Business Eye MayJune 2015

CLOUD CALLING, MADE EASY. visit rainbowcomms.com or call 0800 018 8082 for the answer to every call.

T&C’s apply.

Issue 151 May/June 2015 £2.50 Voted best Business Magazine in Ireland 2005 and Magazine of the Year for Northern Ireland

Grant Thornton NI Shortlisted Magazines Ireland Awards 2011

A Fresh Approach

Business To Business Magazine of the Year

Features: 06

06

Flying High... easyJet’s Belfast Growth

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

42

Innov8 & The Art Of Interiors

52

Danske Goes Business Plus

D

I I can see clearly now, with the heated screen

DAB – never a dull moment

F

G

J

K

Just keeps going... up to 88.3mpg†

M

Kind on BiK – from just 15%*

T

Gloves?

Love to beat the competition Love the tiny whole life costs Love the huge spec Love New Corsa

S

Turbocharged engines

Streaming.

Bluetooth® audio streaming with IntelliLink infotainment

W

Z

Warm bums, with heated seats

Zero VED

Whole Life Costs – 3 years / 60,000 miles 1 C

B

A

New Corsa 1.3CDTi 95PS Design 5dr

B

Fiesta 1.6 TDCi 95PS Style ECOnetic 5dr

C

Polo 1.4 TDI 75PS SE 5dr

A

£20,563

Quids in for Whole Life Costs

Mine

£20,252

Q

Who needs gloves, with the heated steering wheel?

£18,796

Flaunt it

New Corsa Design vs Ford Fiesta Style vs VW Polo SE Specification

New Corsa

Fiesta

Polo

Heated windscreen Cruise control Bluetooth® Digital radio Touch-screen audio system Front fog lights LED daytime running lights

VAUXHALL FLEET

Call 0870 010 0651 | visit www.vauxhall.co.uk/fleet Official Government Test Environmental Data. Fuel consumption figures mpg (litres/100km) and CO2 emissions (g/km).

New Corsa range: Urban 36.2 (7.8) – 76.3 (3.7), Extra-urban 57.6 (4.9) – 94.2 (3.0), Combined 47.1 (6.0) – 88.3 (3.2).

CO2 emissions 140 – 85g/km. † = 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. * = 2015-16 tax year. General Motors UK Limited, trading as Vauxhall Motors, does not offer tax advice and recommends that all Company Car Drivers consult their own accountant with regards to their particular tax position. 1 = Whole Life Costs (3 years/60,000 miles) based on independently supplied data by CAP (March 2015). All figures quoted correct at time of publication (April 2015). Images shown for illustrative purposes only and may feature options at extra cost.

To enquire about options for your next conference or event contact enquiries@titanicbelfast.com

Contents

titanicbelfast.com May/June 2015 ISSUE 151

Travel

06

Flying High... easyJet Grows Belfast Base

A high level entry in terms of quantity and quality sets the scene for the inaugural Business Eye First Trust Bank Small Business Awards, which take place on Thursday, 11th June, at the La Mon House Hotel & Country Club.

16

Electric Ireland Top Performer

20

Cover Story Grant Thornton NI... A Fresh Approach

Sandra Corkin is the driving force behind Oasis Travel, a highly successful retail travel agency with five busy branches in Belfast, Holywood, Bangor and Lisburn.

23

Tourism in Northern Ireland – Special Feature Tourism numbers here in Northern Ireland showed another significant rise in 2014, and the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open at Royal County Down provided another major stage for Northern Ireland to show off its natural talents.

But where does tourism go from here? We provide a timely update with the help of some industry leaders.

When it comes to accountancy firms, it’s not always easy to tell the difference... But Grant Thornton’s Belfast office might just be that little bit apart from the norm.

Headed up by a refreshingly dynamic trio of partners led by Richard Gillan, the practice sets out to take a proactive approach to everything it does... including the traditional disciplines of the accountants’ trade.

Selective Travel Management/British Airways Mind Games

46

Business Advisory HNH Group... Corporate Finance To Digital

David Meade entertained guests in his inimitable style at a recent Belfast event hosted by Selective Travel Management and British Airways.

Lidl Northern Ireland produced the goods at the recent Balmoral Show with an action-packed stand that reflected local music, local culture and the company’s firm commitment to sourcing food producrts from local suppliers.

42

Stephen Cairns, Innov8 & The Art of Interiors

52

Banking Business Plus... Danske Targets Small Business

For a lot of us, the interior look and feel of a working office goes unnoticed a lot of the time. But does it? Walk into a badly designed, poorly specified office environment and you’ll soon get the picture....or lack of it. We catch up with Stephen Cairns and the interiors experts at Innov8 in Belfast.

Fleet Expertise

Danske Bank’s Head of Small Business Katherine James is all too aware that all of the big banks say that they’re focused on small business customers. But she reckons that Danske’s dedicated offering, Business Plus, sets the bank apart from its rivals when it comes to the highly competitive SME marketplace.

Ogilvie Fleet is increasing its share of the Northern Ireland fleet vehicle marketplace all the time, thanks to a dedicated approach to looking after all of its four-wheel customers. We talk to the new man in charge at Ogilvie’s Belfast office, Paul Griffiths.

Top Performer

16

Eye on Giving

55

Moving On

72

Eye on Telecommunications

18

Eye on Technology

56

Eye on Motoring

87

Eye on Events

50

Eye on Digital

66

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 Sales Manager Claire Dickson

Features & Promotions Manager Ciara Donnelly

Design Hexagon Tel: (028) 9047 2210 www.hexagondesign.com

36

40

Lidl Steals The Show At Balmoral

It’s fair to say that you don’t come across too many businesses like the HNH Group. From its base in the Scottish Provident Building in Belfast’s Donegall Square, HNH (Horwood Neill Holmes) has grown into a remarkably diverse business in four short years of life. From its roots in corporate finance and business restructuring, HNH has grown to embrace human capital and the digital arena.

ABC average circulation Jan-June 2010, 7,610 copies Yearly Subscription £35 UK and NI or £37.50 outside the UK

10

Business Eye First Trust Bank Small Business Awards

When easyJet first came to Belfast 17 years ago, it’s routes to Luton & Liverpool weren’t slow to take off.

The airline will shortly make it 26 routes from Belfast International with a new service to Split in Croatia, joining relatively new routes to Bordeaux, Jersey and Reykjavik.

We catch up with easyJet’s UK Director, Ali Gayward.

Regulars

Specials

70

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

3

We reflect in this month’s edition on tourism and its increasing importance for Northern Ireland.

Comment

“What can we learn from all of this?

That we’re actually very good at hosting big events and that we’re fast realising that we really do have a great tourism product to sell. Tourism Northern Ireland and Visit Belfast have been telling us this for years.”

I

Irish Magazine Editor of the Year 2005

t’s not a bad time to be doing that. Our very latest showpiece event, the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open, was another big success despite the unpredictability of the Northern Ireland weather. At least, that’s the way us locals look at it. Others, believe it or not, think there’s something rather charming and not a little Irish about being soaked and chilled to the bone at the very end of May. The stats speak for themselves – well over 100,000 spectators over the four days with 33% of them coming to the event from outside of Northern Ireland.

And the TV pictures also spoke for themselves – those views of Slieve Donard rising majestically above the golf course were so much more beautiful than any of the anonymous courses used for other European Tour events.

On the same weekend, another 18,000 spectators – many of them from the Republic and Scotland – packed the Kingspan Stadium (Ravenhill) for the Pro12 Rugby Final which, thanks to Ulster falling at the final hurdle, was contested by Munster and Glasgow Warriors.

What can we learn from all of this?

That we’re actually very good at hosting big events and that we’re fast realising that we really do have a great tourism product to sell. Tourism Northern Ireland and Visit Belfast have been telling us this for years.

There are actually very few gaps in the offering despite what we’ve all liked to think over the years.

Yes, we could do with a few more hotels. But there are new projects in the pipeline. On that front, Hastings Hotels’ ambitious plan to turn Windsor House (hardly one of this city’s architectural gems) into a multi-storey hotel should be warmly welcomed. The planners should wave it through with as much enthusiasm as they can muster.

Then there’s the question of service. The old chestnut that has been knocking around for a while is that our

Sponsored by

(028)

90 80 90 80 4

Richard Buckley EDITOR

service standards let us down. Does that still apply? On casual evidence around Belfast, we’re not so sure.

What tourism in Northern Ireland needs now is the continued commitment of the NI Executive, and plenty of energy. The new Minister in charge, Jonathan Bell, has got off to an energetic start on the tourism front, and Tourism Northern Ireland has chosen the right man for the chairman’s role... the formidable Terence Brannigan.

All very positive, but there is one shadow on the horizon.

We’re just about to move into July and the good old marching season. The Derry-inspired moves towards turning the 12th of July (tentatively) into a kind of tourist attraction or community festival are well worth pursuing.

But what our politicians and the loyal orders leaders must bear in mind is the enormous amount of damage to tourism that can be done by violence following on from just one march. It doesn’t take much for the wrong message about Northern Ireland to go out.

To put in in television terms, that image of the world’s top golfers teeing off on the 18th at Royal County Down with Slieve Donard in the background can very easily be offset by an image of a petrol bomb being thrown at a police Land Rover. Let’s hope for a peaceful summer and one populated by lots of tourists.

More wringing of hands over the implications of the sale of Aer Lingus to the IAG Group, which also includes British Airways.

The latest to wade into the row is Lord Kilclooney (John Taylor) who seems to think that IAG can give assurances that Aer Lingus’ routes from Belfast City to London will not be affected.

It’s all a bit curious. While IAG has been courting the Irish Government for obvious reasons, it doesn’t have to do the same in the North. So Belfast can expect no particular favours.

If Willie Walsh and his various executives at both BA and Aer Lingus reckon that two different routes to Heathrow and one to Gatwick are sustainable and profit making, then they’ll leave well alone. But that’s the only thing that will influence their decision, one suspects.

titanicbelfast.com

Looking for a Standout venue for your event?

Make every event special at titanic BelFast Titanic Belfast is the perfect choice of venue if you want a unique setting which will attract delegates and make a lasting impression.

From intimate mezzanines to exclusive use of the entire building, Titanic Belfast is the perfect location for gala dinners, exhibition and conferences - catering from 50 to 1500 guests.

For more information contact enquiries@titanicbelfast.com

easyJet...

Belfast’s Biggest Gets Bigger

6

Eye on Travel EasyJet’s recent announcement that it’s adding the Croatian resort of Split to its list of destinations from Belfast International Airport might have gone unnoticed by all but avid Croatia fans.

B

ut the more pertinent fact is that Split becomes the 26th destination to be served directly from Belfast, and that’s the kind of total that would have seemed unimaginable 17 short years ago when the fledgling low-cost operator first brought a splash of orange to the airport.

Back then, easyJet’s early routes to London Luton and Liverpool proved instantly popular... as did the fares. Plenty has changed since then, but the airline’s low-cost ethos has remained firmly in place.

“We look at new routes all the time,” says Ali Gayward, easyJet’s UK Commercial Manager. “We think that it’s important to refresh our destinations from Belfast. We have the core routes that are unlikely to change – the likes of Palma, Malaga and Alicante. But we’ve added new ones over the years, to Malta a few years back and more recently to Bordeaux, to Jersey and to Reykjavik in Iceland.”

And Reykjavik, just an hour and a quarter’s flying time from Belfast, is proving extremely popular as a new and trendy direct travel destination for Northern Ireland-based passengers.

“We ran an ad campaign under the strap line ‘Generation easyJet’ not long ago and the point of it was that people think differently about travel these days,” says Ali. “They don’t necessarily stick with one or two week packages to predictable places. They go for shorter breaks and they want to go to different destinations.”

Belfast, she says, has a particularly strong VFR (Visiting Friends & Relatives) market and it’s two-way traffic, with VFR travellers as likely to be coming here as heading overseas.

It’s hardly surprising that easyJet’s planning team looks very carefully at each potential new route. It looks at whether any other airline is operating the route, it looks at comparable routes, it talks to tourism authorities and it looks at what type of travellers are most likely to use it, both outbound and inbound.

On Iceland, for example, the research showed that a wide variety of travel types and age groups would buy seats, while Bordeaux is more specific to French property owners and those travelling to the South West of France,

and Split – for the uninitiated – is well known for everything from coastal sailing to a lively clubbing scene.

“We’ll look at new route introductions in one of our two cycles. We’re just about the finalise our plans for Winter 2015/2016 and then we’ll turn our attentions to Summer 2016.

“But you do have to be bear in mind that, as an airline, we’ve got 26 different bases, all bidding for new routes.

“We now have a dedicated Belfastbased Airbus A320 and it has a bigger range, so we can start to look at slightly longer-haul destinations going forward – places like the Canaries and the Greek Islands, for example.” easyjet now has five aircraft based at Belfast International – four A319’s and one A320. That means a total crew headcount – both pilots and cabin crew – of 240 people. Crew are the only Belfast-based staff employed by the airline. It sub-contracts its ground handling operations.

“Our most recent piece of customer research showed us that close to 60% of our customers have re-booked with us, many of them time and time again.

So a major focus for us as an airline is to make sure that we can keep in touch with those customers at all times and through a range of channels.”

The airline has one of the best apps in the business.....offering personal flight management, a flight tracker facility, online check in and boarding passes and a whole lot more besides.

It is currently exploring the possibility of using Periscope technology to link customers to the airline’s control centre.

“Easter’s air traffic control strike in France showed just how important it is for us to keep in close touch with our passengers. A lot of our flights over France were disrupted and we were able to use our technology to make sure that people were kept informed of what was happening.”

Another innovation is easyJet’s Mobile Host app, already up and running in pilot format for Gatwick and Edinburgh Airports.

The idea is simple but brilliant.

Passengers download the Mobile Host app, click onto it when they arrive at the airport and they’re then

guided step by step through the airport process via a series of text messages direct to their phone – to the bag drop, through security and to the gate and, at the other end, to the correct baggage reclaim area.

“It’s all about staying ahead in terms of technology. As an airline, it’s always something we’ve concentrated on.

That goes back to the days when we were among the very first to take bookings online,” says Ali. Frequent flyers, she says, are important to easyJet, and Northern Ireland, given its geographical position, has a higher proportion of frequent flyers than most others parts of the UK. “Our stats show that we’ve got more than 15,000 regular customers who travel more than 40 times a year. That’s where our easyJet Plus cardholder system comes in.

“We always decided to move away from the old Frequent Flyer/Air Miles kind of scheme. Instead, we asked our regular customers what they wanted, and they identified things like an extra carry on bag, pre-reserved seats at no extra cost and fast track through security. So we gave them what they wanted.”

In common with all of the other airlines operating out of Belfast’s two airports, easyJet continues to lobby hard for the removal of Air Passenger Duty.

Ali Gayward echoes the views of easyJet’s CEO Carolyn McCall. “We have the highest air passengers takes in the world. APD is simply a tax on travel and has a proven, negative impact on tourism, investment and business activity.

“Abolishing it would boost the economy and pay for itself by increasing revenue from other sources.”

And that tallies with the published views of Belfast International Chief Executive Graham Keddie, who recently called into question the research that lay behind the NI Executive’s decision not to push for a move on APD. “It’s clear that Belfast is losing passengers to Dublin Airport and that APD is a major factor alongside the euro exchange rate. Customers are travelling through Dublin because it is cheaper for them to do so in some cases, and the abolition of this tax would make a difference.”

On the domestic front, easyJet continues to operate a network of UK destinations ….. from Glasgow & Edinburgh in Scotland to Newcastle, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol and to three London airports – Gatwick, Stansted and Luton.

It also made clear in its response to the recent Davies Commission Report that it would consider operating from Heathrow – and offering a Heathrow-Belfast International service – should extra capacity be added at London’s largest airport.

“We’ve expanded our services to the London area over the years to the extent that we’re now offering more seats to London than ever before,” adds Ali Gayward. “London and Liverpool continue to be our busiest routes out of Belfast....and I think it will be a while before that changes.”

7

4,000m2 extension coming in 2016 Perfect for any type of event large or small

For a preview visit www.waterfront.co.uk or call 028 9033 4400 to book your event today

conference@waterfront.co.uk

Eye on News

CHARITY AWARDS LOCAL ATHLETES £33,000 TO HELP KICKSTART CAREER The Mary Peters Trust has awarded £33,000 to over 80 local athletes, to help fulfil their dreams of competing professionally during the charity’s bi-annual ‘Podium Programme’.

S

Ronan McCrory, Laura Duggan, Dame Mary Peters, Enya Robinson

8

upported by George Best Belfast City Airport, the Podium Programme also provided attendees with an opportunity to learn from industry experts on how to enhance their careers with masterclasses in health, communication, strength, and conditioning.

Dame Mary Peters CH. DBE, President of the Mary Peters Trust which funds the development of local, budding sports stars, said: “Our 2015 Podium Programme, with support from Belfast City Airport, has seen our biggest single financial handout in the Trust’s 40 year history.

“Competing professionally can be extremely costly for athletes and without financial support, this would not be possible. I am delighted that through the Trust we can present financial awards based on the skill, commitment and achievements of the young athlete, allowing them to reach their true potential.”

The Mary Peters Trust Podium Programme was funded by the airport’s Community Fund, which has invested over £190,000 into a number of local projects which aim to strengthen community relations, social development, environmental responsibility and education.

Laura Duggan of George Best Belfast City Airport said: “Belfast City Airport is passionate about making a positive contribution to the local community and investing in the professional development of the young members of our society.

“We recognise the impact sport has on young people as it encourages fitness and wellbeing whilst also developing skills such as concentration, teamwork and determination, which can be applied even off the track.

“We are delighted to be involved with the Podium Programme and look forward to seeing all the fantastic young athletes we have met achieve their goals.”

NEW FOR 2015

BUSINESS EYE FIRST TRUST BANK

SMALL BUSINESS AWARDS

AWARD CATEGORIES & CRITERIA

There are twelve categories for the awards this year...

10

SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD

HEALTHCARE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD

INNOVATIVE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD

SMALL BUSINESS MARKETING AWARD

The small business enterprise with 50 employees or less which, in the opinion of the judges, exemplifies best practice and achievement across the board.

Entries for this premier award category can be made directly and winning entries in all other categories will also be considered.

Another specialist category, aimed at small business enterprises in the healthcare field here in Northern Ireland. This category is open to all business-led healthcare related organisations including opticians, dental practices and enterprises such as care homes for the elderly.

Open to companies operating in any business sector, this award will go to the organisation which best illustrates the most effective use of innovation through investment in innovative practices, leading edge products and/or services to contribute to overall business success.

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.

SPONSORED BY

SPONSORED BY

SPONSORED BY

SPONSORED BY

For further information please contact Ciara Donnelly at Business Eye on 028 9047 4490 or ciara@businesseye.co.uk

enter online at www.businesseyeawards.co.uk HOSPITALITY & TOURISM BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD

TECHNOLOGY BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD

EXPORTER OF THE YEAR

A special category aimed directly at Northern Ireland’s growing number of small tourism and hospitality-related business enterprises, including pubs, restaurants, cafes, smaller hotels, tourism activity businesses and transport and travel providers.

This award is open to all small businesses based in Northern Ireland who provide products and/ or services in the wider technology field, including IT services, software development, technology product innovation and consultancy.

An award which will recognise the top achieving exporting company from Northern Ireland’s small business community, recognising sales achievement in all markets outside of Northern Ireland itself, including both the Republic of Ireland and Great Britain.

SPONSORED BY

SPONSORED BY

MANUFACTURING BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD A category open to all companies of 50 employees or less engaged directly in the manufacture of products for sale in Northern Ireland and in export markets. The judges will look for evidence of research and development and innovation in manufacturing.

SPONSORED BY

START-UP BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD Aimed at Northern Ireland’s most promising start-up enterprise, the award will go to a young company of one year old or less which, in the view of the judging panel, best illustrates what can be achieved by startup businesses across any sector here in Northern Ireland.

SPONSORED BY

CUSTOMER FOCUS AWARD Our judging panel will single out the local small business which most effectively brings to life best practice in customer service across all of its operations. The judges will look for clear evidence of customer satisfaction..

SPONSORED BY

AGRI-FOOD BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD

COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTION AWARD

Northern Ireland’s leading small business operating in the agrifood sector, to include food and drink producers, farm-based enterprises and companies providing products and services to the agri-food industry here.

Despite smaller budgets, corporate responsibility plays an important role for small businesses in Northern Ireland. This special award will recognise the best example of how small businesses here can help to make a difference in the communities they serve.

SPONSORED BY

SPONSORED BY

11

“First Trust Bank is a refreshingly different bank to work with.”

Russell Bailie, Bailies Coffee Company, Belfast

We see the potential too.

Business Banking Talk to us today about our Business Support Fund.

0845 6005 925+ • www.firsttrustbank.co.uk/business

Terms, conditions and eligibility criteria apply, contact us for further details. +Call charges may vary. We may record and monitor calls. First Trust Bank is a trade mark of AIB Group (UK) p.l.c. (a wholly owned subsidiary of Allied Irish Banks, p.l.c.), incorporated in Northern Ireland. Registered Office 92 Ann Street, Belfast BT1 3HH. Registered Number NI018800. Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.

Eye on News

KINGSPAN ESB JOINT VENTURE TO BOOST SOLAR PV FOR NI BUSINESSES Northern Ireland’s renewable energy industry received a significant boost recently with the announcement that Kingspan ESB, a joint venture between Kingspan, a global leader in high performance building technologies, and ESB, Ireland’s largest energy company, has launched a new Funded Solar energy solution.

T

he fully-funded solar solution will enable Northern Ireland businesses to benefit from a potential £320 million electricity cost savings over the next 25 years (or £5.6 million each year), supported by significantly improved sustainability and environmental credentials.

The new photovoltaic (PV) energy generation offering, will now be available to the local business community without the investment normally required in the capital outlay, installation or maintenance of a PV system.

Kingspan ESB will design, install and maintain the solar PV system, optimised to each customer’s building and requirements. The electricity generated by the system will then be used onsite and purchased by the customer at much

lower rates than would otherwise be supplied from the grid. The average medium-sized business in Northern Ireland (consuming 400MWh of electricity per year) would see a 10% reduction in their electricity bill – the equivalent of £5,800 each year, or £330,000 over the course of the 25 year airspace lease above their roof.

With Funded Solar, Northern Ireland businesses will be able to fix a portion of their electricity cost indexed to RPI, rather than be exposed to annual utility inflation rates. The potential savings to local businesses will increase year on year throughout the period of the lease if electricity prices increase at historic rates.

As part of the solution, Kingspan ESB offers customers a combined roof and solar PV system guarantee

for 25 years, with free lifetime system performance, monitoring and maintenance. Developed for commercial and industrial buildings, the solar PV system can be fitted on a range of roof types, including metal and membrane roofs. The Kingspan ESB system, which will be installed with no costly disruption to business operations, is suitable for new and existing buildings or refurbishments.

Commenting Gilbert McCarthy, Managing Director of Kingspan Insulated Panels, said: “For almost 50 years, Kingspan has been a trusted provider of energy efficient building envelope solutions to Irish businesses. We are confident this partnership with ESB will now play a significant role in Northern Ireland reaching its target of 40% renewable

generation by 2020. By removing the financial barrier to the adoption of rooftop solar PV, our fully funded solution strengthens the case for businesses to benefit from green, lower cost power and improve their long-term competitiveness.”

Speaking at the launch, Paddy Hayes, Executive Director, ESB, added: “Funded Solar represents a significant step forward for the development of the Northern Ireland renewable energy industry.

This collaboration will continue to innovate and deliver sustainable and competitive energy solutions for all our customers. We look forward to ESB and Kingspan working together to help businesses in Northern Ireland to manage energy costs sustainably.”

Belfast Technology Firm Breaks Into American Market

B

elfast Technology firm, i3 Digital Ltd, has revealed that it is deploying one of the most advanced and holistic digital marketing and communications platforms in the United States.

The team at i3 Digital is delivering a customised version of the company’s Immersive Communications and Engagement (ICE) platform, which will support up to 25,000 businesses and

attractions in the City and greater Worcester area in Massachusetts.

The cutting edge app platform will enable participating organisations to promote, target and interactively engage with visitors and local residents. The company is also in advanced discussions with five other flagship cities across the United States.

The platform provides a dynamic and interactive experience for visitors attending events,

conventions, or meetings, and for residents seeking exciting experiences or simply local offers and deals. i3 Digital’s CEO Adrian Bradley stated, “Our hard work is now starting to pay off! We knew we had created something world-class that could transcend markets and even continents. This is just the start of our journey, and with our new office in Boston, we intend to push into the market aggressively”

13

Eye on News

OKI Expands Its Portfolio of Smart MFPs with New MC800 Series OKI has launched a new range of A3 smart multifunction printers (MFPs) with intelligent, userfriendly features and enhanced functionality.

T

hese powerful, smart MFPs provide additional levels of business productivity through sXP 1 (smart Extendable Platform), OKI’s embedded open platform offering enhanced workflow integration and document management across the business.

Backed by OKI Europe’s 3 year extended warranty, the MC853 and MC873 smart MFPs offer the reliability of OKI’s pioneering digital LED print technology with the added functionality and performance of more costly and complex copier-based devices, making them a perfect, cost-effective alternative. The devices are wellsuited to small-to-medium-sized businesses, as well as departments within larger organisations.

“Easy-to-use with fast print speeds, the new MC800 Series

is an all-in-one solution to a wide variety of business needs,” says Paul Cinnamond, Manager for OKI in Northern Ireland. “A sleek new design, user-friendly features and embedded sXP make these new devices ideal for taking control of document intensive processes within small to medium workgroups. In addition, they are perfect for supporting day-to-day colour and mono A3 and A4 print requirements for a broad range of businesses and industry sectors.”

The new ergonomic design includes a customisable touch screen panel with a lift-up mechanism which moves with the device, making it easy for users to follow the menu screen.

Businesses can programme their own popular print and copy jobs as individual function commands.

The user-friendly smart MFPs also feature a comprehensive guided help function, two output bins and convenience stapling as standard.

With print speeds of up to 35 pages per minute (ppm) and scan speeds of 50 impressions per minute (ipm), together with OKI’?s A3 LED scanner, the smart MFP delivers fast, efficient performance.

All models are Google Cloud Print ready and AirPrint2. ready.

A recent IDC white paper, sponsored by OKI Europe, highlights that 66% of European SMBs value the ability to automate business processes and access documents from a single location. The MC853 and MC873 address this specific requirement. These smart MFPs have sXP, OKI’s open API, enabling them to connect with powerful software for seamless document workflow integration ensuring these MFPs are well-suited to a range of industries, including schools and financial institutes.

“Today’s organisations need intelligent, reliable devices that offer the flexibility to manage a range of different tasks” adds Cinnamond.

“The new MC800 Series of smart MFPs enable SMBs to really take control of their document workflow and support a broad spectrum of business requirements.”

United Airlines Celebrates 10th Anniversary of Belfast-New York Service United Airlines has marked a decade of nonstop flights between Belfast and its New York hub, Newark Liberty International Airport. The airline has carried a total of almost 900,000 customers on the route since its launch in 2005.

N

orthern Ireland’s deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness, and Enterprise, Trade and Investment Minister, Jonathan Bell, and U.S. Consul General Gregory Burton joined airline and airport officials and other dignitaries at a ceremony to mark the anniversary at Belfast International Airport.

“United is proud to reach this milestone as the operator of the only scheduled nonstop transAtlantic service from Northern Ireland,” said Bob Schumacher,

14

the airline’s Managing Director Sales – U.K. & Ireland. “We are grateful to all the people who have supported us over the past decade – customers, local authorities, industry and trade partners and our local sales, marketing and operations teams.”

Belfast International Airport Managing Director, Graham Keddie, said: “The United service has been a trans-Atlantic asset that delivers incredible value for Northern Ireland. Not only is it pivotal for business, but also for

ETI Minister Jonathan Bell MLA; Bob Schumacher, United Managing Director Sales – UK & Ireland; Graham Keddie, MD Belfast International Airport; US Consul General Greg Burton; DRD Minister Danny Kennedy MLA; and deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness MLA.

in-bound tourism. The elimination of Air Passenger Duty (APD) secured the service, and now the challenge is to encourage even greater up-take from our business community. We have to be ready for the game-changing impact that devolved Corporation Tax

will involve, and that means an even greater role for United as we prepare for the next decade – a decade of growth, inwardinvestment, jobs and prosperity.

The International Airport is looking forward to playing its part in what will be a most exciting journey.”

New series starts Monday 22nd June at 8pm

New thinking about energy

www.electricireland.com LoCall 0845 309 8138

Eye on Electric Ireland Top Performer Of The Month

Sandra Corkin (centre) receives her award from Paddy McCarney of Electric Ireland’s Belfast office and Ciara Donnelly of Business Eye.

TRAVEL IS IN THE BLOOD Sandra Corkin, Managing Director, Oasis Travel (NI) Have you always worked in the travel trade?

I have always worked in the travel trade. I started in a local independent agency in Lisburn just shortly after my 16th birthday.

When did you establish your own travel business?

Oasis Travel opened in Railway Street in Lisburn.... in premises just opposite where our head office is now back in September 1984. It seems like a very long time ago and a lot has changed. We’re are celebrating our 31st year in business this year.

Outline the development of Oasis Travel to where the company is today?

Oasis started with one office employing just two staff. We now have five offices employing 45 staff. Along the growth track, we bought over Milliken Travel in Bangor and Holywood 10 years ago.

The economic downturn meant that commercial rents in Belfast became much more affordable and we’ve now got busy offices on the Lisburn Road and at Howard Street in the city centre.

What are the key elements behind the company’s success?

Undoubtedly, this is down to the team

16

and our extremely loyal customer base. I know its a well used cliche that ‘people are your greatest asset’ but I firmly believe that this is true of Oasis Travel. We invest heavily in employee development and encourage our team to avail of all educational and development opportunities open to them. We look at what our competitors do and we do everything we can to offer something different. We have a Corporate Manual, compiled through feedback from team members which includes Communication, Operations and Development and this sets the standards that every team member aligns to on a daily basis. We exist to provide a level of service that offers the customer reassurance that our travel advice and guidance is both respected and trusted. I believe that testament to this is the fact that we successfully trade across 5 key business areas within Northern Ireland with an extremely loyal customer base who afford us the opportunity to book their travel and leisure plans .

What’s your response to those who had written off High Street travel agents in favour of online operators?

In what has been an economically challenging time for a lot of people, I can appreciate that perception may exist. However personal contact

with customers is key. We are able to recommend a diverse range of holidays and destinations which cater for every type of customer and are based on our own personal experience. The holidays we offer come with the knowledge that our customer has financial security and the assurance that the holiday will be looked after from booking date right through until they return home.

We can reward loyalty through our customer events, such as Breakfasts, Afternoon Teas, Dinner Events and the exclusive Oasis Travel Cruise Fair which this year is being held in Titanic Belfast. We bring the leading cruise companies to Northern Ireland and host a full day of educational insights and exclusive offers to current and new customers. These events are all offered completely free of charge but goes well beyond the online operator as we bring the experts to the customer, allowing for questions and reassurance that they really are getting a holiday that matches their needs.

What are your objectives for the future?

We will continue to invest in our team by offering further developmental and educational opportunities through our Learning & Development Division, The Oasis Academy. Already awarded Investors in People Status we have made a commitment to achieve an IIP Standard by the end of 2016 - we will not be happy unless its Gold!

Our Bangor team have outgrown their branch, so this year will also see their relocation to a new larger store situated in a prime location. This is great both for the team and for Bangor as we can offer our customers a more convenient location.

We also have plans to set up a Telesales Division which will be heavily focussed on after care. In addition this division will work closely with our Marketing Department to ensure that our customers are also kept up to date with all offers and exclusives.

In summary, our objectives are to continue to trade successfully, to invest in our team, to reward our customer loyalty and in light of our competition, to always seek to offer something different.

Eye on Marketing

Steve Jackson... A Strategic New Role With Ardmore

It’s not always those of us who were born and bred here who are the most effective standard bearers for Northern Ireland. Even more effective, sometimes, are those who’ve made this place their adopted home.

A

native of Derbyshire and an advertising and marketing professional who has worked all over the UK, Steve Jackson recently joined Ardmore Advertising as Strategic Planner, and says that he’s no intention of ever going back across the Irish Sea to live.

Jackson works with Ardmore clients on advertising, digital, creative, design and PR, adding value and strategic vision to client campaigns.

He spent 10 years with various London advertising agencies before moving out to the regions, spending three years as Marketing Director for Leicester City Football Club. He worked there during a period when

the club moved from its old Filbert Street home to the new Walkers Stadium....and also at a time when its players wage bill was nudging the £1 million a month level.

“To cover a bill of that size, it’s vital to have the right strategic partnerships in place, and maximise sponsorship opportunities for the product. This was the route we took, and ultimately the hard work paid off.” he says.

Before taking up his strategy role at Ardmore, Steve Jackson worked on Simon Hamilton’s team at the Department of Finance & Personnel, an experience which gave him a valuable insight into central government on this side of the Irish Sea. He describes Hamilton (who has since shifted role to become Health Minister) as an ‘astute politician’ and reckons that he learnt a lot from his brief venture into the public sector.

“While the governmental role was hugely satisfying, I really felt the pull of being back in a professional

agency environment,” he says. “And Ardmore Advertising is as good, if not better, than any agency I’ve worked with in London or elsewhere.

“This is an incredibly busy agency and it’s definitely one that offers proactive services to its clients, not reactive solutions. There has always been a lot of emphasis put on strategy and strategic planning here at Ardmore, and our constantly expanding digital division has helped to add a new dimension to what we’re doing and how we do it.

“We also set out to be focused on results. That’s important in the agency world where there can be a temptation to be diverted away from results.

“Now that Ardmore has grown as an agency to upwards of 50 people and a multi-million pound turnover, integration takes on a whole new importance and it’s something I can look closely at alongside the multi-talented Ardmore team……..as a relative newcomer and as someone who has

worked on both sides of the client/ agency relationship in the past.

“Listening is crucial. There can be a tendency in this business to impose staff and solutions on to clients and to tell clients what we think they should be hearing.

“But that’s not the way it should be., and it’s certainly not how it is at Ardmore. The first thing we have to do in every client situation is to listen.....closely followed by understanding. Which is crucial to the way we work across all disciplines within the integrated marketing mix that we offer.”

That integration, he says, is Ardmore’s strength in depth. “This agency provides clients with all the services and help that they need to advance their business. We’ve got everything within these walls and we’ve also got as great mix of people....from younger dynamic social media specialists through to the ‘silver greys’....those of us who’ve been around the creative industries for a bit longer!”

17

Eye on Technology

Tech Review: Barclay Bytes Historically IT support has been viewed as complicated, involving lengthy contracts and too expensive for many small businesses. But now Barclay Bytes, launched in October

by Barclay Communications, is claiming to give businesses flexible, affordable and comprehensive IT support in hourly bundles.

Brief Overview Barclay Bytes uniquely combines mobile and IT support into one service, which is purchased in hourly chunks.

Delivered by local Microsoft Certified Partners the service covers PC, server, cloud and mobile technology in one fixed package, with no contract term, that can be based on the number of IT hours needed for a project, month or year.

Key Features PC and server support All IT issues from keyboard swaps, PC upgrades to server replacements and mail migrations are managed with this one service.

24/7 Server Monitoring There’s 24/7 server monitoring, which notifies businesses of outages and automatically tracks server performance.

Regular Health Checks The health checks cover security protection, PC and laptop performance, server performance and space, broadband speed, backups and disaster recovery.

Mobile Support Barclay Bytes’ mobile services range from initial set up and application installation, to trouble-shooting performance and usage issues.

18

Support Logs Businesses can view live status updates of their IT queries using Barclay Bytes online system Mobile Device Management A bonus of one year’s free Mobile Device Management will introduce businesses to the benefits of remotely securing, supporting, managing, tracking and cost controlling company smartphones and tablets Microsoft Office 365 A year’s free Office 365 will also demonstrate the benefits of making Microsoft Office’s familiar suite and documents available on mobile devices 24/7, with added cloud storage, document sharing, video conferencing and instant messaging facilities.

Why Choose Barclay Bytes?

Cost Control Businesses can buy hourly chunks of IT support as and when they need it, starting at just five hours.

Experienced IT Support Barclay Bytes in-house and local Microsoft Certified Professionals ensure that all IT is fully supported by experienced engineers who follow industry best practices.

Scalability Smaller technical bytes are also available for specific service requirements, for instance the 365 Byte provides two hours of

IT support, which is dedicated to helping businesses move into the cloud environment.

No Expiry Date Businesses aren’t tied into lengthy contracts. The contract only ends when all the IT support hours have been used Flexibility Barclay Bytes can also work alongside existing IT suppliers.

The Bottom Line Many local businesses are hit with cost and knowledge barriers when trying to manage their IT, but Barclay Bytes’ range of IT support services, provided by Barclay Communications’ Microsoft Certified Professionals, is offering a comprehensive new solution for all businesses that’s simple, flexible, costeffective and delivered in byte sized hourly chunks.

For more information about Barclay Bytes contact Barclay Communications on 028 9096 0366, visit barclaycomms.com or email bytes@barclaycomms.com

Eye on Knowledge

SW College & CADShare...

Partnership In Action About The Case Recently an opportunity presented itself for collaboration between CADShare and South West College. Founded in the realm of digital creativity and developed within the scaffold of Connected, a partnership between the two institutions was forged.

This collaboration drew on the inherent strengths of both organisations and allowed for the development of a bespoke, innovative and highly unique creative solution.

About The Knowledge Provider CADShare are a dynamic, modern and forward looking company that wished to explore the realm of digital communication in virtual space. A concept was developed whereby engineers could collaboratively share and discuss design decisions harnessing virtual reality as a platform for communication.

South West College, using its expertise in 3D design, computer game development and virtual worlds utilised the Unity game engine to develop a robust solution with potential for future expansion. Lead developer Paul McGovern commented “the project aligns digital creativity with scientific practice, it’s a great example of hybrid problem solving.”

Chris Acheson CEO of CADShare outlined his thoughts on the project.

“Our mission at CADshare is to empower distributed engineering teams to collaborate effectively from remote locations. We wanted to explore the use of virtual reality in this space, by combining modern gaming technology with 3D engineering CAD models.

The ability for engineers and designers to virtually place themselves inside the building or facility they are designing has huge potential for collaboration and risk mitigation. With this project our objective was to investigate the technical complexities of making this possible and to create a prototype that we could bring to the market for feedback” The project presented South West College with a unique opportunity to highlight the creative skills of staff. The College had an opportunity to put recent investment into good use. In particular the project uses Oculus Rift headsets and modern game engines to develop a unique solution to a real world communication problem.

Carol Viney Deputy Head of Technology, commented .South West College was delighted to collaborate with CADShare in this innovative project. There is increasing demand for digital creatives to become involved in Engineering and Medical projects for 3D Environments and Games. This is an excellent example of ConnectEd funding

enabling industry to benefit from high level skills within the FE/HE Sectors.

The Results As a result of the collaboration a new innovative platform for effective distributed communication has been developed. Users can explore a 3D virtual environment in real time using Oculus Rift technology. While this project relates to a specific 3D space, the concept is potentially applicable to any 3D environment. Moreover text based information relating to materials, structural design, prices etc can be applied to specific objects within the scene. This in turn allows for virtual walkthroughs of 3D spaces with information on key structures provided.

The collaboration highlights the importance Connected plays in providing a strategic framework to support modern business and how interaction between organisations can strengthen business function within the province.

Knowledge Provider Name: South West College Contact: Paul McGovern Email: Paul.McGovern@swc.ac.uk

19

Eye on Cover Story

Grant Thornton NI...

A Fresh Approach When it comes to accountancy firms, it’s not always easy to tell the difference... with respect to those in the practice.

B

ut Grant Thornton’s Belfast office might just be that little bit different. Headed up by a refreshingly dynamic trio of partners led

by Richard Gillan, an accountant with an impressive record out in the world of industry, the practice sets out to take a proactive approach to everything it does... including the traditional disciplines of the accountants’ trade.

“Earlier this month we announced our intention to recruit an additional 16 positions to add to the experienced team of 50 here in Belfast and we’re confident that we can make that a headcount of 150 plus over the next few years,” says

20

Richard Gillan. “We’re working with a wide range of corporates and SMEs, and we’re always keen to talk to more.”

“And we can offer local expertise on the ground here in Belfast backed up by global strength – over 700 Grant Thornton offices in more than 130 different countries.”

Richard Gillan joined Grant Thornton in late 2014 to head the firm’s Advisory team in Belfast, taking on the Partner In Charge role earlier this year.

He’s worked with two Big Four accountancy firms in his career to date in Belfast, London, Luxembourg and Johannesburg.

In 2004, he left the world of accountancy practice to acquire a shareholding in a Tyrone-based manufacturing business. He established the business in new export markets, increased revenue and led a successful disposal of the company in 2007. The following year, he led the acquisition of

an NI-based contact centre company out of administration. Taking charge as MD, he went on to restructure the business, return it to profitability and work to a successful exit.

Industry has been good to him, but Gillan has always enjoyed practice. “It’s been good to come back into practice,” he smiles. “Accountants are often criticised by clients for not understanding the issues faced by them on a daily basis, so it is great to be able to empathise with them. I understand the operational and strategic challenges that they encounter, and that is vitally important.”

He heads the Advisory side of the business. “That means everything other than tax and audit,” is the way he explains it. “Advice on business acquisitions and disposals, business restructuring and forensics are all included in our brief.”

Grant Thornton Belfast, from its base at Clarence Street West in Belfast city centre, now operates as part of the

Irish firm. So the three Belfast-based partners take their place alongside 40 partners based in five offices across RoI. The operation is not to be confused with the Grant Thornton office at Clarendon Dock, where a team of 200 or so work on personal insolvency and CVA’s under Grant Thornton UK management.

“We are focused completely on the Northern Ireland marketplace that we serve from this office,” adds Gillan. “And we’re focused on being an entrepreneurial practice, a practice that look for ways of doing things - we look for solutions.”

Richard Gillan is joined in the compact top team of three by two other trusted business advisors.

Audit Partner, Louise Kelly, joined Grant Thornton in Dublin as a trainee and moved back to her native Northern Ireland to head up the Belfast audit function in 2014. Her portfolio includes a broad range of clients in various business sectors, including construction, education, motor

L-R: Richard Gillan, Louise Kelly, Peter Legge

21

Eye on Cover Story

“Our focus will remain on Northern Ireland based family and owner-managed businesses... and how we can improve things for those businesses and the people who own them.” retail, manufacturing and the public sector.

She has extensive audit experience and has lectured for professional accountancy bodies including Chartered Accountants Ireland. Louise is also the author of Advanced Auditing & Assurance, the standard text book used for the final auditing exams for all trainee chartered accountants in Ireland.

Peter Legge, Tax Partner, has been with Grant Thornton in Belfast for almost 10 years. He joined the firm from a Big Four practice, as a Senior Manager focused on growing and developing the Belfast tax advisory offering. He now heads up a 20-strong tax practice and is a specialist in advising owner-managed businesses on tax matters ranging across the various stages of their growth model....from business structuring, to protecting and expanding business activities, through to tax efficient

22

realisation of value from the business.

“We’re working with more and more dynamic and growth orientated businesses and their owners across a range of sectors including food and beverage, property and construction, technology, media and retail,” he says.

These businesses value the personal, focused and pragmatic approach that we provide in supporting them to achieve their objectives and aspirations”.

There are signs around the Grant Thornton offices, and in its external activities, that this is a firm that does things differently......differently, at least, from the well-established stereotype of an accountancy firm.

Fruit baskets around the office and a pool table in the staff rest area are more akin to a leading edge tech start-up, and then there’s Grant Thornton’s Runway Run....a 5k run on the main runway of Belfast City Airport with all of its lights lit at 11.00pm on Wednesday 24 June.

“We do have a real culture in this office, and it’s one of doing things differently, of working hard and having fun and of being here for our clients....whatever they need us for,” adds Gillan. “That’s also the mindset of our colleagues in RoI which has seen some significant growth over the past couple of years.”

Having worked in the Dublin office for nearly 14 years, Louise explains how she has been part of Grant Thornton’s growth story in the South, where the

firm has grown from 60 people and a €3 million turnover in 2000 to 700 people and a €65 million turnover last year.

That’s impressive in anyone’s book.

“And we want to do something similar here in Belfast, albeit on a lesser scale, by taking the same entrepreneurial attitude and working proactively with our clients.”

The Belfast team seems to be off to a good start. The office has already notched up a 35% increase in revenues, and the continuing recruitment drive suggests that there is more to come.

Just this week there were new additions to the tax, forensics and restructuring departments. Gillan stressed the emphasis placed on the recruitment process. “We spend a lot of time ensuring that the staff coming in understand the Grant Thornton culture, and will be a good “fit”. And when they come here, we like to think that we look after them well.”

All three Belfast-based partners underline the importance of Grant Thornton’s international reach, and how this comes into play when dealing with export-focused local businesses, for example.

“But that is in addition to a very tight focus on Northern Ireland,” says Gillan.

“As a practice, whilst we work very closely with our colleagues in RoI and GB, particularly in specialist areas, we’re very Northern Ireland-centric. This is about local people serving local clients.”

“We are getting bigger and we intend to keep on growing, but that doesn’t mean we’ll lose touch with our clients across all sectors. Our focus will remain on Northern Ireland based family and owner-managed businesses.....and how we can improve things for those businesses and the people who own them,” says Peter Legge.

“We all work on the same floor plate here in Belfast and we’re a tight, closely-knit, but also a very flexible, team with a clear view of what we want to achieve.”

“The whole office just feels completely re-energised and the ripple effect caused by a fresh approach to adding value and building trusted relationships, which started within our own people, is now being experienced across our client base and the wider Northern Ireland marketplace”.

Grant Thornton’s Runway Run... a 5k run on the main runway of Belfast City Airport with all of its lights lit at 11.00pm on Wednesday 24 June

Eye on Tourism

Eye on Tourism

LETTING THE GOOD TIMES ROLL...

The last weekend in May featured some fairly typical weather for this part of the world at this time of year... wind, rain, hail and occasional sunshine.

B

ut it also featured a couple of events that showed once again what we’re capable of in terms of high profile events. All tickets for the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open at Royal County Down were sold, and 107,000 spectators visited the course – and the town of Newcastle – over the four days of the tournament.

Meanwhile, back in Belfast, another sell out crowd – this time of 18,000 – packed the Kingspan Stadium for the Guinness Pro 12 Rugby final. Ulster fell at the final hurdle in Glasgow the previous week so the final saw the Scottish team produce a convincing victory over Munster. In tourism terms, the event sold out every hotel room Greater Belfast had to offer, with thousands of rugby fans making the trip from Limerick, Cork & Glasgow.

Both events were professionally staged and both looked great on TV. OK, so the image of sunhardened professional golfers wearing thick gloves and woolly

24

hats in late May might have put off some fair weather golfing visitors.

But the magnificent seaside links and that stunning view of Slieve Donard and the Mountains of Mourne rising above the golf course is what will sell Northern Ireland. As Tourism Northern Ireland have been saying for many years, visitors don’t come here for the weather.

And Tourism NI did a wonderful job at Newcastle.

The ‘Northern Ireland....Made For Golf’ ads were everywhere around the course and on the vests worn by every caddy.

Economy Minister Jonathan Bell didn’t miss a trick either. He was on hand to be one of the very first to shake the hand of the eventual winner, Soren Kjeldsen.

On Sky Sports, presenter David Livingstone asked former Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley why it was that so many Scandinavian players had won the Irish Open.

He didn’t need to answer......

Away from the events of recent weeks, there’s no doubt that

Northern Ireland has improved its tourism product – and its levels of service – beyond all recognition in recent years. Big events like the Irish Open and the Giro d’Italia have helped us hone that product and those skills.

On the infrastructure front, new air links have been added to Amsterdam and Barcelona amongst others and new hotels are in the pipeline, including two new properties in Belfast city centre.

The continued rise in official tourist figures provide plenty of encouragement. Figures released just a couple of weeks ago showed that total visitor numbers for Northern Ireland had risen to 4.5 million in 2014.

4.51 million overnight visitors spent £751 million last year – an increase of 11% in visitor numbers and 4% in expenditure on the 2013 figures. Overall tourist expenditure grew by 4% (£28 million) between 2013 and 2014, directly contributing an estimated £751 million to the economy.

This figure includes spending by overnight tourists from Great Britain and overseas, the Republic of Ireland as well as NI residents taking overnight trips within NI (Domestic Tourism).

Overall visitor numbers grew by 11% (to 4.5million) in 2014 when compared to 2013.

When visits by NI residents are excluded, the number of external visitors increased by 4% to 2.2 million.

Commenting on the figures Economy Minister Jonathan Bell said: “I am very encouraged by these latest figures which show a positive tourism performance last year. This clearly demonstrates that the strong tourism momentum built up over the past few years continued into 2014.

“Our key Programme for Government targets for visitor numbers and tourism revenue have been achieved for 2014 and we are well on our way to achieving our 2015 targets.

With tourism expenditure

Eye on Tourism

of £751million we are now three-quarters of the way towards reaching our long term goal to make tourism here a £1 billion industry by 2020.

These latest figures keep us well on track for success.

“Visitor numbers and tourism expenditure both show healthy increases and I am particularly

pleased the number of external visitors continues to rise. External visitor numbers are now at record levels having exceeded previous peak figures before the recession in 2007. It is also encouraging those people visiting for a holiday has increased by 21% and those visiting friends and relatives is also up by 13%.

“The tourism industry as a whole recorded a strong year in 2014. High rates for hotel room occupancy continued (up to 65%) and 2014 also saw a rise in the number of hotel room nights sold, up 3% to 1.85million.

Visits to tourist attractions increased by 3% over the year to over 15million, proof that if you give tourists more to see and do while they are here, they will spend more money and the economy as a whole will benefit.”

Cruise ships are not included in these official overnight visitor figures. By the end of the 2014 cruise season NI welcomed 69 cruise ships bringing up to 121,000 passengers and crew on board....and more are scheduled to moor in Belfast this summer season.

And there are more tourism generators on the agenda for the coming weeks and months, what with the Gran Fondo Giro D’Italia on 21 June and the Tall Ships arriving in Belfast Port in early July.

25

Eye on Tourism

JET2 & A QUIET EXPANSION IN BELFAST Maybe it’s something to do with their Yorkshire roots, but Leeds-based airline Jet2.com has been so busy quietly expanding its presence here in Northern Ireland that it has reached no less than 19 routes out of Belfast International Airport, three aircraft based here and upwards of 100 employees without making too much of a song and dance about it.

D

uring the month of May, Jet2 launched new services to Gran Canaria, Verona in Italy and the Greek island of Zante.

Leisure routes and holidays are what the business is all about, according to CEO Steve Heapy who was in Belfast recently to meet staff and talk to local travel agents.

What started out as a new low-cost airline at Leeds Bradford Airport now spans an airline and a fast-growing Jet2 Holidays tour operator division.....which packages Jet2 flights with accommodation in resorts ranging from Spain and Mallorca to the Greek Islands.

“Belfast has been a big part of our operation since the early days,” says Heapy. “And it’s grown steadily to the stage where we have the Boeing 737’s based at Belfast International serving our range of routes around Europe and the Canary Islands.”

It’s not all about sunshine routes. A third Jet2 division concentrates on city break travel, and the airline has direct services from Belfast International to Prague, Rome

26

and Pisa/Florence as well as Spanish cities like Malaga and Palma de Mallorca.

“Flexibility and customer service are the key themes for us,” Steve Heapy adds.

“We’re flexible because we offer the best luggage allowance of any of the airlines serving Northern Ireland, 22 kgs for each hold bag. And our holiday division doesn’t limit its customers to one or two-week holidays. If the flights are there, the duration of the holiday is up to each customer.”

On the holiday front, Jet2 is part of what seems to be a clear move back towards the old way of doing things.

“Customers have been realising that the idea of booking your own flights and accommodation online isn’t all it is cracked up to be. It means paying up front, for starters.

“Our holiday customers pay a £60 deposit for each passenger at the time and booking and don’t have to pay the balance until closer to the date of the holiday itself. It’s something that they really appreciate.

“What also sets us apart from do-it-yourself travel is that we check out and vet every one of the 2,500 or so hotels we offer on our holidays, and we have staff on hand in each resort – not to sell excursions to our customers, but to help them to enjoy their holidays.”

It’s an interesting statistic that Jet2 Holidays does some 45% of its business here in Northern Ireland through local travel agents.

That’s a much higher proportion than in the rest of the UK and reflects that fact that,

accoriding to Jet2’s General Manager for Travel Trade, Alan Cross.....”People like buy from people here in Northern Ireland”.

“We work hard to maintain close links with our colleagues in the travel trade,” he adds.

Around half of the passengers on Jet2 flights to sunshine destinations are likely to be customers travelling on Jet2 Holiday packages, with the rest of the seats taken up by independent travellers.

Steve Heapy says that Jet2 is satisfied with the service it receives as an airline from Belfast International Airport, but admits that he was concerned to read recently about the larger than expected number of passengers travelling through Dublin Airport.

“There is a lot of leakage,” he says, “and it’s down to improved road links, some aggressive marketing by Dublin Airport, and the air passenger duty situation.”

Jet2, he says, will continue to actively consider new destinations from its Belfast base. It’s already decided to add its fourth Canary Island route – to Fuerteventura – in the summer of 2016.

“Spain and Mallorca are still the most popular destinations for our Northern Ireland customers, and that’s no surprise, but in our total network from the UK, we’re now flying to more than 50 different destinations.....so we’ve still got plenty of options to consider,” says Steve Heapy.

“We’ll continue to invest in new routes, and we’ll continue to invest in our established base here in Northern Ireland.”

Serving clients across the UK & Ireland

U U U U U U

We will always find the perfect travel solution Complete travel management service Efficient friendly trained staff Online booking tool, tailored for your company Meetings, incentives, conferencing and events 24/7 service based in Northern Ireland

FLIGHTS

HOTELS

CAR HIRE

T: +44 (0) 28 9096 2000 E: corporate@selective-travel.co.uk www.selective-travel.co.uk

TRAINS

/ ÊUÊ / ÊUÊ /" ÊUÊ ,

Eye on Business Leaders Forum

Professor Stephen Boyd

Tim Husbands CHIEF EXECUTIVE, TITANIC BELFAST

DEPT OF HOSPITALITY & TOURISM MANAGEMENT

The tourism industry of today is very different from that of 1991 when visitor numbers for the first time returned to those enjoyed before ‘The Troubles’ started. However, with this normality comes the added challenge of how does a small place on the Northern periphery of Europe compete with traditional destinations that enjoyed progress and growth of their industry over the years that Northern Ireland PLC suffered, as well as be attractive to emerging new markets? Can I offer four suggestions as to how our industry moves forward? The first is to recognise that we need to be more than just big events; we need to create visitor volumes that fills our hotels and other accommodation providers year round, and provide year round employment in our industry. Second, we need to understand our visitors better, recognising that the intentions of package-holiday visitors are very different to those that are Free Independent Travellers (FITs), that the length of time they choose to visit can be markedly different, as will be the experiences that they seek to take away. Third, the industry needs to decide what its competitive advantage is and exploit that, positioning the industry around a set of Unique Selling Proposition (USP).

To some it will be our cultural heritage, to others it will be linked to our politics and dark and political past, to some it will be our food and drink, to others it will be visits to certain bespoke visitor attractions, and to others it will be linked to the events hosted. The fourth suggestion is there needs to be less reliance on the public purse and further development of private sector activity in tourism beyond just the accommodation sector; this will take time but necessary if the sector is to mature.

28

There is no doubt that Belfast and Northern Ireland has a new found tourism confidence - in 2015, the country is expected to welcome approximately 1.9 million visitors and deliver £552 million to the economy. With ambitious targets only increasing, it is important that Northern Ireland remains central on the tourism map. At Titanic Belfast, we see continued product investment and development as a vital way to build on Northern Ireland’s recent tourism success and to sustain our growth. We were recently crowned ‘Outstanding Visitor Experience’ at the prestigious Northern Ireland Tourism Award, beat off stiff competition to be named Europe’s best visitor attraction for groups in March and since opening , we have welcomed 2.1 million visitors from over 145 countries. However, we are not resting on our laurels – we are continuing to develop and build upon Titanic’s legacy, with the installation of three new galleries, assuming operational responsibility for the SS Nomadic and have launched our new White Star Premium Pass, which gives entry to all of our attractions, in a very much joined up way. To us, this constant evolution is vital to keep attracting new and repeat visitors from domestic, national and international markets. Do we need more ‘Signature’ attractions in the city though is a question often raised – and one I believe to which the answer is a definite yes, in order to both ensure we can match the increasing number of international visitors’ expectations, whilst also giving greater benefit to the wider NI economy. It is also important not to underestimate the power of attracting signature events, such as the Irish Open at Royal County Down, the Giro D’Italia and the upcoming Tall Ships, as well as business events, like Big Data Week, which shine a spotlight on Northern Ireland.

Eye on Business Leaders Forum

Terry McCartney OWNER, BELMORE COURT & MOTEL

Andrea Hayes FLYBE UK GENERAL MANAGER (NORTH AND ROI)

Airlines play an incredibly important role in developing Northern Ireland as a tourist destination. Direct route flights which provide easy access, at convenient times and competitively priced are the lifeblood of a sustainable tourism product. Flybe has been proud to play its part in contributing to the local tourism industry over the past thirty years and today offers links from 15 GB destinations into the heart of the city of Belfast.

Our growth goes hand in hand with a successful local economy of which tourism is a major contributor.

Much of that dual success to date can be attributed to working in partnership with key stakeholders such as Visit Belfast, Tourism Northern Ireland and many of the other regional tourism bodies throughout the UK. Those organisations must continue to be supported so that joint marketing campaigns and initiations can continue to deliver positive tourism results for all.

Air Passenger Duty must also be addressed. This punitive tax is doubly damaging especially for the domestic UK tourism market when passengers are hit twice when travelling. And finally every new route opens up Northern Ireland to a whole new customer base. For any airline beginning a new service can be both challenging and risky.

Strategic air route development support from the NI Executive would be welcome encouragement to airlines and a definite boost to local tourism.

The current targets for Tourism for Northern Ireland include a goal of £1 billion spend by the year 2020.

Currently Fermanagh attracts 12% of this overall visitor spend and if the county is to help contribute to the overall target their contribution must increase by more that £30 million. While rural areas recognize that Belfast is a major player for tourism in the province other tourism areas in N. Ireland can play a major part in reviving their local economies by embracing one of the fastest growing economic sectors in the world – according to the World Tourism Organisation. Recent research found that Fermanagh is perceived to be a good tourism destination for families and that is offers a genuine welcome to visitors. With the region offering very good accommodation with a good mix of high quality and distinct hotel accommodation, self catering and B&B accommodation the Lakeland County is in an ideal position to establish itself as a fantastic short break destination. In Spring 2016 a new £3.6 million Enniskillen Castle re-development project will open and will become a key gateway and orientation hub for the region. This along with the area having a significant tourism advantage as being part of the popular facility and brand that is the Shannon-Erne Waterway this opens a number of different types of access points for tourists visiting the area. Now with a series or local and national events like Happy Days International Beckett Festival, Wilde Weekend and the Lough Erne Resort hosting the 2017 Irish Open the Fermanagh people are well used to looking after and entertaining visitors from all over the world.

29

Eye on Business Leaders Forum

Geoff Fenlon INTERIM MD AT BELFAST WATERFRONT

Belfast is at the cross roads as a tourist destination! If it goes one way it will become a success but no different to any other European destination. If it goes the other way it has the potential to stand out from the crowd. What will make the difference? Being a hungry, joined up place: hungry for people to visit; joined up in selling the Belfast story and delivering a Belfast welcome. As someone who has experienced how other destinations don’t work or if they do then how they work in silos clambering on each other for individual gain I see the potential for Belfast to be different by truly working together. Belfast City Council, Tourism Northern Ireland and the European Regional Development Fund see that potential too - which is why they are investing £29.5 million to develop a world-class conference facility at Belfast Waterfront. This commitment recognises the importance of business tourism to the economy and the belief that it can trigger wider economic growth across the city. In less than 330 days we’re going to have a brand new world-class conference centre in the heart of one of Europe’s most exciting cities which will put us on a par in terms of space with UK and European rivals. And in turn for the first time, enable the city to attract many larger conference events and many business tourists. All the ingredients are nearly in place - the craic and humour of the people, the Waterfront, new hotels, the desire to make Belfast/Northern Ireland stand out, the passion of the people. Bring it all together and Belfast, Northern Ireland will become a force to reckon with not just on the international tourism stage but also as the place people want to bring their business. Get this right and it is bigger than just tourism.

30

Howard Hastings HOWARD HASTINGS, MD, HASTINGS HOTELS

Tourism has had a great recession in Northern Ireland, growing from £500m in 2010 to £800m per annum by 2014. All this, despite uncompetitive rates of Air Passenger Duty, VAT, and Exchange Rate with the Euro.

There is a further upside to our fortunes to come. We have had some magnificent events, from MTV, through the Titanic Commemoration Festival, UK City of Culture for Derry/Londonderry, the Irish Open (twice), and the Giro. Those who live here have developed an appetite to support these events, because they showcase Northern Ireland and its people at their best. 2016 will be a year when we build on this, not by “buying in“ such an event, but by declaring that we now have the capacity to deliver our own. The Year of Food 2016 is an opportunity for every annual event to make a step change in its development, and to “join the dots” between all our Food activities to celebrate the excellence of what our temperate climate gives us, every year. Flavours of the Foyle, Hillsborough Oyster, Hans Sloane Chocolate, Comber Potato, Armagh Apple or the Castleward Bread Festival are but a few existing food festivals.

County shows, the Balmoral Show, and fairs at Dalriada, Ballywalter or Shane’s Castle are others. Increasingly literary festivals are food led, and we have Heaney, Friel, Wilde & Beckett to celebrate. We can grow festivals like Garden Show Ireland, and revive mature ones like the Oud Lammas Fair. We can celebrate our successes in the annual Great Taste Awards, develop our food trails, our civic restaurant weeks and our open farm weeks, we can involve people of every age, and we can welcome our visitors. If we can deliver the programme, then we can expect Government to support our marketing push.

planning an event this summer? m a k e e v e ry e v e n T spec i al aT TiTani c bel fas T Titanic Belfast is the perfect choice of for your summer event, from intimate mezzanines to exclusive hire of our ROBOTS exhibition, Titanic Belfast is the perfect location for gala dinners, family fun days, barbeques and bespoke corporate events - catering from 50 to 1500 guests.

for more information contact enquiries@titanicbelfast.com

or boo fa k y mi o ly ur fu co ne r ve por nt at to e da y

. . . T h e y ’ r e

c o m i n g

26 Jun - 13 sep inviTe your employees or clienTs To come face To face wiTh some of The biggesT roboT, cyborg and android sTars of The big and small screen. available for privaTe hire wiTh bespoke Themed hospiTaliTy packages To suiT all budgeTs. for more informaTion conTacT enquiries@titanicbelfast.com or call +44 (0)28 9076 6451 To discuss opTions wiTh our evenTs Team.

Eye on Tourism brother Bran Stark the art and skill of archery at ‘Winterfell’. Now visitors can dress up in authentic Game of Thrones costumes, step into the replica ‘archery range movie set’ we have carefully reconstructed and stand exactly where the actors Kit Harrington/ Jon Snow and Bran Stark stood on the actual filming days. Next they can enjoy the thrill of firing live arrows under the watchful eye of our archery instructors who are also dressed in character costume! www.gameofthroneswinterfelltours.com/ archerysettour

CASTLE WARD DRAWS IN THE THRONIES...

The historic National Trust estate at Castle Ward on the shores of Strangford Lough has been given a major boost on the back of Games of Thrones tourism.

P

eak Discovery Group, a leisure event management company with offices in Newcastle, Co. Down, and in Dublin, has owned an managed the Clearsky Activity & Conference Centre based on the estate for some years.

In 2008, it was approached

by HBO whose producers were

32

looking for a location to film Winterfell in the opening scenes of the fantasy drama series.

“Our centre was pretty much perfect for the role,” says Andrew Porter of Peak Discovery. “It’s in the dramatic Old Castle Ward part of the estate with ancient sprawling walls that date back to the 16th Century. It’s like stepping back in time when you visit here.”

Since 2008, HBO have filmed more than 10 times at Old Castle Ward and thanks to the success of Games of Thrones, the estate has become a film industry hot spot, attracting productions such as Dracula Untold and The Frankenstein Chronicles.

The team at Old Castle Ward hasn’t let the grass grow under its feet since the centre became a film location.

“We have developed a new screen tourism ‘visitor attraction’ at Castle Ward called Winterfell Tours. Experiences include a Game of Thrones Archery Movie Set Experience, Game of Thrones film locations cycle tour, overnight glamping packages, sea safari boat tours of the castles

on Strangford Lough used in filming, exclusive private tours for VIP clients, a corporate team building movie making event and medieval banquet nights for groups,” says Andrew Porter.

“In the last 12 months we have had over 10,000 ‘additional’ visitors come to our new ‘visitor attraction’ at Old Castle Ward – visitors include couples, families, groups of friends etc. travelling to us from all over the World – Anchorage in Alaska, Toronto in Canada, Japan, North & South America, Australia to name just a few.

“Group bookings are also popular especially for our medieval ‘hog roast’ banquet nights – a considerable number of local corporate businesses are booking our medieval banquets from Belfast and Dublin, and also incentive travel groups especially from America & Canada.

The two most popular experiences at Castle Ward: Winterfell Archery Experience In the opening scenes of Game of Thrones Jon Snow AKA Kit Harrington taught his younger

Medieval ‘Hog Roast’ Banquet Nights In the opening scenes of Game of Thrones King Robert and his entourage arrived at Winterfell and the Stark family laid on a welcoming banquet feast for them that night – Inspired by this key scene being filmed ‘on location’ at Winterfell, corporate groups can now enjoy a medieval ‘hog roast’ banquet in the very same spot at Old Castle Ward.

There are medieval costumes for everyone to wear and everything is ‘authentic’ from the open fire pits and fur lined bench seating to the candle lit tables, local craft beers and pitchers of fine wine.

Groups as large as 300pax have enjoyed this unique and memorable experience and local clients have included Energia, Ernst & Young and Diageo to name just a few. www.gameofthroneswinterfelltours.com/ medievalbanquetireland We’ve had journalists from all over the world at the centre, more than 200 of them in total, the most recent being Sky Atlantic and the Washington Post in the last few weeks. And Andrew Porter was invited as guest speaker to present on screen tourism at the recent Tourism Northern Ireland event at Stormont.

“Before Games of Thrones was filmed here, we rarely had any tourists from further afield than England. Now they’re coming here from every corner of the world.”

The new visitor attraction at Castle Ward is branded ‘Winterfell Tours’ and the website address is www.gameofthroneswinterfelltours.com

Whether it’s a gala dinner against a backdrop of grand Victorian architecture in the Ulster Hall, or a conference in Belfast Waterfront boasting the best views of the city, we guarantee our customers top notch service and unforgettable memories.

And with Belfast Waterfront’s exciting new 4,000m2 extension opening in 2016, we will continue to deliver the best conference experience for our clients.

So no matter which of our venues you choose – let our experience work for you.

To find out more contact our sales team today: t: 028 9033 4400 e: conference@waterfront.co.uk www.waterfont.co.uk www.ulsterhall.co.uk

www.waterfront.co.uk | www.ulsterhall.co.uk

Eye on Tourism

KLM ARRIVES IN NORTHERN IRELAND George Best Belfast City Airport has welcomed the arrival of the first KLM Royal Dutch Airlines flight from Amsterdam.

K

LM’s year round daily service to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport will provide Northern Ireland with not only direct access to the Netherlands but also to global destinations through KLM’s extensive network such as Boston, Sydney and Beijing.

Enterprise, Trade and Investment Minister, Jonathan Bell, welcomed the arrival saying: “The Netherlands is an increasingly important market for tourism here.

Our natural landscapes and coastline, culture and heritage are important for Dutch visitors. KLM is a welcome addition to the growing list of air carriers now serving Northern Ireland.

“Operating direct flights from Amsterdam to George Best Belfast City Airport KLM’s Amsterdam service will improve access to important business and tourism markets in Europe, North America, Asia and the Middle East.

“Air connectivity plays a crucial role in growing our economy and the access a KLM service will provide to global markets will help to ensure that Northern Ireland becomes even more accessible for those who wish to visit or do business here.”

Belfast City Airport’s Commercial and Marketing Director, Katy Best, said: “KLM’s decision to include Belfast City Airport as its 14th UK destination is a significant feat for Northern Ireland and both business and leisure

passengers within the region who benefit from the airline’s competitive fares to Amsterdam and an endless list of worldwide destinations.

“In addition to this, the new service will play a huge role in driving inward tourism to Northern Ireland. As a one terminal airport, Schiphol offers

a quick and convenient transfer product making Belfast and Northern Ireland more accessible than ever for international tourists.”

KLM is the second major airline to arrive at Belfast City Airport this month alone after Vueling commenced its Barcelona service on 7th May.

LOVE THE WAY YOU FLY

HOLA BELFAST! ARE YOU COMING TO BARCELONA?

DIRECT FLIGHTS FROM BELFAST CITY AIRPORT TO BARCELONA

FROM £46.99

BOOK ON VUELING.COM One-way flights only, taxes included. Additional service fees are not included. Credit card and debit card charges may apply. Offer subject to availability. Terms and conditions apply. More information at www.vueling.com

34

Afternoon Tea inspired by the hit TV series

Our new Game of Thrones Afternoon Tea will delight fans of the world renowned show as well as those who love the indulgence of a delicious afternoon tea.

ÂŁ 22 per person

Call 028 2858 1066 or visit hastingshotels.com This Afternoon Tea is independently operated by The Ballygally Castle. It is not sponsored, endorsed, or affiliated with HBO or anyone else associated with Game of Thrones.

Eye on Events

MEADE-ING OF MINDS FOR TRAVEL AND BUSINESS LEADERS

Television’s favourite mentalist and business guru was guest of honour recently when Selective Travel Management, in association with British Airways, hosted a dinner for some of Northern Ireland’s leading travel, business and media representatives.

Richard Buckley Business Eye, Brenda Morgan, British Airways, David Meade, Brenda Buckley Business Eye and Mukesh Sharma, Selective Travel Management.

D

avid Meade, one of Europe’s most dynamic, engaging and soughtafter speakers and entertainers, tantalised his audience with demonstrations illustrating the power of thought in creative action. His thoughtful approach

Paul Sistern, Anne McGregor, NI Chamber of Trade, special guest David Meade and Mukesh Sharma, Selective Travel Management

36

to better, more creative decision making, coupled with an instinct for entertainment, made the evening a memorable one for corporate guests.

The event, co-hosted by Mukesh Sharma, Selective Travel Management, part of the World

Travel Centre Group, Northern Ireland’s largest independent travel management company and Brenda Morgan, Partnership Manager British Airways, was designed to acknowledge and thank key clients for their continuing support and loyalty.

Adrienne McGill, NI Chamber of Commerce, Mark Rainey, News Letter, Pamela Ballatine, UTV and Alan Graham.

Eye on Events (1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

(1) Sharon Fleming, Thompson Travel, David Meade and Mukesh Sharma, Selective Travel Management. (2) Hosts Brenda Morgan, British Airways and Mukesh Sharma pictured with special guest David Meade. (3) Shirley Smith, Professional Travel, David Taylor, Selective Travel Management and Lorraine McConville, Bangor Travel. (4) Liz McVeigh, Century Travel, Tracie Duffy, Crumlin Travel, David Meade, Amanda Crossen, Crumlin Travel and Mukesh Sharma, Selective Travel Management. (5) Maurice McKenzie, Brenda Morgan, British Airways, David Meade, Doreen McKenzie, Knock Travel and Mukesh Sharma, Selective Travel Management. (6) Conor Magee, Pinnacle Worldwide, Brenda Morgan, British Airways, Brendan Mallon, Selective Travel Management, Aine Corr, Professional Travel, David Mead and Mukesh Sharma, Selective Travel Management. (7) Enjoying the evening are Deirdre Laughlin, Clubworld Travel, Jonathan and Isobel Adair, NI Travel News, Jonathan Millar, Bryan Somers Travel and Denise Quinn, Clubworld Travel.

37

Eye on Invesment

Rising To The Challenge Lessons Leant From Investing Over The Past Two Decades...

I’ve been investing money for over 20 years now & over that time we’ve weathered the collapse of the dotcom bubble in 2000, been through several eurozone scares & who can forget the massive fallout from the financial crisis that began in 2007?

By Graham Glover, Director, Johnston Campbell

Y

et despite all of this, investors who have stuck it out making some adjustments along the way will have been successful over this volatile period. Anyone with some exposure to China , for example, over this long period may have returned levels of profit in xs of 1000%!

Good reminder of time not timing being a key component of investing successfully.

It’s a different investment world now with the most successful companies having a far more global reach than before. Investment strategies have taken on a far more global theme overall. A rise in technology companies like

38

Facebook has changed the shape of well known indices therefore becoming harder to ignore. Emerging markets have truly emerged over the period albeit out of favour presently (but watch this space).

Looking forward, what’s next for investing and investment strategies? Inevitably in a lower growth environment double digit returns won’t be easy to come by. Crucially, continued investment into corporate bonds will require much more analysis as the asset class looks very overvalued. Returns will depend more upon the flexibility of fund managers than ever before.

Certainly, with experience of investing over the past two decades we’ve worked hard on reducing risk ie bringing forward better ways of protecting portfolios from future uncertainty.

So what’s important to get right?

Crucially, more than ever, it’s important to be well diversified.

Participating in different asset classes, diversifying globally and by sector and size are all important. This is then tailored to individual requirements and tolerances and the era of stock picking in itself as an investment style has been left behind over the past decade or two.

Number one priority for now get ready for the great rotation!

The unprecedented demand for corporate bonds and gilts has been a sea change for investors.

However, this area is significantly overvalued and the tide will turn as losses mount up. It’s just a matter of time for a significant shift from bonds to equities. I’d recommend you put this top of your agenda for on-going reviews with your financial adviser or skockbroker.

So what are my team trying to do for investors?

We’re constantly looking for new ways of diversifying portfolios in the face of some overvalued markets. We’re focussed on risk as well as pure return for our clients.

What is utopia?

This is looking ahead to find the best combination of investments giving the highest possible return within a defined risk environment.

Easier said than done!

We strive to have the best possible asset allocation and levels of diversification in an environment leading towards higher interest rates and inflation.

No doubt we won’t get everything right but Im sure we’ll be better than most!!

BBC’S MINDREADER

MAGICAL

Christmas Shows & Lunches Dates in December at the

E U R O PA ( S L I E V E D O N A R D STORMONT ( EVERGL ADES

Visit hastingshotels.com or call 028 9047 1066

Eye on Events

LIDL... STEALING THE SHOW AT BALMORAL It wasn’t too hard to track down the Lidl Northern Ireland stand at this year’s Balmoral Show, an event which was another roaring success for the RUAS and the Northern Ireland’s agri food industry.

40

A

record attendance of 43,500 people visited this May’s event.

A straw poll among those attending on the last of the three days showed that Lidl’s replica barn was a major hit with the many thousands who flocked through the gates at the Maze site.

“We put a lot of thought into how we were going to represent the Lidl brand at what is a very important event for us as a company,” says Glen Cinnamon, Lidl’s Regional Director for Northern Ireland.

“We’re committed to working with local suppliers, and we wanted to bring that commitment to life for those who visited our stand.

“And I think we came up with a Lidl presence that said a lot about the company, how we do things and how we get involved in the wider community here in Northern Ireland.”

Glen Cinnamon and his senior colleagues at

Lidl reckon that they must have welcomed some 10,000 visitors into their replica barn on each day of the Balmoral Show, but it’s no surprise that the multi-faceted stand proved so popular.

It included mini-stands for a number of Lidl’s largest suppliers, including Irwin’s Bakery (whose products appear on Lidl shelves under the Connell Bakery label) and ABP Food Group (Strathvale meat products).

Over the three days of the Show, staff on the Lidl stand handed out no less than 75,000 samples of NI-produced food, including 3,600 mini pancakes topped with Armagh bramley apple and 5,800 milkshakes.

Alongside the supplier stands was a stall providing information on July’s Tall Ships visit to Belfast which takes place from 2-5 July at the start of the 2015 Tall Ships Races. Lidl are the main sponsors of what is always a popular event with the public.

And the retailer’s relationship with its

Eye on Events

newly nominated charity, CLIC Sargent, was also highlighted at the Balmoral Show.

Downtown Radio also used the convivial surroundings of the Lidl stand to hold live roadshows during the Balmoral event.

A series of live cookery demonstrations, hosted by local TV personality Pamela Ballantine, took place on the stand throughout the event. These featured the culinary talents of Lidl Northern Ireland’s local brand ambassador, Ian Orr from Brown’s in Derry and Kevin Love, the former head chef at Heston Blumenthal’s Hinds Head

restaurants at Bray on the banks of the River Thames, who is now Lidl UK’s Chef In Residence.... both men with a mission to promote Lidl and its fresh food products in particular to the public.

But the surprise hit of the Balmoral Show, and not just for Lidl, was a group of musicians who played live on a barn stage (complete with hay bales) throughout the event.

The MadAss Mules from Monaghan, led by singer/songwriter Marty Mone, didn’t just pack in the country music fans....but they also found themselves becoming something of an

internet sensation. Marty’s tractor-inspired, self-penned song ‘Hit The Diff’ (….that’s a reference to the differential on a tractor!) had reached the dizzy heights of 950,000 views on YouTube at the time of writing.

The song – and a few of the band’s others – brought a musical element to Lidl’s presence that other exhibitors couldn’t hope to match.

“Balmoral gives us an opportunity to showcase our commitment to local suppliers,” says Glen Cinnamon. “But it also gives us a chance to connect with a lot of our customers from our store network throughout Northern Ireland, and to welcome our staff from that store network. They enjoy coming along to see how the brand is being represented here.”

“Balmoral gives us an opportunity to showcase our commitment to local suppliers, but it also gives us a chance to connect with a lot of our customers from our store network throughout Northern Ireland, and to welcome our staff from that store network.”

41

Eye on Design

STEPHEN CAIRNS, INNOV8 & THE ART OF INTERIORS For most of us, the interior look and feel of a working office goes unnoticed a lot of the time. But does it? Walk into a badly designed, poorly specified office environment and you’ll soon get the picture... or lack of it.

Steve & Stephen Cairns

42

Eye on Design

The team at Innov8

H

ow far has workplace design really progressed in the last 20 years?

Stephen Cairns and the team at Belfast-based Innov8 Office Interiors are continuing to lead the way in change.

“Office work has undergone a revolution; with the office worker now having multiple responsibilities and rarely needing to spend all day sitting at their desk. Indeed the development of smart technology enables us to communicate globally and work more effectively without going anywhere near our desk”

The challenge of implementing change in the commercial environment, while remaining ahead of the trends, is met daily by the Innov8 team.

Innov8’s Design Team, lead

by Steve Cairns, are the ones responsible for creating these unique solutions, bringing innovation in design, product, and technology all under one roof.

“We are so passionate about leading the way in office design, rather than traditional layouts showing rows and rows of desks.

We introduce Flexible Space (a new buzz word), creating

Photo credits - Jake Samuels

collaboration areas, quiet zones, write up space , thinking space, flexible meeting pods and introducing a wide range of attractive acoustic products. All to create an environment which suits, meets and indeed exceeds the needs of a today’s modern way of working in turn creating a more comfortable productive working environment thus helping with staff retention and attraction of quality recruits”.

One can only be impressed when you see the amount of effort the Innov8 team go to producing full colour design concepts which has recently been described by one of Innov8’s global clients as “World Class”.

The 7500 sq foot state of the art showroom facility at the entrance of Boucher Road, Belfast looks over the Belfast Rise Structure and gives Innov8 a highly visible site. Innov8 are a company who know what they are about, they are confident in who they are and what they do. The team oozes passion and creativity; it is obvious for all who meet them to see.

Innov8’s manufacturing partners are carefully selected from all over the world, each bringing something special to the company’s portfolio of products “We partner with some of the

world’s leading manufacturers and work closely with them to continually bring new innovative products to the market. Just a few of these manufacturers include Forma 5, Spain, Newform, Italy, Haworth, USA and Okamaura, Japan. We are able to bring products to market exclusively and as competitively as possible.

With this true partnership we can deliver the latest in product technology and design. Our product offering is extensive, ranging from receptions, operative desking, soft seating, café furniture, right through to executive suites and boardrooms.

As part of our growing interior fit out work we are able to supply products from the ground up including carpeting, ceilings and partitions and acoustic decorations. Whatever the budget our specification we believe we offer the optimal solution.”

Business is definitely on the up for Innov8 “We’ve more than doubled our turnover in the past 12 months, and we’ve managed to break into export markets fitting out large corporate offices as far away as Bulgaria, Slovakia and more recently Portugal” A Dublin office has recently been opened and working with Invest NI, Innov8 are looking at other export markets, but they see Dublin very much their next challenge.

“In April Innov8 sponsored the Smart Business Show in RDS Dublin, which was our launching pad into the ROI, and already we’ve seen good results, with at least two full office fit outs due to be completed this month.

The design team are currently working a number of proposals which we aim to confirm and complete very shortly.”

When asked what are the plans for Innov8 Office Interiors for the next twelve months?

“We plan to continue to develop new business in Northern Ireland and to open a fully operational showroom in Dublin. To grow the ROI market just by continuing to do in Dublin what we do best in Belfast, building relationships with our clients, offer nothing but our best and bring something special to the market with our products and not least our design.”

43

Eye on News

Mount Charles Group Scoops Two Gongs At Top Hospitality Awards Northern Ireland’s leading food service and business support solutions company, The Mount Charles Group, has won two awards at the 2015 Janus Awards.

R

un by the Institute of Hospitality NI, the Janus Awards celebrate companies that exemplify excellence in their field and who have made an outstanding contribution to the Northern Ireland hospitality and tourism industry.

After being judged by an independent judging panel from the business sector, Adrian Dallas, Neil Hanna and Gavin Annon from

The Mount Charles Group won the ‘Hospitality Management Team of the Year’ award, in large part for the introduction of several new innovative brands at the University of Ulster.

Stuart Mulvaney, whose role includes the development of the Fed & Watered retail bistro brand at City of Derry Airport, Belfast International Airport, Exeter Airport and the Obel Tower in Belfast, won Business Development Manager of the Year.

Furthermore, Janice Stewart and John Weir from Mount Charles Group were shortlisted in the ‘Conference and Banqueting Operations Manager of the Year’ and ‘Bar Manager of the Year’ categories for their respective work at Mossley Hill, Newtownabbey and at the home of Ulster Rugby, the Kingspan Stadium.

Managing Director of the Mount Charles Group Cathal Geoghegan said:

“We are delighted to have performed so strongly at the 2015 Janus Awards and to see our hard working employees gain recognition for a job well done. “It’s a great honour to receive these accolades, particularly as the overall standard of the tourism and hospitality

offering in Northern Ireland has never been better. Our business has evolved and grown significantly in the past few years, and these awards are testament to the fact that our commitment to home grown hospitality and customer service has never wavered,� he added.

LEGAL DANCERS...

T

he President of the Law Society, Arleen Elliott was joined by nephews Edward and Felix and Strictly Legal Winners, local solicitors Imelda McMillan and Paul Dougan to celebrate ÂŁ65,000 raised in aid of local charity TinyLife. The money was raised at the Law Society’s recent ‘Strictly Legal’ dance event held at

44

the Europa Hotel in Belfast, which involved eleven couples made up of solicitors, barristers and law firm staff.

And the winners? Imelda McMillan, a partner at O’Reilly Stewart Solicitors, is one of Belfast’s top property lawyers while Paul Dougan is based in the Armagh office of John J. Rice & Co, Solicitors.

A new state-of-the-art physiotherapy clinic in Belfast featuring the highest quality equipment and experienced specialist practitioners delivering therapy for t 4QPSUT JOKVSJFT t #BDL BOE OFDL QBJO t "SUISJUJT t )FBEBDIFT t 4DJBUJDB t /FVSPMPHJDBM DPOEJUJPOT JODMVEJOH #SBJO JOKVSZ TUSPLF .4 ./% -PDBUFE JO $BTUMFSFBHI #VTJOFTT 1BSL PGG UIF $BTUMFSFBHI 3PBE XF PGGFS BNQMF GSFF QBSLJOH BOE FBTZ BDDFTT to our 2000 square foot ground floor facility which includes large private treatment rooms and a purpose-built gym with the latest equipment to support your treatment and recovery.

We want our clients to feel better and UP MFBE IFBMUIZ BDUJWF MJWFT 6OJRVFMZ all of our profits go directly to the DIBSJUZ #SBJO *OKVSZ .BUUFST 8F XBOU UP HJWF TPNFUIJOH CBDL UP UIF DPNNVOJUZ UP IFMQ UIPTF UIBU OFFE it most to rebuild their lives.

#*. &OUFSQSJTFT /*

$ * $ 4VJUF $ $BTUMFSFBHI #VTJOFTT 1BSL $BTUMFSFBHI 3PBE #FMGBTU #5 #2 5 XXX SFCPVOEQIZTJP DP VL @reboundphysiocastlereagh1 reboundphysiocastlereagh /* 3FHJTUSBUJPO /P /*

Need access to finance?

Talk to Danske Call: 0845 850 9515

Eye on Company Profile

HNH... A NEW APPROACH TO BUSINESS STRATEGY It’s fair to say that you don’t come across too many businesses like the HNH Group.

F

rom its base in the Scottish Provident Building in Belfast’s Donegall Square, HNH has grown into a remarkably diverse business in four short years of life.

Its roots are in corporate finance and business restructuring, the professional DNA’s of its three founding partners – Wayne Horwood, James Neill and Craig Holmes are all ‘Big 4’ accountancy trained and have worked in practice, banking and private equity.

That kind of high level expertise

46

isn’t confined to top end at HNH’s Belfast base. A surprisingly high proportion of the 16-strong team are either qualified accountants or financiers.

What’s more surprising about the practice is the fact that it has spread its wings away from the confines of corporate finance and business restructuring. There are two other dedicated divisions within the HNH whole and they’re not in the kind of areas you might think.

Readers of the Evening Standard in London won’t be aware, for example, that the newspaper’s online offering is currently being overhauled by HNH’s Digital unit, headed up in Belfast by experienced ex-Belfast Telegraph

digital guru Gerry Patterson.

Not are a lot of HNH clients are aware, at least initially, that they can also call on the practice for expertise on high-level recruitment, in particular of accountancy and financial staff. The Human Capital division is headed by Sarah Orange.

“There was just myself, Wayne and Richard (Moorehead) when we opened the doors for the first time four years ago,” says Craig Holmes. “We were very focused on corporate finance – M&A, private equity, MBOs and MBIs - and hadn’t any plans to move into other areas.... at least not at that stage. But it’s a very different operation now.”

“James (Neill) joined us a couple of years ago to bring in business

restructuring and insolvency and by then we had created a really strong boutique corporate finance operation. We’re not an accountancy practice and we never will be. We don’t do audit and we don’t do tax.”

“Digital and Human Capital came about more by observing the market and recognising a need,” Holmes adds. “And both are additions to the practice in the past year or so.”

“We were taken aback by how many clients talked to us about doing business online and about the importance of digital channels and we started to take a serious look at that. Why refer business on to others when we could look at it ourselves?”

Eye on Company Profile

$SBJH )PMNFT

8BZOF )PSXPPE

Human Capital, if anything, was a more logical fit. “Recruiting the right people, at FD level for example, is an issue when it comes to equity finance or when we’re working through a business restructure, so it wasn’t hard to see how a really professional, bespoke recruitment solution could fit within our group.”

“Yes, we ended up with four service lines that don’t normally sit together, but as a business model, it’s one that we’re very happy with and have a lot of confidence in. Already we see our four divisions cross fertilising and working effectively together.

We’re very focused on our core

+BNFT /FJMM

customer base of SMEs, and we believe that we have the right offering for the right market.”

Another step along the HNH Group development path was taken recently when Gerry McGinn, the former Bank of Ireland, Department of Education and First Trust Bank chief was appointed as non-executive chairman. This has given the team an experienced strategist around the Boardroom table.

Corporate Finance Craig Holmes and Wayne Horwood are the two partners at the helm of a five-strong team advising a wide range of clients

on all aspect of corporate finance – M&A, fund raisings, MBOs/ MBIs, and strategic reviews.

“You could say that we’re in the business of corporate finance solutions,” says Holmes.

“And, in a sentence, we look at the strategic objective of the shareholders and Directors and map out how to get there. That might involve the shareholders taking some money off the table, making acquisitions to grow the business and ultimately selling the Company.”

The HNH team has completed a number of start-to-finish deals, and regularly work with the main banks, with private equity funders here and elsewhere and with high net worth individuals and private investors. HNH have completed transactions for companies such as Lowe Refrigeration, Keys Group, Seven Technologies, the Mourne Observer, BI Electrical and Woodside Haulage.

“Sometimes it can be all about contacts,” Holmes adds, “we have a very established network of funders and intermediaries across the UK and Ireland, particularly within private equity.”

Private equity finance, he says, is on the rise here in Northern Ireland from a low starting point.

“But what we offer goes right across the board,” he emphasises.

Business Restructuring 'PSFOTJDT James Neill is well regarded in his own right as one of Northern Ireland’s relatively small number of licensed insolvency practitioners, but often, consensual restructuring play a major role within the department he leads at HNH. “Although we are restructuring experts, it’s important to stress that, as a team, we’re not solely focused on appointment and enforcement work. We ultimately provide ‘solutions’ to core corporate issues, whether that be insolvency - related trading difficulties, funding problems or shareholder issues and we tailor our advice to provide recovery and growth solutions for our clients” Neill highlights the changing nature of the market and he is notably upbeat “it’s fair to say there was a period during the depths of the recession where the market was enforcement - led and the lack of available funding meant that the solutions available to us as restructuring experts was restricted.

Now though we have a variety of options at our disposal and, in addition, lenders are increasingly interested in pragmatic commercial solutions. We are therefore very focused on providing strategic solutions that allow our clients to make the most of the lean cost base they attained during the recession.”

47

Eye on Company Profile be about design solutions and results rather than tech speak.�

Utilising cutting edge techniques such as responsive design, HNH Digital are creative market leaders, delivering success across all points of communication.

Their 360 degree service suite offers excellence in design, web development, SEO, social media consultancy and analysis.

Gerry Patterson

“I think our own business model highlights that we aren’t just accountants, we understand the commercial issues affecting business and I think that’s an IP’s single most important attribute�

On the Forensics side of the business, Neill and his colleagues also have a core practice providing litigation support and other forensic services to a variety of clients and Neill often acts as expert witness at court, including corporate disputes, personal injury and ancillary relief proceedings. “Our background in insolvency litigation coupled with our understanding

of business allows us to provide robust professional witness support in a variety of disputes� %JHJUBM Gerry Patterson isn’t one to highlight his own achievements.

So he doesn’t initially offer up the fact that he was the man behind the development of the Belfast Telegraph’s award-winning website or that he helped to transform recruitment through the launch of the NIjobfinder online presence in 2000. The site created an interface which enabled job seekers to find employers, and vice

4BSBI 0SBOHF

48

versa, in a seamless and innovative way. It was the first of its kind in Northern Ireland, and the premise has stood the test of time.

Furthermore, Gerry takes a bit of prompting by his colleagues to throw in the fairly remarkable fact that his team is currently immersed in a major redesign of the Independent and the London Evening Standard’s websites. “Primarily, what we do is help to drive business growth through technology and innovation,� he says simply.

So, when Ulster Weavers set out to increase revenue from online sales, Gerry and his digital team developed an online brand, through the creation of a new website with emphasis on the user experience. They set out to revamp the company’s entire online sales offering through an omni-channel approach ensuring users could enjoy the same online experience on web, mobile and tablet. “We’ve also worked recently with Cool FM on an online venture which has been adopted for use by the station’s parent company, Bauer Media for rollout throughout their UK broadcast and publishing operations which is headquartered in Hamburg,� adds Patterson. “We aim to talk to our clients without using the jargon which this business is so infamous for,� he adds. “After all, it should

)VNBO $BQJUBM Sarah Orange reckons that HNH’s Human Capital division serves the requirements of our valued clients through a thorough understanding of their business and not simply a desire to fill job vacancies. “We at HNH Human Capital strive to understand a current role requirement within the broader context of the client’s organisation to ensure that we effectively match the type of person the client is looking for with the longer term career aspirations of our candidates.� “We pride ourselves on our ability to find the “right fit� on behalf both our clients and candidates alike. In addition to our recruitment services, we offer advice on issues such as staff development and succession planning and act as advisors to many of our key clients�. “We’re recruitment specialists who are an integral part of a broader business that provides corporate finance and other services to its business clients.

So we work closely with our colleagues here in HNH Group to add a professional recruitment service if and when it is required.

HNH Human Capital are proud to work in partnership with many of Northern Ireland’s top companies ranging from SMEs to plcs. “With the economy now on the right track, we’re confident that we have the kind of offering here at HNH Group which can make a real difference to our clients,� says Craig Holmes. “We’re fresh, we’re relatively new to market and we’re ready to work with a wide range of organisations here in Northern Ireland.... organisations wanting to grow.�

IUUQ IOIHSPVQ DP VL

Eye on Tax

Are You Missing Out On A Valuable Tax Relief?

Tax relief for Research and Development (R & D) expenditure was increased from 125% to 130% from 1 April 2015 and yet many companies do not take advantage of this relief as they mistakenly believe that they will not qualify.

3 % 5BY 3FMJFG o 5IF 6, T NPTU generous corporation tax relief The legislation has been constantly evolving since the relief was first introduced in 2000 and we now have one of the most generous tax reliefs operating in any OED country, fuelled by the Government’s motivation to help promote productivity.

Despite this, many companies are still unaware of the breadth of the relief.

The main reason behind the widespread failure of companies taking advantage of the relief is the misconception regarding what actually constitutes �‘R & D“ for the purposes of the HMRC legislation. R&D activity does not have to be ‘blue sky’ innovation, nor does it have to consist of creating new technologies.

Instead, appreciable improvements to existing products and processes which would be regarded as ‘difficult’ are perfectly acceptable where the R&D legislation is concerned.

4P IPX EPFT UIF 3 % UBY SFMJFG XPSL For expenditure incurred after 1 April 2015 HMRC will allow an extra 130% of identified costs to be written off against taxable profits. Therefore, if R&D expenditure of ÂŁ100,000 is identified, HMRC will allow ÂŁ230,000 to be included in the tax computation, giving an extra ÂŁ130,000 of cost to be offset against taxable profits.

Based on a corporation tax rate of 20% this equates to a ÂŁ26,000 reduction in tax liability.

3PZ $SFFMNBO .)- $IBSUFSFE "DDPVOUBOUT

Loss making companies are not excluded from the benefits, and tax credits can be claimed on the losses enhanced by the R&D expenditure instead of carrying the losses forward to offset against future profits. Loss making companies are able to surrender the losses attributable to the R&D claim for a 14.5% R&D tax credit.

A new scheme was introduced on 1st April 2013 for Large Enterprises. Known as the Research and Development Expenditure Credit (RDEC), the scheme allows Large Enterprises to claim back between 7%-8% of R&D expenditure through the tax system.

4P XIBU FYQFOEJUVSF EPFT JU SFMBUF UP The expenditures allowed as part of the claim fall into five key categories: staff costs, consumables, subcontract labour, externally provided workers and heat and power costs. HMRC encourage a pragmatic approach to gathering cost information.

)PX GBS DBO B DPNQBOZ HP CBDL Retrospective claims can be made for the past two accounting periods which can often result in a significant repayment of corporation tax, of if a company is loss making, a claim for R&D tax credits. It is therefore important to discover if a claim can be made as soon as possible so as not to miss out on any retrospective claims.

*G ZPV XPVME MJLF UP EJTDVTT ZPVS DPNQBOZ T FMJHJCJMJUZ GPS 3 % UBY relief please contact Roy Creelman BU .)- $IBSUFSFE "DDPVOUBOUT B 6QQFS /FXUPXOBSET 3PBE #FMGBTU #5 ); CZ FNBJM PO SPZ!NIMDB DP VL PS UFMFQIPOF

49

Eye on Events

HOLA BELFAST... VUELING AWARD FOR COLLEGE TOUCHES DOWN

G

eorge Best Belfast City Airport has today welcomed the arrival of its first flight from Barcelona operated by Vueling Airlines, one of Europe’s fastest growing airlines. The Spanish airline will operate a twice weekly service (Thursday and Sunday) which will increase to three times weekly with a Tuesday flight from 23rd June. Belfast City Airport is one of just

a select few UK airports to be included within the Spanish airline’s ambitious growth strategy announced in late 2014. Members of the Vueling crew and first passenger, Susana Veloso, were welcomed to Northern Ireland by Katy Best, Commercial and Marketing Director at Belfast City Airport. Flights from £46.99 one way including taxes can be booked at www.vueling.com

N

orthern Regional College (NRC) has received a Santander Career Academy of the Year Award, the only Northern Ireland college to be recognised in the national awards. NRC was recognised for its careers programme for Level 3 Engineering Students which ‘boosts’ student employability by aligning students with mentors from industry and provides paid

summer work experience. The programme is run through the College by participating companies such as Schrader Electronics, Hutchinson Engineering, McAuley Engineering, Michelin, Randox Laboratories, CAT, RYOBI, Quad-X and NITC. Pictured with the award are Paula McCloskey, Schrader Electronics, Robbie Monahan, and Jordan Bell both NRC Engineering and Career Academy students.

AD PROSPECTS IT’S POURING...

M

ike Todd, General Manager of Down Royal Racecourse, and Eimhear Daly, Magners Brand Manager for Tennent’s NI toast the signing of a new 3-year pouring rights deal for the cider brand at our leading race course.

50

What’s more Magners will continue as title sponsor of two jewels in the crown of the local racing calendar – the Magners Ulster Derby on Saturday, 24th June, and the Magners Race Evening on Friday, 24th July.

H

ere’s a breakfast event we might just get up early for.....

Danske Bank UK’s Chief Economist Angela McGowan (right) is to present on the advertising and publicity industry’s economic prospects for the year 2015 and beyond.

The event, which takes place on 23 June in Belfast, is open to everyone working in the wider media and publicity industries, and will see Angela outline the

top performing sectors of industry here as well as those predicted to excel in the next five year period.

According to PANI Chair Nuala Meenehan (pictured with Angela) last year’s seminar from the Danske Bank economist proved to be a winner with PANI’s members.

Much in demand, these economists !

For further information, or to book a place on the seminar, log on to www.panionline.com

Eye on Events

AWARD TIME AGAIN FOR VICTORIA SQUARE

N

orthern Ireland’s premier retail, residential and leisure complex, Victoria Square, has been awarded a ‘Merit’ in the events category at the lucrative Purple Apple Marketing Awards by the British Council of Shopping Centres (BCSC).

The recognition was presented to Victoria Square, the only Northern Irish recipient, following its event ‘Dino Day Out At Victoria Square’

which was hosted there in August last year and saw thousands of families take part in a Dinosaur exhibition and various interactive workshops across a four-week event.

Pictured L-R: Edith Bowman (event host) with Michelle Greeves (Victoria Square Centre Manager), Lauren Campbell (Victoria Square Marketing Manager), Claire Rutherford (Madison Soho) and David Atkins (President of BCSC).

DAVY BUYS LOCAL INVESTMENT FIRM

D

avy Private Clients UK, the Northern Ireland-based wealth management and financial planning division of the Davy Group, has agreed to acquire Graham Corry Cheevers, a leading financial advisory and investment firm based in Belfast. Established in 1995, Graham Corry Cheevers provides investment management, stockbroking and financial advisory services in Northern Ireland advising private, corporate, trust and pension clients.

The firm is headed up by its three

founding partners Brian Corry, Gavin Graham and Nigel Cheevers and has approximately 2,500 clients with £230 million (€315 million) assets under management. On completion, which will take place in one months’ time, the firm’s partners and experienced team will relocate to Davy’s fast-growing private client business, which is located in Donegall Square in Belfast.

Pictured with Stephen Felle (far right), Chief Executive of Davy Private Clients UK, is (from left to right) Gavin Graham, Brian Corry and Nigel Cheevers.

51

52

Eye on Banking

DANSKE’S KATHERINE JAMES...

A NEW APPROACH TO SMALL BUSINESS CUSTOMERS Danske Bank’s Katherine James is all too aware that all of the main banks talk about their commitment to working with small business customers.

S

o it’s not surprising that she’s keen to spread the word about Danske’s very different and dedicated approach to small business customers.

“Back in 2011, we decided at senior management level that we would take a very close look at how we engaged with our small business customers. The result was a new service proposition called Business Plus,” says Katherine James, who is now Danske’s Head of Small Business.

And her appointment to that role is evidence that Danske is differentiating between its larger and smaller business customers.

“Business Plus is based on an understanding that running a business is demanding and it is not always 9 to 5. We wanted to be able to provide customers with advice and expertise when and where they need it. We started back in late 2012 with a soft launch, moving our small business customers away from our branches and into Business Plus, initially delivering this through a dedicated team of experienced business advisers available by telephone during and outside of normal business hours.

“Those fully trained business advisers were assisted by a team of specialist cash managers in recognition of the fact that good cash flow and management is essential for small businesses who often don’t have their own full-time book keepers or financial managers on board.

“Within a year, we had built up a really good service proposition

which we’re now delivering to our customers online as well as over the phone. We are providing a service that is genuinely making life easier for our customers.

“When we did our research, we asked those customers to tell us what they wanted most from their bank. The answer was loud and clear. What businesses value most is having a relationship manager or dedicated team that they can talk to any time they need to talk.”

Katherine James says that the Danske Business Plus service to built around a number of key pillars:t Competence – a strong knowledge of how small businesses work and the sorts of challenges they face t Contact – one point of contact for small business customers who can deal with the same person on every occasion if that’s what they prefer t %FDJTJPO .BLJOH – Business Plus advisers are able to make decisions on the spot t Accessibility – advisers are available online or by phone from 8.00 am to 8.00 pm on weekdays and from 9.00 am to 1.00 pm on Saturdays.

A relatively new addition is the fact that customers can now hold online meetings with advisers via their PC, laptop, mobile or landline.

“We’re well aware that small business people have very little time on their hands, so we’re working hard to make banking as easy as possible for them and to build services which can be of real value to them.

“We’ve also embarked recently on a new ‘Aim High’ customer service campaign,” adds Katherine James. “It’s all about delivering a consistently high level of service to our small business customers, about reacting to their needs and about being proactive in how we work with those customers on a day to day basis.

“And it’s all about continuously improving how we support our customers and help them to achieve their growth ambitions.

“We’ll also hold a comprehensive strategic meeting with every customer with a view to making sure they have the support required to help them achieve their goals. Together we’ll look at areas such as financing the business, optimising the

business, personal finances and the running of the business on a day to day basis.

“So you can see a picture emerging of how we keep on communicating with our customers and keep on monitoring how we can best service their needs.”

The availability of online meetings with business advisers is proving particularly popular with small business customers who only need to spare short periods of time to log onto Danske’s ebanking system and talk directly to an adviser with the benefit of shared screens.

“The access to expertise and technology is, in my view, as important as access to finance these days. And Danske Bank is lending – to both new and existing customers and businesses of all sizes. The fact that we approved over £264 million in new lending to all business customers in quarter one this year sends out a clear message to the marketplace. Danske Bank is here to do business, to work with business in Northern Ireland, and to support economic growth.”

53

Eye on News

Are You Family Friendly?

A

re you an employer offering family friendly initiatives?

Entries are being invited for Employers For Childcare’s Family Friendly Employer Awards 2015.

Family Friendly Employer Awards provide an opportunity for employers to gain recognition for implementing family friendly policies in the workplace.

The application closing date is Friday 3 July and the Awards will be held at Belfast City Hall on Thursday 8 October. For more information, call 028 9267 8200 or email marketing@ employersforchildcare.org $MBSF (SFFOXPPE &NQMPZFST 'PS Childcare Charitable Group with a budding entrepreneur launches their 'BNJMZ 'SJFOEMZ &NQMPZFS "XBSET

Genesis Awarded NI Media Agency of the Year 2015 Belfast-based agency Genesis has been awarded the prestigious title of Northern Ireland Media Agency of the Year 2015 at the Media Awards 2015 in Dublin.

T

he award recognises excellence in media strategy, planning, buying, innovation, people development (training and skills) and new business development. The media team led

by Media Director Wendy McKnight, has provided strategic direction, planning and buying for a wide range of established and digital media across NI, RoI, UK, Europe, the Middle East and the US.

Ms McKnight commented, ‘We’re delighted to receive this award in recognition of the hard work and commitment of the team, and the vision of our clients. As an agency, we aspire to international class and receiving this award let’s us know that we are well on our way there. It’s a boost for our clients too – the award confirms that they’re working with the best in Northern Ireland.’

(FOFTJT .FEJB 5FBN 8FOEZ .D,OJHIU 1BVMJOF .PPSF BOE +BOJOF 8FMMT

The Genesis media department works on a number of high profile campaigns for clients such as Invest NI – Go For It, Invest NI – Inward Investment, First Trust Bank, SPAR

UK, SPAR NI, EUROSPAR, firmus energy, Northern Ireland Water, Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service, Health and Safety Executive Northern Ireland and Dale Farm.

Northern Ireland Asset Finance Business Scoops Top Award In Munich NIIB, the Belfast based asset finance business is celebrating after beating off competition from across Europe to win a top industry award in Munich.

A

sset finance lender NIIB, which employs around 120 people, saw its ‘Joint Venture’ product named Best Finance Product at the Motor Finance Europe Awards recently, under its Northridge brand.

Joint Venture was first set up almost 20 years ago and sees the lender share increased profits with car dealers in return for sharing risk on the loan.

54

It is now so popular it accounts for almost 20% of annual new businesslending across the UK for NIIB. James McGee, Managing Director of NIIB, said of the award: “This is a testament to the determination of our team to bring something really unique to the market. “It’s a product which was conceived here in Northern Ireland – so it is

- 3 "OESFX .D*OUPTI /BUJPOBM ,FZ "DDPVOUT .BOBHFS /**# /PSUISJEHF 'JOBODF

+BNFT .D(FF .BOBHJOH %JSFDUPS /**# /PSUISJEHF 'JOBODF BOE "MBO $BSTPO 4BMFT %JSFDUPS /**# /PSUISJEHF 'JOBODF

particularly satisfying to see it now being recognised on a European stage. “To bring back this award to Belfast is great – but we have high hopes of more to come as car dealers hear more about

what we are doing to help them and their customers get the best deal possible.�

NIIB was established in 1956, and was acquired by Bank of Ireland in 1984.

Eye on Giving

DON’T THINK ABOUT IT...

JUST DO IT !

Dorcas Crawford, Senior Partner, Edwards & Co Solicitors 2. Is your giving personal or corporate or a DPNCJOBUJPO PG CPUI It’s a combination of both, On a personal level I have particular charities that I give to on a regular basis – usually because they are close to my heart and because I want to make a difference. At home we always have the kind of charity jars and boxes that I grew up with – the amounts we collect in them might be small but it’s important to me that my children have also grown up in an environment where giving is part of life.

On a corporate level giving is an integral part of our business for many reasons.

8IBU BSF ZPVS UIPVHIUT JO HFOFSBM PO DIBSJUBCMF HJWJOH I was very fortunate to be brought up in a family where giving was a given. My parents and grandparents were not wealthy by any means – they were working class people – but they were, and my parents still are, people who would ‘give you their last penny’.

From a very early age it was simply part of our lives to have charity boxes around the house, to understand that there were many people less fortunate than us and to give where we possibly could, whether in money or in time. There was nothing pious or righteous about it – it was simply a way of living, and it was also more fundamentally about a generosity of spirit which I believe is key to a better quality of life.

)PX EP ZPV HJWF UP DIBSJUZ NPOFUBSJMZ ZPVS own time as a volunteer PS ZPVS TQFDJBMJTU TLJMMT I make regular financial contributions to my chosen charities and I also give my time and skills in particular to Bowel Cancer UK. I have been involved with BCUK since one of my closest friends was diagnosed with bowel Cancer in 2009. It was devastating. She was the same age as me and had 2 young boys, the same age as my two younger children. She battled for 20 months but during that time discovered BCUK and we both became involved in raising money and more importantly awareness of the need for screening and early diagnosis to prevent other people finding out too late and losing their lives as Rosi did. She

inspired me to continue this work and I have been involved in raising the Charity’s profile and their work in NI, promoting corporate support in particular.

4. What types of causes EP ZPV GBWPVS BOE XIZ There are too many to mention but I give to a range of charities from the medical ones like BCUK to children’s charities like NSPCC as well as some that focus on human rights and women’s rights in particular.

"SF UIFSF TQFDJGJD DIBSJUJFT or causes that you give UP SFHVMBSMZ )PX EP ZPV DIPPTF XIJDI UP TVQQPSU There are so many worthwhile charities that I struggle to choose sometimes but I tend to choose causes that are close to my heart and that I feel passionate about – that way it’s very easy to give.

In Edwards & Co we choose a charity of the year because it is simpler to focus on one big one and we keep a little secret reserve in case something arises in the course of the year that we really want to give to – but don’t tell anyone! %P ZPV CFMJFWF UIBU companies and individuals have a duty to help PUIFST *G ZFT XIZ I think it is vitally important that giving is an integral part of society – both as individuals and at a corporate level.

Altruism is something that benefits everyone – both the giver and the receiver and to that extent it is not an entirely selfless thing. Corporate Social Responsibility is an in phrase and I believe there is a danger of it becoming a box-ticking exercise but what we’ve discovered in Edwards & Co is that people actually really like to give! You only have to practice the habit of a random act of kindness for a few days to discover how good it makes you feel and this applies at a corporate level as well. The personality of the organisation benefits, whether it’s a firm of lawyers like us or a manufacturing business – giving, generosity, kindness – whatever it’s named – benefits the

organisation. In Edwards & Co there’s also an added benefit – we use our charity projects for a dual purpose – as well as raising money for a particular charity, we also use the fundraising activities as a team-building initiative. The best example of this was last year when we raised £19,000 for the NIHospice and one of our main projects was to set up and run a Hospice pop-up shop in Belfast. Our staff – from the partners to the cleaner – helped collect second hand clothes, spent their lunchtimes steamcleaning and pricing clothes, arranging shelves and learning sales skills over a period of weeks culminating in two days in the shop. It was one of the best team experiences we’ve had in years. The firm also benefitted from the publicity and the charity benefitted from the funds raised.

7. What is your message to business people who NBZ CF UIJOLJOH BCPVU becoming more involved in TUSBUFHJD QIJMBOUISPQZ Don’t think about it – do it!

There’s so much to do and everyone can offer something but being strategic is important and knowing where your money’s going and how it’s making a difference to people really helps.

(JWJOH /PSUIFSO *SFMBOE was set up last year to champion Philanthropy. Why EP ZPV UIJOL JU JT JNQPSUBOU that there is an organisation that helps businesses and JOEJWJEVBMT UIJOL NPSF TUSBUFHJDBMMZ BCPVU HJWJOH People, and companies, sometimes need to be persuaded of the benefits of giving and need to hear positive stories and experiences to encourage them. Once they’ve decided to give, they often need help to point them in the right direction and to find a good match for their own ethos and culture.

They often need guidance in how to maximise their giving. For all of these reasons organisations like Giving NI are crucial and can really help to achieve what philanthropy is all about for me – making a difference to people’s lives.

55

Eye on Technology

How Technology Is Driving Personalised Shopping on the High Street Trevor Bingham, Business Development Director with Craigavon-based IT specialists FUEL, kicks off a new regular Busines Eye tech column with an insight into the fast-changing world of retail...

W

ith the technology and data available, it’s no surprise to see the online shopping experience make a dramatic shift toward personalisation. Retailers use various identifiers, ranging from user accounts to browser cookies to customise a shopping experience based around their customers’ individual needs and desires. With so much data acquired through digital channels, retailers are able to map out customer journeys, make relevant product recommendations, and offer highly specific promotional content.

However, it has been much more difficult to offer a similar level of personalisation at the retail store level. Most retail companies use software automation to gather data for online shoppers but struggle to replicate this process in-store.

Retailers have lacked the tools needed to tailor the shopping experience to their in-person customers, outside of simply getting to know their loyal, regular shoppers over time.

Shoppers are looking for retailers to give them in-store perks, such as automatic discounts at the point of purchase or real-time notifications of relevant promotions.

While it may have been difficult in years past, new technologies have emerged to enable a more seamless path to serve customers the way they want to be serviced.

Below are just three ways retailers are using technology to empower their in-store associates to deliver a more efficient and personalised shopping experience. .PCJMF EFWJDFT FNQPXFS customer service Retailers can use cross-channel identifiers such as email addresses and customer names to create a unified shopper profile across all shopping experiences (on-line and in the high street). With mobile devices, in-store associates can

56

engage customers as they browse around and easily access customers’ history with the retailer by simply asking for one of those identifiers.

For example, high street associates could use previous purchase history to help recommend the correct product add-ons, suggest related items, and generally just get a better feel for the customer’s interests. With mobile devices, high street associates are no longer shooting in the dark as they try to serve shoppers. Most consumers already use their own mobile devices to research purchases in-store. This gives high street associates the opportunity to step in and provide that desired extra information.

Moreover, mobile devices can aid in other critical operations, such as checking stock levels at other stores or processing payments through mobile points-of-sale systems.

The potential value mobile devices bring to the table is tremendous.

Beacons Numerous retailers are already leveraging beacon technology as a means to greater personalisation and interaction within the store. In the United States shoppers already have experienced this as they receive an email or text message about the latest sale the minute they enter their favorite store. This hardware can be installed throughout shops to transmit these types of messages directly to customers’ smartphones or tablet devices.

There is really no limit when it comes to dreaming up ways of using beacon messages. One ‘spooky’ application is delivering notifications about sales or promotions to customers as they walk past the item on the shelf, possibly further targeting customers based on purchase history to ensure relevance.

There are several other ways to leverage beacon technology. For example, retailers could locate beacons toward the front of the store to target people walking by with a lucrative

incentive. Or they could use beacon technology to promote new products before they hit shelves to increase awareness or anticipation, driving future store visits. The key is discovering what information and content will be pertinent or entertaining to customers and how much of this intrusiveness you are willing to put accept!

Interactive dressing rooms Shopping for clothes online can be a pain, simply because people cannot always guarantee fit before making the purchase. However, that does not mean that elements of shopping for clothes online should be ignored when creating an in-store experience.

Interactive dressing rooms at brickand-mortar stores could combine the best of both worlds, letting people read reviews, request store assistants to bring different sizes or colours to the changing room rather than get fully dressed again for all of 30 seconds. And if a particular size or colour is not available in the store, an item can be sourced and shipped from another store or fulfillment centre directly to the customer’s home.

The shopping experience has changed dramatically and people have higher expectations now than in the past. Retailers that strive to serve shoppers effectively need to tailor their offerings to the needs of their customers, regardless of whether those customers choose to shop in-store or online. Using the latest technology offerings, from beacons to interactive tools, can help sellers better cater the experience to each customer.

Eye on Technology

TITAN NOW A GIANT IN GLOBAL DIGITAL SECURITY Sam Butler talked to Dr Godfrey Gaston, chief executive of Titan IC Systems on the Belfast company’s emergence as a global leader in cyber security.

T

itan IC Systems, the Belfast-based pioneer of technology that protects high volume, high speed digital systems from a range of serious threats to their integrity and operations, now has a developing presence in the hugely important US marketplace.

Setting up at the heart of California’s Silicon Valley, in Palo Alto to be exact, is a challenge that Dr Godfrey Gaston, Titan IC’s chief executive officer, clearly relishes. “It’s an immensely important investment for us that positions us at the centre of the world’s most significant cybersecurity community, Dr Gaston says.

The new office, headed by Marc Miller, one of California’s most respected technology marketers, is already marketing Titan’s Hyperion technology, a new generation internet security system that provides high speed protection and analysis of high volumes of internet data. What Hyperion offers is the ability to secure digital networks such as, for example, the entire broadband network in Belfast, from the widest range of online threats. “Digital technology is all pervasive today. All aspects of business and everyday life now depend on internet access by means of computers, laptops, smartphones, tablet computers and now watches.

As the technology has advanced so the threats have become more sophisticated. “As a result, the need for effective security systems is greater than ever and continuing to grow rapidly. What our technology offers is greater protection of assets and reduces

%S (PEGSFZ (BTUPO $IJFG &YFDVUJWF 5JUBO *$ 4ZTUFN

substantially the threat of downtime that could, for instance, severely damage a network or an individual organisation.�

Hyperion addresses the most difficult security challenges for next generation firewalls and malware/APT detection. The solutions offered can be used in all aspects of network security (Intrusion Detection/Prevention, application detection, anti-virus, content/URL filtering), as well as Software Defined Networks (SDN) and Big Data analytics.

Titan, a Queen’s University technology startup company, recently completed a new investment round of £850,000 to help its marketing drive in the US and Europe. Endorsing the company’s technology and its business growth strategy were Belfast based investors techstart NI and Co-FundNI which is managed by Clarendon Fund Managers. Based in Belfast, techstart NI and Co-FundNI are equity investment funds established by Invest Northern Ireland as part of its Access to Finance suite of funding.

They are both part-financed through the European Regional Development Funds.

In addition, QUBIS, the university’s business support organisation, increased its existing investment. “This new investment allows us to grow our business and product development, with a particular focus on international markets and represents an exciting time in the company’s development especially in the US, a target market for us and one we are addressing through our new base in California. Hyperiod is an immensely significant product that we believe has enormous potential to transform the cybersecurity industry worldwide by providing greater security than currently exists for high volume data networks.�

Hyperion carries forward the knowledge and expertise of our highly experienced team of researchers assisted by cybersecurity experts within Queen’s University Befast.

Titan was formed in 2007 as a spin-out of cutting-edge research

in silicon technology for faster and safer internet data processing in Queen’s University’s globally ranked Institute of Electronics, Communications and Information Technology Centre (ECIT) by Dr Gaston and other members of the research team, Professor Sakir Sezer and Dr Dwayne Burns.

Another major boost for Titan’s global standing was its recent recognition by the UK Government as one of the country’s 12 ‘most exciting’ technology businesses, an endorsement that will assist its export marketing activities.

A further significant development for the business as it gears up to grow global sales was the recent move to the Innovation Centre in Titanic Quarter from its original home in the nearby ECIT building. “Our strategic focus now is on initiatives that will enable us to maximise the business potential of our cybersecurity expertise in international markets particularly the US. Our technology, we believe, gives us a competitive edge within a very dynamic and demanding industry.�

57

Eye on Finance

Are you Making a Difference?

Richard Branson says “If you aren’t making a difference in other people’s lives, you shouldn’t be in business – it’s that simple!�

I

happen to think he’s right. In a small but vibrant business community such as Northern Ireland where confidence has been low for a while, how can the SME business owner differentiate himself and grow something amazing which leads the way in his or her chosen sector?

In Keys Commercial Finance Ltd, we are just coming to the end of our fourth year supporting the working capital and credit management needs of a wide variety of trading businesses across the Province. This year alone we have invested over ÂŁ60M of new money into these companies. The team in Keys approach every request with optimism and a clear ‘can do’ attitude and we endeavour to meet and exceed the customer’s expectations every day. This kind of positive approach in any business works as it breeds confidence and facilitates growth.

Surround yourself with good people, train them and empower them to treat the customer base well. I often say, “Remember, NI is a village. You might be in the supermarket at the weekend and run into that customer. What if you have treated him badly during the week ‌?â€? Manners cost nothing and fairness is a basic human right. If you build a reputation for honesty and integrity, your business will flourish.

58

A successful business must never lose focus on its customers and its service standards. Without customers no business can survive and good communication and interaction is vital to the development and evolution of our business model in Keys – and to yours. We have two ears and one mouth for a reason. Listen and learn. Give your client five star service each and every time and not only will you have his loyalty – but he will tell others and recommend you to his wider contact base. Word of mouth is the best source of new business that any of us can have.

An old boss of mine used to say “you only get one chance to make that first impression, so get it right.� That’s true – even when you are having an off day, smile and show a sincere interest in your customer’s business. I also believe that we are privileged to be invited into a customer’s confidence and to be asked to support him. So yes – create that good first impression – but go on caring. Running a business has its ups and downs and your customer needs to know that you are just as interested when things are not going so well. This behaviour alone will define you and make you stand out from the crowd.

Finally – in Keys we use first class customer service as one of our USP’s. It seems a bit unfashionable at the moment but it does work. People might not remember the good things

+VEJUI 5PUUFO .BOBHJOH %JSFDUPS ,FZT $PNNFSDJBM 'JOBODF -UE

all the time – but they certainly remember the bad - poor service, overcharging, hidden extras, a bad attitude and inflexibility.

To further enhance our role in the Alternative Funding landscape in NI, Keys are currently reinvesting for growth and we are looking forward to an even stronger and more diverse year in 2015/16.

New working capital products are on the horizon and by partnering up with the University of Ulster Small Business Team for example, we hope to bring some of our unique customer insights to their Finance Clinics and Workshops across the province later this year.

Watch this space ‌ Keys are making a difference and we are only getting started!

$POUBDU +VEJUI 5PUUFO .BOBHJOH %JSFDUPS ,FZT Commercial Finance Ltd PO

“A successful business must never lose focus on its customers and its service standards.

Without customers no business can survive and good communication and interaction is vital to the development and evolution of our business model in Keys – and to yours.�

Eye on Tax

Doing business with the Republic of Ireland Award-winning firm ASM Chartered Accountants has announced a partnership with InterTradeIreland, aimed at providing SMEs with practical advice on cross-border matters such as tax, pensions, and other pertinent issues. This new initiative will be delivered in partnership with InterTradeIreland, the cross-border business development agency.

T

he initiative, to be known as ‘the Cross Border Bureau’, will aim to promote business growth through cross-border trade, by providing advice and consultancy to businesses operating between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

As part of that series, Ronan McGuirk, Tax Director, ASM Chartered Accountants, Newry and Dundalk, discusses the wider issue of working between Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland.

What is the difference in the two jurisdictions?

This is the age-old question, what is the major difference in the two jurisdictions?

Quite simply, the answer is that there are different currencies and different tax laws.

Fluctuation in the exchange rate between Sterling and the Euro can have major implications for businesses operating in both jurisdictions and it is vital for such a business to manage this risk.

At present the Euro is at a low against sterling, therefore, it is more important than ever to have a clear currency strategy to minimise the impact of any exchange losses.

Historically the tax regimes in both jurisdictions were closely aligned, in the fact that the major piece of Irish tax legislation, consolidated in 1997, was based entirely around UK legislation. However over the years changes by governments have meant that now, there are many differences, including the tax year, which in Ireland now runs on the calendar year, whereas the UK remains April – April.

Below are the major differences under the major tax heads. As always, specific advice should be sought from a professional if you are planning to operate in the Republic of Ireland.

Corporation Tax Northern Ireland currently has a Corporation tax main rate of 20% on all

profits and gains. Whilst the Republic of Ireland has two tax rates for Companies with 12.5% levied on trading income and 25% on non-trading income. The Northern Ireland executive has recently been given the power to set its own “Northern Ireland tax rate�. No rate has yet been set, but it is expected to at least match the Irish 12.5% rate, with a lower rate of 10% has been muted.

Income Tax and Social Security A single person in the UK during the 2015/16 tax year will pay 40% tax on any income over ÂŁ42,385(taking account of your personal allowance).

An individual in the Republic of Ireland will pay 40% tax on any income over â‚Ź33,801, any tax credit is deductible from the tax calculated.

The Irish equivalent of National Insurance is Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) which is generally lower than the UK national insurance.

Ireland also has a further levy on income, the Universal Social Charge (USC), which is levied on gross income with very few exemptions or reliefs available VAT Vat is an EU wide tax and the main differences between different countries are the rates and registration limits.

The UK’s main vat rate is 20%, with a reduced rate of 5% and a 0% rate.

Whilst the main rates in Ireland are 23%, 13.5% (Most widely used for Labour in the Construction Industry) and a 9% second reduced rate. The 9% reduced rate was introduced to give the Irish tourism industry a boost and it applies to hotel lettings and food and drink.

The UK has one registration limit regardless of whether you supply goods or services, currently this rate is ÂŁ82,000. Ireland has separate registration rates for goods at â‚Ź75,000 and â‚Ź37,500 for services.

.JDIBFM 0 )BSF .JDIBFM 8JMMJBNTPO 1BEEZ 4BWBHF 3POBO .D(VJSL "MJTUBJS $PPLF 4JOFBE )FBOFZ $BUSJPOB (PSIBN

What are the tax implications for Northerners doing business in Ireland?

The tax implications depend on whether the Northern business has a base the ROI. The double tax agreement refers to this base as a “permanent establishment� which is essentially an office or a branch in Ireland, and it can also include a building site or project that lasts more than six months.

Below we have detailed the issues for Northern businesses who have a permanent establishment in Ireland.

The permanent establishment rules are complicated and any business operating in another jurisdiction should seek specific advice on this

Northerners with a Permanent Establishment

is also a duty to declare worldwide income in the UK, which includes the profits from the Irish business.

Relief maybe claimed for tax paid in Ireland against tax due in UK. Vat Registration If the business has an Irish permanent establishment then they are bound by the same rules applying to Irish residents and are required to register for vat when their turnover reaches the registration limits of â‚Ź75,000 for goods and â‚Ź37,500 for services.

PAYE All employers with a permanent establishment and employees in ROI with employees are required to register for PAYE and run an Irish payroll to include all employees working in ROI.

Corporation Tax A Northern based company will pay corporation tax in ROI based on the profits derived from the Irish permanent establishment. Worldwide income is then declared in UK and relief claimed for tax paid in Ireland against relevant tax due in UK.

ASM Chartered Accountants has six offices, Belfast, Dublin, Dundalk, Dungannon, Magherafelt and Newry.

The 160 strong team specialises in a range of accountancy disciplines including, corporate finance, Insolvency services, forensic accounting, Audit & accounting, consultancy services, internal audit, tax, hotel, tourism and leisure.

Income Tax Individuals pay Income tax in ROI based on the profits derived from the Irish permanent establishment. There

If you wish to discuss any of the above ideas in more detail please do not hesitate UP DPOUBDU 3POBO .D(VJSL 5BY %JSFDUPS BU "4. $IBSUFSFE "DDPVOUBOUT SPOBO NDHVJSL!BTNOFXSZ DPN

59

Eye on Events

BARTENDERS BATTLE IT OUT AT SHORTCROSS GIN SIGNATURE SERVE COMPETITON

It had to be one of the best invitations of recent weeks.

Ireland’s best bartenders convened on Belfast the other week to compete in the inaugural Shortcross Gin Signature Serve competition.

60

O

ver the past year, bartenders and mixologists across Ireland and the UK have championed Shortcross Gin, creating their own unique Shortcross serves. From the classic Shortcross G&T, served over ice with premium tonic and a spiral of orange peel to innovative new creations using pink grapefruit and fresh basil, there have been countless great Shortcross drinks served up and down the country and further afield.

The prestigious Shortcross Gin Signature Serve competition, which coincides with the first anniversary of Ireland’s most awarded gin, attracted entries from right across Ireland. The grand finale in chic Belfast cocktail bar, sixty6, saw 16 competitors showcase their Shortcross Signature Serves to a judging panel for the chance to have their drinks promoted as the recommended serves to the growing legion of Shortcross Gin fans across the Ireland, UK and further afield.

Judges, Olivier Ward from Gin Foundry and Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch; Caroline Wilson, Northern Ireland’s Local Food Hero 2015 and founder of Belfast Food Tours; and David Boyd-Armstrong,

Head Distiller, Rademon Estate Distillery were tasked with awarding the top three Shortcross Signature Serves in two categories: G&T Serve and Summer Serve. Tough work, but someone has to do it.

In the highly competitive Shortcross Signature G&T category, Stuart Podmore from Muriel’s Café Bar in Belfast triumphed with his Muriel’s Signature Shortcross Serve, consisting of Shortcross Gin, Fever-Tree Elderflower Tonic Water, fresh orange ice cubes and a sprig of fresh mint as a garnish to win the coveted title of Shortcross G&T Signature Serve champion. Stuart wanted to create a serve that not only complemented the flavours of Shortcross Gin, but also was easily replicated at home for everyone to enjoy.

In the Shortcross Signature Summer Serve category, judges were presented with a range of highly creative and excellently executed cocktails but there could be only one winner, with The Merchant Hotel’s Michael Brown deemed the victor. His Summer Serve, ‘9 Hour Bill’ enhances and complements the subtle sweetness and citrus notes of Shortcross Gin with fresh orange and lemon juice, whilst the addition of Campari

further boosts the zesty drink with a bitter element, with egg white added to round off the flavours and create a refreshing drink, to welcome summer back in style.

Shortcross Gin is the first spirit to be launched by Rademon Estate Distillery Northern Ireland’s first and only craft distillery. Founded in 2012 by husband and wife team Fiona and David BoydArmstrong, Rademon Estate Distillery is located at the couple’s historic family estate just outside Downpatrick, Co. Down. The first batch of their super premium craft gin, Shortcross was released in May 2014 to great critical acclaim and the word is spreading fast.

In just a year since its launch at the Rademon Estate Distillery, Shortcross has quickly become the choice of discerning gin drinkers at home and abroad. From Belfast to Dublin, London to Edinburgh and Paris to San Francisco, Shortcross is causing a stir in the global craft gin market.

In April, the award-winning Co. Down gin added to its already impressive list of accolades, winning a Silver Medal at the prestigious San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2015.

Eye on Telecommunications

Atlas Communications Partnership With Xirrus Brings High Speed Solution To Belfast’s Oldest Theatre Local company Atlas Communications has announced the addition of Xirrus innovative Wi-Fi solutions to its product portfolio.

I

t’s a partnership which answers the increasing demand from customers for reliable connectivity in public spaces where hundreds of thousands of people connect to Wi-Fi in a confined area. “It’s now seen as essential to offer public Wi-Fi access in any business premises, especially one where your customers will be spending time waiting,� said Manus Savage, Atlas Networks Sales Executive. “Traditional Wi-Fi solutions simply do not offer the required capabilities when the number of users grows from tens to hundreds in the one location.

With the addition of Xirrus to the Atlas product portfolio these problems can be overcome.�

Such benefits have already been seen at Belfast’s oldest theatre, the Grand Opera House, which hundreds of patrons visit night after night. The theatre now has the capability to meet their customers’ high demand for connectivity.

Mary-Clare Deane, Chief Executive at the Grand Opera House, said: “As a prestigious theatre venue, thousands of people visit us – but we are also a listed building, which made it a challenge to provide an up to date, high speed wireless service. “I am delighted to say that Atlas has provided a communications solution which offers both us and the public an excellent service, even on our busiest days and nights.�

It’s an example of what Atlas

refers to as “intelligent Wi-Fi� solutions, where the requirements are driven as much by the marketing organisation as the IT team.

This solution, which includes the ability to customise the website landing page, allows a more personalised level of engagement with customers. “The earlier generation of Wi-Fi was merely an open internet connection, which allowed unrestricted access to all websites,� said Manus. “Intelligent Wi-Fi, among other things, affords filtered internet where unwanted or unsavoury sites can be restricted.�

By partnering with Xirrus, Atlas is now able to support a large number of Wi-Fi users in a small area as well as a wide range of mobile devices in various types of venues.

These wireless networks are high performance and highly resilient as well as being easily scalable to fit customer demand for connectivity.

Ian Bayly, VP EMEA Xirrus Wi-Fi, said: “We are delighted that Atlas has joined us as a partner.

They have well demonstrated their expertise and commitment to delivering fast, reliable Wi-Fi in challenging environments, as exemplified in their Xirrus Wi-FI network deployment at the Grand Opera House. “Today, people expect ubiquitous internet access and in dense environments such as the theatre Xirrus has the only Xtreme Density solution on the market to meet the growing needs for fast public Wi-Fi.�

5P GJOE PVU NPSF BCPVU the Xirrus solutions Atlas Communications can provide DPOUBDU .BOVT 4BWBHF BU sales@ atlas-comms.com or DBMM UIF 4BMFT 5FBN PO

61

Eye on Awards

Deloitte calls on leading Northern Ireland businesses to apply for Best Managed Companies Awards Programme Awards demonstrate the power of the best of indigenous companies...

D

eloitte, the leading business advisory firm, in association with Barclays, has announced the launch of the 2015/2016 Best Managed Companies Awards Programme.

The Best Managed Companies Awards Programme recognises companies of outstandng quality that have demonstrated superior business performance, and highlights the power of the best indigenous companies.

Northern Ireland firms that are successful in this year’s programme will join the Best Managed Companies network of over 100 leading companies that have been recognised in the seven years since the programme began.

One of the primary objectives of the awards programme is to showcase the success of indigenous companies and acknowledge the contribution that this sector makes to the economy.

The winners over the first seven years of the programme have total revenues of over ÂŁ7 billion and employ more than 5,000 people.

Competing companies will be put through a rigorous judging process, measuring a company’s performance using a wide range of criteria including strategy, capability, commitment, financials and management performance across all key functions of the business.

Companies that are successful at the end of this process will be announced in March 2016 at a gala awards ceremony in Dublin.

Glenn Roberts, Head of Private Markets for Deloitte in Northern Ireland commented: “These awards are all about confidence – of our winning companies and of the indigenous business sector in Northern Ireland. The winners to date epitomise the resilience and the ambition that is present in businesses right across the island of Ireland. “Deloitte is now calling on companies, from across Northern Ireland, that are similarly confident, and are achieving

62

(MFOO 3PCFSUT PG %FMPJUUF BOE "ESJBO %PSBO PG #BSDMBZT #BOL MBVODI UIF #FTU .BOBHFE $PNQBOJFT "XBSET QSPHSBNNF JO #FMGBTU

their goals of being more innovative, more agile, more ambitious and more expansionary, to apply today. By demonstrating their successes, not only does it increase the confidence within their companies, but also contributes to the overall confidence in the economy.

We are delighted to be playing our part in showcasing the success of local firms.�

The Best Managed Awards programme is the only programme that considers companies from every perspective and evaluates the management practices of companies. The judging panel will take a holistic view of the companies, their performance in relation to their peers, and the industries that they are operating in, in order to determine management success.

Adrian Doran, Head of Corporate Banking for Barclays in Northern Ireland,

said: “The Deloitte Best Managed Companies Awards recognise and celebrate the valuable contribution that indigenous companies make to our economy and we are delighted to be associated with such an important programme for the third year running. “Over the past two years, we have had the pleasure of working with companies across a range of sectors to support them in the development of their winning business plans, and we look forward to working with this year’s entrants as they strive to achieve the same goal.�

The awards programme, which is open to companies across the 32 counties of Ireland, offer benefits to all companies entering the programme – not just the winners. Valuable insights into the fundamentals for long-term success of their business will be available

to all applicants - and those who progress through the awards process will receive customised feedback and coaching from Deloitte and Barclays , thereby benefiting from experienced business acumen and expertise.

In addition, winners also receive national and peer recognition, the opportunity to network at the gala awards ceremony and attend the Irish Management Institute’s symposium. For winning companies the ’Best Managed’ designation is an important accolade – but, perhaps most importantly, the awards provide a reason to celebrate the efforts of the entire business.

5IF DMPTJOH EBUF GPS FOUSJFT JT "VHVTU 'PS GVSUIFS JOGPSNBUJPO BOE EFUBJMT PG IPX UP FOUFS UIF BXBSET visit www.deloittebestmanaged.ie.

Eye on Events

COQ & BULL TOAST NEW INVENTION The Coq & Bull brasserie at The Clandeboye Lodge Hotel has played host to the launch of the revolutionary new Coravin™ System - a technology that keeps the cork in the bottle whilst allowing the wine to be poured.

T

his new invention means your wine will continue to age naturally but maintains its freshness for months and even years to come. Penfolds Wineries, the 2014 Australian Wine Producer of the Year, flew in for the launch, where special guests enjoyed a glimpse and a taste of the exclusive new product complemented

by the Coq & Bull brasseries delicious local cuisine. The brasserie serves an extensive range of wines by the glass, paired with their fabulous new spring menu – just launched this month. Visit www.clandeboyelodge.com to view the full selection of new courses available, made from the finest Northern Irish produce.

63

Eye on Communications

Is Your Workplace Ready for the Millennials?

Advances in mobility, devices and collaborative tools have combined to create a more flexible and productive workplace.

The idea of a static workplace is rapidly disappearing as a younger generation of employees - the Millennials - join the workforce, driving enterprises to re-assess their definition of the workplace and adapt to demands.

I

t’s clear that a digital workplace can deliver productivity benefits.

Businesses that implement social technologies for employee interaction increase the productivity of high-skilled workers by 20–25% (McKinsey Global Institute, 2012). According to Deloitte, second generation digital collaboration tools such as virtual meetings, enterprise social networks and IM allow for a higher frequency of shorter but more engaging contact. In a 2013 study across 6 countries in Western Europe, they found that employees with access to effective collaboration tools were 17% more satisfied with their workplace culture.

UC and a more established Wi-Fi network are fuelling the growth of trends like BYOD. Gartner predicts that by 2017 50% of companies will require their employees to supply their own device. By allowing employees to use their own devices enterprises can tap into significant benefits including reduced upfront costs of hiring, less time spent on training or upskilling workers and happier employees using their own devices.

The benefits of a more flexible approach to working are clear, yet according to statistics, the modern workplace has yet to

64

emerge. Latest results from CIPD found that only 35% of employers offer mobile working arrangements and actual uptake is as low as 14%.

Deloitte’s 2013 study highlighted that just 9% of respondents believed their organisation to have a very effective infrastructure for sharing and collaboration. The technology is there to enable greater take-up, so what’s stopping businesses from freeing up employees from their desks?

According to research by Deloitte, the big collaboration blockers are traditional human resource issues like workplace culture and management structure. IT and HR need to work side by side to move digital collaboration tools from ‘nice to have’ to ‘core applications’.

Having a clearly defined workplace policy is a first step to preventing abuse and protecting intellectual property and sensitive data, which is a concern for many. This should incorporate an acceptable usage policy for the tools available, covering what type of information can be communicated, the company’s right to monitor usage, a list of applications that are acceptable to use and the issue of accessing sensitive data over personal devices and Wi-Fi.

When it comes to security, an ‘information-focused’ strategy will become more prevalent with greater focus on detective and reactive controls. In practice, this means implementing contextaware security monitoring for internal and external environments, threat intelligence assessment capabilities and incident response.

Regardless of the added complexity, the modern connected workplace is inevitable. Gartner predicts that by 2018, 25% of large organisations will have an explicit strategy to make their corporate computing environments similar to a consumer computing experience. There’s no doubt that workers of today expect to be able to work on their terms: at non-traditional hours, from non-traditional workplaces like cafes, using their own laptops or smartphones and with access to collaborative tools. For many enterprises, attracting

top talent means creating a Millennial-friendly workplace.

This transformed workplace is one where flexibility is encouraged and supported in an environment that protects both the worker and the enterprise.

.BUU .D$MPTLFZ VL MJOLFEJO DPN JO NBUUNDDMPTLFZ JT 4BMFT %JSFDUPS XJUI FJSDPN #VTJOFTT 4PMVUJPOT /* XXX FJSDPN DP VL UXJUUFS DPN FJSDPN6, MJOLFEJO DPN DPNQBOZ FJSDPN OJ

When your business is saving money and energy, you’re winning Talk to Electric Ireland, and we can show you how and where you can save Call us now 0800 056 9914

Smarter Living

Eye on Internet

Your UX Team Took One Hell Of A Beating!

By Gareth Dunlop, Fathom.

‘Lord Nelson! Lord Beaverbrook! Sir Winston Churchill! Sir Anthony Eden!

Clement Attlee! Henry Cooper! Lady Diana! Maggie Thatcher - can you hear me, Maggie Thatcher! Your boys took one hell of a beating! Your boys took one hell of a beating!’ These famous words, uttered by Norwegian TV commentator Bjorge Lillelien on the occasion of Norway beating England 2-1 in Oslo in a World Cup qualifier in September 1981, could apply to experience design just as aptly as they do to football.

U

nsurprisingly for a region of the world famed for its modern socialist democracies, the Scandinavians have always had a customer-service focused approach to marketing. We see this expressed in the marriage of creativity and function in IKEA furniture, the simplicity and accessibility of H&M clothing and the safety and quality of Volvo cars. They are globally recognised for their talent at combining function with aesthetics.

In short, they have understood and practiced experience design long before it became cool.

This has put them at a tremendous advantage when it comes to digitally communicating with the in-control user, because philosophically and culturally, many of their most successful organisations are hard-wired to heed customers and respond sensitively to market demands. They understand the importance of listening before they speak.

The Norwegian Cancer Society contributes to targeted efforts in cancer information, prevention, advocacy, research, care, and international cooperation. According to their own website, their main priority is to fund research. However by spending time with their users, understanding their needs and reviewing website analytics, they came to understand that the top four user needs on their website were treatment, symptoms, prevention and research. Donation, a key objective for the organisation, was in the bottom four needs, along with gifts, reading the annual report and reading press releases.

66

The website information was reoriented around treatment, symptoms, prevention and research with much less prominence given to donation on the home page. The results are staggering; 70% increase in one-time donations each month, 73% increase in total donation sum each month, 88% increase in monthly donors registered each month and 164% increase in members registered each month.

Sparebanken Sogn og Fjordane in Norway had a yet greater challenge. Like many banks they rely on a range of products across savings, investments, deposit, credit cards, mortgages and current account categories to drive revenue and commercial performance.

And like many banks, each individual product owner believes that his or her product was the most important in the bank. For many banks in Western Europe, this would result in an internal clamour amongst product owners for space on the home page, with the classic carousel offering the Get out of Jail free card which everyone is looking for, except of course the lowly user.

Whatever about the specifics of product owners wanting their product to be promoted ahead of the others, the key desire for the bank was to increase awareness of and warm enquiries for their products. Again this was at variance with customers whose top desire was to log into their online personal banking.

Perhaps influenced by Norway’s cultural and philosophical background in design thinking, the bank decided to build an online experience around the user’s top needs and built a home page with logging in to online

personal banking as the dominant content item. Individual product pages in turn were optimised specifically for search engines to send users directly to them, bypassing the home page, for specific product searches.

The result of this spectacularly simple customer-centred design decision? A 520% increase in traffic to product pages.

For too long marketers have spoken in terms of customer touch-points.But the informed, information-hungry online user is hungry for outcomes. Our starting point for communication needs to be giving them what they need. Givers get.

It is only when we have given our customers what they want that we have earned the right to tell them about what we want.

Carlsberg don’t do user-experience design, but if they did.

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 user-testing, usability and customer journey planning, web accessibility and integrated online marketing.

Clients include Three, Ordnance Survey Ireland, PSNI, Permanent TSB and Independent News and Media.

Visit Fathom online at fathom.pro.

Eye on Finance

The New Landscape: Obtaining Finance After The Crisis Paul Stephens, Head of Sales for the Invoice Finance team at Close Brothers Commercial Finance, explains how the squeeze on credit following the financial crisis has been the catalyst for SMEs to consider new ways of funding business growth.

T

he credit crunch in 2007 and the global financial crisis that followed a year later had a devastating impact on SMEs in the UK. A period of irresponsible lending and a succession of high-risk gambles by banks in Europe and particularly the United States were the root causes of both problems.

In the UK, business failure rates soared while the availability of the credit required to get new firms off the ground, or to sustain existing companies, practically dried up. But the good news is that a number of alternatives to traditional bank loans and overdrafts have started to emerge in the last few years, and business owners now have a far greater range of choice when it comes to seeking funding for their enterprises.

Do we remember what caused the credit crunch?

In mid-September 2007, it was reported that Northern Rock had been forced to ask the Bank of England for emergency funding after it discovered that the financial markets would no longer provide the liquidity it needed.

The US central bank had already warned that excessive mortgage lending by American banks to high-risk “sub-prime” customers could lead to huge losses – as proved to be the case.

68

But sub-prime problems were not confined to the States: banks around the world had invested billions of dollars in complex financial instruments linked to these mortgages. When the scale of these investments – and the size of the likely losses – became known in the first half of 2008, the financial crisis began.

The impact on businesses Under any circumstances, a lack of economic growth would be bad news for most companies, but the downturn was accompanied by an unprecedented squeeze on the availability of credit.

Each of the UK’s banks had been affected by the crisis, and most were desperately trying to bolster their balance sheets rather than loan out money. In addition, lenders had suddenly developed an aversion to any sort of risk, which meant that loans for smaller companies in particular were almost impossible to come by.

Figures from the UK’s Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC) show that by the end of 2008, SMEs were three-and-ahalf times more likely to be turned down for an overdraft facility than in 2004, as well as two-and-a-half times more likely to have a loan application rejected.

Response from Westminster In 2010, the Labour government launched the Enterprise Finance Guarantee Scheme which provided banks with a state guarantee for 75% of each business loan. Originally sums of up to £1 million were available to firms with annual turnover of up to £25 million, although these limits have since been increased to £1.2 million and £41 million respectively.

More finance was made available through Enterprise Capital Funds, which matched venture capitalists with businesses in need of investment. Both these programmes, as well as a number of others – including the Start-Up Loans finance and mentoring programme – are now delivered by the British Business Bank, an organisation set up by the coalition government in 2013.

Ministers also set business-lending targets for the major banks: but critics such as the ESRC said that institutions in general responded by simply increasing the amount they lent to larger, lowerrisk companies rather than making more credit available to smaller businesses.

Relaxed entry requirements have made it easier for new challenger banks to compete with the big high-street names. And in 2014, new legislation was announced that would force banks to refer any business they had turned down for funding to an alternative provider.

Eye on Finance Funding for lending In 2012, the government made its most significant attempt to boost commercial and consumer lending by launching the Funding for Lending scheme (FLS). It allows banks and building societies to borrow funds at a cheap rate from the Bank of England, provided the money is passed on to businesses (FLS was withdrawn from the mortgage market at the start of 2014).

FLS is designed to be much more widely available than the schemes mentioned above – its original aim was to increase total lending by £70 billion. Recent figures from the Bank of England showed that over the course of 2014, more money was paid back to lenders under FLS than was advanced under the scheme. At the moment, FLS is scheduled to run until January 2016.

Growth of alternative sources of finance The squeeze on credit following the financial crisis has been the catalyst for lenders to explore new ways of funding their clients.

Equity crowdfunding Equity crowdfunding offers start-up and early-stage businesses, as well as more established firms, the chance to seek investment from private individuals through platforms such as Seedrs and Crowdcube.

Investors receive shares in a business in return for their capital and the value of the shares then rises and falls in line with the success of the business, thus enabling multiple investors to get involved in funding a commercial enterprise.

Invoice finance Problems with traditional bank finance have made invoice finance a serious and welcome alternative over recent years.

It involves businesses borrowing money against the value of their outstanding invoices in one of two ways. Through invoice discounting, the firm receives cash up front but retains responsibility for chasing up outstanding payments. The alternative, factoring, sees the lender take over credit management and collections.

Tougher economic conditions in general mean that customers are more likely to drag their feet when it comes to settling invoices, making this approach even more valuable in ensuring that businesses keep their cash flowing.

Asset finance It’s a sustainable form of funding that can enable a business to purchase or refinance capital equipment such as commercial vehicles, print machinery or construction and plant, spreading the cost over an agreed period of time.

Demonstrating its power as a strategic tool for business growth, asset finance is one of the fastest growing finance options on the market with a variety of products to choose from, including hire purchase, refinance and operating lease.

Asset based lending Asset based lending is another flexible finance option which involves blending invoice and asset finance to raise larger amounts of funding.

Figures from the Asset based Finance Association show that the volume of asset based finance – which includes invoice finance – provided in the UK in the last three months of 2014 was up 9% on the previous year at £19.4 billion. Over the last five years, the value of this sector has increased by 38%.

To conclude Almost eight years since the start of the credit crunch, the availability of bank finance remains tight despite repeated government intervention and an improving economic climate.

But that doesn’t mean that funding is impossible to obtain. Businesses are increasingly considering alternative sources of cash rather than simply relying on their existing bank to extend credit.

Recent government figures* show that almost three-quarters of companies seeking finance only approach one provider – and in the majority of cases, that provider is the bank which runs their current account. Our present lending situation is certainly not ideal. But that means business owners have to be just as entrepreneurial when seeking new funds as they are when entering new markets or launching new products.

For more information on Close Brothers Commercial Finance and how we could help your business, please visit www.closecommercialfinance.com or call our local sales team on 028 9517 0406

69

Eye on Fleet Management

OGILVIE FLEET...

AN INNOVATIVE FLEET FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH Paul Griffiths reckons that Ogilvie Fleet’s family business ethos is the clearest indicator that the company does things differently to its competitors in a notoriously competitive business sector.

70

Eye on Fleet Management

A

nd he should know. He’s cut his business teeth working for some of the bigger names in the motoring and other business sectors in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. A salesman through and through, and a former national sales award winner in his days with the Volkswagen brand, Griffiths sees a big contrast in the way that Scottish-based fleet specialist Ogilvie does things.

“I know that everyone says this, but at this company, it really is all about the customer, the proof being all our recent industry customer services and recognition awards” he says. “With the growth of the internet we’re all too aware that contract hire and vehicle leasing can sometimes lose a customer friendly process”. “We’ve embraced technology and worked hard to be innovate, yet customer satisfaction remains the priority here at Ogilvie.”

Ogilvie Fleet has been in the Northern Ireland marketplace for several years now, but the company is still busy getting its name firmly established. A strategic sponsorship of the Belfast Giants ice hockey team has helped, but the Ogilvie Belfast team is well aware that it’s vehicle contracts and satisfied customers that will make the difference. The entire Ogilvie Belfast branch consists of local employees with many years of experience in the contract hire world.

“Nationally, Ogilvie put 4,000 cars on the road across the UK in the current financial year, and we’re now responsible for a total fleet of some 11,500 in total,” Paul Griffiths adds. “And we’re growing steadily here in Northern Ireland where we’re working with a wide variety of customers across the spectrum. Our team is local so they understand the needs of local businesses and their ambitions to grow. A few months ago we secured a £100m finance package so we are now fortunate to have ample funding available to supply renewal or expansion plans for any local business.”

And those customers can expect a high level of service. A good example of Ogilvie’s ‘extra mile’ approach is its unique driver app. Downloaded onto the phone of every fleet driver, it provides all the emergency contact information the driver could need along with tax calculators and key vehicle details.

“Our decision makers don’t need to be taking out of hours calls about tyres and breakdowns, our Ogilvie app directs the driver instantly to the correct point of contact which is crucial, especially when out of business hours”.

If that’s a practical help to drivers, Ogilvie Fleet has been continually working hard to ensure that its customers get the best value on the fleet market.

It’s newly launched Salary Sacrifice scheme represents a tax efficient way for organisations to allow their employees to get a brand new, fully insured and maintained car. Crucially, it’s an attractive proposition for both employers and employees alike due to National Insurance Contribution savings.

“What puts individuals off personal contract hire or personal contract purchase is the amount of paperwork involved, a large deposit, and also the fact that an individual credit check is required,” says Paul Griffiths.

“Salary Sacrifice is a much easier way to get into a car. A salary sacrifice agreement means that employees agree to give up part of their gross salary in exchange for a non-cash benefit....a brand new car’’.

“The employee’s salary is sacrificed before tax and National Insurance, so in effect, everyone who does it can save money’’.

“All servicing, maintenance, breakdown cover and even comprehensive motor insurance are included so there is nothing for the end driver to worry about”.

“I think we will see a lot more noncompany car drivers going for this kind of scheme,” says Griffiths. “It’s a customerdriven initiative and one that opens up ownership of a brand new car to a lot of employees, again I am delighted that Ogilvie are offering customers a complete transport solution.”

He says that there is evidence of a marked increase in the number of smaller, more fuel efficient, cars being purchased by both fleet buyers and individuals.

“There’s no doubt that Government initiative to reduce motorist’s carbon footprint have made a difference and that more drivers are taking the hint and moving to lower CO2 and fuel efficient vehicles. We had the majority of fleet’s dropping from sub 160g/km cars a few years ago now down to sub 130g/ km. In particular the larger fleets can make substantial savings by selecting the right vehicles depending on their annual mileage, the MPG and CO2, we can advise accordingly after listening to what the vehicles are used for daily.”

Paul Griffiths adds that Ogilvie Fleet has seen a marked rise in the volume of short term vehicle rentals that it handles on behalf of customers, another innovative service that they offer their customers.

“We work with quite a number of organisations who have employees visiting a variety of sites in the UK and Ireland, and we can provide them with a fully managed short-term rental service that makes sure that their staff have access to vehicles wherever they are, and that they can avoid the high cost of renting cars on an ad hoc basis. Cars can be collected at airports or any other address in the UK’’.

“Our customer online portal, ‘Mifleet’, offers a comprehensive booking and management service which can handle multiple bookings and we’ll consolidate everything into one regular invoice. Our customers tell us that it’s a much easier and much more cost effective way of renting vehicles. It is a very easy to use tool. It can be used for printing reports for car hire, vehicle orders, service/ MOT and even year-end reports.”

But contract hire remains the core business at Ogilvie Fleet. Across its four UK branches, the firm has transacted 4,000 units in the past year, and the message from Paul Griffiths and his team is that the company is to continue to expand in the Northern Ireland fleet marketplace.

“We’re already working with a wide range of customers from sole traders to Top 200 companies, and what sets us apart is the fact that we can provide the applicable fleet information that business owners, Financial Directors and HR Managers

need to have at their fingertips. We have synergy with a lot of our local successful companies who are also in The Sunday Times, Top Track 250”.

Griffiths believes that Ogilvie’s main strength is listening and reacting.

“We now have the complete suite of transport tools that can assist all companies in our local market, plus the main strength of our brand is our 4 site locations throughout the UK. A lot of NI companies now have multisites throughout the UK and we are confident of delivering them the same local service anywhere that it is required, that is unique and something I am delighted to be able to offer”. “Our goal is growth, we want to speak and learn from many other local businesses so we are always available to talk and listen”.

As Head of Sales in Northern Ireland, Paul Griffiths is responsible for a team of six at Ogilvie Fleet’s office base at Quay Gate House in Belfast.

He started his industry career at Agnew Volkswagen in Belfast where he worked in fleet sales for eight years and was named as the UK’s top fleet salesmen in 2000. He left the motor trade for a spell to work with Yell UK and then Antrim-based technology firm TextHelp Systems before returning to the motoring arena to join Fleet Financial where he spent four years before taking up his new role at Ogilvie Fleet.

Paul can be contacted at 028 9045 0800 or paul.griffiths@ogilvie.co.uk

71

PARTNERSHIP.EXPERIENCE.IMPACT.

Banking & Finance | Technology

32 years connecting talent and opportunity

Engineering & Manufacturing | HR

www.graftonrecruitment.com

Sales & Marketing

Business Eye Header - Moving On Page Apr 15.indd 1

22/04/2015 16:06:33

Eye on Moving On

1 Martin McCloy

2 Tony Kernan

3 Greg Henry

Lambert Smith Hampton has announced the appointment of three new Associate Directors.

1 Martin McCloy has over nine years’ experience and is a Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. Martin’s new role will see him focusing on the acquisition and disposal of investment property on behalf of a range of 2 clients. Tony Kernan joined Lambert Smith Hampton as a Retail Property Surveyor in July 2008 and subsequently became a Chartered Retail Surveyor in November 2010. His new role will see him involved in the letting of shopping centres in Northern Ireland, Scotland and England.

Tony will also be involved in acquisition work.

3 Greg Henry joined Lambert Smith Hampton in 2007 as a placement student in the General Agency Department and then re-joined as a Graduate Surveyor in 2009. He is a Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and has over eight years’ experience in commercial property. His new role will involve managing office acquisitions and disposals as well as providing ongoing asset management advice to clients.

4 Patrick McClughan has been appointed Head of Corporate Affairs at Gaelectric Developments.

He was previously Gaelectric’s Commercial Manager in Northern Ireland. Patrick is also a passionate advocate for the renewable energy industry and is Chair of the Northern Ireland Renewables Industry Group (NIRIG).

5

4 Patrick McClughan

5 Deborah Cromie

6 Alex Speers

6

7

8

Belfast commercial property agents CBRE have announced four key appointments.

Deborah Cromie becomes Director of the firm’s Valuation & Advisory Services department having returned from an 18-month secondment post at Ulster Bank. Alex Speers is appointed as Senior Surveyor for the Hotel, Licensed & Leisure Sector. She relocates to Belfast from her previous post as a Valuation Surveyor with CBRE Hotels Ireland. Steven Conwell becomes Associate Director with CBRE’s Valuation & Advisory Services department in Belfast, while Fiona Martyn is appointed Project Manager in CBRE’s Building Consultancy division in Belfast.

9 Gary McIlroy joins eircom as Network Encryption Engineer with responsibility for network monitoring and support. He holds a BSc Hons Degree in Computer Science and has more than 10 years experience within the IT sector.

Gary is accredited with CCNA, CCNP and ITILv3.

7 Steven Conwell

8 Fiona Martyn

9 Gary McIlroy

10 Ian Harbinson has been appointed as an Associate Director at Lambert Smith Hampton. Ian joined the firm in June 2010 as a placement student and returned as a Graduate Surveyor within the General Agency Department in September 2012.

11 Also at Lambert Smith Hampton, Jonathan Martin has been appointed as an Associate Director. Jonathan joined Lambert Smith Hampton’s Retail Leasing Team in 2010 and qualified as a Chartered Surveyor in 2011.

12 And Rosanne Briggs has been appointed as the Head of Property Management Accounts. Rosanne has been with the firm from 2003 and is a member of the Institute of Accounting Technicians in Ireland.

10 Ian Harbinson

72

11 Jonathan Martin

12 Rosanne Briggs

PARTNERSHIP.EXPERIENCE.IMPACT.

Banking & Finance | Technology

32 years connecting talent and opportunity

Engineering & Manufacturing | HR

www.graftonrecruitment.com

Sales & Marketing

Business Eye Header - Moving On Page Apr 15.indd 1

22/04/2015 16:06:33

Eye on Moving On

13 Kevin McAteer joins eircom as Business Development Manager with responsibility for enterprise markets. He has a 25-year track record in the IT sector with strong experience in both technical and sales roles. He holds technical accreditations in Novell MCNE, 3COM, WAN and LAN Design. He is also Institute of Sales & Marketing Management certified.

14 Petrina McAuley and Gabi Burnside 15 have recently been appointed as Events and Programmes Assistants at Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NI Chamber). Petrina previously worked for the Ulster Tatler Group while Gabi was with the Ineqe Group.

13 Kevin McAteer

16 Valerie Ludlow

14 Petrina McAuley

17 Kieran McNicholl

15 Gabi Burnside

18 Russell Lever

16 At marketing group ASG, Valerie Ludlow becomes Client Services Director. She has worked in the marketing industry for 10 years 17 in London and Northern Ireland. Kieran McNicholl is appointed Kead of Media delivering multi channel media solutions across all sectors.

18 Russell Lever becomes Account Director 19 at ASG PR, while Karen Barr is appointed as Client Marketing Director, having worked in the advertising industry for 20 years.

20 Anne-Marie Rainey has joined the Mount Charles Group as a Personal Assistant to the company’s senior management. In her new role she will provide extensive administrative and secretarial support behind the scenes, working closely with the Group’s Chairman and Managing Director. Anne-Marie joins the company from legal firm Quigg Golden, where she spent five years in a similar position as a personal assistant. Alongside her new role, she is also currently studying towards a degree in Business Management.

21 Danielle McAllister has been appointed as Health, Safety and Environmental Officer for the Mount Charles Group. In this new role, she will manage the company’s health and safety practices, performing risk assessments and reviewing technical procedures to continually improve standards throughout the business. Danielle holds a degree in Landuse & Environmental Management from Queen’s University Belfast and joins Mount Charles from Belfast Harbour Commissioners, where she spent two years as a Safety & Environmental Systems Coordinator. Prior to this she was an Environmental Officer at recycling and resource management specialists SITA UK.

19 Karen Barr

22 John Casey

20 Anne-Marie Rainey

23 Ian Dyson

21 Danielle McAllister

22 John Casey has been appointed as Operations Manager for the Cleaning division at the Mount Charles Group. In his new role, he will oversee a number of key contracts throughout Northern Ireland, leading a team of four Area Managers and continually assessing services to improve standards. Prior to joining the Mount Charles Group, John was Site Cleaning Manager at the Guinness Storehouse, Dublin and he also spent 11 years with OCS Group in Belfast as a General Manager.

23 Ian Dyson has been appointed as Operations Manager of The Lava Group. Ian has gained extensive experience over 20 years within the electronic manufacturing industry in Northern Ireland. He previously worked with high profile companies including Nortel and Andor Technology before joining the managerial team at The Lava Group, a market leader in biometric technology solutions.

Ian graduated from Ulster University with a degree in electronic engineering.

73

Eye on News

BUSINESS WITH HONOURS FOR SELECTIVE TRAVEL MANAGEMENT Keith Graham Management Operations Director and Mukesh Sharma, Managing Director Selective Travel Management celebrate their latest business win.

Northern Ireland’s largest independent travel company, Selective Travel Management, has won a major share of a £100million, three year contract to service the travel requirements of more than 400 GB Universities and Higher Educational organisations.

S

elective Travel Management is the only Northern Irish based company to feature amongst the six specialist organisations which were successful in tendering to provide travel services for members of the Southern Universities Purchasing Consortium.

This will be the second time that Selective Travel has held the contract

and Managing Director Mukesh Sharma estimates that this latest award will bring up to £20m of additional turnover to the Belfast-based business, creating more than fifteen new jobs at a range of levels and paving the way for additional growth within the next three years.

He says, “This new contract reinforces our position as one of the leading and

fastest-growing independent travel management companies in the United Kingdom and the biggest in Northern Ireland. Importantly, it also cements our growing pre-eminence in the academic sector where we have outstanding expertise and experience. Clients in that arena also include Newcastle University, Bradford and Cardiff Universities and Queen’s University, Belfast.”

Mr Sharma says, “Our new contract for SUPC will see us provide and manage travel and accommodation arrangements right around the globe.

The work will be as demanding as it is varied, but our team here in Belfast is perfectly positioned to handle the challenge, delivering 24/7 support to customers who may be anywhere in the world. In the past two years we have doubled our staffing levels: now we are delighted to be a position increase that sustainable job total still further.”

Since 2009, through acquisition and mergers, some of the best known and most respected local names in corporate and business travel, notably McNeill Rigby and Menary Travel and Corporate Travel, were brought together under the Selective Travel Management banner, giving the organisation critical mass as well as a leading edge in terms of professional expertise. The SUPC contract win follows a £350,000 investment by Selective Travel Management in stateof-the-art technology, staff training and an expanded corporate headquarters at Murray’s Exchange in Belfast.

With a client portfolio extending across the whole of the UK and Ireland, Selective Travel Management is market leader in providing business travel for a range of industry sectors from blue chip companies, government departments, to SMEs as well as educational establishments and leisure customers.

CHILDRENS CANCER CHARITY LAUNCHES NEW APPEAL

T

Karen Brookes, Co-Director, Planning & Redevelopment, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust and Jacqueline Wilkinson, The Children’s Cancer Unit Charity, join former patients at the Cancer & Heamatology Unit at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children Catlin Warke (15) and Melissa Harshaw (9) to launch the Children’s Cancer Unit Charity’s latest fundraising appeal.

74

he Children’s Cancer Unit Charity, formerly known as the NI Children’s Cancer Unit Fund, has helped hundreds of children suffering from cancer and blood disorders across Northern Ireland since it was set up in April 1984.

At an event in Belfast’s Harbour Commissioners, attended by beneficiaries of the charity and its generous donors, the charity officially launched its new branding and its latest fundraising appeal which aims to raise £800,000 to build two isolation rooms that will be added to the Cancer & Haematology Unit at The Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children in the next 18 months.

The new isolation rooms will support children receiving life-saving

treatment at the local unit and will enable the charity to improve its offering by creating a safe space for high risk patients. The charity was responsible for funding the development of the Cancer & Haematology Unit at The Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children back in 1986 which cost £3million.

Speaking on behalf of The Children’s Cancer Unit Charity, Jacqueline Wilkinson, administrator, said, “Between 50 - 60 children with newly diagnosed cancer , and between 100 -200 newly diagnosed children with benign haematological conditions are treated in the Cancer & Haematology Unit each year. Our plan is to build and open two new isolation rooms, which will provide essential protection for children receiving

immune suppressive treatments and require rigorous safeguarding from infection. These vital rooms will assist the Unit in providing treatment for all the at-risk children each year.”

The Northern Ireland Children’s Cancer Unit Fund was set up in April 1984 by parents, relatives, friends and medical professionals concerned about facilities for children and young adults with cancer and blood disorders such as haemophilia and has set a long term objective to achieve a dedicated haematology and oncology unit for children at the new children’s hospital planned to open its doors within the next five years.

For further information or to show your support for the charity’s appeal visit http://childrenscancerunit.com/

New Pension Reforms And Tax Planning Seminar

The seminar is designed for individuals with pension funds, business owners and company directors seeking to learn about the Pension Reforms coming into force on 6 April 2015. We will also cover the following topics of interest and some tax saving ideas. t 5IF TJHOJGJDBOU QFOTJPOT DIBOHFT XIJDI BSF DPNJOH JOUP GPSDF t )PX UP QMBO GPS MPOH UFSN DBSF DPTUT JO BEWBODF BOE BTTFU QSPUFDUJPO JTTVFT t *OIFSJUBODF UBY QMBOOJOH XJUI PQUJPOT GPS TBWJOH PO JOIFSJUBODF UBY +PJO VT GPS B GSFF TFNJOBS XIJDI XJMM DPWFS these vital areas as well as areas to look for investment returns in 2015

Tuesday 12th May – 9.00 am – Stormont Hotel, 587 Newtownards Road, Belfast, BT4 3LP Tuesday 12th May – 6.30 pm – Newtownards Town Hall, Conway Square, Newtownards BT23 4NP Tuesday 2nd June – 2.00 pm – Cookstown Enterprise Centre Unit 2 Derryloran Industrial Estate, Sandholes Road, Cookstown BT80 9LU To book your place call 028 9047 1734 or email dianne@mhlca.co.uk This event is free to attend McIlveen Howard Ltd Chartered Accountants 169a Upper Newtownards Road Belfast BT4 3HZ Telephone: 028 9047 1734 Email: enquiries@mhlca.co.uk

Eye on Interiors

Twist & Shout

Movement benefits our bodies, minds and the way we interact with other people. Case studies show that a wide range of frequent motion makes us more alert, more communicative and productive than people who just sit still.

I

76

nnov8 Office Interiors’ newest partner, Wilkhahn, has devoted decades to making people less desk-bound. It all started with a pioneering study called “From posture-based to motion-based seating” which spawned products that are still considered the world’s best and most attractive office chairs.

Current research results that highlight the minimum level of physical activity required encourage us to continue down this route of “dynamic seating”, and advancements in material and process technology have opened up opportunities to tap into completely new dimensions of dynamic sitting with their patented 3D kinematics called “Trimension”.

Their engineers and designers have created IN and made this ground breaking technology not just possible, but affordable too. Perfectly synchronised 3D dynamics combined with exceptional comfort stimulate our bodies, boost our powers of concentration and make work a relaxing experience.

Alternative ways of sitting and adapting our posture can be entertaining as well as functional.

The newest addition to this arena are “Stand-Up’s”, they are the epitome of a fun approach to the

serious side of working life. Stand-Up encourages us to forget familiar positions and postures, swing our hips and let our thoughts take flight.

Psychologists, physiotherapists and orthopaedists all agree that physical activity’s vital if we want to stay fit and healthy. But it’s the whole of our body that’s important and not just our backs and joints. Getting enough exercise helps us to cope with stress, to feel happy and to make us more productive. And productivity is a top priority.

Workspace Innovation

Eye on News

Grant Thornton staff take on Slieve Donard and say, ‘Breast Cancer: Don’t Duck the Issue!’

Niamh Doyle and her fellow work colleagues from business advisory firm Grant Thornton are proud to support Northern Ireland’s leading local cancer charity, Action Cancer and their breast cancer awareness campaign, ‘Breast Cancer, Don’t Duck the Issue’

A

number of staff from Grant Thornton’s Belfast office are dusting off their hiking boots as they take on the physical challenge of climbing Slieve Donard, NI’s tallest mountain, standing tall at 850m on Saturday 13th June 2015!

Having received her two pink ducks, Niamh explains why she decided to encourage her colleagues to fundraise at least £1,600 for Action Cancer and pay for 20 ladies to be screened.

“Grant Thornton is keen to continue to support local charities, and after seeing this unique breast cancer campaign, we decided that we wanted to encourage staff to take on a challenge of their own

and raise money to help fund Action Cancer’s life saving services. By taking on the physical challenge of climbing Slieve Donard, we are aiming to raise enough money to screen 20 ladies at Action Cancer House or on board The Big Bus.” Action Cancer is asking local business owners and staff to help get all their ducks in a row, by signing up to receive two pinks ducks. Each pink duck represents a breast screening and encourages you to raise £80 to cover the cost of one screening.The new pink duck campaign, supported by Action Cancer Patron Gloria Hunniford, endeavours to raise awareness, encourage ladies to regularly check

Niamh Doyle (centre) encourages her fellow Grant Thornton staff to dust off their hiking boots and climb Slieve Donard to raise money for Action Cancer’s unique breast screening services.

their breasts, whilst aiming to raise £20,000 towards the charity’s unique breast screening facilities.

This year, 10,000 women in Northern Ireland will choose to make their free screening appointment with Action Cancer.

Action Cancer is the only charity that provides a breast screening service for women in Northern Ireland aged 40-49 and 70+. As with any cancer, the earlier it can be detected, the better chances of survival – if a breast cancer is caught

in stage one or two, survival rates are 95%. For every 1,000 women we screen, we detect an average of 5 breast cancers. For more information or to book your breast screening online visit www.actioncancer.org.

If you would like to receive your two pink ducks, and help Action Cancer continue to save lives and support people in your local community, please call Gillian on 028 9080 3347 or by email on gthomson@actioncancer.org ...Breast Cancer, Don’t Duck the Issue!

£1.2m WATERFRONT WALKWAY FOR BELFAST Belfast Harbour has appointed Gibson (Banbridge) Ltd to construct a new waterfront walkway which will connect its new £250m City Quays development to the Lagan Weir and the rest of Belfast City Centre.

T

he £1.2m contract will create a 1.2km walkway which will open up the waterfront area of Donegal Quay and form part of a continuous link from the Harbour to the Waterfront Hall and beyond to the Stranmillis Embankment along the river Lagan.

The walkway aims to contribute to public, open space along the Lagan and sustainable connections in the city centre; issues which Belfast City Council included in their 2014 Regeneration Strategy and Investment Plan.

Opening in June 2015, the 50,000 sq ft walkway represents the first phase of the public realm project. Details of the next stages, which will include public art installations and innovative public realm space, are currently being developed.

78

Roy Adair, Belfast Harbour’s CEO, said: “With Baker McKenzie as its first tenant and building work nearing completion on the first office, City Quays is starting to come to life. With long-term plans to create Grade A office space for up to 8,000 workers, our vision is that City Quays will help regenerate the northern zone of Belfast city centre.

“As part of the project we want to finish the task of opening up Belfast’s waterfront to the public and create a seamless link to the city’s historic maritime district.

“The new walkway will support pedestrian access to City Quays and shrink the perceived distance between the Harbour and city centre, but we also believe it will become an attractive new

space for visitors and locals to enjoy.”

Dennis Davidson, CEO of Gibson Ltd said: “For over sixty years Gibson Ltd has been delivering innovative civil engineering and surfacing projects right across Ireland.

Unlike most companies we take great pride in having our work ‘walked over’.

“This project will become a popular feature in Belfast and we’re very pleased that our work will leave a lasting legacy for the city.”

Baker & McKenzie, the world’s largest

law firm, has already pre-let two of the five floors available at City Quays 1 and expects to create 260 jobs at the office.

Planning for City Quays 2, a 124,000 sq ft Grade A office has already been secured and is expected to be completed in 2016.

The wider 20-acre, office-led City Quays scheme, funded by Belfast Harbour, will provide 2m sq ft in total, including 820,000 sq ft of Grade A Office accommodation, plus residential and retail elements, and a hotel.

Businesses create mountains of documents.

Let us help you conquer them.

Here at OKI, we’re not just about printing, we’re about the future of documentation.

Like our Smart Managed Document Solutions, an integrated system that gives you printing, scanning, security, workflow and document management all in one.

Plus, now you can enjoy mobile functionality through your smartphone.

Let us help you navigate the future of your documents. Arrange a free consultation today.

Call 07767 271447 or visit www.oki.ie/mps SMART MANAGED DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS

Eye on News

TUGHANS APPOINTS THREE PARTNERS Northern Ireland law-firm Tughans has expanded its senior team with the appointment of three new partners. The signings strengthen their client offering in three distinct legal areas, finance and restructuring, construction and environment and planning.

T

im Kinney joins the construction team as a leading construction and projects lawyer. Tim holds an MSc in Construction Law and Arbitration and is an accredited mediator. He is recognised by Chambers Europe and Legal 500 as a leading advisor in construction law.

David McAleese specialises in real estate finance, refinance and restructuring. He is regularly involved in property and corporate finance transactions and both solvent and insolvent restructurings, acting for major lenders, property developers and investment funds.

Maria O’Loan is a specialist in planning, environmental, energy and regulatory matters. She is experienced in advising throughout the planning process and regularly advises public bodies.

Commenting on the new hires, Tughans’ Managing Partner Patrick Brown said: “I am delighted to welcome David, Tim and Maria to the firm. They are each recognised as a market leader in their area of expertise and add a new dynamic to our service offering.

Their recruitment is part of our continued strategy to recruit and develop the best people to support the specialist needs of our clients.”

ALMAC WINS BIG AT EUROPE’S LARGEST BUSINESS COMPETITION Craigavon-based Almac has been recognised as one of the best companies in Europe after being named as the winner of the UKTI Award for Innovation in the 2014/15 European Business Awards, sponsored by RSM International, at an exclusive awards ceremony in London.

T

he winning businesses have achieved their success after 16 months in the largest, and one of the toughest, business competitions in Europe, which this year attracted over 24,000 entries. After being named one of 709 National Champions from 33 countries in November, Almac took part in the public vote, which generated over 170,000 responses.

The category winners went through a process of written submissions, video entry judging and face-to-face

80

interviews, and were shortlisted as one of 110 Ruban d’Honneur recipients before reaching the final.

Last night business VIPs presented trophies to the 11 category winners of the competition, the ‘European Public Champion’, and recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award. Pharmaceutical and diagnostics company Almac took home the prize for Innovation.

Collecting the award Michael Sloan, VP Business Development at Almac Diagnostics, said: “We are absolutely

Pictured at the European Business Awards are Richard Gardiner, partner in RSM McClure Watters, Michael Sloan of Almac and Dominic Jermey, CEO of UKTI. Almac Group won the UKTI Award for Innovation at the European Business Awards, sponsored by RSM International.

thrilled to be chosen as one of the top 11 businesses in Europe. This is a major accolade for us as The European Business Awards programme is widely recognised as one of the most challenging competitions in Europe presided over by an esteemed panel of judges.”

David Watters, Managing Partner of RSM McClure Watters added: “The calibre of this year’s competition finalists is outstanding

and it is fantastic to see a company from Northern Ireland acknowledged at this level for their excellence and innovation.

At RSM, we believe it is important to champion business excellence as successful and thriving companies are an integral force in driving growth and stimulating economies. All those involved are a credit to their region and we wish them every success for the future.

Summer GREAT VALUE

BREAKS FROM £40 B&B per person sharing TO BOOK YOUR STAY CALL 028 9047 1066 OR VISIT

hastingshotels.com

Lateral thinking

Being on the ground in more locations than any other commercial property agency, it’s fair to say we know the market inside out.

With 27 offices across the UK and Ireland, we provide our clients with properly researched, independent advice and insight into every part of the commercial property market.

Our team of 75 in Belfast offers specialist services from retail consultancy to asset management, building surveys to property management, rating to valuation, auctions to corporate recovery, business space agency to capital markets.

With our blend of national prominence and local knowledge, Lambert Smith Hampton is ideally placed to offer best advice on all aspects of commercial property.

Making commercial sense

Lambert Smith Hampton Clarence House, 4-10 May Street, Belfast BT1 4NJ +44 (0)28 9032 7954

LAND IN LONDON. ACTUAL LONDON. We fly from Belfast City Airport to London City Airport.

Not to Gatwick or Heathrow.

On sale now from ÂŁ39.99 one way.

Available for travel from 27.10.14 to 28.03.15. Fares are one way including taxes and charges, only available on Flybe.com, subject to availability. No debit card fees apply. Bookings made by credit card will incur a fee of 3% of the total transaction value, with a minimum charge of ÂŁ5.00 per booking. Information correct at time of going to print.