Masons Belfast LLP Mark Thompson A&L Goodbody

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Eye on Legal 500

LEGAL 500... Specialists At The Top Of Their Game *Firms are listed A-Z within tiers CORPORATE AND COMMERCIAL

DISPUTE RESOLUTION

FINANCE

Corporate and M&A

Dispute resolution

Banking and finance

1

A&L Goodbody

1

A&L Goodbody

1

A&L Goodbody

Arthur Cox Belfast

Arthur Cox Belfast

Arthur Cox Belfast

Carson McDowell LLP

Carson McDowell LLP

Carson McDowell LLP

Tughans

Cleaver Fulton Rankin

John McKee Solicitors

2

Cleaver Fulton Rankin

Pinsent Masons Belfast LLP

Tughans

Millar McCall Wylie LLP

Tughans

2

Cleaver Fulton Rankin

Mills Selig

2

C & H Jefferson

Millar McCall Wylie LLP

Pinsent Masons Belfast LLP

Elliott Duffy Garrett

Pinsent Masons Belfast LLP

3

C & H Jefferson

Johnsons Solicitors

3

C & H Jefferson

Elliott Duffy Garrett

Kennedys

Elliott Duffy Garrett

Johnsons Solicitors

Millar McCall Wylie LLP

TLT

Mills Selig

3

John McKee Solicitors

Insolvency and corporate recovery

Napier and Sons

1

A&L Goodbody

TLT

Arthur Cox Belfast

2

Cleaver Fulton Rankin

John McKee Solicitors

Napier and Sons

HUMAN RESOURCES Employment

50

1

A&L Goodbody

Arthur Cox Belfast

Carson McDowell LLP

Jones Cassidy Brett Solicitors

Thompsons NI Solicitors

PRIVATE CLIENT

Tughans

Personal tax, trusts and probate

2

Cleaver Fulton Rankin

1

Carson McDowell LLP

Elliott Duffy Garrett

Cleaver Fulton Rankin

Pinsent Masons Belfast LLP

Elliott Duffy Garrett

Rosemary Connolly Solicitors

Millar McCall Wylie LLP

Thompsons NI Solicitors

2

Arthur Cox Belfast

3

John McKee Solicitors

John McKee Solicitors

McCartan Turkington Breen

Mills Selig

Millar McCall Wylie LLP

Mills Selig

Tughans 3

C & H Jefferson

Carson McDowell LLP

4

Elliott Duffy Garrett

Millar McCall Wylie LLP

Mills Selig

Pinsent Masons Belfast LLP

Eye on Legal 500

LEGAL 500... Specialists At The Top Of Their Game *Firms are listed A-Z within tiers INSURANCE

Project finance and PFI

Personal injury and clinical

1

Arthur Cox Belfast

Planning and environment

Pinsent Masons Belfast LLP

1

Carson McDowell LLP

2

A&L Goodbody

Cleaver Fulton Rankin

Carson McDowell LLP

2

Arthur Cox Belfast

negligence: claimant 1

McCartan Turkington Breen

Thompsons NI Solicitors

Personal injury and clinical

Tughans

negligence: defendant 1 BLM Kennedys 2

Arthur Cox Belfast

Carson McDowell LLP

John McKee Solicitors

Tughans 3

C & H Jefferson

Lacey Solicitors

McCartan Turkington Breen

McKinty and Wright

Napier and Sons

Projects, Energy & Natural Resources Energy 1

A&L Goodbody

Carson McDowell LLP

Pinsent Masons Belfast LLP

2

Arthur Cox Belfast

Cleaver Fulton Rankin

Mills Selig

TLT

REAL ESTATE

Tughans 3

A&L Goodbody

Pinsent Masons Belfast LLP

TLT

Commercial property 1

Arthur Cox Belfast

A&L Goodbody

TMT(Technology, Media & Telecoms)

Arthur Cox Belfast

IT and telecoms

Carson McDowell LLP

1

Arthur Cox Belfast

Cleaver Fulton Rankin

Carson McDowell LLP

Pinsent Masons Belfast LLP

Cleaver Fulton Rankin

Tughans

Pinsent Masons Belfast LLP

2

C & H Jefferson

2

A&L Goodbody

Elliott Duffy Garrett

Forde Campbell LLC

Millar McCall Wylie LLP

Tughans

3

John McKee Solicitors

Mills Selig

Intellectual property 1

A&L Goodbody

Arthur Cox Belfast

Construction

Carson McDowell LLP

1

A&L Goodbody

Pinsent Masons Belfast LLP

Arthur Cox Belfast

Tughans

Carson McDowell LLP

2

Cleaver Fulton Rankin

Cleaver Fulton Rankin

Forde Campbell LLC

Pinsent Masons Belfast LLP

3

Mills Selig

TLT

Tughans

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Eye on Legal 500

Pinsent Masons ranked No.1 in UK by Legal 500 International law firm Pinsent Masons has achieved more Tier 1 rankings in the Legal 500 UK – and been recommended for more areas of practice – than any other firm in this year’s guide.

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he firm have been recommended as Top Tier in 74 practice areas across the UK, in addition to being recommended in some 98 practice areas. The UK rankings complement a number of Top Tier and ‘recommended’ practices across the Legal 500 EMEA and Asia Pacific guides.

From their Waterfront offices in the Soloist Building in the heart of the legal quarter, over 60 feeearners service a strong cohort of clients in Northern Ireland, whilst

still playing an integral part in teams supporting international projects.

Partner & Head of the Belfast Office Paul McBride said, “We are delighted to be the top ranked firm in the UK Legal 500 as it goes to the heart of our business model.

As Northern Ireland businesses seek to compete in an ever more global marketplace, they need a business advisory sector that can support that ambition.

“Pinsent Masons has supported some of the regions most landmark deals in recent times

including Kaino’s £161m IPO on the LSE, the £200m investment ‘Gas to the West’ project and sale of 6 major retail parks including Junction 1 & The Outlet.

“Backed by the strength-indepth of 1700 lawyers in 21 offices worldwide, we can deliver specialised advice on the widest range of matters. To come out top in Legal 500 rankings across the firm is a tremendous achievement and we are delighted to have played our part in such success.”

ARTHUR COX COVERS ALL THE BASES Arthur Cox has been ranked across all legal areas for Northern Ireland, and has achieved coveted Top-Tier rankings in all core areas including: Corporate and M&A; Dispute resolution; Banking and finance; Insolvency and corporate recovery; Employment; Project finance and PFI; Commercial property; Construction; IT and telecoms; and Intellectual property.

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elcoming the publication, Arthur Cox Managing Partner, Catriona Gibson, said: “This is a first-class set of results for Arthur Cox in Northern Ireland, which demonstrates the depth and breadth of our work. It’s fantastic to have

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been awarded Top-Tier status across so many practice areas and to be ranked in every area of law in Northern Ireland. I am extremely proud of the professionalism and dedication of my colleagues that has been recognised in these results.”

Catriona Gibson with Alan Taylor, Chairman of Arthur Cox, when Catriona was announced as Managing Partner earlier this year.

Eye on Risk

3 Simple Steps to Protect your Business The risks to any business of a data breach are immense – a fine of up to £500,000, irreparable reputational damage, civil litigation, criminal prosecution as well as loss of clients and future business opportunities.

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ny smart business owner knows that a data breach is catastrophic for their business, and managing that risk has to be a key priority.

But what can you do? Surely data security is incredibly complex and expensive? Where do you even start?

Led by barrister Orlagh Kelly, the team at THINK Data Protection specialises in data protection compliance for the legal industry, and Orlagh tells us there are three key steps which can be taken by any business, regardless of their vertical, to reduce risk.

1. Put the right paperwork in place.

All businesses need to have the appropriate data protection paperwork. This will comprise multiple documents - data protection policies, both internal and external, data sharing and processing agreements with external organisations you work with, and internal registers to help maintain records, for example – ‘near miss’ records etc.

A law firm, for example, should have a general data protection policy for it’s website, as well as internal staff guidance on data protection, including mobile working policy. It should have internal registers to track any data breaches, or near misses, as well as staff training. It should have data processing agreements with suppliers such as the cloud hosting company, or the shredding company, and data sharing agreements with third parties it shares data with to deliver a service to clients – for example a barrister or an expert retained in a case.

The correct paperwork is simple to put in place – and it is an incredibly effective tool to minimise your risk.

It’s the first thing the ICO will ask to see if you have a data breach – so you need to have it in place now.

2. Train all Staff Annually The second thing the ICO asks for when you report a data breach is to see your staff training records.

Increasingly judgments handed down by the ICO where it has found fault with a business or organisation, has been less about the human error which led to the data breach, and more to do with the fact that staff had not been trained properly, or in some cases, at all.

Recently a local Health and Social Care Trust investigated by the ICO as a result of a member of staff having sent emails to the wrong email address. Upon investigation the ICO was extremely concerned that only 60% of staff had completed the required training. The ICO asked the Trust for a formal written undertaking that it would take a number of steps, one of which was, ensure all staff - including temporary staff, locums and volunteer - complete appropriate data protection training regularly.

Make sure all your staff are trained both generally in data protection and in your business’s data protection policies annually.

3. Appoint the right Data Protection Officer Every organisation must appoint a Data Protection Officer (DPO). This

role is key to protecting the the business from the consequences of the data breach and should not be taken lightly. There are a considerable number of responsibilities involved, and anyone in this role needs to be appropriately qualified with sufficient time available to allocate to this role.

A good DPO will ensure the correct paperwork is in place, take responsibility for organising staff training, manage subject access requests and ICO investigations, as well as being the ‘go to’ person within the business for data security advice. They will have a superior level of training and will keep their expertise current with regular top up training and attendance at data protection conferences and events.

For smaller businesses it’s worth considering paying an external Data Protection Officer to take on this role as you can access a high level of expertise at a much lower monthly cost to the business.

Those are 3 steps every business can take quickly and easily. Do not bury your head in the sand.

Successful businesses need to take action up front to protect themselves. This small investment in time will bring significant value further down the line in case of a data breach, preventing catastrophic consequences for the business – do not leave it until it is too late.

Orlagh Kelly BL

Think Data Protection specialise in helping law firms meet their regulatory obligations in data protection compliance.

To discuss your organisation’s data protection needs please email Orlagh@thinkdataprotection.com for a free consultation.

For more information visit www.thinkdataprotection.com

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Eye on Legal 500 Arthur Cox Steps Up To The Plate For Global Corporate Challenge Staff at leading law firm complete 22,886,053 steps and travel 9,101 miles in 100 days for charity

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taff at leading law firm Arthur Cox have walked a combined distance equivalent to that between Belfast and Perth, Australia, in 100 days to raise money for charity as part of a worldwide challenge.

Three teams of seven staff from the Belfast firm have completed the Global Corporate Challenge, which encourages professionals from leading businesses across the world to walk 10,000 steps per day for 100 days.

Over £1,000 was raised for Diabetes UK, Arthur Cox’s official charity partner, during the initiative.

The Arthur Cox teams completed a total of 22,886,053 steps between May 26th and September 2nd. They travelled 9,101 miles – almost the same distance as

Belfast to Perth – and burnt 924,817 calories in the process.

The Arthur Cox team that clocked up the highest number of steps was the Property team, which walked 3,246 miles.

David White, Chair of Arthur Cox’s CSR Committee, commented: “Once again the Global Corporate Challenge has caught the imagination of our staff, who have taken part enthusiastically in a bid to raise as much money as possible for Diabetes UK, our charity partner.

“Being able to monitor your progress so closely, and the fact that thousands of major companies across the world are joining us in taking part, makes the Global Corporate Challenge one of the highlights of our calendar of CSR events.

“Activities such as this not only help to raise money for a very worthwhile cause, but they also help to further enhance the team spirit enjoyed throughout the office. I’d like to congratulate the Property team on their success and commend all those who took part.”

During the last 12 years, over 2 million people across 185 countries have taken part in the Global Corporate Challenge programme, which aims to improve individuals’ relationship with exercise, nutrition, sleep and psychological wellbeing.

Samantha Moore, Matthew Howse and Gareth Planck, representatives from each of the three Arthur Cox teams that took part in the Global Corporate Challenge 2016

Arthur Cox is ranked as one of the leading law firms in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland by both Chambers and Legal 500 and currently advises Government, leading corporate clients and the SME sector. The firm employs over 90 people in Belfast with additional offices in Dublin, London, New York and Silicon Valley.

TUGHANS’ CLASS OF 2016

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elfast law firm Tughans has increased its investment in Northern Ireland’s legal infrastructure with the appointment of five new trainee solicitors. The latest recruits join the five-strong trainee cohort from last year and another five newly graduated solicitors who have just completed their training at the Institute of Professional Legal Studies.

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Law graduates (from left) Kerry Doran, Pauline Walker, Gavin Walker, Rochelle Martin and James Tracey will now embark on a comprehensive two-year external and internal programme which will embrace every practice area from commercial litigation to corporate law.

James Donnelly, Partner, Tughans, said, “Our recruitment focus at junior

level is on young people who are both highly talented and very ambitious.

We are committed to growing their skills in step with the firm and for the ultimate future benefit of our clients.”

“Investment in young trainees enables us to develop talent and achieve real depth right across our business. As well as providing a very dynamic and diverse training

programme for our graduates, these five new recruits will experience all nine of the legal areas we specialise in at Tughans during their two-year training contract.”

The five graduates went through a rigorous application and selection process which attracted a significant number of applicants.

Delivering Results

Contact us on

Phone: 02890200050 Web: www.mmwlegal.com Email: mmw@mmwlegal.com

Eastleigh House 396 Upper Newtownards Rd Belfast, BT4 3EY

Imperial House 4-10 Donegall Square East Belfast, BT1 5HD

Eye on Legal 500

LEGAL 500 RANKINGS CONFIRM CARSON MCDOWELL IS LEADING THE WAY Michael Johnston, Managing Partner at Belfastbased law firm Carson McDowell outlines why the firm has been recognised as a Top Tier Firm in more practice areas than any of its contemporaries in this year’s Legal 500.

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orthern Ireland’s law firms can only thrive if the companies we represent are also growing, recruiting and selling their products and services into new and expanding markets.

Carson McDowell has seen a healthy rise in turnover and profits in the past year and that is very much a reflection of the growth of our clients – which include both commercially sophisticated local business and high profile international clients operating in Northern Ireland.

But our success, we believe, is also a reflection of the people who work for the firm and our policy of hiring the best talent. It is refreshing therefore to see the efforts of the people at the heart of

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the firm being recognised in such a prestigious listing as The Legal 500.

The Legal 500 directory is an independent series which is widely regarded as the world’s largest legal referral guide. Over four million users visit The Legal 500 website each year, where firms and individuals are recommended purely on merit. The rankings are based on the independent opinions of clients and in-depth research carried out by editors.

As such, we are very proud that Carson McDowell was ranked in the Top Tier in more categories than any other NI firm in this year’s listing. Of the 14 categories reviewed Carson McDowell has been recommended in them all and ranked in the top tier for 11 in total, including Dispute Resolution, Corporate

and M&A, Finance, Employment, Energy and Natural Resources and Technology, Media and Telecoms (TMT). Fourteen Carson McDowell lawyers are listed in the elite Leading Lawyers list, the Legal 500’s guide to outstanding lawyers nationwide.

It’s a good position to be in, but we are not resting on our laurels.

Recruitment is continuing across the firm, with new people joining the property, private client and corporate departments and - as we do every year - we have taken on several new trainees.

That’s because we are anticipating growth in a number of areas in the year ahead. The firm has been instructed to work on some of the largest deals taking place in Northern Ireland in the first half of 2016 and we expect that M&A activity to continue through the rest of the year. We also anticipate more work in areas such as licensing following the recent introduction of a new licensing bill to the Assembly and many venue licences falling due for renewal in the next year.

While we see many opportunities, the partners at Carson McDowell are well aware of the risks to this outlook. We are being prudent to ensure we are prepared for the impending UK exit from the European Union when Article 50 is triggered.

At present it is business as usual for our clients but there is a lot of concern about what’s ahead and business owners can’t make decisions without a degree of certainty.

We are looking at all the implications of Brexit for our clients and have a team of specialists from across the firm preparing for the eventual departure from the EU. We believe that we are flexible enough to adapt to a postBrexit world and well placed to help our clients adjust to new business realities.

The Legal 500 is an important series for Carson McDowell and we have consistently achieved top tier status for the last eight years.

Whatever impact Brexit has on the local economy, we are focused on delivering for clients to make sure we retain that position a year from now.

International perspective with a local point of view A&L Goodbody is one of Northern Ireland’s leading law firms, advising the local and international business community.

To find out how we can assist your business, please contact: Mark Thompson Head of Belfast Office T: +44 28 9031 466 E: mthompson@algoodbody.com

TIER 1 LAW FIRM 2016

DUBLIN

BELFAST

LONDON

NEW YORK

BAND 1 LAW FIRM 2016

SAN FRANCISCO

PALO ALTO

www.algoodbody.com

Eye on Legal 500

MMW: 20 Years Young Millar McCall Wylie is firmly established as one of the foremost legal practices in Northern Ireland and has been recently recognised by independent legal directory, the Legal 500 as a leading firm in its core practice areas of Corporate and M&A, Commercial Property, Banking and Finance, Employment Law, Dispute Resolution, Personal Tax, Trusts and Probate and Insolvency and Corporate Recovery.

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017 will mark the 20th anniversary of the practice which was set up in East Belfast by founding partners David Millar, Peter McCall and Conor Wylie. From modest beginnings above a Ballyhackamore café, the practice has now expanded to its current position as one of the leading full service law firms in Northern Ireland with offices in the City Centre and on the Upper Newtownards Road.

Reflecting on the early days of the practice, MMW Managing Partner Peter McCall commented “When Conor, David and I started the practice 20 years ago we had no files – just a word processor, half a dozen telephones and our support staff. Looking back on it now, we were taking something of a leap into the unknown.

It has been quite a journey to the point where we are now ranked by the Legal 500 as one top legal practices in Northern Ireland”.

Peter was clear when asked about the main reason for the growth of the practice “The secret to any successful legal practice is the quality of the people. At MMW, we have always prided ourselves on our technical expertise and commercial acumen. It is only by continuing to provide first class advice that we have been able to grow our client base year on year”

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In the past 2 years, the firm has seen remarkable growth in its commercial work which is mainly carried out at its City Centre offices. The recovery in the local commercial property market has been mirrored by the expansion of the MMW Real Estate team who act for some of the largest developers and investors in Northern Ireland as well as a number of high profile UK based retailers.

Of particular note, the MMW Real Estate and Banking teams continue to act for US based funds in the refinancing of a number of large high profile investment portfolios, a process which has been instrumental in moving the Northern Irish economy forward. The continued success of the Real Estate team has been reflected in the Legal 500 rankings with Peter McCall being recognised as a leading individual in the practice area of Commercial Property.

Representatives of MMW-sponsored Ulster Rugby, Ridgeway Rovers FC, Annadale Hockey Club and Portaferry GAC.

The MMW corporate team, led by Head of Department Damian McParland and recently appointed partners, Abbie Long and John Turley continues to operate across a broad range of sectors including ICT, energy, manufacturing,

construction and service industries, and regularly acts in multi jurisdictional projects.

Recent work highlights include acting in major investments by Carlyle Group in Derry-based tech company Learning Pool Limited and by Kainos and Kernel Capital in the Cirdan Group.

The success of the department was recognised not only in the recent Legal 500 rankings but also in the recent nomination of John Turley, for the prestigious “Young Dealmaker of the Year” award organised by Insider Media.

The Employment department is headed up by partner Jan Cunningham. Having cut his teeth as an apprentice in the firm’s litigation department firm Jan saw the need to develop the firm’s employment law services. He is now supported by two other solicitors and together the team provides advice to a wide range of commercial and private clients. A sign of the department’s development is that it has recently added the likes of Thorntons, Brakes and a multinational on-line retailer to its client base.

The success of the MMW dispute resolution team has also been recognised in the recent Legal 500 rankings. Led by Partner Caroline Prunty, the team represents many leading businesses in the Province.

Caroline is a mediator registered with the Law Society of Northern Ireland’s Dispute Resolution Service and specialises in all type of Commercial Litigation including commercial contracts, real estate, injunctive relief and winding-up/ liquidation disputes.

Over the past 20 years, whilst expanding its commercial work, the firm has maintained its thriving general practice in Ballyhackamore.

Based at the East Belfast offices and uniquely qualified as both a solicitor and Chartered Tax Adviser, Conor Wylie provides niche advice on effective wealth, tax and succession planning. The specialist expertise of the Private Client team was recognised with a top tier ranking in the recent Legal 500 rankings.

Reflecting on the firm’s origins in East Belfast, Peter McCall commented “We started out in East Belfast and one of the most pleasing aspects of our success is that we continue to act for many people who first came through the door in Ballyhackamore in 1997.

We are proud of our roots in East Belfast and continue to play an active role in supporting the community by our sponsorship of local sport” The success of MMW was illustrated by its recent invitation to become the sole Northern Irish member of Multilaw, the 2nd biggest global network of legal firms.

Reflecting on the past 20 years Peter McCall commented “We started out above a café in Ballyhackamore, but with our continued growth and membership of MultiLaw, we are now able to provide a seamless service to our clients on a truly global scale” Millar McCall Wylie has come a long way since 1997.

A Legal 500 heavyweight but here to lighten your load......

When you or your business is faced with an issue, you don’t just need a firm with the legal excellence to navigate it, you need a firm with the commercial sense to find exactly the right solution for you.

For more information: +44 (0)28 9024 3141 or visit www.cfrlaw.co.uk

Always a team effort.

In recent months our work has been recognised with a number of significant awards and industry accolades.

None of them would have been possible without the trust placed in us by our clients and the collective effort of a team that consistently aims to deliver beyond client expectations.

tughans.com

Ranked No1 Experian Deal and Advisor League Table 2015 Northern Ireland M&A Activity

Winner Corporate Law Firm of the Year 2016 Northern Ireland Dealmakers Awards

Winner Young Dealmaker of the Year 2016 Northern Ireland Dealmakers Awards

Regional Heavyweight Legal 500 Northern Ireland

Top Ranked Chambers UK

Eye on Legal 500

A&L GOODBODY CALLS FOR ‘BOLD IDEAS’ FROM UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

[L-R] Elizabeth Colvin, David Gillmartin, Aisling McDonnell & Stephen Egan

Corporate law firm A&L Goodbody today launched its 2016 Bold Ideas Student Innovation Award, by asking university students to put together their ‘Bold Ideas’ to address the legal, business or political challenges facing Ireland, north and south today.

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he law firm is asking students for a solution or proposition that builds on the island’s reputation and success on the international stage. At the launch, A&L Goodbody also announced its intention to recruit approximately 40 graduate positions over the coming months as part of its Trainee Solicitor Recruitment Programme.

Now in its fifth year, Bold Ideas, recognises the most innovative ideas from either undergraduate or postgraduate students at universities across Ireland – both north and south. This year’s theme of Changing Times - Ireland’s Future is open to students of all disciplines.

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Speaking about the competition, Mark Thompson, Head of A&L Goodbody in Northern Ireland commented: “Bold Ideas is designed to inspire student creativity and bold thinking as they look at the country they want to help create for the future. We are one of the most successful countries in the world for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) however there are always challenges ahead. We want students to think of innovative and achievable solutions to these challenges.”

Last year’s winner, Diarmuid Hickey, said “The Bold Ideas competition is the single best thing I have done during my time

at university. It gave me incredible opportunities to work with one of Ireland’s most prestigious law firms and expand my knowledge on a topic that was new to me. The chance to present my idea in front of such a prominent judging panel was a very valuable experience, and I loved my time with A&L this summer. I would encourage all students to enter the Bold Ideas competition.”

The first prize winner of the competition will receive €4,000 in cash and a summer internship at A&L Goodbody’s head office in Dublin. The Firm will also make a cash donation on the winner’s behalf to a charity of their choice.

Runners up will receive an iPad mini.

This year, members of the public will also be invited to vote for their favourite Bold Ideas submission, by visiting the firm’s trainee and intern Facebook page.

Judges for the 2016 Bold Ideas Student Innovation Award competition include:

• John Whelan, Head of A&L Goodbody’s Technology Practice • Sarah Lennon, Legal Counsel at Google • Jonathan Newman, Senior Counsel The closing date for entries to Bold Ideas is Friday, 11 November and the winner will be announced at a special awards ceremony on Thursday, 1 December. For more information or to apply simply visit the Bold Ideas webpage.

A&L Goodbody’s Trainee Solicitor Recruitment Programme offers graduates a paid traineeship, during which time they work across the firm’s practice areas.

The majority of Trainee Solicitors who complete the programme are offered a full-time position with A&L Goodbody. Further information on the programme can be found at the following Trainee Opportunities webpage.

Thank You The Legal 500 has once again awarded Carson McDowell top tier ranking in more practice areas than any other law firm in Northern Ireland. Legal 500 is the leading guide to the UK legal profession. Its rankings are based on independent research and it recognises excellence in the profession.

We would like to say a big “thank you� to our clients and colleagues who helped to keep us in the top spot.

Michael Johnson, Managing Partner

We do more.

Better.

www.carson-mcdowell.com

Eye on Legal 500

Pinsent Masons launches UK-wide Public Policy unit International law firm Pinsent Masons is set to launch a UK-wide Public Policy unit in the wake of Britain’s decision to exit the European Union.

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he firm has appointed Andrew Henderson, formerly Head of Public Affairs and External Relations at RBS’ Williams & Glyn brand, to lead the initiative as Director of Public Policy.

With over 16 years’ experience in the public policy and strategic communications industry, Henderson previously worked as a Director in the Public Affairs unit at DLA Piper.

The appointment comes at a crucial time for businesses as they seek to keep abreast of the UK’s impending negotiations with Europe over Brexit, and engage with government to ensure the needs of businesses are both represented and well-understood.

Henderson will work closely with the firm’s Government Affairs legal team led by Robbie Owen.

Owen, partner Francis Tyrrell and Legal Director Richard Bull are three of a small number of practising lawyers authorised by the Westminster Parliament to

act as parliamentary agents for those promoting and opposing Private and Hybrid Bills in the UK Parliament.

Pinsent Masons has already been invited by a number of government departments to discuss the impact of Brexit upon the City and the wider commercial landscape. Earlier this year the firm appointed former Secretary of State for Transport and former Minister for International Development Douglas Alexander as a Strategic Adviser.

Andrew Henderson said, “I am thrilled to be joining Pinsent Masons during a period of unprecedented change in the political and economic landscape of the country. The firm has an unparalleled client base, acting for more PLCs than almost any other law firm, and standout credentials in sectors such as infrastructure, financial services, energy and advanced manufacturing and technology where understanding and informing government thinking is essential.”

OLD CLOTHES BONANZA Half of people surveyed in Northern Ireland wear just 50 per cent of the clothes hanging in their wardrobe on a regular basis, fewer than twenty five per cent (24%) wear just a quarter of their wardrobe regularly, while one in ten (10%) have 11 or more items hanging up they have simply never even worn.

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ut it’s good news for charity shops according to a survey* commissioned by BT to launch BT Shop for Change.

• 53% de-clutter their home / wardrobe at least twice a year • 77% give their unwanted clothes and other items to charity shops • 90% claim a clear out makes them feel either good or brilliant

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• 64% shop for clothes in charity shops as they ‘love a bargain’ • More than a third (36%) love to find amazing pieces in charity shops they can’t find anywhere else.

BT Shop for Change is a one day takeover of Marie Curie shops in Northern Ireland, being launched by the leading communications provider to raise crucial

funds to provide care and support for local people living with terminal illnesses.

BT is now in its fifth year of raising funds for Marie Curie in Northern Ireland and the Irish Cancer Society in the Republic of Ireland and has raised in excess of £260,000 for the charities to date.

Rory Best, Ireland captain and BT Shop for Change ambassador said:

“Unfortunately, many of us know loved ones that have been touched by cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Marie Curie treats local people affected by terminal illness and provides generous support to their friends and family.

“We’ve all got clothes that sit unworn year after year or unwanted items lying about the house that others could enjoy. BT Shop for Change is the perfect excuse to gather everything up and donate it to Marie Curie who can sell it to raise vital funds for the work that they do and I am proud to be an ambassador for this initiative.”

More than 100 volunteers from BT will help to run eleven Marie Curie shops across Northern Ireland on Thursday 13th October, 2016 and for every £20 raised Marie Curie can provide one hour of nursing care to local people in need.

Simultaneously, BT colleagues in the Republic of Ireland will be taking over Irish Cancer Society shops.

EXPECT FORESIGHT

2 0 Y E A R S I N N O RT H E R N I R E L A N D

In 2016, Arthur Cox is celebrating 20 years in the Northern Ireland market.

20 years of the perspective and clarity that helps our clients to achieve their ambitions with 20/20 vision.

With Arthur Cox you can always expect excellence.

To speak to one of our team, call us on:

+44 28 9023 0007

EXPECT EXCELLENCE

BELFAST • DUBLIN • LONDON • NEW YORK • SILICON VALLEY

www.arthurcox.com

Eye on News

Barclays and Catalyst Inc Set to Spark Innovation in Northern Ireland Barclays has announced a major sponsorship deal with Catalyst Inc, Northern Ireland’s biggest burgeoning tech hub. The announcement highlights the bank’s commitment to supporting the ambitions of local high growth businesses and entrepreneurs.

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atalyst Inc (previously Northern Ireland Science Park) was established in April 2002 and is now widely recognised as the key local driver and hub for entrepreneurial activity within Northern Ireland’s knowledge economy through Connect.

As part of the new partnership, Barclays will provide domain experts and host events to support Connect’s various programmes and the organisation’s aim to develop a peerdriven community to support startup businesses and scale them. In addition, Connect’s network of entrepreneurs will now have access to Barclays High Growth and ( https://entrepreneurs. barclays/ ) offering, which includes tailored funding on both the business and personal side.

John Mathers, Corporate Development Director, Barclays in Northern Ireland, explains how the partnership with Catalyst Inc has developed: “At Barclays, we share Catalyst Inc’s ambition to support our innovative entrepreneurs and we’ve been impressed with the impact Connect has had, particularly in recent years.

“Running any fast-moving, highgrowth company takes substantial investment, from both an emotional and financial perspective. It’s an investment we at Barclays want to support. High-growth businesses have a hugely positive impact; they create new jobs, new opportunities for investors and they help to galvanise economic growth as a whole. That’s without even exploring

(L-R) John Mathers, Corporate Development Director, Barclays, Elaine Smyth, Head of Programmes, Connect at Catalyst Inc, and Claire McCombe, Private Banker, Barclays.

the difference these companies can make to our day-to-day lives, through innovations in technology, medicine, communications and so much more.

Mr Mathers adds: “Barclays recently launched a £100mn fund to support small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in Northern Ireland, making up to £100mn available to local businesses with a turnover of less than £25mn.

Through this loan fund, our High Growth and Entrepreneurs proposition and our involvement with Catalyst Inc we’re excited to play our part in supporting Northern Ireland’s entrepreneurial talent and look forward to the positive impact on jobs, taxes and wealth that will bring to Northern Ireland.”

Welcoming the sponsorship Steve Orr, Director of Connect at Catalyst Inc, said “We believe that the talent and ambition of entrepreneurs in Northern Ireland has the power to change the world. We’re here to make that happen and through Connect we provide the way for our most experienced people to effectively and efficiently volunteer their time to share their experiences, contacts and collective intelligence to give our entrepreneurs an advantage.

We are delighted to have Barclays as a partner working with us to support our entrepreneurs and helping us to achieve our vision for Northern Ireland to have one of the most entrepreneurial economies in Europe by 2030.”

MANOR HOUSE TAKES TOP HOTEL TITLE The Manor House Country Hotel on the shores of Lough Erne had reason to celebrate recently as it took home the award for AA Hotel of the Year for Northern Ireland.

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he accolade, given to hotels that are recognised as being outstanding in their particular market, was awarded to the Manor House Country Hotel at the AA Hospitality Awards at Grosvenor House on Park Lane, London, a lavish celebration of the best of the hospitality industry considered to be the industry’s own equivalent of the Oscars.

Located in the heart of the Fermanagh Lakelands, on the shores

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of Lower Lough Erne, the Manor House Country Hotel is one of Northern Ireland’s leading hotels. Steeped in history, the origins of the Manor House Country Hotel date back to the 17th century. A privately-owned property that has been lovingly restored and developed by the McKenna family, the hotel now combines old world charm with modern luxury and a warm Fermanagh welcome creating a charming country house ambience.

Since opening its doors almost 60 years ago, generations of guests have enjoyed the sense of tranquillity, luxury accommodation, focus on exceptional local produce, and superb views of Lough Erne from the four-star property.

“The award is widely recognised within the industry as the Oscar we all want to win,” said Managing Director of the Manor House Country Hotel, Liam McKenna. “The accolade

Host Hugh Dennis, Executive Head Chef David Earl, General Manager John O’Neill, MD Liam McKenna, MD Mary McKenna, Finance Manager Jackie Kinnear, Dep. General Manager John Dolan, Kirsty Lloyd-Jukes, AA Membership Services Director

of being selected as the best Hotel in Northern Ireland by the AA is tremendous recognition of the journey that began 30 years ago, developing and restoring the Manor House into a venue that would attract guests

locally, regionally and internationally.

I am absolutely delighted for all my team that work together on a daily basis to provide a memorable guest experience with the renowned Fermanagh charm and welcome.”

Eye on News

Freedom Win for Cavan’s First Steps…

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arm-hearted Oasis Travel customers have raised £1,821 to help send 3-year-old Cavan O’Neill from Dunmurry to America for pioneering surgery, at the end of October, which will help the toddler who suffers from Spastic Diplegia (a type of Cerebral Palsy) to take his first steps.

The fund-raising raffle at the Oasis Travel Northern Ireland Cruise Fair

also spelt good news for Lisburn man Ian Green who won a Mediterranean cruise on board Royal Caribbean’s stunning ship, ‘Freedom of the Seas’. Ian and his mum, Joan, (back left), are pictured collecting their cruise tickets from Briege McElroy, Manager of Oasis Travel Lisburn, as Cavan O’Neill and his mum, Emma, look forward to the journey which they hope will change Cavan’s life.

SMILE AND THANK TENNENT’S IT’S FRY-DAY! Everything stops when your child has cancer: that’s the powerful message that drives CLIC Sargent in Northern Ireland and now it has inspired the 114 employees at Tennent’s NI to fundraise for the charity.

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he company’s warmhearted workers have chosen September – Childhood Cancer Awareness Month - to launch a year-long support programme for the organisation. They are planning on getting things off to a sizzling start with a company-wide Big Breakfast and some ‘thank goodness it’s Fry-day’ fundraising fun.

Launching the appeal, Jeff Tosh, Sales Director for Tennent’s NI, said, “Our staff are famously generous and each year they select a designated charity, and devote their energy and enthusiasm to supporting important work in our community. Over the years they have raised tens of thousands of pounds for a range of good causes, making a positive difference to the lives of local people.

“CLIC Sargent is a charity which has huge resonance amongst our staff, most of whom are parents, so we are all looking forward to making our personal and corporate contribution to its sterling work in Northern Ireland.

“Sadly, it takes little imagination to understand how devastating it must be to have your child diagnosed with cancer and we can

all understand how important it is to have professional, appropriate support. CLIC Sargent gives amazing help to affected families and works to provide practical, emotional, financial and clinical support to help them cope with cancer and get the best out of life.

“Importantly, the charity operates two CLIC Sargent ‘Home from Homes’ right here in Northern Ireland: Paul’s House, located directly opposite The Royal Victoria Hospital and, opened earlier this year, Amy’s House, a facility for teenagers and young adults with cancer, located within walking distance of the Belfast City Hospital and Cancer Centre.

Typically families in Northern Ireland make an average round trip of 95 miles, up to five times a week, to access the cancer treatment their child needs. The cost of travel and time spent away from home and other family members puts a huge financial and emotional strain on families. The Homes from Home go a long way to alleviating some of these concerns and we are looking forward to supporting that great initiative as well as contributing to the costs of employing CLIC Sargent social

Nadine Campbell from CLIC Sargent marks Childhood Cancer Awareness Month by welcoming on board new corporate sponsor, Tennent’s NI, which is launching its year-long support programme for the charity, with a company-wide Big Breakfast. Pictured at the charity’s Amy’s House family facility with Nadine, enjoying a taste of the fundraising fry-up, are (from left) Bronach Neill, Jeff Tosh, and Joanne Given, all from Tennent’s NI.

workers and funding grants, holidays and information services.”

Throughout the year Tennent’s NI staff will be getting behind their adopted charity with a series of fundraising events ranging from a treasure hunt and BBQ to a Gala Winter Ball and fitness challenges.

A highlight of the fundraising year will be the company’s annual Corporate Golf Day which allows Tennent’s NI staff to tap into the near-legendary generosity of the licensed trade.

Welcoming the big-hearted backing from Tennent’s NI staff, Nadine Campbell from CLIC Sargent, said, “We are hugely

grateful for the support. When a child is diagnosed with cancer, treatment often starts immediately and can be very far from home.

Suddenly, along with the emotional impact, families can often face the possibility of financial hardship.

“This month CLIC Sargent has launched a campaign for increased financial support for families from the point of diagnosis. It is through the enthusiast support of fundraisers like Tennent’s NI staff that we are able to keep providing vital frontline services to families struck by cancer and campaign for increased support in the future.”

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Eye on Interiors

A look at tomorrow’s office

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Eye on Interiors

Most of the trends we see in our workplaces now came as no surprise to those who were looking for them.

However, to most of us, if in 1986 we were asked to envision the office in 30 years, it would not have looked like it does. No one can know what the future holds, and what technology can potentially change for us, but we can get a glimpse of tomorrow by paying attention to what is happening today.

In a twist of fate, the trends that used to be set by the largest global corporations are now being trail blazed by the smallest! Freelancers and independent employees need to stay ahead of their peers, and technology is the perfect way to do so. Here are some of the workplace trends we expect to see in the near future.

Remote Business We can already see a movement towards business becoming more remote, integrating hot desking and tech integration which allows employees to fulfil their roles anywhere in the world. The next stage of this is companies born as remote businesses, virtual companies, where employees interact in a digital realm with no physical space needed!

Death of PowerPoint Perhaps a welcome trend to some, the days of spending hours searching for the perfect clip-art are well and truly behind us, and so are the PowerPoints

that consumed them. In 2015 the demand for PowerPoint skills dropped 5%, while dynamic presentation platforms like Prezi and Keynote grew by an average of 20%. Static presentation are quickly being replaced by movement, with video now overtaking images and infographics as the preferred medium for information. Prepare your staff by tooling them with platforms like Adobe After Effects, Final Cut Pro & iMovie, and buy yourself a GoPro and a DSLR! Work-Life Balance The work-life balance concept is beginning to take a backseat in Millennials decision making process. As the workplace becomes more agile and mobile, work is becoming more integrated with home. This trend is still unclear how it will manifest itself, however, expect the next generation of employees to be looking for a more relaxed, homely environment to work in!

Consumer Grade Design While design has remained a focal point for consumer products, the proliferation of welldesigned tools, devices, and applications is creating new expectations on the enterprise. In the coming years, there will be a renewed focus on design in places where it hasn’t traditionally been an area of consideration, such as HR and IT.

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Eye on Finance

Calling Small Businesses With Big Ambition There’s a new commercial lender in town with a £300m budget for SMEs across Ireland through asset based finance. Harry Parkinson, CEO of Capitalflow Commercial Finance tells Business Eye about his company’s huge appetite for lending, and that this dynamic form of funding can be tailored to suit businesses of all sizes, from start-ups through to large corporations.

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apitalflow opened in April this year and already we’ve lent more than £30m to SMEs across a wide range of industry sectors including manufacturing, distribution, transport, print and construction, and we’re also looking at less obvious sectors such as hospitality, dentistry and IT. The good news is that we plan to lend much more. With credit still difficult to access from high street banks, whose lending policies remain conservative in the wake of recession, our funding pot is offering a real lifeline to businesses that have the drive and ambition to grow.

There’s perhaps a perception that asset based finance is more suitable for larger businesses, but that’s just not the case. Any business, regardless of its size or age, that has a robust sales ledger or balance sheet can benefit.

And crucially we look at the potential behind a business, not just its current financial situation when making a decision to lend, and that’s an approach you’ll rarely see the big banks take.

What we’re offering is a much more sustainable and flexible approach to lending, which combined with with our product range, quick credit decisions and the team’s unrivalled industry experience makes me very confident in our ability to tailor a deal to suit any set of business circumstances.

Invoice finance, which releases cash tied up in unpaid invoices,

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is perfect for any business that regularly invoices its customers. The concept is very simple – rather than waiting weeks or months to be paid, we will advance you up to 85% of the value of those invoices the moment you raise them.

Getting paid for the work you’ve done or the service you’ve provided right away means you can get on with the day to day running of your business, secure in the knowledge your cash flow is healthy.

Asset finance is a cost effective method of funding that allows the purchase of vital equipment with a low capital outlay, enabling investment without putting a huge strain on cash flow. Furthermore, what many businesses don’t realise is just how much they could borrow by looking at their balance sheet and unlocking the value of their existing assets, which is where refinance comes in.

We will actually lend against the equity in an existing asset to help fund the purchase of new ones.

It means that our customers can purchase the asset they need, whether it’s plant, machinery, vehicles or softer business assets such as industrial ovens, fixtures and fittings, IT equipment and office furniture, and put it to work straight away without having to save a deposit first.

We’re also writing asset based lending (ABL) deals directly against property, stock and inventory in an offering that

is unique to the NI market.

The decision to lend in this case is focused on the wider collateral a business has, and the deal is usually invoice finance-led, leveraging the value in other assets to unlock greater levels of funding.

To give you an example, we recently agreed a £2m deal with a manufacturing firm in Northern Ireland with a split of £800,000 in property, £600,000 in invoice finance and £600,000 in asset finance, which has enabled them to invest in expansion.

The bottom line is that asset based finance must be recognised as a vital source of working capital for growth amongst SMEs, just as it must be recognised that a bank loan isn’t always the most suitable form of finance for small businesses.

No matter your size, your industry or what the banks say, fully explore your funding options as no matter how confident you

are about your prospects for growth, without appropriate funding for each stage of the business lifecycle it will be impossible to reach your potential.

Invoice finance, asset finance and ABL are valuable options that each promote a health flow of cash which in turn allows a business to exploit each and every opportunity.

We are open for business, well capitalised and happy to work with companies from start-ups right through to larger businesses about a bespoke, strategic approach to lending that might just help propel you to the next level.

To find out more about Capitalflow Commercial Finance please call 028 7187 9245 or visit www.capitalflow.ie

Eye

on Business Education

Eye on Training

Gerry Kelly & FindOut...

Training to improve People’s Lives

Gerry Kelly well remembers being told by one of his teachers at secondary school in Belfast almost 35 years ago that he’d never make it as a teacher as he wasn’t educated or skilled enough and that he ought to look for something else. It was one of those turning point moments for the young Gerry and, instead of dispiriting him, it drove him on to educate and develop himself.

“I

t made me get off my backside, take responsibility for my education and start to develop myself,” he says.

“I’ve spent the last 30 years studying accountancy, business and self development which has resulted achieving degrees and other professional qualifications, developing skills to improve myself and to make a difference to the quality of my life and the lives of people around me.”

To cut a long story short, the young Gerry Kelly eventually found

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himself with a career in the civil service, where he stayed for 20 years before taking up employment as the CEO of NICSSA in 2001 and building the business from a handful of staff to a 45-strong team based at the Pavilion Complex, Stormont.

Home to a wide variety of sports including rugby, football and tennis, the complex is also one of the main venues used for hosting major sporting and leisure events and is home to the fast-developing Irish cricket team. It’s also home to a very different venture being led

by Gerry and his colleague Kieran Devlin both who are Qualified International Trainers of Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP).

FindOut is an innovative, highly interactive and inspirational training Programme designed to inspire people to discover what is going on in their minds, and to use what they discover to achieve their potential in their professional and personal lives.

Whilst its origins lie in NLP Gerry and his team of professionals including an NLP Trainer, Nutritionist, Sports Scientist, fitness instructor, and

teacher have brought together their collective experience and skills in sport and industry to create a series of interactive and engaging courses including a three day course on Presenting Yourself Successfully, a 6-course to become an NLP Practitioner and an Optimum Health Programme to support people with weight issues to improve their overall health.

All courses are very well suited to individuals and corporate clients.

The courses are delivered in a way that supports the theory that we retain 20% of what we hear, 20% of what we see and up to 90% of what we hear, see and do.

FindOut runs a dedicated Optimum Health Programme that utilises nutrition, exercise, & psychology to ensure you maintain your ideal

Eye on Training

“ FindOut is an innovative, highly interactive and inspirational training Programme designed to inspire people to discover what is going on in their minds, and to use what they discover to achieve their potential in their professional and personal lives.”

weight. The programme uses evidence, intelligence and passion to achieve and sustain weight loss.

With stress being quoted by many organisations these days as a major cause of employee absence, Gerry and the FindOut Team reckon that they can make a real difference to the lives of people.

“Stress is a real issue and it can’t be solved by a sticking plaster,” he says. “We concentrate on helping people understand how to take control of their emotional and mental health, and apply that understanding to make a difference to their health and wellbeing and ultimately to the quality of their life.

“We look at what motivates people and we learn from the world of sport when it comes to self-improvement.

The motto of New Zealand All Blacks rugby team, for example, is to develop the person develop the All Black. There’s a lot that the corporate world can learn from the world of sport in terms of how to get the very best from its peoplefirstly by understanding how each individual operates and using that

knowledge to get the best results for the company and the individual.

FindOut has quickly been finding a niche in the corporate world with its approach to training and its services have been engaged by a wide range of organisations to support them in various aspects of training and personal development ranging from leadership and management courses to communication courses. Those organisations include George Best Belfast City Airport, Waterways Ireland, Fluent Technologies and the Viridian Group.

“We talk to each client organisation and come up with a personal or corporate development course that suits their specific needs and expectations. We like to deliver courses which are highly interactive, inspiring and engaging and add value to the training experience.”

Courses are held at client’s premises or, like most of FindOut’s open courses, at neutral venues. For example, a number of its courses are held in remote venues which take people out of the corporate environment and where there is

an energy that compliments the training and learning experience.

For example the 6-day NLP Practitioner Courses are held in the scenic Lusty Beg Island in County Fermanagh in November 2016 and March 2017 and Presenting Yourself Successfully will be held at the luxurious Ashford Castle in County Mayo in March 2017.

Our mission is very simple we want to make a difference to the quality of people’s lives by improving how they use their hard drive and software (the mind ) and apply this to maximise the results they get in their professional and personal lives,” says Gerry.

“There is plenty out there for people who want to look after themselves in the physical sense.

However there’s a lot less out there for those who want to look after themselves mentally. Think of it like this....looking after yourself might not add years to your life, but it will add life to your years.”

Gerry tells the story of one of his mountaineering trips to Mont Blanc in the Swiss Alps which supports his belief that looking after yourself is an investment for later life. As he climbed one of the peaks at just under 10,000 feet he met an

84-year old man on the same climb with as much of a zest for life as anyone at a much younger age.

“During the recession Gerry who is an advocate of personal development and growth continued to train and invest in his own staff despite budgetary pressures and someone asked him, what if you train these staff and they leave to which he replied “what if I don’t train them and they stay”!

UPCOMING COURSES NLP Masterclass: 26th October 2016 NLP Practitioner Course 13th -19th November 2016 NLP Diploma: 24th - 25th November 2016

For full details of all of FindOut’s courses and its tailored solutions for business, log onto www.findout.co.uk call 028 9052 2135 or email info@findout.co.uk

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Eye on Business Education

Launching the SSE Airtricity 2016 Scholarship fund - Michael McAlister, Deputy Executive Officer, South West College, Andrew Greer, General Manager, SSE Airtricity, Simon Hamilton, Minister for the Economy, Dr Justin Quinn, Director of the Centre of Renewable Energy Engineering, Ulster University.

2016 SSE AIRTRICITY SCHOLARSHIP TO POWER EDUCATION FOR 20 LOCAL STUDENTS

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SE Airtricity, Northern Ireland’s largest renewable energy provider, has announced the opening of the 2016 SSE Airtricity Scholarship to support students from the West and North-West of the country progressing in third level education.

The launch of this year’s SSE Airtricity Scholarship was today officially announced by Minister for the Economy, Simon Hamilton, with SSE Airtricity General Manager (NI), Andrew Greer.

The programme is directly supported by the Regional Fund from SSE Airtricity’s nearby Slieve Kirk Wind Park, which is Northern Ireland’s largest wind farm.

Now in its third year, the SSE Airtricity Scholarship is one of the most significant bursary schemes available to full and part-time students in Northern Ireland.

This year, SSE Airtricity will provide around £80,000 in funding for 20 students from Co. Derry~Londonderry and Co. Tyrone, covering 50% of their fees at either Ulster University or South West College. This latest contribution brings the total funding awarded by the SSE Airtricity Scholarship since 2014 to almost £250,000.

The Scholarship is now open for applications and students are

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urged to apply before the closing date on Friday 21 October 2016.

Scholarships are on offer for bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Ulster University, and bachelor’s and foundation degrees at South West College. The funding from SSE Airtricity is available for a broad range of subjects, including business, media and design, however, there is a particular emphasis on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses.

As Northern Ireland’s leading provider of wind power and second largest energy utility, SSE Airtricity is working with Ulster University and South West College to create greater awareness and diversity in STEM subjects, in a bid to increase employment in those areas in Northern Ireland. Among the foundation degrees available at South West College under the Scholarship this year are courses on Renewable Energy and Wind Turbine Technology.

Speaking at the launch, Minister Hamilton said: “I am committed to ensuring continued access to Higher Education for our young people. Initiatives such as the SSE Airtricity Scholarship Programme go a long way in supporting students

to enter Higher Education and can really help with the various costs associated with third level study.

“I very much welcome the continued support of SSE Airtricity through this scholarship programme as it demonstrates a real commitment to learning and development. It is a major boost to both students and employers living in the western region and is undoubtedly one of the most significant bursary schemes available in Northern Ireland.”

SSE Airtricity General Manager (NI), Andrew Greer, said: “We’re extremely proud to be launching the SSE Airtricity Scholarship for its third year. We understand the huge importance of education in the lives of young people and their families, and we also recognise the substantial financial commitment involved. This year, we will be supporting 20 local students in entering third-level education at two of Northern Ireland’s best and most forward-thinking educational institutions.

“The SSE Airtricity Scholarship is part of our continued commitment to the communities closest to our wind farms, and we’re delighted to be powering education through green energy.”

Michael McAlister - Deputy Executive Officer, South West College: “At South West College we have seen a 400% increase in the numbers of full time higher education students joining the college since we were formed in 2007, with significant growth in parttime numbers also. It is critical for the economy of the South West Region that we continue to strive to meet the demand for level 5 and level 6 students as articulated in the NI Skills Barometer.

The scholarships provided by SSE Airtricity greatly support us in that work, making it more feasible for some students to enter higher education, and helping us to push our percentage of higher education students studying STEM subjects above 65% (Full Time) and 35% (Part Time).”

The SSE Airtricity Scholarship is now open to applications for this coming academic year. Applicants must be aged 17 and over with a home address in either Co. Derry~Londonderry or Co. Tyrone, with priority given to applicants living within a 12-mile radius of Slieve Kirk Wind Park.

The application process closes on 21 October 2016. Only applications received

by Registered Post to Ulster University or South West College with supporting evidence attached will be accepted.

Tailoring Tomorrow’s Talent Ulster University Business School’s goal is to build the skills of exceptional young people from diverse backgrounds, to fulfil their potential. Working with Deloitte towards this shared goal, we helped them deliver their strategic ambition, through developing the next generation of world class leaders.

Creating innovators tailor made for your workplace ulster.ac.uk/shapingbusiness

Eye on Business Education

Michael McQuillan...

An Understanding Of Business Needs Michael McQuillan is better placed than most in the academic world to understand what local businesses need from our universities and educational establishments.

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Eye on Business Education

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cQuillan is Director of the Business Institute at Ulster University, but he’s also a successful entrepreneur.

Alongside his wife Nikki, he established and grew The Streat cafe chain before selling it to the Henderson Group back in 2010.

Rather than sit back on his business laurels, he set up a business consultancy and then returned to his alma mater to head up the university’s focused business unit, the Business Institute, which these days works with a wide range of SME’s around Northern Ireland.

“Universities have changed a lot in recent years, and I certainly noticed that when I started working here,” he says. “We need to be part of the business ecosystem, we work hard to react in a joined up and aligned way. But there is still work to be done. Some parts haven’t moved as fast as other parts.”

Business education, he says, needs to help enhance the whole economic fabric. “Future generations will control the economy, and we have to be aware of that,” he says. “As a university, not only do we have to ensure that there is a steady pipeline of talent, but that the talent is well suited to the future needs of the economy.

“Foreign direct investment is still very important to Northern Ireland, and we work with a number of FDI companies here, but it’s the SME’s that provide the backbone of the local economy.

There’s no doubt about that.

“As a university, we can engage with those companies and local entrepreneurs in a number of different ways. We obviously provide the graduates that they need to take their businesses forward, we can work with them to develop their existing workforce, work on knowledgebacked advisory and consultancy projects and we can also provide a rich research base which, if used effectively, can be a potent force.

“True collaboration between universities and local businesses is the best way forward, and it can be hugely beneficial to both parties,” says Michael McQuillan. “We engage with lots of companies in different ways but we’re always keen to move from engagement through to real, tangible collaboration.....actually working with businesses, impacting

“ Tailored programmes, in our view, can be a lot more effective than ‘off the shelf’ courses.

There’s a growing appetite for a focussed approach to business education and companies here have been very receptive to this including recently crafted degree apprenticeships.”

on individuals, the organisation, their community and the economy” Ulster University has been at the forefront of the introduction of Higher Level Apprenticeships, practical qualifications aligned to the academic framework from HE Certificate to a PhD. The framework can apply in a range of disciplines, such as as engineering, computing, software development, agri-food , and general management practice At the Business Institute we focus on Executive Education and this isn’t about trying to fit square pegs into round holes. That was an attitude that we all too prevalent in the past. It’s about being flexible because it is about an important investment in people development.

We work with organisations to scope out their learning and development needs and add value to the training and development that they already deliver. It’s practical and it’s about improving organisations as well as educating people.

“Tailored programmes, in our view, can be a lot more effective

than ‘off the shelf’ courses. There’s a growing appetite for a focussed approach to business education and companies here have been very receptive to this including recently crafted degree apprenticeships.”

McQuillan agrees with those who say that there has been something of a training and development vacuum here in past years.

“The economy here still has a bit to go,” he says. “And, if we’re to keep working on it, investing in our people has to be vitally important. What we’re trying to do is strengthen and bolster the vital bridge between education and business in Northern Ireland. In challenging times, the training and budget is usually first to go. This is a critical mistake that too many Northern Irish businesses still make. They need to step up to the mark and invest in their human capital – their most important asset.

They can help us on many fronts such as curriculum development, case study provision, providing live research and project cases, guest speaking…the list goes on...and

we can help them by ensuring that students match what employers are looking for and through generating research, with them, that can deliver impact immediately.

“Business is all about people, and all about really listening to customers. That’s something I learnt very quickly when we were building up our business. Customers are the people you really can learn from and who shape your positive and profitable actions.

“In education we call that ‘Pracademia’...universities stepping up to the mark, actively listening to business and bringing today’s business challenges and realities into the learning environment.”

“It’s about shaping education to the needs of businesses here.

The Business Institute acts as a really effective two-way conduit between business and the wider university. But it’s vital that we keep working with business on refreshing and future proofing what we do and how we work.

“Having experienced it from both sides of the bridge, growing a business in Northern Ireland and now growing the engagement of the University through the Business Institute, I see the university as an incredible resource to Northern Ireland. What’s important is that what happens here flows out to businesses, throughout Northern Ireland and helps them to grow from a local platform to a global stage.”

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Eye on Business Education

Marie-Thérèse McGivern & A Passion For Education

Pictured at the launch of Belfast Met’s 110th anniversary are MarieThérèse McGivern (CEO & Princial of Belfast Met, Steve McKee (Guest Speaker), Beverley Harrison (Department for the Economy).

Talk to Marie-Thérèse McGivern and the conversation inevitably turns to the subject of change. How Northern Ireland has changed... how Belfast has changed and now Belfast Met has changed.

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arie-Thérèse is Principal & Chief Executive at Belfast Met, an establishment that teaches some 20,000 students every year, employs well over 1,000 people, engages with 400 or so employers and contributes £40 million into the economy.

More important than the key stats, though, is the simple fact that Belfast Met is part of the community in the city. Thousands of us have learnt our trades at

places like the old Belfast Technical College, Rupert Stanley College, Castlereagh College and the College of Business Studies.....seats of learning which now form part of the giant that is Belfast Met. In some ways, Marie-Thérèse McGivern’s office and the building that it sits in tell the story rather well. The new generation Belfast Met headquarters building is in the midst of Titanic Quarter, and the view from the Principal & Chief

Executive’s office takes in Titanic Belfast, the SSE Arena, the Obel and some of the new offices along the north bank of the waterfront.

Modern though it is, the office is full of artefacts from the early days of Belfast Municipal Technical Institute, first established in the College Square building that served it for many long years back in 1906. The Met shares its 110th birthday this year with two other city institutions – Belfast City Hall

Eye on Business Education

Women’s Work Department

Physical Lab 1910 to 1920

and the Royal Victoria Hospital.

While the artefacts catch the eye, what shines through most of all is Marie-Thérèse McGivern’s passion for the establishment she leads. She needs no convincing that this place has made a difference to countless lives.....and continues to do so.

And she’s very happy to tell anyone in her engaging and easy way.

She starts with the fascinating history of what has become Belfast Met. “Back at the turn of the century, Belfast Corporation was made up of aldermen, almost all of whom were the city’s business leaders.

That’s how it was back then.

“Belfast was one of the largest industrial centres in the empire and the Corporation had to have vision. This was a group of men who bought nine acres in the Mournes to make sure Belfast had a water supply, and who set up the Gasworks to gasify the city. So when they realised that Belfast needed a technical institute, they set one up.”

And they did it in style, building a huge four-storey building with state of the art wood panelling and tiling throughout, not to

mention a heating system that lasted many years into the future.

Right from the start, the new Institute catered for everyone.... men, women and all sections of Belfast society. Its classes ranged from engineering and manufacturing skills to some lesser-known skills.

Haberdashery is listed as one of the original courses on offer.

“The ethos was to provide technical skills for everyone and to serve the industrial and commercial base. In those days, that meant everything from haberdashery to engineering and even pharmacy.”

As its history progressed, the establishment’s survival became more about adaptation and diversification. Belfast’s largescale industrial base began to dwindle, and when a young Marie-Thérèse McGivern joined the staff of Rupert Stanley College in 1979, it was in the days when the young long-term unemployed were becoming a major priority.

Things changed again with the peace process and Belfast’s re-birth into a tourist destination. Today’s Belfast Met has to serve a much

Belfast Met Students Celebrate 110th Anniversary

Marie-Thérèse McGivern with copies of 1906 prospectus and current one

changed business sector in the city as well as tourism, hospitality and just about everything else that makes up the wider local economy.

Tourism illustrates what has changed rather well, and one look out of the Belfast Met TQ building provides plenty of evidence of it. It’s an area Marie-Thérèse knows a thing or two about. She might have started her career in education and returned to it to lead Belfast Met, but she’s also well known as a former Director of Development at Belfast City Council.

“When I was in that role back in 1999, we had 480,000 tourists that year. Nowadays, we’re well over the 9 million mark. That’s huge progression,” she says. She tells the story of a colleague coming to her with an idea for a Titanic-themed event which, in those days, included a tour of where Titanic Quarter now lies.....even though the slipway and key sites were hidden behind high fences and barbed wire!

“These days, tourism and hospitality is an important part of what we do here at Belfast Met. We’ve trained and we continue to train a lot of the great chefs working here and elsewhere, and we train the staff to help make restaurants and hotels work.”

Belfast Met has a ‘Leading The City To Work’ strap line. “We provide full time and part time programmes that are accessible, flexible and industry-endorsed, with strategic links to the local business community and to employers.

The 110th anniversary also coincides with a £1 million investment in upgrading the teaching and training facilities at the e3 building on the Springvale campus to accommodate a wider range of digitally-delivered academic professional short course programmes.

It will also be home to the new

Belfast Business School later this year, the first of its kind in the UK as a whole. It’s all part of what Marie-Thérèse McGivern sees as a holistic approach to meeting the city’s education and training needs.

“There is still work to be done,” she says. “We might have first-class A Level results here in Northern Ireland and some great schools. But we also have some of the poorest stats in the country around youth unemployment. Even today, 25% of our youngsters leave school without 5 GCSE’s. We have to work hard to solve problems like that.

We can’t afford to waste talent.

“Lots of people around the city will have been with us at some stage, whether to study hairdressing or journalism, or maybe even to take an evening class in guitar playing or basket weaving. That’s what illustrates the wide brief that we have as an educational establishment.

“We’ve a very clear open door policy and one look at our student body shows what that means. This is a very diverse campus and it’s a very diverse establishment.”

Marie-Thérèse McGivern likes nothing better than to talk about Belfast Met’s many success stories.

Current students, for example, use a multi-faceted Belfast Met app which was developed and implemented by a four-strong team of IT students at the college.

Meanwhile, chefs trained at Belfast Met are working at some of London’s top restaurants, hairdressers at some of our top salons....and there are plenty more examples from where those came from.

“We have to continue to be entrepreneurial and we have to continue to be market-driven,” says Marie-Thérèse. “We’re part of the fabric of life in this city, and we’re passionate about what we do.”

The thing is.....it shows.

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Eye on Environment

When it comes to saving customers money on what they throw away Danny Paton, customer accounts manager with ISL Waste Management, is a champion in more ways than one.

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Eye on Environment

ISL Waste Management

Champions of Keeping the City Streets Clean “M

y passion is going into a workplace, looking at their working processes then devising and building bespoke and unique waste management structures and systems designed to suit the client in maximising recycling and reducing costs.

“That level of consultancy is part of our constant drive to be market leaders in delivering a complete quality service. We know that every business has an eye to the bottom line and to keep doing business we all need to be on the same page.”

As an honours graduate in geography Danny laughs when he says he naturally gravitated to a career involved in saving the earth!

“My dissertation was a study of the waste management strategy for Northern Ireland and its impact and effectiveness on public awareness. I think it’s safe to say we have all come a long way since then but it did make me realise that this was going to be a major element of business practice in the future and that future has arrived,” he believes.

With ISL clients as diverse as the major banks, the major national food retailers, international furniture retailers, drinks manufacturers, local restaurants, hotels and coffee chains with new clients including Victoria Square and Clements Coffee shops, the need to advise on legal compliance with regard to segregation of waste and traceability in disposal has become even more crucial.

“Staying on top of legislation, not only in terms of providing advice but actually supplying the service of managing all of the documentation required has become an essential part of ISL’s growing business success,” Danny explains.

To reinforce the point, he has successfully completed the Chartered Institute for Waste Management qualification in Waste Prevention and Reduction and the NEBOSH qualification in general health & safety.

“The clients I work with in companies large and small all have to be champions of best practise and we need to be professionals advising the professionals. The satisfaction I get when I have saved a new client sometimes thousands of pounds a year in their waste bill makes it all worthwhile.

“We have a pride in our company, in our colleagues and in our customers that shows when we always try to find a way to go the extra mile. Our vehicles are clean, our drivers are in uniform and are incentivised to make sure no stone is left unturned for our clients.

“That makes my job so much easier when we get referrals because we are focussed on setting standards rather than following the herd.”

Spoken like a champion!

If you are the Champion for waste management in your company and have implemented an effective waste reduction project recently make sure to enter the UTV Business Eye Awards.

ISL Waste Management are delighted to sponsor the Best Waste Reduction Project category and are happy to support any organisation who want any advice on their entry.

Enter on: http://utvawards. businesseye.co.uk Contact Danny Paton at ISLwastemanagement.co.uk

Contact: islwastemanagment.co.uk

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Eye on Advanced Manufacturing

Making it in Polymers

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Eye on Advanced Manufacturing A new course is set to help Northern Ireland Polymer companies make the most of knowledge transfer opportunities.

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he Level 5 Diploma course from the Northern Ireland Polymer Academy launched on the 15th September in Catalyst Inc (the Northern Ireland Science Park) and it is believed to be the first business-based academy in Northern Ireland’s manufacturing sector.

The course is supported by big names in the sector like Canyon, Primepac, UPU Industries, Boomer Industries, Valpar, Denroy, Greiner Packaging and Armstrong Medical. The qualification was developed in response to the needs of these companies, who wanted an intensive general course which would allow participants the chance to understand the wider landscape of advanced manufacturing.

NIPA Chair, Gerry McNally, takes up the story. “We wanted to develop a course aimed specifically at employees who have an excellent understanding of the job they do, but need to improve their knowledge of how their work fits into the whole manufacturing process.

“This intensive, broad ranging course will give them an introduction to the processes and applications of polymers, far beyond what could be achieved with inhouse training alone. We want to break down the silos by demonstrating how each process works and, more importantly, how they relate to each other.

“By doing this, we will build both confidence and competence, allowing participants to widen their horizons and hopefully develop innovative ideas which will benefit their companies.”

The polymer sector is fast becoming recognised as one of the most dynamic areas of the Northern Ireland economy. It makes a substantial contribution, employing one in six within the manufacturing sector and producing a combined annual turnover of around £2.2 billion.

NIPA companies supply into a range of sectors here too, including the aerospace, transport, packaging, utilities and construction, medical device and healthcare, materials handling and so on. And the sector is heavily export focused, with NIPA member companies selling to over 40 countries.

Following the recession, the sector

has been quick to recover – it has recently recruited around 500 new employees and invested around £60 million in new equipment and facilities.

The skills gap created by this growth is the reason NIPA first established its business based Polymer Academy back in 2014, to help develop and deliver a range of specialist advanced knowledge transfer programmes to individual NIPA companies within this sector. These programmes proved to be highly successful – improving staff competence, confidence and ultimately growing business.

Based on the success of these bespoke programmes, the Academy has now developed this new course to be delivered part-time from a range of different firms across the sector.

As Gerry McNally explains, the new course benefits both businesses and participants. “The focus is all about improving business competiveness throughout the sector,” he says.

“When people have a better understanding of advanced materials and processing it drives innovation which in turn reduces time to commercialization of new products.

“The knowledge and skills we will share in this course will be embedded within the companies.

We know that jobs are created by innovation and investment and that improved understanding enables the confidence which encourages and promotes innovation.

“The processing of advanced polymers is an extremely complex advanced engineering manufacturing

area, involving many different scientific and engineering disciplines.

We want to show how all these disciplines relate to each other.

“In a highly innovative business sector like polymers, companies are acutely aware that innovation from within is the key to competitiveness as a direct response to urgent market demands.

It is the more focused SMEs that have become more versatile and more agile to change and therefore more capable to exploit new and emerging markets.

“A unique feature of this course is that we will deliver it in the contributing companies’ premises, so the participants will get exposure to a wide range of materials and processes.”

With MATRIX set to publish their latest report on the Advanced Manufacturing, Materials & Engineering (AMME) sector in October, it’s clear that there is a growing awareness of the importance of manufacturing to Northern Ireland’s overall economy. With its greater focus on Research & Development and innovation, the AMME subsector is performing particularly well, turning over £7.2bn in 2014 and currently employing over 44,000 people.

It might surprise you that since the recession, Northern Ireland’s manufacturing sector has created 6,500 new jobs – that’s nearly three times the UK growth rate. 16% of Northern Ireland’s Gross Value Added (GVA) comes from manufacturing, compared to 11% in the UK – and NI manufacturing GVA grew by 29% between 20102013, over three times more than the overall NI growth and almost twice

the rate of UK manufacturers.

Not only that, but manufacturing – particularly advanced manufacturing – is highly export intensive. In 2014 our AMME companies sold a staggering 80% outside Northern Ireland, compared to the business average of 34%.

Advanced manufacturing is innovative, export driven and creates highly skilled, well paid jobs. But as MATRIX and NIPA have noted, the skills gap is a real issue and one that requires a creative approach.

Last years’ Northern Ireland Skills Barometer showed that by 2025 manufacturing was likely to be one of the top three growth sectors, but it warns of a current and growing shortage of skilled, qualified workers to meet the demand.

There are several reasons for this – the low take up of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths) subjects is a long standing issue, but by no means the only one. The MATRIX report will make a number of recommendations to government on how best to improve the situation, but in the meantime NIPA’s new course is going some way towards developing skills in the polymers industry.

As Gerry McNally says, “The knowledge and skills already lie within our companies. What we hope to do, through this course, is to encourage them to share the knowledge and develop the skills – confidence and innovation will develop naturally as a result. And that confidence and innovation will lead to better business for everyone.”

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Eye on Drinks Industry

JIM O’NEILL... NEW CHALLENGE FOR DRINKS INDUSTRY LEGEND

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Eye on Drinks Industry Jim O’Neill makes no bones about the fact that he’s 74 years of age. Or that he’s spent 56 of those years working in the drinks industry here in Northern Ireland.

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ut he’s not done with challenges just yet. He might have officially retired several years ago when he sold his United Wine Merchants business to Scottish & Newcastle (now part of the Heineken empire) and started to spend more time at his villa in Portugal. But it proved to be a short-lived dalliance with the golf and sunshine lifestyle.

“I missed working right from the start,” he smiles. “I missed the deals, I missed talking to customers, and I missed the disciplines of working life. So I decided to do something about it.”

A few years ago, O’Neill was back in the mainstream joining his son Conor at the helm of Botl, a Belfast-based wine and spirit wholesale operation....but one with a very distinct difference.

The business has its very own brand, Butterfly Can Spiced Rum, which it bottles here in Northern Ireland and is already exporting to customers worldwide.

Produced on the Caribbean island of Trinidad, Butterfly has been winning over customers, especially of the younger variety, both here in Northern Ireland and in export markets.

But it’s those export markets that Jim O’Neill has his eye on.

“We really do think that we have an export success story on our hands,” adds O’Neill. “We’ve worked hard to create a brand around the award-winning rum that we ship in from the Caribbean. We’ve come up with some distinctive point of sale material and an eye-catching bottle design based on the butterflies that are so prevalent on the island of Trinidad.”

Jim O’Neill and the team at Botl have already travelled to potential export markets and secured customers as far afield as Dubai and Singapore. Next on the agenda for the company founder is an Invest NI trip to Australia next month when, amongst those

he’ll meet will be Jas Mooney, the former Belfast pub entrepreneur now running pubs and restaurants in Sydney & Melbourne.

Botl has grown in a few short years into a £10 million turnover business. The group also runs a retail drinks business in Bangor and between them the two companies employ 42 people.

Jim O’Neill started out in the business at the sharp end, pouring pints as a barman at Charlie Daly’s pub on the Falls Road. “We were even serving cocktails in the bar back then,” he remembers, “not quite the kind of cocktails we see these days..... but cocktails nonetheless!”.

The young O’Neill moved from Charlie Daly’s to White’s Tavern in Belfast city centre and from there into the supply side of the business joining Irish Bonding in the dispatch department.

It was there that he worked alongside the late John Lavery (who went on to be Guinness MD in Northern Ireland).

“I became a salesman and then sales manager at Irish Bonding before I made the jump over to join Paddy Hunt at Hollywood & Donnelly in the same role,” he recalls.

He left the company in 1985 to take the brave step of setting up his own drinks wholesale business – United Wine Merchants.

“I had a strong feeling that wine was going to be the next big thing,” he says. “Back then, wine meant Black Tower, Blue Nun and maybe a spot of Mateus Rose.

But it was starting to change.”

He’d left Hollywood & Donnelly with the Vat 19 rum brand under his arm. It was a brand he’d brought to Northern Ireland and it was one that became his own.

Like Butterfly Cane Spiced today, it was packaged here and sold all over the island. O’Neill has been Mr. Vat 19 ever since.....

“It’s been hard to accept the fact that Vat 19 isn’t selling the way it used to sell. But sometimes you’ve got to make the hard calls.

So we’re calling time on Vat 19, but we’re very excited about the future of Butterfly Cane Spiced.”

At the fledgling United Wine Merchants, Vat 19 was joined by an increasingly strong line-up of wine and spirit brands, including the Seagram spirit brands, Bollinger champagne and both Wolf Blass and McGuigan Australian wines. By the time it was sold to Scottish & Newcastle, United Wine Merchants was a £50 million business.

“In the past couple of years, I’ve been back in business building mode once again and I’ve been loving it,” says O’Neill.

The Butterfly Cane Spiced Rums have been augmented by the arrival of Herrljunga

Swedish Cider, Kingfisher Lager and a number of other lines.

“We’ve got a brand new premium gin brand in the pipeline as well,” he adds. “But a lot of our concentration at the moment is going into the export market development for Butterfly Cane Spiced.”

The brand is competing in a market currently led by the Morgan Spiced range but also including brands like the Cuban-made Havana Club. It’s a market where the end products served at the bar are long drinks and cocktails.

“It’s never easy taking on the big boys of the drinks business,” he says. “They’ve got deep pockets to invest in their brands. So the onus is on us to come up with points of difference. In the case of Butterfly, we’ve got a brand which is clearly at the premium end of the market right from the product itself through to the packaging.”

The product will soon be bottled at a specialist bottling plant in Derry before being sent off to its local customers or export markets.

On the domestic front, Butterfly has already been listed by Tesco, Asda, Winemark and Wine Flair.

It’s easy to see that Jim O’Neill is relishing being back on the front line in his beloved drinks business.

“I’m loving it.....but I’ll love it even more when we crack a few more of these export markets.”

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Eye on Venues

Down Royal...

Evolution Goes On & On

Just as we all come to take for granted how Belfast and Northern Ireland as a whole has changed over the years, the same goes for some of our individual jewels in the crown.

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Chairman of Down Royal, James Nicholson, General Manager, Mike Todd and Brendan Sheridan, Clerk of the Racecourse

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he new-look Windsor Park stands testament to how a sporting facility can be transformed, and rugby’s Kingspan Stadium is another fine example. But anyone who has enjoyed the sport of kings out at Down Royal Racecourse over the past 20-odd years will agree that the management team there know a thing or two about how to improve things.

From one small and basic grandstand and a hotch potch of stables and other buildings, Down Royal has carefully invested in the track and customer facilities over the years so that it now compares favourably with the top racecourses in Ireland.

Come early November this year, it will provide the curtain raiser for the first Grade 1 steeplechase of the season in the British Isles, when the Down Royal Festival of Racing swings into action over two days.

Down Royal’s transformation hasn’t come about by accident. It’s been driven by an effective double act of its Chairman, Co. Down wine merchant James Nicholson (25 years in the role), and General Manager, Mike Todd, who has been celebrating 20 years in his job.

“We both remember all too well the old days when the small stand was just about all we had on site,” says Mike Todd, whose

Eye on Venues

brief when he joined Down Royal on April’s Fools Day of 1996 was simple if ambitious.

“The dream was to bring Grade 1 racing to Down Royal...simple as that,” he says. “But, while it might sound simple, it was a big ask back in those days.”

But, in the autumn of 1999, Grade 1 racing did come to the racecourse with the first-ever National Hunt festival weekend and the appearance in the JN Wine Champion Chase of a horse by the name of Florida Pearl.

“I stepped in at the last minute to sponsor the feature race for the simple reason that we didn’t have a sponsor. And they haven’t been able to shift me from it since,” smiles James Nicholson, who chairs a multi-faceted Down Royal board which includes racing enthusiasts from a wide range of walks of professional life.

The organisation is a not-for-profit enterprise, so all revenue from its operations can be re-invested in the facilities and in the sport of racing here in Northern Ireland.

“We’re the shop window of the northern racing and thoroughbred industry which, according to a DARD commissioned report, is worth £22 million to the local economy and

it’s growing all the time, with more high-end training yards establishing themselves here,” adds Mike Todd.

“And we’re very proud of what we have to offer at Down Royal,” he continues. “Our investment through the years in constantly improving the customer experience has resulted in a product unrivalled locally in terms of corporate hospitality.”

These days, Down Royal can accommodate up to 1,000 corporate hospitality guests across the Beef or Salmon Suite, Moscow Flyer Suite and Rainbow Communications Suite. Those facilities are topped off by a range of private suites/ boxes capable of accommodating up to 16 guests in some comfort.

“We like to describe the horse racing experience as five minutes of sporting action followed by 25 minutes of interaction,” says James Nicholson. “As sporting events go, horse racing is unique. It’s an all-day corporate hospitality experience that gives our clients the chance to really entertain and interact with their guests over an entire afternoon or evening. It’s great for building relationships....and those are their words, not ours.”

The aforementioned Florida Pearl, Beef or Salmon and Moscow Flyer are

just three of the equine big names to have graced the Down Royal turf. But there are plenty of others.

Successive early November meetings have seen some of the very best National Hunt horses making their way across the Irish Sea, not least the legendary Kauto Star.

Last year’s feature race was won by Michael O’Leary’s Don Cossack, a horse that went on to win the highlight of the National Hunt season, the Gold Cup at Cheltenham.

“As the first Grade 1 steeplechase meeting of the new season, the November festival has become a proven testing ground for horses which their trainers think might be able to have a crack at the Cheltenham Gold Cup.” Key sponsors this year include SHS Group which is backing the WKD Hurdle on Friday, 4th November, and Titanic Belfast sponsor of the Grade 2 Titanic Belfast Steeplechase on Saturday, 5th November, curtain raiser for the JNWine.com Champion Chase.

And another big name of the National Hunt world is already confirmed. Silviniaco Conti, trained

by Paul Nicholls, winner of the last two King George VI Chases at Kempton Park will be in the field for the Champion Chase.

“We don’t want to sound like prophets in our own land, but we do think sometimes that the November meeting, in car terms, is a bit like bringing Formula One racing to Northern Ireland. This is top-class racing with top-class horses,” says James Nicholson.

“The owners and trainers love coming to Down Royal. They’re amazed at the reception the horses are given. There’s no doubt that racing is in the blood around here, and we all appreciate seeing the best horses in action.”

Recent years have also seen investment in new facilities all around the racecourse, a brand new wine bar among them. But racing at Down Royal isn’t all about corporate hospitality. Every race meeting on the calendar at the racecourse is also open to the general public who can enjoy enhanced bar, food and Tote betting facilities....as well as a great value Punter’s Pack which includes admission, a pint and race card.

New partnerships with French Village and Mount Charles ‘Drink’ division have completely refreshed the food and drink offering at Down Royal. With gourmet offerings in the hospitality suites, the general public accessing the wine bar or marquees can also enjoy tasty French Village tapas.

Mike continued, “What’s great about a day out at the races is that its accessible for everyone – both males and females of all ages, racing enthusiasts but equally those who have never attended a race meeting or had a previous interest in horseracing.

At Down Royal, you’re promised great food, great racing, great fashion, great people, great fun!”

Whether you’re a punter there for the horses, a family there for the sporting entertainment, a fashionista competing for the ‘Best Dressed’ prize or a socialite looking for an alternative day out with friends, the racecourse has a range of admission packages developed to appeal to each of these audiences.

“We’re aspirational and we make no bones about that. We’re about 70% to where we eventually want to be,” says Mike Todd.

“But, ambitions apart, we’re also very relevant and we’re rooted in the sport that we all love.

“At the Festival, we’ll have entertainment all over the racecourse and events like the Victoria Square Best Dressed Lady competition on Saturday 5th November. Open to all female racegoers, the prize is an incredible once in a lifetime trip to Cape Town. But, at the end of the day, it’s all about the top class horses and what they do out on the track and over the fences.

“Horse racing, in a lot of ways, is pure theatre. It’s a really great day out. There might be other sports around but, to be honest, we don’t have any competition.”

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Eye on Insurance

Pushing the Brand Beyond Communications Business Eye meets Don Brennan, Head of Marketing, Strategy and Pricing at Hughes Insurance to talk brand.

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ughes Insurance is one of the longest established and most recognisable insurance providers in Northern Ireland. Since the company was founded nearly four decades ago (it celebrates its 40th anniversary next year), it’s enjoyed phenomenal success and growth and has firmly established itself in Northern Ireland as the leading trusted insurance brokerage.

Following the acquirement

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of Hughes by Liberty Mutual insurance in 2014, a new Executive Team was put in place with Brian McDowell appointed Chief Executive - and an ambitious new company strategy was devised, part of which included a major rebrand. The company has always been an innovator, in the past the brokerage was the first insurance company with the first call centre in Northern Ireland, the first to

advertise on TV and the first to come up with a bespoke product catering exclusively for the Northern Ireland market.

The legacy of innovation is one that the new Executive Team aims to continue and Don Brennan, the new Head of Marketing, Strategy and Pricing for Hughes, is already making his mark as an innovator by rebranding the company to focus on a promising future of growth and expansion.

“Building a successful brand in a competitive market place is important and having the right brand is crucial to the overall effective running of any business,” says Don who joined the company in November last year. “Branding goes far beyond the right colour of logo, for us our brand is about our entire customer experience, how it looks online, on TV, on social media, on billboards, when you call to a branch and even

Eye on Insurance

“ A strong brand needs to be consistent across all channels and easy to recognise, when customers feel a familiarity with your brand it establishes a relationship and if it is consistent with our delivery it builds trust - that’s what we are trying to achieve at Hughes.”

when you are talking to our team over the phone. It is critical that throughout all stages of the customer journey, the brand our customers are met with reflects who we are as a company.”

“A strong brand needs to be consistent across all channels and easy to recognise, when customers feel a familiarity with your brand it establishes a relationship and if it is consistent with our delivery it builds trust - that’s what we are trying to achieve at Hughes. We have built up a very loyal customer base some of which have been coming to us for years and we want to maintain that. We are also known as a friendly, approachable and enthusiastic team – mainly because we employ local staff who are passionate about what they do – it is one of the reasons why our rebrand

leads on the ‘H’ of Hughes and the ‘I’ of insurance as in ‘Hi, We’re Hughes.’ We are personable, and we want to build relationships – our tone of voice, or our brand personality reflects this.

“Effective branding also lets customers know what to expect when they interact with Hughes.

For example, when I first started with Hughes, what became really apparent was that the team has a genuine passion for protecting our customers – this ethos lies at the heart of Hughes and it was important for our brand to convey that. So when customers come to us, they already have a good understanding of who we are as a company and importantly what they can expect when dealing with us.”

“We consistently analyse our relationships with customers helping us to learn about what

we need to do better, how we are perceived, what we need to maintain and what we need to change. During this process we found we were mostly known as a car insurance company – when in reality we have a significant share of the home insurance market and also operate successfully across commercial and van insurance. This became a major factor in our rebrand as we wanted to create a brand that our customers can trust to protect the important things in their lives.

It is absolutely who we are and captures the essence of what we do every day - summed up in our advertising campaign as ‘We’ll look after it like it’s our own’.”

For more information visit www.hughesinsurance.co.uk

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Eye on Technology

Techies in Residence boosts “tech for good” in Northern Ireland

Tech for good: tech experts joined forces with the Third Sector in the Building Change Trust’s Techies in Residence programme. Pictured are Joe Donnelly from TAMHI, Pauline Fitzsimons from NOW Group, Ciaran Murray from Creative Metrics, Paul Braithwaite from Building Change Trust, Anne Marie McArthur from NOW and Michelle Byrne from AWARE.

The Third Sector and tech experts have joined forces to harness the power of digital technology in order to make big changes to social problems.

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pilot project by the Building Change Trust and run by CultureTECH paired smart, talented people from the Third Sector (charities, voluntary organisations and social enterprises) with digital specialists in order to tackle unique problems by using innovative solutions and create real social impact.

Paul Braithwaite, who heads up the Trust’s work in Social Innovation and who oversaw the Techies in Residence programme, said: “Many people in the Third Sector don’t realise the potential of technology to directly contribute

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to their social impact. They do know lots about social problems though and have very deep links to communities. Meanwhile we have a rapidly growing, passionate and energetic tech sector that knows all about technology and are keen to be involved in solving problems of all descriptions. Putting the two together and seeing what innovation would result was the idea behind Techies in Residence.”

“It’s not about one group ‘teaching’ the other how it’s done – it’s about collaborating and mutual learning around shared challenges.

The Digital Social Innovation or Tech for Good movement is growing hugely across Europe and internationally – Northern Ireland is behind the curve and needs to catch up, we’re trying to help. Key to all of this is the idea that digital innovation - and innovation in general- should no longer be thought of only as a way of growing the economy but something that can help us deal with a whole range of societal challenges and increase wellbeing across the board,” he added.

Techies in Residence aimed to kick-start digital social innovation in Northern Ireland and showcase what can be achieved by combining the two sectors, developing long standing partnerships between the tech community and VCSE organisations.

At the upcoming Unusual Suspects Festival, running in Derry-Londonderry and Belfast 12th – 14thOctober, the Trust will be launching a second phase of the Techies in Residence programme. Building on the success of Techies in Residence, they will be overseeing an expanded programme that will place innovators with all sorts of skills into organisations and groups within the Northern Ireland Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise Sector.

“With this ambitious project, we hope to stimulate social innovation and cross-sectoral collaboration by connecting those working on innovative solutions to social challenges with the technical skillsets they need to design, test and deliver,” Paul Braithwaite added.

Eye on Technology BUSINESS EYE takes a look at three of the projects supported by the Building Change Trusts’ Techies in Residence Programme.

AWARE: An app to reach out to teens

NOW Group: a new app to buy some time

TAMHI: the power of big data

AWARE works exclusively for people with depression

NOW Group is a Northern Ireland-wide social

TAMHI is a Belfast-based mental health awareness

and bipolar disorder. The organisation delivers

enterprise that supports people with barriers to

charity that was set up in 2011 by Joe Donnelly

educational and support programmes throughout

employment and learning, helping them to change

and Stephen McLaughlin in memory of their friend

Northern Ireland including their successful

their lives and make a positive impact on society.

Thomas “Tammy Tucker” McLaughlin who took his

classroom based Mood Matters programme,

One tool which has been developed to support

own life in 2009. The organisation trains sports

which helps teens understand mental health and

this aim is the JAM Card (an abbreviation of ‘Just a

groups about the power of sport to promote Positive

deal with problems. In order to explore ways to

Minute’), a credit card sized information card that

Mental Fitness and build emotional resilience.

extend the reach of this programme, they were

people with learning disabilities/difficulties use to

The group felt it was essential to better

paired with David Shawe from Invisible Building

alert staff in retail outlets, public/private transport

evaluate the impact of their work and had

through the Techies in Residence project.

providers and other areas of public life that the

gathered a wealth of data from clubs but the

cardholder needs ‘Just a Minute’ of patience and

challenge was finding a meaningful way to

time to successfully complete an interaction.

measure and interpret this information.

Simply converting their current programme to an online version wouldn’t support the business model. AWARE and David came together to

To take this to the next level, NOW felt that a

The challenge then was to create a functional

research current mental health related digital

digital app would not only be more user-friendly

and user friendly interface to allow data to be

products and services and mapped the growing

it could provide additional functionality and data

collected, and a sophisticated dashboard from

trend for digital mindfulness tools. This market

feedback. The organisation was teamed up with

which TAMHI and partners can analyse data.

analysis was key to developing a digital solution

Ciaran Murray Owner of Creative Metrics.

that sat within a sound business model that

Ciaran said: “The current card had no actual ‘smart’

They worked with Kyle Gawley, CEO of Belfast based ticketing start up – Get Invited. “I’m passionate

would either mirror or expand upon the business

features or RFID to record usage. I like the appeal of

about demonstrating that Northern Ireland can

model for the Mood Matters programme.

adding analytical insight about how the JAM card is

compete on the global stage, and the Techies in

used in the community by creating a companion digital

Residence programme seemed like the perfect

Whisper and incorporating AWARE’s Do One

version which will provide feedback and statistics

opportunity to lend my experience to a new venture

Thing (DOT) campaign, the concept of a digital

to NOW about how the card is actually used.”

and play a part in helping another local organisation

Taking inspiration from social platforms like

mood board was created. Creativity and young

NOW Group now has a working prototype that

to get something off the ground,” Kyle said.

people’s desire to create and share digital content

records data in the cloud including location, usage

are key characteristics of this digital tool.

type and user information, meaning that in the future

that tracks individual engagement with the

“Techies in Residence was an excellent project for

Together they developed a prototype model

a digital dashboard can be created to allow NOW to

community and can compare results before and

AWARE and has provided the charity with a highly

analyse this data with ease. Other potential features

after involvement with sports activity in order

user-friendly and potentially marketable tool for

include a news feed and the ability to customise the

to really measure the impact of their work.

young people to engage with beyond the classroom,”

JAM card message to the needs of individual users.

said Kieran Hughes from AWARE. “The project has

The prototype will allow NOW to pilot the app with

us and we would never have been able to do

allowed AWARE to explore technology in a way that is

service users and further refine the user experience

this ourselves. It proved to be so much more

beyond our own capabilities. The web app developed

while seeking additional funding to develop the app.

than developing a prototype model. It made us

has the potential to be used across AWARE’s range of

Community engagement manager at the NOW

re-focus the whole ethos of the organisation

Group, Jayne McStay explained that the programme

and emphasise and understand the impact of

outshone all their expectations. “We were so lucky

our work,” Joe Donnelly from TAMHI said.

services and to be developed further in the future.

“One of the most productive aspects of the

“This entire process has been a revelation to

programmes was the bootcamp. The input from

because our Techie really bought into our work,

The prototype is now being tested

various techies, from a range of backgrounds

it was clear he was powered on by a real social

and the programme had an unexpected

and fields, was invaluable in progressing

consciousness. We weren’t just another client,

benefit in that techie Kyle has now joined

AWARE’s original idea to something more

Ciaran really cared about creating something that

the board adding an on-going voice of

tangible, achievable and useful,” he added.

would help improve the daily lives of our clients”.

technical expertise to the organisation.

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Eye on Drinks Industry

Shortcross... Local Hero Blazes A Trail It wasn’t too long ago that enjoying a gin meant drinking whatever they had behind the bar (Gordon’s, Cork Dry or Beefeater, perhaps) with a small bottle of Schweppes tonic and a thin slice of lemon.

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hese days, not only do we have bars specialising in gin, but Northern Ireland has its own mini-industry distilling the stuff.....and with a healthy measure of success.

The brand blazing the Northern Ireland gin trail is Shortcross, developed, distilled and bottled in a purpose-built distillery nestling in a corner of the picturesque Rademon Estate near Crossgar in County Down.

The Shortcross story is one of entrepreneurial spirit (pardon the pun) and determination from the married couple who came up with

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the idea in the first place, Fiona and David Boyd-Armstrong.

David puts the original idea down to his wife. “We both really enjoy gin, but it was Fiona who came up with the idea of setting up a distillery here at Rademon,” he says. “A few people told us to forget about it and go back to our day jobs (as an engineer and quantity surveyor respectively), but it’s an idea that wouldn’t go away. So we started to look around at craft distilleries elsewhere in the world and we realised that it was achievable.”

The pair ordered their still back

in January of 2013, started to assemble the distillery and then spent a good six months working on the all-important bit....the recipe for their gin. In the final reckoning, apples, elderflowers, elderberries and wild clover (from the grounds of Rademon) are distilled with water, juniper, coriander, orange and lemon.

Shortcross Gin takes its name from the gaelic name for Crossgar – An Chrois Ghearr – and it was launched onto the local market as a small batch gin in 2014.

Amongst early buyers were a couple of Belfast’s top restaurants – Ox and James Street South.

The fact that it was served up to restaurant customers and thanks to the power of social media, growth of the only gin brand to be distilled in Northern Ireland was steady right from the start.

“We’ve all tended to forget that Northern Ireland has a proud heritage when it comes to distilleries,” says David BoydArmstrong. “Back in the day, there were lots of whiskey distilleries dotted around the city of Belfast.

By doing what we’re doing, with gin rather than whiskey at this stage, we’re doing our bit to restore the heritage that we’ve lost.”

What was important right from the start for the Shortcross founders was to craft and create the finished product on site at Rademon....with no third party products used in the process (ingredients like citrus fruits, coriander and juniper apart).

Talk to David and Fiona BoydArmstrong and the conversation soon turns to the ingredients they forage from the extensive grounds of the estate, the pure nature of the water used in the process and the distinctive smell of botanicals as they’re ‘cooked’ in the distillation process.

“We talk about Rademon and this distillery in the same way as the French winemakers would talk about a terroir....the complete natural environment in which a particular wine is produced.”

If a lot of time was spent on the formulation of the final recipe used for Shortcross Gin, another slice of time and effort went into the gin’s packaging, its distinctive bottle shape, label design including a Celtic coin and its wax bottle closure.

“Packaging is crucial to the finished product,” adds Fiona BoydArmstrong. “And we spent some time learning about packaging design before we started to decide on how our bottles would look,” Having cut its teeth in local restaurants and bars, Shortcross didn’t take long to break into export markets, first into GB and the Republic of Ireland. Nowadays, it leaves Crossgar bound for Europe and the Middle East.

In the business’s first year, the workforce was the two BoydArmstrongs. In the second year, it had expanded to four and, in its third year, Shortcross now employs a team of six in production, sales and administration.

“It’s been a labour of love for us,” says David Boyd-Armstrong. That passion comes through when he takes us on a guided tour of the distillery where the distinctive smell of distilling gin provides the backdrop to a production process that he monitors carefully and personally.

Shortcross Gin has carved out a niche for itself as a leader amongst the new breed of ‘craft’ gins, served these days with a variety of tonics and with a range of other mixers and an even bigger range of accompaniments..... from lemon to orange and on to strawberries, berries, black pepper and even honeycomb.

Eye on Drinks Industry

Meanwhile, innovation is next on the agenda for the team at Rademon Estate. They’ve already branched out with a special edition of Shortcross Gin, matured in barrels previously used for Bordeaux wines and with a second special edition distilled using additional wild clover from the County Down countryside.

And they’ve also announced plans to move across from gin production and into the ancient Irish art of whiskey distilling. Shortcross has already invested in a brand new still and produced its first single malt Irish whiskey, currently resting in barrels......where it will remain for another couple of years before its uncorking in 2018.

The company has bought into this year’s Northern Ireland Year of Food & Drink, and has continued to work hard on its links with local restaurateurs and the pub trade here.

“We’ll also continue to work hard on developing our export sales,” says David Boyd-Armstrong.

Competing with leading spirits brands at an international level, Shortcross Gin recently won awards at the prestigious Spirits Business Global Gin Masters Awards 2016, International Wine & Spirits Competition 2016 and Great Taste Awards 2016.

And, on the bricks and mortar front, the builders are already on site at Rademon creating a brand new visitor centre at the distillery.

When it opens its doors next year, it will provide Shortcross fans with their first chance to see where their favourite gin is created.

“It’s been a really busy three years,” adds Fiona Boyd-Armstrong.

“But we’ve really enjoyed creating Shortcross and watching it go from strength to strength.”

That first gin and tonic on a Friday evening must taste all the better in their Crossgar home...

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Eye on Internet

Online Marketing Investment Moving Towards The Customer Journey

By Gareth Dunlop, Fathom.

It’s not just X-Factor that has people on a journey. Right now, every single person using the web or a digital product is on a journey. That journey started when they first become aware of a product or service or brand, and will finish when they become a loyal, repeat customer.

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ypically, the journey spans multiple channels across bought, earned and owned media. Frequently it takes more than one go (in many e-commerce environments a user will return up to 5 times and take up to 10 days before making the first move towards purchasing, and the actual purchase itself).

And regularly it occurs across a range of smartphone, tablet and laptop devices.

So the journey can be complex and challenging to understand.

That can be the only mitigating factor which defence lawyers for marketers can cite when asked why marketers haven’t been focusing more on the online element of the customer journey before now.

There is after all, a journey beyond the banner ad.

Happily, according to a recent Marketwired report, this is changing. Its study “Marketing is a (Buyer) Journey, Not a Destination” features feedback from 100 Chief Marketing Officers who have responsibility for budgets north of $1m.

According to Deepak Advani, General Manager, IBM Commerce (who sponsored the report), “The brand/customer dynamic is no longer built on isolated interactions.

It’s an ongoing relationship that must span all touch points in the customer’s journey”.

Let’s consider that customer journey across the five stages of the purchasing process.

Awareness – a customer first becomes aware of a product or service. Typically the customer is reached through abovethe-line advertising such as TV, radio, billboard, press or digital display.

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Consideration – a customer starts to ponder the purchase of the product or service. Organisations typically influence customers during this phase using SEO, pay-per-click, retargeting, email communication and inbound content marketing.

Decision making – a customer considers in depth what she needs to know to determine if she would like to purchase a product or service and often reviews competitive options. As part of this phase the customer uses websites (both yours and competitors), apps, price comparison engines and review websites.

Conversion – the customer begins the sales process and eventually buys.

Classically the customer will experience website visits, triggered emails, and other behavioural marketing such as retargeting during this phase.

Advocacy – the customer enjoys the product or service and starts to experience customer care. If well looked after, the customer will become an advocate for the product or service. Customers express this through review websites, social media and repeat purchases.

As the customer moves from awareness to advocacy, two important dynamics shift. Firstly, the price of communicating with the customer lessens, as awareness is typically the most expensive part of the communications mix. Secondly, the customer becomes increasingly in control (and by corollary, the marketer less so) as they move through the funnel; thus “getting attention” which is the focus of the awareness phase is replaced with “giving attention” as the customer moves into decision making and conversion phases.

The IBM report reinforces that finally marketers are acknowledging in greater numbers that they aren’t in control of the full purchasing cycle and that they are committing themselves to hyper-efficiency in the latter phases of the cycle because of the price of awareness. Mathematically

they recognise that every percentage gain in conversion multiplies out through all of the channels used for awareness.

If I might paraphrase Advani using experience-design parlance, he is confirming that marketers are finally catching up with customers by recognising that they demand to be in full control of the experience; customers reward organisations who put them in control with their attention, their loyalty and their revenue.

Gareth Dunlop owns and runs Fathom, a user-experience consultancy which helps ambitious organisations get the most from their website and internet marketing by viewing the world from the perspective of their customers. Specialist areas include UX strategy, usability testing and customer journey planning, web accessibility and integrated online marketing. Clients include Three, Ordnance Survey Ireland, PSNI, Permanent TSB and Tesco Mobile.

Visit Fathom online at fathom.pro

Eye on Property

Higher rate SDLT on additional residential properties As part of the government’s Five Point Plan for Housing higher rates of Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) have been introduced for the purchase of additional residential property with effect from April 2016.

How does it apply?

The increase is 3% on top of existing SDLT rates for all tiers so in effect it will apply to the entire cost of the property. The rates are as follows: Band (£)

Existing SDLT rates

Additional SDLT Rate

0-125,000

0%

3%

125,000 – 250,000

3%

5%

250,000 – 925,000

5%

8%

925,000 – 1,500,000

10%

13%

1,500,000+

12%

15%

For example, if a property was acquired for £350,000 in March 2016 SDLT of £7,500 would have been payable. Under the new rules, if the same property was acquired in June 2016 the SDLT payable would increase to £18,000, an increase of £10,500.

What does it apply to?

The new rates will apply to the acquisition of any additional residential property where the following conditions are met:

• The new property costs £40,000 or higher • The buyer already owns a residential property or a share in a residential property worth £40,000 or more.

Properties outside the UK are taken into account.

• The property is not replacing the buyer’s only or main residence.

The rate can also apply to any off plan purchases of residential property where contracts have been substantially performed and construction has not yet commenced.

Therefore, anyone who already owns a property and acquires an additional property will be caught by the new rules.

If a developer acquires a site on which construction of residential property has begun then the additional SDLT rates can also apply as the land will be classified as residential rather than commercial.

Exception to the rule There is an exception if the buyer has sold their main residence and is acquiring a new property to

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replace their previous residence.

In such cases, even if the buyer owns another property such as a holiday home or buy to let the purchase of the new property would not be subject to the new higher rates of SDLT. If for any reason there is a delay with a sale and the new property is acquired before the buyer’s previous main residence has been sold, then the new higher rates of SDLT will apply as the buyer will be considered to own two properties. However, provided the old main residence is sold within 36 months of the purchase of the new main residence it is possible to apply to HMRC for a refund of the additional SDLT. The refund must be claimed within 3 months of the sale of the previous main residence or within 12 months of the filing date of the return, whichever is the later.

Joint purchasers Where buyers are acquiring a property jointly, the new higher rates will apply if either party meets the conditions noted above and already owns a residential property.

In the case of buyers who are married or in a civil partnership the higher rates will apply if the individual’s spouse or civil partner already owns a property.

Companies The additional rates will also apply to the acquisition of residential properties by companies where the property is valued at £40,000 or more.

Multiple Dwellings Relief In cases where more than 2 properties are being acquired in the same transaction, it is possible for Multiple Dwellings Relief to be claimed. With this relief, the SDLT charged is based on the average value of each property rather than the total amount paid for all the properties.

For example, if an individual is buying 7 houses costing £2.1m the average value of a house is £300,000. The SDLT based on an average price of a house would be £14,000. Therefore, the total SDLT payable for all 7 houses would be £98,000.

Eye on Events

LOCAL FAMILY BUSINESS BREAKFAST LAUNCHES FORUM’S NEW PROGRAMME

(1) (L-R Back) Phillip Clements, Clements Eggs; Kevin McCann, McCann’s Apples; Niall Irwin, Irwin’s Bakeries; Oliver McCann, McCann’s Apples.. (L-R front) Darren McDowell, Harbinson Mulholland; Ben Kitchingham, Carnbrooke Meats; Jill Crawford, Just Live A Little Granola; Pamela Scurfield, Punjana and Michael McQuillan, UU Business School.

Over 70 representatives of family businesses gathered at an event organised by Harbinson Mulholland in partnership with Ulster University SME Centre to celebrate family businesses in Northern Ireland on National Family Business Day.

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he ‘Big Family Business Breakfast’ showcased local produce from local family businesses at the launch the new Autumn/ Winter programme for the NI Family Business Forum. The Forum which was established earlier this year, aims to create a platform for these businesses to connect with each other, share

(L-R) Paul Mulholland, Harbinson Mulholland; Brendan Dwyer, Harbinson Mulholland, Conleth McConville, MJM Marine and Niamh McConville of Mivan.

experiences and exchange ideas in a friendly and sociable setting.

If you are a family business and would like to join the Forum or partake in the next event on 19 October which is themed ‘Managing Relationships in the family business’ and will focus on the importance of having a family constitution/charter please visit: www.harbinson-mulholland.com

(L-R) Nora Tallon, Harbinson Mulholland; Terry McDonagh, Terry Design; Jeremy Harbinson, Harbinson Mulholland and Vincent Bradley Harbinson Mulholland.

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Eye on Charity Sector

PAUL TERRINGTON & A GIANT CHARITY CHALLENGE

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Eye on Charity Sector It’s easy to get the impression from Paul Terrington that he’s a man who tends to achieve what he sets out to do. It’s probably why his career has taken him to the top at PwC in Northern Ireland, who he’s been Chairman of the Institute of Directors here and why he was the ‘go to’ man when the Northern Ireland Hospice decided to build a new £13 million facility in Belfast.

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he Hospice had decided that it needs a businessled development board to help turn its dreams into reality and, at the same time, to grow lasting links between the charity and the business community.

Paul Terrington was the man they wanted to chair that board.

“The Hospice brand is a very powerful and emotive one,” he says. “But that strength of brand has its disadvantages too.

Too many people think that the Hospice is well funded, so it’s a bit of a two-edged sword.”

The Board that he led set out to raise £3 million and ended up raising £3.5 million to help transform the NI Hospice’s existing site at Somerton Road in North Belfast into a brand new and larger facility on the new site....combining elements of the old building with a new one.

Designed to be a world leader in palliative care, the new Hospice will provide care for more than 3,000 local people and their families each year, both on site and in their own homes. It has 18 modern en-suite rooms, gardens, a children and relatives area as well as a sanctuary and chaplains’ room.

Paul Terrington is quick to point to the fact that the organisation’s fund raising isn’t all about capital costs. “Demand for hospice services here in Northern Ireland is increasing, and it’s worth remembering that it costs £6 million a year to run these services.”

The Board, he says, targeted corporate Northern Ireland, charitable trusts, philanthropists and wealthy individuals.

“It didn’t take us too long to have an idea in mind of where we were going to look for the funds that we needed,” he says. “But that’s only the start of the process. What was important for us was how we communicated our objectives and those of the NI Hospice and how we worked alongside the team at the Hospice.”

Terrington is quick to pay tribute to a dedicated fundraising team at the Hospice, including its Director of Income Generation, Siofra Healy. “They have access to a lot of the knowledge. We, on the other hand, have access to the business contacts. That’s how it works.

“People know people and corporate Northern Ireland, when you really get down to it, isn’t all that big. It’s a relatively small base, although it gets larger when you start to think about the international business diaspora, if we can call it that.

“There was a lot of goodwill from the very start towards the Hospice. It’s not hard to convince people of its merits. But there is still a job to be done translating that goodwill into actual donations, and it’s not a quick fix.”

Armed with artists impressions of how the new Hospice would look, Paul Terrington and fellow board members like Sir Bruce

Robinson, Ken Montgomery and Dominic Walsh set about the challenge, meeting regularly to update each other and liaise with the Hospice personnel.

One of their messages will have been the fact that the new NI Hospice adult building (there is a separate Children’s Hospice at Newtownabbey) won’t just care for cancer patients. It is the first dementia-friendly hospice in the UK and Ireland, and can also care for people with respiratory illnesses, heart disease and motor neurone disease, amongst others.

“It was a big-scale challenge, there’s no doubt about that,” says Terrington, a man whose professional life doesn’t leave him with a lot of spare time on his hands. As well as being Chairman of PwC in Northern Ireland, he sits on its National Consulting Leadership Team, its national Government Consulting Leadership Team and was previously UK Consulting Leader of PwC’s People & Change practice.

Professionally, he has led some of the UK’s largest public sector transformation and modernisation programmes and has significant experience across all aspects of Human Resources advisory work at strategic and organisational levels. And he’s the outgoing Chairman of the

Northern Ireland branch of the Institute of Directors.

“But, because it was such a big challenge, there has been a big sense of satisfaction amongst those of us who have served on the board. It was enormously gratifying to see the new Hospice open its doors this summer.”

The fund raising campaign wasn’t all about individual and corporate donations. There was an element of creativity involved.

Innovative events included a pitch session staged by the Halo Business Angel network, with the Hospice and Board ‘pitching’ to potential investors.

“We’ve had a lot of help from the fantastic people at the Hospice. We’ve been able to take a really united team approach.”

The same could be said for his place of work. PwC employees in Northern Ireland adopted the Hospice as their nominated charity and raised a phenomenal £96,000.....a lot more, Paul Terrington observes, than previous charity efforts over the years.

“For our people at PwC and for those who’ve helped us in other businesses, it’s not all about the money. It’s about being able to make a real difference to the lives of the patients at the Hospice.

That’s what it’s all about.”

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Eye on Women’s Entrepreneurship (1)

Tina McKenzie Appointed European Ambassador for International Women’s Entrepreneurship Day ‘Women can make NI the Entrepreneurial Capital of Europe’ Leading Northern Ireland businesswoman, Tina McKenzie, Group Managing Director of Staffline Ireland was appointed European Ambassador by the New York based Women’s Entrepreneurship Day organisation and will be leading events at Westminster and Brussels ahead of the International event to be held in the United Nations in New York in celebration of Women’s Entrepreneurship Day on 19th November.

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he WED movement is currently supported by 100,000 entrepreneurs currently working to alleviate poverty in 70 countries with the aim of being active in every country driving entrepreneurship through women.

The announcement was made by Economy Minister Simon Hamilton at an event in the Great Hall in Stormont attended by more than 200 high profile leaders from the business, political and community

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sectors with significant cross border representation. This announcement was then followed by a panel discussion with some of Northern Ireland’s leading women including: • Ann McGregor, NI Chamber of Commerce • Eleanor McEvoy, Budget Energy • Tracey Hamilton, Mash Direct • Lesley Hogg, NI Assembly • Roseann Kelly, Women in Business • Jackie Henry, Deloitte

Tina McKenzie is Managing Director of Staffline Ireland – a group of three companies including Diamond Recruitment Group, PeoplePlus NI and Staffline Recruitment – directly employing more than 200 people with a multimillion pound turnover.

In her inaugural message she said she believed the entrepreneurial spirit of women in Northern Ireland is an untapped resource and that with leadership and application Northern Ireland can be the entrepreneurial capital of Europe.

“Entrepreneurialism is not limited to those who start up new businesses – entrepreneurship is the relentless spirit to seek out a problem in the world and solve it.

“Women across the globe see the need in this world and when we succeed in filling that need, our communities and our economies thrive.

“And most importantly for an economy such as our own, we know that one in five women who start a business or move into self-employment were previously unemployed. This means women’s entrepreneurship brings a more immediate contribution to the economy.

“Promoting women’s entrepreneurship from micro-businesses to corporate boards will propel Northern Ireland’s economy through uncertain times.

Especially as a society moving from conflict, increased entrepreneurship helps provide economic and political stability,” she explained.

In the next five months leading to New York on 18th November Tina McKenzie will be taking that message to all of the European WED ambassadors to co-ordinate a network of mentoring and support initiatives by women for women led by Northern Ireland. This will involve events at Westminster and Brussels.

Eye on Women’s Entrepreneurship (2)

(3)

(5)

(4)

(6)

(7)

1 – Ann McGregor, Jackie Henry, Eleanor McEvoy, Janet McCollum, Tracy Hamilton, Roseann Kelly. 2 - Jackie Henry, Tracy Hamilton, Tina McKenzie, Simon Hamilton, Deirdre Heenan, Roseann Kelly, Ann McGregor, Eleanor McEvoy. 3 - Methody College Belfast Students with Tina. 4 - Andy Hegarty, Simon Hamilton and Tina McKenzie. 5 – Doreen McKenzie, Nisha Tandon OBE. 6 - Mickey Brady MLA, Tina McKenzie. 7 - Deirdre Heenan, Eileen Bell, Eva Grossman, Jeffrey Donaldson.

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Eye on Virtual Reality

Seeing Is Believing In recent years, visualisations have become all prevalent in the architectural profession. Stylish imagery and renderings are a commodity as clients gain a better understanding through pictures than plans. 3D visualisation technologies are inspiring a new generation of designers to reinvigorate the traditional approach, pushing architecture to unknown heights.

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ith so many things to consider when designing a home including interior space, room functionality and impact of natural light - visualising a project outside the basic CAD system can often be confusing. However, with the latest technology offered by 2020 Architects this is on the brink of change.

Architecture in Northern Ireland is taking a giant leap forward and, in many ways, gaining huge momentum from adopting technology normally used in video games. 2020 are the first architects in Northern Ireland to offer clients the opportunity to experience their design first-hand by taking a fully immersive virtual reality tour around their home in a fully dedicated virtual reality suite.

Using a VR headset, clients can stand in a photo-realistic environment and look around. Not on a screen, but in exactly the

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same way they do in the real world. By tilting their head up, they can see the ceiling and lighting design, by looking straight forward, feature-walls and room design.

By transforming 3D CAD models into interactive walk-throughs, architects and clients can evaluate aesthetic and design alternatives in real time.

AWARD FINALISTS 2020 Architects have incorporated a new state-of-the-art Virtual Reality Suite into their new office premises in Ballymoney to make the entire design experience as engaging and effortless as possible. Not only can clients visualise their new home, but they can walk around and interact with it, helping them envisage how they will actually live in it.

The uniqueness of this initiative has led to 2020 Architects being announced finalists in the ‘One to Watch Company’ category in the UK-wide, prestigious ‘Construction Computing Awards’ 2016.

2020 are the only company in Ireland to be represented in this particular category and are competing with the very best in the

software industry including UK companies Vectorsworks and Sypro Management.

Richard McKinney, Director of 2020 Architects said: “Drawings and static renderings often fail to capture the experiential and spatial qualities of a building. The virtual reality experience will provide opportunities to comprehensively explain projects and understand the experience of a building before it is built.

If the client is choosing between options for interior finishes, they may instantly see multiple options in real time, and in varying lighting conditions, to make a decision.”

This latest technology will speed up the design process and ensure customers are 100-per-cent happy with the concept before progressing, which will in turn minimise delays at the construction stage due to changes.

Virtual reality also helps establish more collaborative links between various stakeholders that contribute to a building project, from urban planners and mechanical engineers to construction companies and contractors.

Eye on News

Titanic Belfast Named Best Attraction in Europe Titanic Belfast has been named as Europe’s Leading Visitor Attraction at the prestigious World Travel Awards held in Sardinia, Italy.

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t is the first time an attraction in Northern Ireland has won the award at the ceremony, which has been nicknamed the ‘Tourism Oscars’, in its 23 year history.

Titanic Belfast beat off stiff competition for the top spot from the Acropolis, Athens, Buckingham Palace, England, Guinness Storehouse, Dublin, La Sagrada Familia, Spain, Ribeira do Porto, Portugal, The Eiffel Tower, France and The Roman Colosseum, Italy.

Titanic Belfast Chief Executive, Tim Husbands MBE, commented, “We are absolutely thrilled to be Europe’s Best Tourist Attraction. After only four years in operation, to be recognised and beat off stiff competition from Europe’s most iconic landmarks is a true honour. We know what we offer at Titanic Belfast is something our city and country can be proud of and are so

please that this is has been recognised on an international level. We are looking forward to welcoming the national and international visitors that this award will attract to Belfast and Northern Ireland.

We would like to thank everyone who has supported and voted for us.”

First Minister Arlene Foster, said, “In just four short years, Titanic Belfast has become an iconic tourist attraction, attracting over three million visitors from all over the world. Titanic Belfast is now a global brand which has put Northern Ireland on the map for all the right reasons so last night’s official confirmation that it is now Europe’s leading tourist attraction is well deserved. I had the privilege as Tourism Minister of being involved with the project since its inception, and this award is further proof that the investment and imagination that went into this attraction keeps paying dividends

First Minister Arlene Foster joins celebrations with Titanic Belfast’s Vice-Chairman Conal Harvey (left) and Chief Executive Tim Husbands MBE (centre), as it is named as Europe’s Leading Visitor Attraction at the prestigious World Travel Awards held in Sardinia, Italy, beating off stiff competition from The Eiffel Tower, France and The Roman Colosseum, Italy.

for the whole of Northern Ireland.”

The deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness said: “Titanic Belfast being voted Europe’s leading visitor attraction is a phenomenal achievement. The story of the Titanic is known around the globe and it is only right and proper we have a world class visitor attraction to match.

When we opened this building in 2012 we hoped it would enable the current and future generations to explore the story of The Titanic in an innovative and interactive manner. Titanic Belfast has been a resounding success and I thank everyone involved in making this local tourism attraction a global ‘must see.”

Since opening in 2012, Titanic Belfast has established itself as a world-class attraction on the local, national and

international stage, and continues to go from strength to strength. Last month, it welcomed its three-millionth visitor, having once again exceeded visitor number expectations. This milestone came during a record-breaking August, as the visitor attraction experienced its busiest day to date. The visitor experience has also experienced significant growth from France, Germany, USA and China year to date.

The award adds to Titanic Belfast accolades as it was recently included in Lonely Planet’s Ultimate Travelist of 500 of the world’s most striking locations, featuring everything from imposing temples to hidden gems, after only a few years in operation. For more information, visit www.titanicbelfast.com

MONTUPET SECURES JAGUAR LAND ROVER ORDER Montupet Dunmurry has secured the order for a new cylinder head for the global automotive market from Jaguar Land Rover.

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his cylinder head will be manufactured in Belfast and shipped to the new Jaguar Land Rover engine plant in Wolverhampton.

Alan Malcomson, Engineering Manager at Montupet (UK) Ltd, explained that this order emphasises the ability of the Dunmurry plant to compete in the global automotive marketplace, offering both quality and expertise while remaining economically competitive.

“Montupet’s commitment to investing in training and expanding skills of its employees, embracing new technology and improving processes, enhances our competitiveness and positions Montupet Dunmurry at the leading edge of casting industry efficiency and excellence. This contract will help to sustain jobs and secure the company’s long term future in the global automotive market.”

Montupet (UK) Ltd celebrated 25 years of production at its Dunmurry Plant in 2015 with over 600 employees producing cylinder heads for General Motors, Ford Motor Company and Peugeot / Citroen.

The Montupet Group has 7 manufacturing plants globally specialising in the design and manufacture of aluminium castings for the automotive

industry. Montupet is part of the Linamar Corporation a diversified global manufacturer of highly engineered products with 57 manufacturing facilities worldwide.

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Eye on Cyber Security

ALLEVIATING IT CONCERNS FOR YOUR BUSINESS

By Gareth McAllister, Managing Director, Nimbus CS Working in the field of IT, and more specifically, support, cybersecurity and cloud computing, we at Nimbus CS hear plenty of questions and concerns affecting businesses on a daily basis.

Whether you are a small company dealing internally within Northern Ireland, or exporting services internationally, IT systems are becoming increasingly integral to the lifeblood of business.

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o what are the top five concerns relating to IT systems for businesses in Northern Ireland?

1. Cyber Attacks & System Security High profile security hacks are increasingly common in the modern business world. Cases like Queen’s University, Ashley Madison and Talk Talk have created awareness and concerns within the public sphere. Despite this, a recent government research survey showed that 66% of SME’s don’t consider their business to be vulnerable, with only 16% saying that improving their cyber security is a high priority. At Nimbus we advocate practices like creating strong passwords, applying threat management solutions and the avoidance of suspicious links/emails. In the event that you have been hacked, resetting passwords and running virus scans are sensible first steps. In addition, speaking with your IT provider and letting clients know that you have been hacked is a good way to avoid confusion, and, in the event that data has been stolen, contacting the police may be the best way forward.

Action fraud is the UK’s national fraud and cybercrime reporting centre and can be found on http:// www.actionfraud.police.uk

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2. Unplanned IT Outages Unfortunately, when/if an IT outage occurs, it can become one of the most costly experiences any business will face due to operational and customer costs.

Firstly, as a preventative measure, I would strongly recommend conducting a risk audit on your current system to check for any vulnerabilities or weaknesses which could be easily rectified. Then, in the event that your system suffers an outage, in the first instance you should report it to your IT provider who should takes steps to identify the outage. In addition, it is worth checking if your case is isolated, or whether it is being experienced in offices nearby.

Finally, integrating sound antivirus protection to your systems should be an essential part of doing business in this digital age.

3. Backup & Recovery Plan Natural disasters such as flooding and fire, along with hardware failure and human factors means it is vital to have a disaster recovery plan in place. A recent survey found that on average, by the 6th day of a major data loss, companies experience a 25% loss in daily revenue.

As a proactive measure, designing, implementing and testing a backup and recovery plan is a sensible way to prepare

your system. At Nimbus we advocate backing up information on a cloud based system so as to minimise data risk or human error.

A well-structured and coherent disaster recovery plan will enable businesses to recover quickly and effectively from an unforeseen disaster or emergency, thus avoiding significant interruption or loss of earnings.

4. Email Access & Availability Email is widely used as a form of business communication and overall is a highly effective communication tool to transfer crucial business data between customers, suppliers and colleagues. In fact the two most popular products we at Nimbus offer are Hosted Exchange and Office 365 which are both cloud based and include features such as archiving, spam & virus filter but also collocation.

If you consider Microsoft’s Office 365 has transformed how businesses now work and collaborate in this digital age, what a lot of businesses don’t

realise is the need for backup on Office 365. While Microsoft replicates across multiple sites and with a guaranteed 99.9% service up-time, they do not provide individual mailbox backups. This means if a user accidentally deletes an email or an employee maliciously deletes files then they are gone.

Therefore I would advise that organisations implement a thirdparty solution to deal with this very prevalent form of data loss.

5. Cloud Security & Availability Through the likes of Drop Box and Google Drive, cloud systems enable unlimited access to data regardless of time or place. Whilst we at Nimbus are proponents of Cloud computing, we still encourage clients to back up data locally or to another offsite location.

Furthermore, it may be sensible to avoid storing extremely sensitive data within a cloud based system which various staff members may have access.

Eye on News

Local Food and Drink SMEs Advised to Capitalise on Big Data

From left to right, pictured at the Northern Ireland Food and Drink Association’s Annual Appetite for Growth Conference, Glenn Roberts, Partner at Deloitte; Alan Bridle, UK Economist and Market Analyst, Bank of Ireland UK; Declan Billington, NIFDA Chair; John Hood, Director of Food and Tourism at Invest NI and Tony Brown, Commercial Manager, Sysco Software.

Delegates at the fifth annual Appetite for Growth Conference were told that the local food and drink industry must capitalise on ‘Big Data’ if the sector is to achieve the growth targets set out in the ‘Going for Growth’ report.

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he conference, which was organised by the Northern Ireland Food and Drink Association (NIFDA) and sponsored

by Invest NI, Bank of Ireland UK, Sysco Software, Deloitte, and Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council, aims to empower local food drink companies with knowledge and insight that can add value to their businesses and improve their competitiveness.

Dr Geoff Simmons from Queens University Management School, advised delegates that the key to sustainable growth for food and drink companies is adopting a marketing strategy based on sound market intelligence. Dr Simmons is currently involved in a three year project, funded primarily by Invest NI, which is supporting local agri-food firms to improve their marketing skills and market knowledge. To date 22 local companies have

engaged with the project team, with plans to recruit more.

“There’s a lack of understanding amongst local agri-food firms, particularly the SMEs about what marketing really is,” said Geoff.

“Smaller companies typically don’t invest in market intelligence such as dunnhumby, Mintel, and Kantar Worldpanel, whereas their larger competitors do. This puts SMEs at a distinct disadvantage. Overall the sector is great at focusing on production and driving efficiency, but smaller companies, as well as some larger firms, need to improve their capacity ‘to do’ marketing in a more systematic and less ad hoc way.

“Within a rapidly changing, increasingly competitive environment, the case for a better understanding of consumer needs and wants is strong. Companies need to utilise the market intelligence available to them to

analyse who their consumer are and what they want, before they decide on the best consumer segmentation, targeting positioning strategy and marketing mix for their products.

Market intelligence has the power to transform businesses but only with a firm grasp of how to do marketing, and through this project we are aiming to integrate them,” said Geoff.

Tony Brown from Sysco Software also spoke on the benefits which can be realised through utilising ‘Big Data.” “Many companies are paying to capture data but failing to integrate it and utilise it properly. Making data work efficiently is essentially learning how to make money and save money from it. If you are paying to capture data, then it is imperative that you utilise it in order to drive commercial advantage,” he said.

Other speakers included retail analyst Dr Clive Black, who gave an overview of emerging retail trends and potential opportunities for local companies in the UK and Irish markets. Bank of Ireland UK’s Economist and Market Analyst, Alan Bridle, spoke about the strategic

importance of the agri-food sector to the local economy, and explored the potential impacts of a changing economic landscape post-Brexit. The conference also heard the preliminary findings of a Deloitte report, commissioned

by NIFDA, into the effect of Brexit on the sector. The report, which be officially launched later in the year, will incorporate feedback and concerns from the local industry and will explore priorities for the NI Executive moving forward in relation to supporting Northern Ireland’s largest manufacturing industry.

Declan Billington, Chairman of NIFDA, commented on the report, saying that the best way forward for the industry is to adopt a unified, proactive approach. “As an industry we must influence thinking on government policies post-Brexit and help to shape the future for the benefit of our industry. This report will assist us in taking our case before the Northern Ireland Executive, presenting hard facts and opportunities which must be addressed if this vibrant industry is to continue to thrive.”

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PARTNERSHIP.EXPERIENCE.IMPACT.

Banking & Finance | Technology

32 years connecting talent and opportunity

Engineering & Manufacturing | HR

www.graftonrecruitment.com

Sales & Marketing

Eye on Moving On Moy Park has announced the appointment 1 of Sian Land to the role of Chief Financial Officer. With a proven track record in corporate leadership, Sian joins Moy Park from International Procurement and Logistics (IPL Ltd), where she held the role of Group Finance Director, responsible for operational and commercial financial management and IT operations. Sian has over 20 years’ experience in the food industry having also held senior positions at Campbell’s Frozen Foods, Muller Dairy and Premier Foods.

1 Sian Land

2 Jonathan Dawson

3 Kim Smith

2 Jonathan Dawson is appointed as Business Account Manager at Rainbow Communications.

A graduate of Queen’s University, he spent three years in the telecomms sector in England before joining Rainbow earlier this year. Also 3 at Rainbow, Kim Smith becomes Provisioning 4 Team Leader, whilst Victoria Smyth is appointed as Credit Control Manager.

5 Clare Hiles has been appointed as PR Client Executive at ASG & Partners. Clare brings with her over three years of international experience, having worked across the communications industry with a variety of high profile companies including Sol Caribbean (Shell Gas), Absolut Vodka, Virgin Atlantic, LIME (Cable & Wireless), amongst others. Also at ASG, 6 Stacey Rooney has been appointed Account Executive. Stacey comes from a marketing background and is currently studying towards a Masters in Digital Media Communication.

4 Victoria Smyth

5 Clare Hiles

6 Stacey Rooney

7 Cathal Duncan has been appointed Head Chef at the James Street South Group’s Cathedral Quarter eatery Hadskis. Cathal will bring his expertise, experience, passion and drive to the team at Hadskis, which was opened by Niall McKenna in 2013. Cathal has worked in London at Pied a Terre, and in Belfast at both The Merchant Hotel and Ox. Grant Thornton NI has made three senior 8 appointments. Anthony McKibbin has been appointed Associate Director, Business Risk Services. A Chartered Accountant with considerable experience delivering internal audit and business risk services to both the public and private sectors, he has led the delivery of services to clients in sectors such as health, education, environment, transport, energy and financial services.

7 Cathal Duncan

8 Anthony McKibbin

9 Robbie Milliken

9 Robbie Milliken has been appointed Corporate Finance Manager. Robbie has extensive experience within the corporate and business banking industry and has worked as a Financial Controller.

10 And Lisa Knipe has been appointed Corporate Tax Associate Director. Lisa is a qualified Chartered Accountant and a Qualified Chartered Tax Adviser with over 18 years’ experience in advising businesses on taxation matters within both practice and industry.

10 Lisa Knipe

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11 Davy McGerrity

11 Davy McGerrity has been appointed Senior Security Consultant at Cyphra. Davy will be responsible for advising on information security risk management and compliance matters such as ISO27001, UK Government security and supply chain security. Davy joins Cyphra from BT Global Services where he was Head of Security Transition within BT Security.

PARTNERSHIP.EXPERIENCE.IMPACT.

Banking & Finance | Technology

32 years connecting talent and opportunity

Engineering & Manufacturing | HR

www.graftonrecruitment.com

Sales & Marketing

Eye on Moving xxx On 12 Fionntán Gamble LLB has recently joined leading consultative executive and professional recruitment specialist, HNH Human Capital, in their Queen Street Offices in Belfast. Appointed as a Specialist Legal Recruitment Consultant, he will be responsible for identifying and targeting specialist skill sets within high demand and niche sectors, specifically the legal sector.

12 Fionntán Gamble LLB

13 Ashley Morrow

14 Michael Deeny

13 At Jago Communications, Ashley Morrow has been appointed Senior Account Manager following ten years’ experience in the PR and Communications industry which saw her work across a vast array of external and internal communication areas locally, nationally and globally for companies such as Caterpillar and 14 Liberty IT. She is joined by Michael Deeny who has been appointed Account Executive following after graduating from Ulster University with a First Class Honours degree in Communication, Advertising and Marketing.

15 Leane McKinley has been appointed Business Development & Sales Manager for OhhSocial. She is responsible for driving sales and growing OhhSocial in Northern Ireland.

Leane looks forward to assisting new partners in growing their business, whilst bringing fantastic offers to the OhhSocial subscribers.

15 Leane McKinley

18 Emma Murray

16 Valerie Ludlow

17 Cathal Delea

17 Vicki Caddy

18 Barry Gavin

Belfast-based marketing communications firm ASG & Partners has announced the appointment of three new Directors to the 16 company’s Board. Valerie Ludlow will join the Board as Deputy CEO, following six years with the company, most recently heading up the agency’s advertising and digital marketing client service, as Director of Strategy. Also joining the ASG & Partners Board are its department 17 heads, Vicki Caddy, whose career with the PR division of the company spans over 20 years and who takes up the role of Director of PR; and 18 Emma Murray, who has led the Recruitment Advertising division for 6 years, and is now appointed as Director of ASG Recruitment.

17 Cathal Delea has been appointed as the Communication Manager for both Black Fox Solutions and Reactive Recruitment. Cathal will split his time across both companies. He has spent 3 years in the business arena honing his skills across both on-line and traditional business methodology. Cathal has a degree in English Literature and a wealth of involvement with online publications and blogs. His focus is to ensure both companies maintain a high level of visibility within their respective markets.

Gaelectric has announced the appointment 18 of Barry Gavin as Chief Executive Officer with effect from 1st October. He is currently Gaelectric’s Chief Operating Officer and prior to this, its Chief Financial Officer.

Before joining Gaelectric, Barry held a number of senior positions in commercial and financial functions in a number of industries. He is a Chartered Management Accountant.

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Eye on Agri Food

Novel Food Ideas Drive Kay’s Success Sam Butler talked to Kay Armstrong of Deli Muru in Belfast about her collaboration with other artisan business in the development of a portfolio of novel products.

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uccessful beauty therapist Kay Armstrong has carried forward a longstanding interest in natural products into the development of a increasingly popular food range that has involved collaboration with other artisans to turn smart ideas into original flavours.

This collaboration has included teaming up with craft enterprises such as Rademon Estate Distillery in Crossgar and Echlinville Distillery in Kircubbin to expand her existing and successful portfolio of original chutneys, preserves, biscuits and cakes.

She linked up with Rademon to create a unique Shortcross Gin chutney and with Echlinville to launch a rich fruit cake with Dunville Premium Malt Irish Whiskey.

A talented cook, Kay has also developed an oat cake for Echlinville using barley from the distillery’s estate and worked with Buchanan’s Turkeys in Upperlands on a novel type of lamb sausage.

Kay, furthermore, used Hilden Ale from Lisburn in another of her products and also discussed opportunities for collaboration with Michael Thomson of Mike’s Fancy Cheese in Newtownards. She’s also been encouraged by support from the likes of leading wine merchant James Nicholson in Crossgar.

“I love working with other artisans here in using their products as ingredients for my cakes and

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chutneys. We’ve some superb ingredients in Northern Ireland.

There’s just so much that can be produced using what’s readily available here,” she says.

Born and brought up in Northumberland, Kay grew up walking in the mountains and picking berries for her mother to transform into delicious pies and other dishes.

“My mother was a tremendous cook who taught me everything about cooking and entertaining. I guess it was this which led me to set up a small artisan food business, Deli Muri, in Belfast a couple of years ago.

Kay came to Northern Ireland in 1989 and worked in the beauty industry with Clarins for around 10 years. Her role with Clarins meant she travelled widely in Northern Ireland and the Republic, travels that enabled her to see developments in artisan foods, particularly in the Republic.

In 1999, she decided to set up her own beauty business, Yaro, focusing on natural therapies and chemical-free treatments. “I believe that real health comes from prevention rather than cure. What we eat, therefore, contributes to inner health and wellbeing.”

Operating from Bloomfield Avenue in east Belfast, Kay developed a significant clientele for Ayurveda treatments from India, reckoned to be among the oldest health systems. “Nutrition is a key element of Ayurvedic therapies

Relishing success - Kay Armstrong of Deli Muru in Belfast

which concentrate on treating the whole person holistically. This, of course, was in line with my interest in good food,” she adds.

A series of difficult winters and flag protests in east Belfast led Kay to think about diversifying her business interests and was encouraged by a number of friends to turn the preserves, relishes and cakes she loved making at home into a small enterprise.

She soon joined the burgeoning ranks of the food industry’s ’kitchen table entrepreneurs’, launching chutneys, such as exotic curried rhubarb, along with preserves and relishes and, most recently, shortbread and oatmeal cookies, and cakes. Many of the products have won prestigious UK Great Taste Awards from the Guild of Fine Food.

“Winning Great Taste gold stars over the past few years has been a marvellous endorsement of the business and products. The awards have increased sales and helped in showcasing the company, particularly with local delis.”

She chose Deli Muru as the name of the business and the product brand. “I wanted a brand that would travel because I want to sell the products outside Northern Ireland. Some are already being bought by friends in England. Muru means tasty little morsel and deli indicates my long-term desire to set up a deli selling the best artisan food that’s available here.

“My focus now is on establishing the brand and on developing the range of original products,” she adds.

“I’ve had to take account of the much sweeter tastes of Northern Ireland consumers. They prefer preserves and chutneys with sweeter flavours than they do in England.”

Kay is also quick to acknowledge the encouragement and support provided by the team at the Arcadia Deli on Belfast’s Lisburn Road that’s led by Mark Brown, one of the most enthusiastic supporters of locally sourced artisan food, and also from Jonny McDowell of Indie Fudie in Comber.

Eye on Agri Food

Wayne Wins With Old Fashioned Flavours Sam Butler talked to Wayne Adair about the growing success in Britain of Papas Minerals, the small business in Bangor he has created to revive interest in traditional minerals and cordials.

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oft drink consumers in Britain are developing a taste for minerals and cordials such as original ginger wine, cloudy lemonade, sarsaparilla and elderflower, flavours from a bygone era.

Tickling taste buds there with traditional handcrafted soft drinks is Papas Minerals in Bangor, a small enterprise founded by Wayne Adair in 1999, which has just secured its first significant business in Britain and is also close to clinching a major retail deal in the Republic of Ireland. The new deals reflect the small company’s move up the business ladder from country markets to major retailers.

Mr. Adair is toasting a deal to supply his range of old-fashioned minerals and cordials, such as cloudy lemonade, sarsaparilla as well as its original ginger wine and elderflower cordials, to artisan food and drink specialist mmm…and glug based in Newcastle Upon Tyne.

Mr. Adair has been focusing on business outside Northern Ireland over the past few years and is now starting to benefit from his efforts in what remains the most important market for local food companies, one which will grow in importance as a result of the shock Brexit vote.

Papas Minerals already supplies its handmade beverages to over 100 independent retailers and participates in markets here. It had been growing sales slowly outside Northern Ireland through its web presence and also

from referrals from existing customers.

The company produces a range of beverages from original recipes without artificial flavours, colours or sweeteners. The range includes a sugar–free ginger wine. The ambitious company also makes a clove and winterberry cordial that was originally the big Christmas seller and is now sold throughout the year.

Mr. Adair says the business with mmm…and glug followed a recent visit by the Newcastle company to St George’s Market in Belfast, where Papas has had a presence for more than a decade. Indeed, Papas was one of the first artisan food businesses to sign up for the rejuvenated market in 2014.

“The buyers sampled our beverages at St George’s Market and then placed an order, our first substantial business in Britain. While we’ve had small orders from individual consumers in Britain from our website over the years, the business placed by mmm…and glug is significant and encouraging because it’s from an established retailer specialising in craft beverages.

“They haven’t been able to find anyone offering the range of old style minerals and cordials which have become the mainstay of our business. We’ll be supporting the new business through in–store tastings and briefings for their customers.

“They were attracted to the historic St George’s because of their location in Newcastle’s famous Grainger

Wayne Adair of Papas Minerals in Bangor – old-fashioned flavours

Market and wanted to see unique products selling well in Belfast.”

Papas minerals are all handcrafted and bottled from original recipes and using traceable ingredients.

The range is produced in hand labelled glass bottles.

“We are very definitely an artisan business that’s focused on handcrafting our range of minerals and cordials,” he continues. “Many of the recipes were handed down by my grandmother. I was fascinated watching her making ginger wine for the family. I decided to make my own and also gave initial samples to the family to test. They seemed to like the flavour which encouraged me to think about a business in handcrafted soft drinks with traditional flavours.”

His first business venture, however, was to take over an ice cream parlour on Bangor’s rather dilapidated Queen’s Parade. “I took over the shop, Papa Capaldi’s Italian ice cream business in 1999 and began selling ice cream, my first small business,” he says.

But business was tough on the parade, once the heart of Bangor.

“The situation forced me to look at something beyond ice cream

especially in the winter months. I decided to put my original idea about developing traditional lemonade and cordials into operation, a bit of a diversification to help cash flow.

The beverages are produced from original recipes without artificial flavours, colours or sweeteners.

“I began making the cordials in the shop and selling to customers.

They seemed to like the idea of oldfashioned flavours such as elderflower, clove, sarsaparilla, non-alcoholic drinks from a bygone era. I reckoned the cordials would help offset the usual downturn in ice cream sales during the winter - hence winter warmers such as winterberry cordial. I could scarcely have guessed that the drinks would become an all year- round feature.

The enterprise prospered. Customers here and in Britain are attracted by the unique flavours as well as the heritage and provenance of its products.

“Consumers appreciate that our minerals are all handcrafted from original recipes and using traceable ingredients and bottled by us on-site.

They can count on different flavours from consistently high-quality nonalcoholic beverages,” he adds.

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Eye on Motoring

Motoring with Derek Black dbmotoring@btinternet.com

BMW 7-SERIES JUST GETS BETTER - AND SMARTER If you think a long-wheelbase limo is a car to be driven in rather than drive yourself, then the new BMW 740Ld could change your mind. With adjustable air suspension and all-wheel drive, it can tackle the twists of our back roads with surprising serenity.

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ower comes from BMW’s delectable 320PS, twin-turbo, six-cylinder turbo-diesel engine that can waft through the city in near silence or whisk you up to 62mph in just over five seconds should you be in a hurry. A big car with such oomph has an awesome appeal to any driver.

The 740d is as much about efficiency as it is about power.

Given its size and what it can do, the bottom line is relatively surprising. This machine is rated at

55mpg combined and with emissions of 137g/km, figures that put some smaller everyday cars to shame. The tax liability is a lowish 26%.

As you would expect the latest 7-series is the ultimate in luxury and refinement. There is loads of legroom in the back, footstools are optional. My review car also had two rear screens for television or surfing and an iPad for tailoring your comfort levels.

Technology abounds - the car can drive itself into a tight garage using a remote control the size of your palm which has its own wifi charging nest inside the central armrest. ‘Gesture control’ means you can adjust the sound system with a wave of your hand.

Inside, there are expanses of pale nappa leather, a big central screen and a larger head-up display to remind you of your current speed and the speed limit. The eight-

speed auto box control lever just falls into your left hand and adjusts its mode with a precise movement.

Paddles are also available.

My car had the Msport trim and was priced from £78,750.

In order to let me appraise some the the awesome options BMW had fitted surround view cameras, park assist, soft-close doors, massaging seats, harman kardon sound, bringing the price tag up to a tidy £91,845!

CAN THIS BIG YANKEE FORD ‘EDGE’ INTO THE BIG SUV MARKET? The gap between American and European driving expectations has closed over the years so Ford think this the machine to move them into the large SUV stakes over here. Can the Edge succeed where the ill-fated Explorer failed to cut the mustard?

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imes have changed and the cross-over SUV sector is growing at quite a pace.

Already a best seller in the U.S., the Canadian built Edge could carry on the flagship role enjoyed by the discontinued Scorpio saloon. Significantly, it comes with an advanced 2.0-litre turbo diesel instead of a traditional Yankee petrol-guzzling V6.

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The Edge looks big and bold

by UK standards, especially in the bright ochre paintwork of my test car. It is not unattractive to look at, particularly from the side and rear. Roomy and plush on the inside, it is laden with goodies and executive toys.

Two power outputs are available: the starter is still a beefy 180PS but the twin turbo

version ekes this to around 210PS and comes with a six-speed dual clutch automatic gearbox. The all-wheel drive comes in when the sensors reckon it is needed.

They are claiming up to 48mpg Combined and emissions of 148 to 153g/km putting it into 29-30% company car tax which is not exorbitant for this kind of vehicle.

There is no getting away from the fact that you are driving a big bulky car when you are driving

the Edge. The independent suspension is simple compared to the self-levelling and air systems of its European-bred rivals.

Inside is all about space there is no seven-seat option but more room in the back as a result. Not as refined as the interior of a Q7, X5 or Discovery, but little to be sneezed at .

It gives is a comfortable ride and a lot of car for the money which starts from £29,844.

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Eye on Motoring

DFC and McElmeel Mobility Services Develop New Working Partnership Belfast based vehicle management company DFC and mobility specialists McElmeel Mobility Services have this month developed a new working partnership that will enable customers to avail of a brand new leased vehicle, whilst also incorporating the necessary equipment for those with a disability.

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FC, who have been supplying cars, vans and minibuses for both business and private customers for over 25 years have further enhanced their service levels with this new announcement.

This new partnership, means that customers can now be offered flexible funding solutions to tie in with budgetary requirements, whilst also incorporating the special equipment needed to cater for customers with various disabilities.

McElmeel Mobility Services established in 1950 is one of the UK and Ireland’s leading supplier of wheelchair accessible vehicle’s and vehicle adaptations for disabled drivers and passengers.

With this new partnership the two companies can now offer an extensive range of new vehicles and if you are considering a wheelchair accessible vehicle the experts from both companies can impartially advise you in making the perfect choices to help meet your special motoring needs.

Uel Butler, Chief Executive, DFC said, “We are delighted to have teamed up with McElmeel Mobility Services on this new project and hope we can grow this relationship and offer more specialised vehicles for both business and private customers across the country.”

Anton Grimes, Commercial Sales and Marketing Manager, McElmeel

Pictured above are from left to right, Uel Butler, Chief Executive DFC, Anton Grimes, Commercial Sales and Marketing Manager, McElmeel Mobility Services and Brian Hughes, Business Development Manager, DFC.

Mobility Services stated, “ Working with a company like DFC has allowed us to access a wider customer base and we are extremely excited about being able to offer up our services in partnership with DFC.” One customer who has already taken advantage of this new partnership is Mitchell House in Belfast, who have leased their new minibus with all their specific requirements and without any huge financial outlay.

Albert Kelly, Treasurer of Friends of Mitchell house School stated, “We delighted to have teamed up with both DFC and McElmeel Mobility Services. Working closely with both Brian and Anton from

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If you are considering a new specialised vehicle please call DFC on 028 9073 4222, email sales@dfcbelfast.co.uk or visit www.dfcbelfast.co.uk

DFC is Northern Ireland’s only major independent locally owned Vehicle Management Company.

For over 25 years DFC have supplied, funded and managed cars and vans.

We are confident we can provide a cost effective solution for your business or individual needs.

Call us today for more information on our car and van offers on 028 9073 4222 or email sales@dfcbelfast.co.uk 112

the two businesses has been a pleasurable and hassle free experience and I was able to incorporate all the necessary equipment needed to ensure that the vehicle catered for all of our students. Nothing was too much trouble for the guys and I would recommend them to anyone considering a specialised vehicle. ”

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Eye on Motoring

Motoring with Derek Black dbmotoring@btinternet.com

HIGH-RIDING HONDA HAS STYLE, SPACE AND EFFICIENCY Honda did have a HR-V model back in 1999 cleverly anticipating the trend to cross-overs. It was a bit on the small side, looked slightly odd and did not break any sales record. The latest car to carry the badge is rather different.

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ooking a bit like a coupe on stilts, the new HR-V is surprisingly roomy, drives well and has a superb turbo diesel engine. In its favour is the traditional fine build quality of Honda, the promise of reliability and the prediction of above average residual values at the end of the road. So far, so good.

My first drive is a couple of

hundred miles to Enniskillen and back. I wonder if my three passengers, especially those in the rear will be comfortable. Once they spot the ‘hidden’ door handle high up on the side of the window, they settle in well declining my offer to slide the driver’s seat forward.

The 1.6 turbo-diesel has 120PS on offer and it feels - and sounds zesty enough for everyday driving.

It breezes along happily on the motorway cruise and, though not a sports car, sits confidently on the bends. There are no complaints about the ride comfort either.

As well as driving well this engine is very efficient. While I did not achieve the claimed 68mpg combined, I averaged a satisfying 55mpg in real time.

Emissions are rated at 108g/km putting the HR-V into the lowish 21% business tax bracket.

Inside the layout looks on the plain side compared to the Civic but everything is at hand with a central 7-inch touch screen and a stubby lever for the 6-speed manual gearbox. The Connect infotainment system is easier to use than some I have seen.

There are petrol versions from £17,785 but the admirable diesel nudges that up to £20K S trim. Let’s hope those residual predictions are realised.

NEW TUCSON FEELS TOUGH ENOUGH FOR ANY JOB Each new model from this Korean company shows progress that their European and Japanese rivals should be worried about. The latest Tucson and its sister Kia Sportage, strike me as more refined and less rustic that the previous generation.

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eplacing the i35 model, the new Tucson comes with two or four-wheel drive so can be bought as a road car or as an off-roader. Prices span from £18,850 for a starter petrol version to a harder to justify £31,015 for a premium spec 2.0-litre turbo-diesel.

Compared to soft-roaders like the Qashqai, the Tucson looks a bit more butch and more business-like. Nor is it particularly car-like to drive, though it behaves predictably in all situations. As a workhorse, however, it ticks a lot of boxes.

My car was the two-litre turbo diesel with all-wheel drive. It felt strong and beefy and had a lot of kit. It could move this hefty car to 62mph in around 10 seconds. My car had the optional six-speed auto gearbox which worked well but, together with the AWD, seemed to deflate the fuel consumption figures a bit.

The 2.0 turbo diesel comes

with outputs of 136 or 185PS and is rated from 28 to 54mpg combined, with a special Blue Drive version claiming up to 58mpg. Emissions range from 127 to 154 g/km putting this model into 25 to 30% company car tax brackets.

If you are prepared to lose three seconds off the acceleration time, then there is a more budget friendly 1.7

turbo diesel in two-wheel drive. This is rated at 61mpg combined with emissions of 119g/km bringing the tax liability down to 23%.

The Tucson is a pleasant and well-built vehicle that promises to deliver reliable motoring. It has a 5-year unlimited mileage warranty which makes most of its rivals look weak with their 3-year and 60,000 mile limits.

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Eye on Motoring

dfcbelfast.co.uk Motoring with Derek Black dbmotoring@btinternet.com

SKODA SHARPENS UP ITS MOST POTENT OCTAVIA This has to be one of my favourite Q-cars - an unexpected quick version of a sensible family car. Also liked by the traffic police(!), this can be had with a yummy 230PS petrol engine or - as I drove it - with a more sensible 180PS version of VW’s ubiquitous 2.0-litre TDi.

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ith the latest styling the Octavia looks longer and sleeker than the earlier models which had a slightly frumpy look. The styling is plain and simple but not unattractive. A discrete vRS badge is practically the only external indication of its potency.

Diesel power mated to VW’s excellent DSG auto gearbox makes for a responsive and easy drive. It tramps up to 62mph in

7.6 seconds and on to a potential 142mph should you come upon a derestricted autobahn. Pickup through the gears is strong which makes for a relaxed driving style, knowing that the punch is always there when needed.

Given its potency, this is an efficient unit. Rated at 57mpg combined the auto all-wheel drive version has emissions of 129g/km putting it in the 25% company car tax band. The manual

version does even better with 64mpg combined and 115g/km translating to the 23% tax band.

As a driver’s car the vRs delivers loads of satisfaction per mile with sharp handling, strong grip and still not uncomfortable ride. This is a reminder that it now sits on the same platform as the beloved Golf GTi. Skoda

has a real driver’s car at last.

Given that it is a decent-sized family saloon with a good spec and is priced from £24,750 in manual form, this represents strong value - cheaper than the aforementioned and smaller Golf GTi! This makes practical sense for the buyer who is not influenced by brand snobbery.

EUROPEAN CAR OF THE YEAR 2016

YES, IT’S AN ASTRA.

P11D FROM £15,390 | CO 2 FROM 88G/KM | MPG UP TO 85.6MPG

SEARCH NEW ASTRA BUSINESS

Official Government Test Environmental Data. New Astra range fuel consumption figures mpg (litres/100km): Urban: 35.3 (8.0)-74.3 (3.8), Extra-urban: 55.4 (5.1)-91.1 (3.1), Combined: 45.6 (6.2)-85.6 (3.3). CO2 emissions: 142-88g/km.

Fuel consumption information is official government environmental data, tested in accordance with the relevant EU directive. Official EU-regulated test data are provided for comparison purposes and actual performance will depend on driving style, road conditions and other non-technical factors. All figures quoted correct at time of going to press (September 2016).

NEW CITROËN DISPATCH UNLIMITED POSSIBILITIES

3 LENGTHS XS - M - XL CAR PARK FRIENDLY 1.9 METRE ROOF HEIGHT HANDS FREE SLIDING DOORS* UP TO 4 M LOAD LENGTH WITH MODUWORK∞

HARLAND AND WOLFF, BELFAST

Discover why Citroën Vans are right for your business by visiting www.citroen.co.uk or call us on 0800 285 1704.ª

Official pre-launch fuel consumption in MPG (l/100km) and CO∑ emissions (g/km) for the New Citroën Dispatch XS and M models: Urban 47.1/51.4 (6.0/5.5), Extra Urban 54.3/57.6 (5.2/4.9), Combined 51.4/55.4 (5.5/5.1), CO∑ 133/144g/km.

MPG figures are achieved under official EU test conditions, are intended as a guide for comparative purposes only, and may not reflect actual on-the-road driving conditions. *Cost option on certain models. ∞Standard on Enterprise and Enterprise Plus models. Model shown is for illustrative purposes only. ªCalls are free of charge from all consumer landlines and mobile phones. If you are calling from a business phone, you should check with your provider whether there will be a charge for calling an 0800 number.

citroen.co.uk