Business Eye May June 2018

Issue 179 May/June 2018 £2.50 Voted best Business Magazine in Ireland 2005 and Magazine of the Year for Northern Ireland

Danske Bank Setting The Pace Features:

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Electric Ireland…

Powering Up In A Competitive Market

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Henderson Group…

A Commitment To Local Suppliers

For more inFormation see page 5

T i Tan ic v en u es B e l fasT ti ta n i c Ve n u e s Be l fa s t.c o m

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British Airways….

Worldwide From Belfast

TiTanic venues BelfasT t i ta n i c V e n u e s B e l fa s t.c o m

For more inFormation see page 5

May/June 2018 ISSUE 179

Cover Story

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Danske Bank… Setting The Pace In Business Banking

Specials Clare McAllister....Heading The Charge For Electric Ireland Clare McAllister doesn’t need to be reminded that the electricity marketplace here in Northern Ireland is a highly competitive one, especially when you consider that size of the customer base. As Head of Sales & Marketing for Electric Ireland north of the border, she heads a growing team responsible for both business and domestic sales of electricity, as well as natural gas. .

Hard and fast figures are hard to come by, but there are few who would argue against the statement that Danske Bank is the market leader when it comes to business banking here in Northern Ireland.

Business Eye catches up with the leadership team steering Danske’s business banking to new heights.

Agri Food & Retail

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Neal Kelly & Henderson Group….Celebrating Local Links Neal Kelly is Henderson Group’s Fresh Food Director, a member of the senior management team at the company and a man who has helped drive something of a fresh food revolution at the group’s retail outlets, all of which now offer a much higher proportion of fresh products than ever before.

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Exporting From N I… Uncharted Waters Lie Ahead Northern Ireland’s exporters, as we’re often told, are the bedrock of the local economy. But exporters are facing into uncertain times, with Brexit looming ever closer on the horizon. We take a timely look at the key issues facing local exporters and at how the business support community is ready to help.

A Grand Night Out

Small Business Awards

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BEFTA’s 2018…Success Well Celebrated

The Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice held its first Grand Night Out recently at the Culloden Estate & Spa, where hundreds of guests - including many from the business community - enjoyed dinner and a wide range of entertainment, with a draw and live auction raising thousands of pounds of funding for one of our most worthwhile causes.

Celebrating The Best Of Local Food

Ozaroo, the Belfast-based online retail group now turning over £9 million, took the keynote award at the 2018 BEFTA’s, the Business Eye First Trust Bank Small Business Awards. But other key winners on a memorable evening included Yelo, Larchfield Estate, McCalls of Lisburn and a 16-year old Bangor schoolboy, Benn Cudworth.

Henderson Group, operators of the Spar, Eurospar & Vivo franchises, staged its annual Fresh Innovation Awards at May’s Balmoral Show. The awards honour Henderson’s top fresh food suppliers of the year, and winners included producers of bakery products, dairy products, meat and convenience meals.

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Brenda Morgan The important British Airways Heathrow link connects Northern Ireland travellers with an unrivalled global network operated by Britain’s flag carrier. Not only is it back to profitability as a route on its own, but it feeds into a BA international network which is also flying higher now that it has done in quite a while. We catch up with BA’s Regional Manager, Brenda Morgan.

Regulars

With Belfast flying high on the tourism front, the body in charge of tourism here, Visit Belfast, has upped its targets. it aims to drive tourism forward to produce an economic return of almost £550 million by 2022.

Visit Belfast Sets Ambitious Tourism Targets For City Under the leadership of Chief Executive Richard Wigley, the Ulster Ochestra has taken a proactive approach when it comes to working with the business community, and with local communities in general.

And two were neatly combined at a recent event held at the Spectrum Centre on Belfast’s Shankill Road.

Eye on Sport

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Eye on Education

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Eye on Tourism

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Eye on Telecomms

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Eye on Events

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Moving On

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Eye on Finance

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Eye on Agri Food

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Eye on Motoring

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

Editor Richard Buckley Commercial Director Brenda Buckley

Business Development Manager Ciara Donnelly

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

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Ulster Orchestra Bids For Corporate Sponsors

Business Travel

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

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In the absolute and complete absence of any progress towards the re-establishment of an Executive and Assembly, a group of our leading business organisations were right to have a crack at breaking the logjam last week.

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“The mood in the business community does seem to have changed. There are few prepared to stand back now for fear of offending the sensibilities of our politicians.

There are many more in high profile positions ready, willing and able to speak up.”

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he group of organisations, including the CBI, Chamber of Commerce, Manufacturing NI and Retail NI, stepped into the breach to ask the Secretary of State to consider implementing special legislative measures allowing senior civil servants to take crucial day-to-day decisions.

It’s not a solution. It’s not even a temporary remedy that anyone really wants. But it might just be the only show in town when it comes to enabling key decisions to be made.

As the business grouping pointed out to a Secretary of State who is turning out to be an even bigger disappointment than her two predecessors (Messrs. Brokenshire & Villiers, in case you’d forgotten), those key decisions include:• • • •

The North-South electricity interconnector The upgrade of the A5 Belfast Power Station & The £150 million ultra-fast broadband project

It’s abundantly clear that Stormont isn’t coming back in the foreseeable future. The proverbial dogs in our streets know that. Yet Karen Bradley, on her infrequent visits to Northern Ireland, seems unable to see what’s right in front of her.

Even talks about talks seem to have dried up.

It’s clear also that the Secretary of State isn’t going to give the nod to direct rule.

There is a bit of it going on in the background, of course. Karen Bradley has a couple of other Ministers on her team and it’s a fair assumption that they’re not there to do nothing. But full scale direct rule seems unlikely given the political sensitivities around it.

So the business grouping which spoke out last week is right. Civil servant-rule is probably the only way forward, unattractive as it might be.

Richard Buckley EDITOR Irish Magazine Editor of the Year 2005

Of course, the recent court ruling over the incinerator project at Glengormley has thrown a large-ish fly into the ointment. It judged that senior civil servants don’t have the power to make the big decisions in the absence of Ministers.

Therefore, as the business grouping pointed out, some urgent legislation is required to clear the way for civil servants to get working.

At the same time, it’s crucial that business keeps up the pressure on our elected politicians. The mood in the business community does seem to have changed. There are few prepared to stand back now for fear of offending the sensibilities of our politicians. There are many more in high profile positions ready, willing and able to speak up.

That can only be a good thing. Even the politicians themselves – or, at least, the more honest ones amongst them – are prepared to admit in quieter moments that they tend to be bit divorced from the front line of the economy and business in Northern Ireland.

Meanwhile, it’s hard to let another month slip past without squeezing in a mention of Brexit.

It’s becoming apparent that Northern Ireland stands a real chance of getting some kind of special deal. Even David Davis, the man at the very top of the pro-Brexit tree and the UK’s chief negotiator, has been considering the idea that Northern Ireland could be covered by a joint regime of UK and EU customs regulations, allowing it to trade freely with both, plus a 10-mile wide “special economic zone” on the border with Ireland.

It sounds like a pretty good deal, doesn’t it?

But an even bigger fly has landed in that particular ointment. Even before Michel Barnier had a chance to say ‘Non’, Arlene Foster stepped in to say ‘No’. Or ‘Never, Never, Never’.

Ah, well. So that’s the end of that one then. Back to the drawing board.....with little time to spare.

S p i r i t o f t h e S h i p ya r d at t i ta n i c b e l fa S t

Planning a summer event f o r y o u r o r g a n i s at i o n ?

Hickson’s Point, a new shipyard themed hospitality space, has now opened at Titanic Belfast! Come down and view the exciting new facilities and talk to a member of the team about your summer reception, BBQ or social event.

For more information call 028 9076 6386 or email enquiries@titanicbelfast.com

ti Ta n i C Ve n u e s Be l Fa s T.C o m

Eye on News

STOCK EXCHANGE HONOUR FOR WILSONS AUCTIONS Wilsons Auctions, the UK and Ireland’s largest independent auction company, has been identified as one of London Stock Exchange Group’s Top 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain. The report, now in its fifth year, is a celebration of the UK’s fastestgrowing and most dynamic small and medium sized businesses across the UK.

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s one of six million private sector companies currently in business across the UK, being named in the London Stock Exchange Group’s Top 1,000 Companies to Inspire Britain for 2018 is a significant achievement for Wilsons Auctions. Having started as a single auction site in Northern Ireland, the family-owned business has seen steady growth in recent years having expanded to a total of 18 sites across Scotland, England, Wales and Republic of Ireland.

The most recent acquisition saw Wilsons Auctions open a dedicated auction house in Newport, South Wales with additional sites in Gateshead, North East England and Stoke in the West Midlands as it continues to build its national footprint.

With 400 members of staff and an annual hammer total in excess of £300

million, Wilsons Auctions is a progressive and forward-thinking company with a passion for continually finding new ways to offer first rate sales and services to buyers and sellers alike.

From property, vehicles, plant and machinery to general goods and highend valuables, Wilsons Auctions also manages the asset realisation process for private and public sector as well as law enforcement agencies. Dealing with the collection, valuation and auctioning of assets on behalf of its extensive client base, the auction company welcomes over 500,000 physical visitors to its auctions on an annual basis as well as having an online bidding facility, welcoming customers world-wide.

Peter Johnston, Wilsons Auctions’ Group Operations Director said, “As the largest independent auction company

in the UK and Ireland, we are thrilled to have been named by the London Stock Exchange Group as one of the top 0.02% companies that is ‘Inspiring Britain’.

Wilsons Auctions is a forward-thinking company and thanks to the hard work and dedication given by the Wilsons Auctions team across the group, this accolade is in recognition of the consistent growth within the company while strengthening our position within the auction industry.”

Nikhil Rathi, CEO, London Stock Exchange Plc said, “We warmly congratulate all of the companies identified in this year’s ‘1000 Companies to Inspire Britain’ report. Five years on, the report continues to demonstrate the strength and diversity of British businesses across the country.

“These dynamic companies are the backbone of our economy, playing an important role in the UK’s ability to innovate, export and grow. This report is a significant part of London Stock

Exchange Group’s broader campaign to support UK high growth companies.

We are committed to championing British businesses and Britain’s dynamic entrepreneurial spirit,” he concluded.

Commenting on the report Prime Minister, The RT Hon Theresa May MP said, “From dynamic start-ups to established family firms, SMEs are the backbone of our country. I believe in a brighter future for this country, one in which new technology and new thinking brings better jobs for more people. The 1,000 innovative companies recognised in this report are at the forefront of doing just that. I certainly found them inspiring, and I am sure you will too.”

A family owned business, Wilsons Auctions was formed in 1936 in Northern Ireland and has grown to become the largest independent auction company in the British Isles with sites in the Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales.

Andrew Gilmore, Charles Hurst Group Aftersales Director, said: “Charles Hurst Land Rover has a very clear direction and customer focus on our aftersales service delivery and we’re really pleased that this is recognised by Land Rover UK and among our peers in the industry.

“Our award win is the result of

a real team effort and I’m thrilled that our collective efforts have been noticed in this way.”

Charles Hurst also highlighted the contributions made by Land Rover Aftersales Manager Glenn McCartney and by Parts Manager David Cockfield, who helped in leading the Belfast’s team UK victory at the national awards.

CHARLES HURST LAND ROVER PUTS BELFAST FIRST AT UK AWARDS Charles Hurst has hit the top spot at Land Rover UK’s Retailer Conference for its aftersales service and expertise.

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eating off keen competition from franchised dealerships in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, Belfast-based Charles Hurst Land Rover is now officially ‘Aftersales Retailer of the Year’.

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Recognising the prestige marque’s best UK dealerships and quality of service, Land Rover, which is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year, singled out Charles Hurst’s Belfast Aftersales team for the top prize and praised the company for its dedication to providing a first-rate customer experience.

Land Rover judges were impressed by the team’s commitment to consistently exceeding customer expectations in its aftersales service and the importance which it placed on new and longstanding relationships.

Eye on News

Charles Hurst Opens New £8M Luxury Jaguar Land Rover Base In Belfast Northern Ireland’s largest car retailer, Charles Hurst, has officially opened its new Jaguar Land Rover showroom – part of an £8 million investment designed to create a luxury showcase destination for the iconic car brands in Belfast.

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harles Hurst said this investment will add a further 20 jobs to a 100 strong team at its new location at the former Diageo headquarters on Boucher Road.

The new, enlarged team will be led by newly-appointed Head of Business, Norman Fraser.

The stunning 40,000 sq. ft. showroom, which features metallic cladding and frameless glazing to the exterior, is specifically designed to feature the two premium car brands in dual stores that simply connect at a glass-fronted entryway.

The striking design elements are key components in the brands’ global corporate identity programme currently being rolled out globally by Jaguar Land Rover.

The new futuristic space showcases more cars in a space built from high-end materials and includes lounge-style waiting areas, an interactive ‘kids’ zone’,

complimentary wi-fi and a barista bar.

Dedicated handover bays have been created at the showroom, which also benefits from more customer parking, while a new ‘paint and trim’ area provides customers with a dedicated space to browse and choose colour options to suit their style. A new high-tech drive-in service centre has also been included.

Charles Hurst Group Operations Director, Colin McNab, said: “The new showroom at Boucher Road is a first for Northern Ireland and will provide our customers with a first-rate premium sales and aftercare experience that not only reflects the groundbreaking design, passion and inspiration of Jaguar Land Rover, but which pushes boundaries and challenges perceptions.

“The £8 million which we have invested locally reflects the huge strength of our commitment to these world class, innovative brands

Pictured outside the new showroom, which features design elements currently being rolled out globally by Jaguar Land Rover, are (from L-R) newly appointed Head of Business Norman Fraser, Head of Operations Colin McNab and Christina Fickling, Regional Business Manager for Jaguar Land Rover.

and our pledge to provide the very best for our customers and staff.”

The UK’s largest automotive manufacturer is already pioneering a new way of buying cars across its global network, using Virtual Reality (VR) so that customers won’t need to wait for newly-launched vehicles to arrive in their local showroom.

Part of Lookers Plc, Charles Hurst

Group is Northern Ireland’s largest automotive retailer, representing 20 automotive brands across seven sites, offering customers across Ireland the most comprehensive choice of new and used vehicles, parts and servicing. Founded in 1911, its Belfast headquarters encompasses a 20-acre retail site, making it the largest automotive park in Europe.

The company continued to invest in expansion projects in 2017 with the building of additional lab and office facilities and the ongoing construction of one of the largest pharmaceutical cold store facilities in Europe at its Global HQ campus in Craigavon.

Group CEO, Alan Armstrong commented: “2017 was a strong year for Almac with turnover over £531 Million and profits surpassing £33 million. During the year we made

significant investment for the long term benefit of the Group including global expansion into key strategic territories. The financial benefit of these investments may not be realised immediately, however they will ensure steady and continued growth of the Group into the future. All our profits are reinvested into the business enabling us to offer best-in-class services and products to our clients and continue to be a leader in the life sciences sector.”

Almac Group Turnover Surpasses £500 Million For First Time Almac Group, the global contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing organisation, has reported a 19% rise in revenue to £531m.

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he global company has also reported an increase in pre-tax profits, up from £27m in 2016 to over £33m.

Globally, employee figures increased by over 10% to 4,407. Of this total 2,920 staff are employed at Craigavon, representing an increase of also 10% or 270 staff on the previous year.

The figures were recorded in Almac’s

annual report with its results for the year ending 30 September 2017.

2016 pre-tax profit was recorded at £27m. 2017’s figure of £33m benefited from upfront and other payments relating to the out-licensing of oncology products which had been developed in house by the group and which also contributed to the profit before tax figure for the year.

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Eye on News

Alison Donnelly Scoops Two Top Industry Awards

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Alison Donnelly, Director and Head of Advisory at fscom

Alison Donnelly, Director and Head of Advisory at fscom, has recently been awarded not only one, but two top industry awards.

lison picked up UK Advisor of the Year in AML and Payment Services at the Finance Monthly Fintech Awards 2018.

In addition to this outstanding achievement, Alison also received an award for Most Influential Woman in AML & Payment Services at the 2018 UK Corporate Excellence Awards.

The Finance Monthly Fintech Awards recognise true innovators who help to drive the Fintech sector forward and make the sector what it is today. The Awards acknowledge the individuals, firms, start-ups and banks who are regarded as leaders in their area of expertise.

The prestigious 2018 UK Corporate Excellence Awards seek the very best of the best from across the UK’s vibrant and continually evolving business market. Sector, business size and location within the UK are not factors in deciding the winners; the aim is to showcase the very best firms and the people driving them to success.

On receiving both awards, Alison commented: “I am delighted that my work in the AML and Payment Services arena

has been recognised. Here at fscom, our people have deep domain knowledge and significant technical expertise, so to lead by example is imperative.

“The booming Fintech market and the complex regulations associated with that, mean we as compliance consultants must work to the very highest standards to ensure the best possible outcome for our clients.

“I would like to thank all of those involved in both the Finance Monthly Fintech Awards and the 2018 UK Corporate Excellence Awards for identifying us as leaders in this space.

“I am very proud of what fscom has achieved to date and we have some exciting plans in the pipeline to continue our success.”

fscom are a market leader in financial services compliance. If you would like Financial Compliance Advice from an awardwinning Compliance Consultancy, visit www.fscom.co.uk

GROUND BREWS UP FIRST STANDALONE STORE IN BANBRIDGE Northern Ireland’s largest independently-owned, scaled artisan coffee chain Ground Espresso Bars is set to extend its offering in Banbridge with a new standalone coffee shop on Newry Street opening in June.

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epresenting an investment £150,000 and the creation of over 10 new jobs for the area, the new store will complement the current operations of Ground’s concession store within Tesco Extra in providing Banbridge and its surrounding areas with famed high-quality coffees and fresh handmade produce.

This latest addition marks the 25th store for the chain throughout Ireland and follows on from its recent expansion announcement which detailed three new stores in Lisburn, Portadown and Belfast, and further stores planned for both Dublin and Scotland in 2018.

Created with comfort, friendship and happiness in mind, the new 45-seater

store will provide the perfect haven for coffee lovers. Alongside its unique and quirky finishing touches, the new store will also feature the chain’s renowned Brew Bar and bespoke custom-made espresso machines from Synesso in Seattle. Customers can also take advantage of convenient bench top charging points, free high-speed Wi-Fi, large community tables and a screened area which provides an ideal setting for both personal or business meetings. Adding to Ground’s welcoming atmosphere, parents can be reassured that there is plenty for the little ones with a fun-filled kids’ play area and free toddler toast and babyccinos.

Commenting on the latest addition

for the chain, Karen Gardiner, Director, Ground Espresso Bars said, “Our new store in Banbridge is another exciting development for us as we expand on our offering throughout Northern Ireland. This year marks four years since we opened our concession store in Banbridge’s Tesco extra which has received a great response from the local community to date, so we certainly look forward to serving up more of our great coffee and fresh treats in our new stand-alone store.”

“Each and every one of our stores feature a fantastic team of skilled baristas and a great relaxing atmosphere that provides something for everyone. Whether you are popping in for catch up with family and friends, taking part in a large or small business meeting, or taking advantage of our great play area for the little ones, our stores are perfectly suited!”, added Karen.

Eye on Workspace

Innovation Factory Welcome Golf Events NI Innovation Factory (IF) are delighted to welcome their newest customer, Golf Events NI to their business hub.

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ocated on the Springfield Road in Belfast, IF is a spacious business hub providing 55,000 sq.ft across four floors. IF provides affordable, flexible workspace and services, with inclusive on-site business support available to start-up and growing businesses.

By offering flexible contracts companies are encouraged to grow and develop within the centre, be a part of the creative environment, and take advantage of the on-site café, meeting, and conference facilities.

Golf Events NI, are the only specialist company in Northern Ireland who provide a fully bespoke Corporate and Charity golf day management service.

John Ferguson, Director, Golf Events NI has been delighted with the experience at IF, “Innovation Factory was the perfect choice for us as we expand our business. It provides a supportive, collaborative environment in which a business can flourish and we

have found the resources and facilities are second to none. We looked at a pleather of options before we committed, but IF and their team really ticked our boxes .”

Majella Barkley, Innovation Director at Innovation Factory, said “It is encouraging to witness how Golf Events NI are developing as the only specialist within their chosen market. Innovation Factory supports all its customers; from virtual office customers to private office spaces, guiding them to achieve innovation and growth in their target markets. It’s exciting to see Golf Events NI make use of these services and excelling in their industry.”

To book a tour of Innovation Factory or make an enquiry simply go to innovationfactoryni.com, email info@ innovationfactoryni.com or call Anna McDonnell 02895 902500. To speak with Golf Events NI about your next Corporate of Charity Golf Day call 02895 902866 or email hello@golfeventsni.com

We have your golf event...

A range of workspace and business support for growing entrepreneurs in Belfast • • • • • •

Private & Shared Offices Business Support Services Meeting & Conference Facilities Membership Packages Free Parking On-site café

Join our community of innovators today 028 9590 2500 innovationfactoryni.com

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Innovation Factory 385 Springfield Road Forthriver Business Park Belfast, BT12 7DG

DOWN TO A TEE GOLF EVENTSNI

• Market leading golf day event management • Bespoke golf trips and tours • Complete event delivery

T +44 2895 902866 E hello@golfeventsni.com W www.golfeventsni.com

Executive MBA Breakfast Event 26 June 2018, 8am to 9.30am The MAC, Belfast

Find out about the Ulster Executive MBA over breakfast Ulster University Business School invites you to our annual Executive MBA Open Morning. If you are considering developing yourself or your career, this event is for you.

The event will provide the opportunity to hear from the course team about the course and also meet and hear from the following alumni of the course who will explain how gaining an Ulster MBA has helped both their career, their personal development and their organisations:

• Aodhan O’Donnell, Partner in Insight Solutions, founder of Power to Switch and former CEO of the Consumer Council • Richard McIlwaine-Biggins, Head of Corporate Sales Texthelp, and former EMEA Channel Manager, Caterpillar Inc • Gillian Kelly, Customer Relationship Manager with Henderson Technology and former General Manager, TJX Europe.

Find out more and book your place at:

ulster.ac.uk/execmba

Eye on Law

Rates Revaluation Providing Short Term Clarity In Uncertain Times A Rates Rethink: Spurring Economic Growth envisaged several measures including a 50 per cent rates relief for businesses with NAV lower than £10,000 and replacing the Small Business Rate Relief scheme with a £22m fund for the retail and hospitality sectors.

The proposals were broadly welcomed but the consultation into the package was interrupted by the collapse of the Northern Ireland Executive at the beginning of last year.

Relief

Alastair Todd, Partner and Head of Property at leading law firm Arthur Cox and associates Chris Milligan and Mark Jameson, examine how the revaluation of nondomestic rates is providing some clarity for businesses amid uncertain times.

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he occupiers of more than 75,000 commercial premises in Northern Ireland will have recently received questionnaires from Land & Property Services (LPS) as part of its exercise to carry out a revaluation of non-domestic rates.

While the process will undoubtedly result in increased pressure on some firms, it will, at least, provide a short-term degree of certainty for the business community in what are otherwise uncertain times, by providing a clearer indication of the future costs of running the business.

Concerns around how the local

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economy will be affected by Brexit and the impact of the ongoing political impasse at Stormont, particularly on the progress of major infrastructure projects and key programmes such as rates reform, continues to loom large.

Reassessment The rates revaluation, which is set to take effect from 1st April 2020, involves a full reassessment of the individual Net Annual Values (NAVs) of the properties which will then be used to calculate the business rates payable.

Given that the overall rates burden across Northern Ireland is

to remain unchanged, it is often said that there will winners and losers from the process. However, analysts anticipate that offices, particularly those providing Grade A accommodation, will be subject to the greatest increases while the impact on retail and industrial premises will be markedly less.

The revaluation comes as a much wider-ranging rates reform package announced 18 months go by the then Finance Minister Máirtín Ó Muilleoir, remains unimplemented.

Hailed at the time as a ‘ground breaking’ review of the local rates system, the package entitled

There has been some movement on other rates relief initiatives, such as the extension of the Small Business Rates Relief scheme until 31st March 2019, announced at the most recent Budget.

However, in the absence of elected Ministers, non-elected officials have not to date been inclined to become involved in the overarching reform of the rates system, that businesses are asking for. This means that the packages of reforms will likely remain on the shelf until the Northern Ireland Executive is restored or a new mechanism is found to fill the ministerial void.

Businesses in Northern Ireland that are concerned by the potential revaluation of nondomestic rates and the resultant impact on their overheads should seek professional advice in a bid to find greater clarity during a period of uncertainty.

The Property Team at Arthur Cox is well positioned to advise on all aspects of commercial property and land. Call +44 28 9023 0007 for further information from Alastair, Mark, Chris or your regular Arthur Cox contact.

IQ&Co Smarter Wealth

Talk to us about your pension choices.

Today’s pension savers can enjoy far greater freedom over how they access their pension savings.

If you would like help understanding your pension choices, please get in touch.

Call us on 02890 428 000 1st floor, 45 High Street, Holywood, BT18 9AB E: info@IQandco.com IQandco.com

IQ & CO Ltd is an appointed representative of Openwork Limited Which is authorised and regulated by Financial Conduct Authority.

Eye on Communications

Tailored Facility Solutions Improves Efficiency with WorkPal rates, materials used and service costs on a client- by-client basis.

Manus emphasises, “WorkPal has really enhanced our admin systems, giving us greater control of our employee’s hours and tasks which has significantly reduced administration time.”

What are the benefits of using WorkPal for Tailored Facility Solutions?

Ben Magowan, Business Development at WorkPal and Manus Kelly, Managing Director at Tailored Facility Solutions.

Tailored Facility Solutions Ltd, one of Ireland’s most respected facilities management, security and logistics service providers, has seen a significant improvement in efficiency since implementing WorkPal’s workflow management software.

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he company, based in Letterkenny, currently employs over 180 people.

Tailored Facility Solutions (TFS) provide bespoke services to clients throughout the UK and Ireland.

Their services range from security, building maintenance, logistics and personnel to cleaning, storage, utilities and fencing. They boast an impressive client base, supporting some global brands with all aspects of their facilities management.

With a growing number of clients and staff the company needed a solution to improve their communications, time management

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and invoicing. WorkPal’s flexible and adaptive features meant it could be customised to fit the exact needs of TFS. What were Tailored Facility Solutions’ job management issues?

“We were experiencing difficulties managing timesheet processing, daily duty allocation and converting completed jobs into invoices,” explained Manus Kelly, Managing Director of TFS. “Workflow management software was something we really needed to implement

with our growing workforce and WorkPal has made the entire process very straightforward.”

TFS are now able to schedule and allocate tasks based on the most cost effective and appropriate person for the job. This means they can save money while ensuring the job is completed to a high standard and on time. Real time data allows management to plan ahead, ensuring resources are available to meet current and anticipated demands.

Time sheets are automatically generated based on workers daily tasks. Once staff have logged on, WorkPal monitors and records activities from time spent travelling to hours spent on jobs, completely replacing manual records.

WorkPal immediately captures all costs associated with each job and can integrate seamlessly with a number of accounting software’s, calculating hourly

Allocating the appropriate resources to individual jobs can be difficult with a large off site workforce. Planning and scheduling are essential to ensure the job is carried out efficiently and effectively. Real time job tracking means management are able to assign suitably skilled workers, the correct amount of workers and order necessary materials to complete the job.

“WorkPal software has allowed us to monitor each division of our company, all at the touch of a button. We are able to perform tasks, assign duties and track progress from any country in the world.”

How did WorkPal Enhance Business Capabilities?

“WorkPal has really enhanced our business by giving us a bespoke technological advantage over some of our competitors and more importantly has given us a system where we can give authentic and real time reports to our valued clients as they need them,” says Manus.

Would You Recommend WorkPal? “We would have no hesitation in recommending WorkPal to anyone as not only is the system extremely efficient and user friendly but the service and support given at the initial set up stage is excellent!”

Eye on Utilities

Clare McAllister...

Heading The Charge For Electric Ireland

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Eye on Utilities Clare McAllister doesn’t need to be reminded that the electricity marketplace here in Northern Ireland is a highly competitive one, especially when you consider the size of the customer base.

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s Head of Sales & Marketing for Electric Ireland in Northern Ireland, she heads a growing team responsible for both business and domestic sales of electricity, as well as natural gas.

A natural straight talker from the North Coast, Clare talks easily about the achievements Electric Ireland (formerly ESB Independent Energy) has chalked up since it first came north in 2000 and the challenges that it still faces.

“We’ve achieved a lot from a standing start in the Northern Ireland market,” she says.

“Electric Ireland has built up a strong presence in the business marketplace, and we’re now busy challenging for customers in the domestic space....and that has brought great opportunity as well as a new set of challenges and a whole new set of targets.”

The move into the keenlycontested domestic energy space means that Electric Ireland is growing. It’s current offices in Belfast’s Gasworks are already bursting at the seams, and expansion plans are well underway as the company prepares to set up a customer contact centre in Belfast.

“There’s no doubt that customers like to talk to people on the ground who have expert knowledge of the Northern Ireland market, hence our investment in a fully-fledged contact centre here in Belfast,” adds Clare.

But local consumers have another idiosyncrasy. “People in Northern Ireland aren’t so keen on the idea of switching supplier. They tend to stick with one supplier and don’t like to rock the boat,” she adds. “, that’s one habit that we’re working hard to change.”

Owned by ESB, Ireland’s largest energy company, Electric Ireland ranks as a major player in Northern Ireland, not only by virtue of its growing market share across business and domestic fronts, but because it’s part of the Group which owns NIE Networks, the electricity

transmission and distribution network and one of NI’s three main power stations, the plant at Coolkeeragh outside L/Derry.

“We’ve been hitting 65% brand awareness. That’s something we’ve worked hard to achieve and we’re very happy with,” says Clare McAllister.

The company has been busy investing in the Northern Ireland community to help boost that all-important brand awareness.

It’s a sponsor of the GAA U17s Championship but has also taken the bold decision to become the lead sponsor of women’s’ football here, from the grassroots up.

“Sales are going very well for us,” she says. “We first entered the residential marketplace two and a half years ago, and we’re pleased with the progress that we’ve made in a market that doesn’t embrace switching to any great degree.

“On the back of that progress in residential sales, we’re also stepping up our presence in the small business space in Northern Ireland.”

Small business sales are a relatively new discipline for an Electric Ireland Belfast team that cut its teeth winning sales in the high-volume corporate end of the market, a sector which includes some of Northern Ireland’s largest energy-consuming manufacturers.

At that end of the scale, Electric Ireland’s leading customers include LacPatrick, one of our largest dairy processing operations.

Winning customers like LacPatrick further builds our reputation and helps to grow our customer base in specific sectors that are key drivers within the Northern Ireland, such as milk processors and dairy farmers.... energy users in their own right.

Moving on small business, Electric Ireland now has a dedicated SME sales team marketing both electricity and gas to a wide range of business users.

“The farming and agri-food sectors have been good for us,” Clare McAllister reckons. “It is a

very competitive marketplace, but then what marketplace these days isn’t competitive?”

She says that Electric Ireland is working hard to make it easier for SME customers to understand more about their electricity supply and how the billing works. It’s SME Premium Insights tool delivers personalised insights enabling customers to monitor, analyse and optimise their energy use.

Electric Ireland bids for market share in a Northern Ireland business and residential marketplace also populated by Power NI, part of the Viridian Group, by SSE Airtricity and by Budget Energy.

“So we’ve got a full complement of players on the field, and against that, there isn’t a lot of margin to be made in the supply of electricity,” says Clare McAllister.

That’s not to mention a complex natural gas marketplace, currently split into three separate grids.

Electric Ireland has fostered close links with organisations including Retail NI, the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and NI Hotel Federation to spread the word among specific customer sectors. “It’s an approach that we have to take. This market might be a small one....but it’s a sophisticated one. Customers expect us to know about their businesses, and that’s how it should be.”

Electric Ireland has a staff of 28 in Belfast, a total which rises considerably when you consider the 70-strong team of field agents currently knocking on

residential doors around Greater Belfast to encourage more residents to make the switch from their existing supplier.

“We are investing in marketing and advertising and that is something we will continue to do to build our brand and increase its recognition.”

Looking to the future, Clare McAllister can’t avoid mentioning Brexit and the unknown challenges that it might bring. As an allisland company operating in both jurisdictions, Electric Ireland could face some wide-ranging challenges.

The future security of energy supply is hugely important for Northern Ireland and the future of the market’s structure is set to change with the Integrated Single Electricity Market which has now been delayed until October.

“As a business we invested significantly to ensure that we have the capability to support and serve our customers in industries across Northern Ireland as we’ve done for 18 years. The energy market has seen many changes over the last 10 years and throughout that time we have provided our customers with the innovation and expertise to bring tangible benefits to their businesses.

“While these are uncertain times for Northern Ireland plc there are many opportunities for us to further develop our business and we are well placed to increase our share and to help our customers and the local economy evolve and grow.”

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4 LETTERS THAT COULD COST YOU 4% OF YOUR TURNOVER WE CAN HELP YOU MEET THE INCOMING GENERAL DATA PROTECTION REGULATION BY SHREDDING DATA YOU LEGALLY MUST DESTROY.

Eye on Cover Story

Danske Bank Setting The Pace

Hard and fast figures are hard to come by, but there are few who would argue against the statement that Danske Bank is the market leader when it comes to corporate and business banking here in Northern Ireland.

D

anske’s own figures put the bank ahead of the chasing pack, and it’s unlikely that any other surveys would produce a different result. But complacency isn’t something that Danske’s Managing Director of Corporate & Business Banking, Shaun McAnee, wants to see creeping in.

“We’re not transfixed by being the biggest, so market share isn’t everything. But we do think that we have about a third of the market. What we do set out to be is the best bank.

Not by an inch, but by as big a margin as we can.” he says.

“How do we do that? We’ve done a huge amount of work around customer satisfaction, and our survey levels are looking really strong. We’re certainly ahead of our competitors on customer satisfaction ratings, and our aim is to stretch that gap.

“Every business says that it puts the customer at the centre of what they do, but we try to bring that into everything we do.

We work to find out the negatives from our customers and we work on those pain points. They become our priorities. The whole process means that we’ve had to re-see ourselves, and I think we’ve got our heads around it.

“If we get this process right, everything else will follow.”

Within the local Danske structure, Corporate & Business Banking looks after some 7,000 medium and large business customers. There are 70 relationship managers in the team

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and they’re supported by locallybased specialists. One of Danske’s USPs is a dedicated dealing room offering FX and Interest Rate risk management services to the bank’s customers. Danske also has specialist teams across asset finance, invoice finance, cash management and trade and export finance operations.

“That totals about 140 people in customer facing roles and between us all we manage a balance sheet of £2.7 billion, with 97% of that deployed within Northern Ireland.”

A direct result of the renewed strong focus on customer satisfaction is the recent internal appointment of Lyndsay Adams as Head of Business Customer Journeys. She takes up the story of her innovative job title.

“Historically, we would have focused on products for our customers. What we’re doing now is coming at banking from a different perspective. We’re bringing our customers in to the early development of our solutions. Understanding what their pains are when it comes to banking experiences. Then we can design our solutions around what they tell us.” Lyndsay explains in a large second floor room at Danske’s Donegall Square West headquarters that is every inch an ‘ideas factory’.... with illustrations, thoughts and concepts written across every wall and multiple white boards.

“The key to what we’re doing is that we’re asking our customers

the right questions and we’re learning from what they tell us. Our services and products are now built from there.

“We know that we’re number one for customer satisfaction. But we also know that there is a tidal wave of change in banking and financial services. So focusing on just ‘good’ customer experiences, in itself, isn’t enough in this landscape.

“What does customer satisfaction mean? It means that expectations were met....but otherwise the experience might be forgettable. A great experience is one that they’ll remember.

Customers feeling more confident, feeling more valued, feeling as though they’re more in control.

That’s what we’re aiming for.

“As part of the process, so far, we have interviewed nearly 300 of our customers and received a really wide range of views and opinions. From there, we have designed personas based on different types of customers.

When we’re designing solutions, we make sure that they’ll fit each different persona.”

Niall Harkin, Head of Organisational Development for Corporate & Business Banking – another recent internal appointment - picks up on the theme. “There has even been a shift in how we measure our business performance. It’s not all about financial metrics and sales figures. Up to 50% of our KPIs now are based around customer service metrics. If we look after customer satisfaction, in other words, the business will perform better as a whole.”

A chartered accountant as well as an experienced business banker and former head of Danske’s business acquisition team, Niall is also the current chairman of the Ulster Society of Chartered Accountants.

“My role at Danske is all about the change agenda and delivering the change agenda in the front line,” he says. “And a key part of that is delivering digital solutions that make a real difference to our customers.”

Danske’s very latest digital innovation is its Future Financing platform. The bank’s rationale is clear-cut.

“We’ve seen a lot of change in the competitive banking arena.

A lot of new entrants have come in, primarily to personal banking but some of them are making moves into business banking. That’s a challenge to us, but also an opportunity.

“Future Financing is a new approach to delivering support to our customers – digital with a human touch. This isn’t a small change....it’s a big leap forward.

And it makes the whole credit process much easier for our customers, and further empowers our relationship managers.”

Initially, the platform will be used

by Danske’s relationship managers dealing with customers. But it has the potential, a little further down the line, to be used directly by those business customers.

“Our customers should, in the near future, be able to go online and request an overdraft increase on a smartphone at home. It will be as easy as that.”

How does Future Financing work? It incorporates what Danske calls a ‘credit engine’, using customer data and advanced analytics to make a decision on online credit applications.

“The system makes that credit recommendation in seconds, and that’s the key strength of this piece of innovation,” adds Niall Harkin. “We’ve seen excesses being approved in 40 seconds and the money being in the customer’s account within eight

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Eye on Cover Story

minutes. For an overdraft, we’ve seen approvals in four minutes and access to money well within 24 hours.

“A facility letter is already issued through automated technology but we’re introducing digital signing later this year....allowing letters like this to be signed online. This is already live in Denmark and we’ve seen cases where the whole overdraft process takes ten minutes....from initial contact through to access to funds.

“So, when we use the term ‘transformational’, we absolutely mean it......”

Future Financing was launched in the bank’s Belfast Business Centre in January, and it’s now been extended to the other regional business centres.

“The relationship managers just love it,” says Niall Harkin. “I don’t think they thought it would be as good as it really is. And we’ll be working to improve its functionality over the coming months with a target that by next year almost all of our new money applications will be supported by this technology.”

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Danske’s relationship managers, according to Shaun McAnee, have been getting a very positive reaction from business customers. “The customers can’t believe how quick and seamless the process is,” he says. “It is driving customer experience to higher levels.”

“And our goal is to take it to the next level. We’re planning to have a pilot up and running later in the year for small business customers, whereby they can go online, get a quote, review it and have access to funds in five or ten minutes. And, if you want to speak to an adviser, you can.”

Geoff Sharpe, as Head of Corporate, leads a team responsible for some 300 of Danske Bank’s largest customers... businesses with turnovers of £15 million and above across a diverse range of sectors, including many of NI’s ‘Top 100’ as well as largescale organisations like housing associations and public sector bodies.

“We have our own dedicated corporate relationship managers, with many specialising in key sectors such

as commercial property, agri-food, manufacturing and pharmaceuticals,” he adds. “And we have close, valued relationships with key industry bodies and business partners like law and accountancy practices.”

“Many of our Corporate customers today have been long standing customers of the Bank through their growth from SME, to larger national or international companies – so we have a deep understanding of their business as their needs and requirements have got more complex, having partnered with them through that journey” It’s a competitive marketplace at the top end of the business space.

“There’s no doubt that alternative funding solutions are more readily available in the corporate sector,” says Geoff Sharpe. “As well as the pillar banks, private equity is a growing feature of this market and customers have a number of potential sources when it comes to funding growth” “We see those options as playing an important part in the market, and in

many cases we sit alongside alternative funders. There’s no question that as a result of the options available, we need to be more than a traditional Corporate bank by continually innovating, providing best in class products and value adding relationships” “Our share of the top 100 NI companies has grown from 25% to more than 60% in the last five years and it’s continuing to grow. 2017 was a record year for new lending and Q1 2018 has followed that trend. And our new lending activity is broadly split between two thirds existing customers and one third new customers. That tells us that our customers are investing for growth, and that we also have a compelling value proposition to continually attract new customers” “The key reasons for that growth are the strength of the team, an agile approach, credit decisions made locally and a best in class digital offering. Future Finance is just one new transformational digital initiative. There is more to come.”

Eye on Communications

The Only Way is (back)Up Pirates are often confined in our minds to the high seas or stories for children, but the reality is that they are all around us.

By Stuart Carson, Rainbow Communications

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rom a tech perspective, we are all susceptible to attack, from your granny with an email account to a huge multi-national corporation with thousands of employees and clients.

A recent study has revealed that only half of ransomware victims who actually pay ransoms to cyber criminals recover their data. This points to a stark requirement for more effective strategies to deal with these attacks.

At Rainbow, we work to ensure IT systems and networks are secure and we are continually reinforcing the message that preparation is key.

This does not mean having a briefcase or selection of brown envelopes full of cash ready to pay off attackers, but rather having sufficient prevention and detection capabilities in place.

Key to a sense of control and comfort is to have a plan prepared which should ensure you and your employees have a strong understanding of what your organisation faces and the terminology and methods used so that you can identify the threats.

Once this understanding exists, it is important that IT security is given the priority it deserves in

order to keep you and your data safe and secure. From bank details to customer names, addresses or dates of birth. The consequences of theft and loss are extremely damaging, especially under the new GDPR regulations.

Preparation helps minimise the risk of hacking or other attacks by staying one step ahead of the plethora of worms, viruses, ransomware and other potential infections circulating the globe. There are a number of off the shelf and custom antivirus and firewall solutions to help build your business’ walls up against cyber-attack.

For SMEs and medium sized businesses, a Unified Threat Management (UTM) system offers all-round protection by delivering multiple layers of security, including firewalls, intrusion prevention systems, antivirus, spam filtering and URL filtering for web content.

They can also assist in protecting you from data loss through Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) that create secure connections between the server and users.

Sometimes the easiest way for hackers to infiltrate a system is through the overuse of

simple passwords, which may be memorable for you but can essentially leave the door wide open when a team is encouraged to use BUSINESSNAME1 to unlock the system.

Make the creation of strong passwords part of basic and initial training for all staff and ensure they change them regularly, while advising them to be wary of clicking links from unknown sources.

However, incorporating a sensible data backup strategy is another vital step; as the same report shows that 87% of those victims that refused to pay the ransom recovered their data via backups.

Some even argue that you should have a backup of your backup which isn’t directly linked. This ensures that if your networked backup gets attacked, you still have a secondary backup of at least your most important files and folders.

You should test your backups regularly to ensure they work, rather than going to restore your systems to find the backup is corrupt or did not run as expected.

These are some of the basic initiatives companies can adopt, but for those most at risk or unsure of where weaknesses

may lie, we always recommend IT security audits. These allow the levels of information security within an organisation to be audited and reviewed, whether from a technical, physical or administrative perspective.

The audit will focus on the potential vulnerabilities of data being intercepted or accessed by external parties and, once risks are determined, there is a wide range of solid and inexpensive solutions and products available that can provide the security you need.

With new threats emerging every day, it’s acutely important to put in place the right measures that will protect your company and your reputation in order to run your business securely in the confidence that you’re among those best prepared.

Stuart Carson is Sales and Marketing Director at Rainbow Communications, Northern Ireland’s largest independent telecom provider. For more information on its full range of services, including bespoke solutions, visit www.rainbowcomms.com

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Estate planning is for Everyone here have long been many misconcep�ons surrounding estate planning and who can and should avail of it. It is these popular ideologies that are to the detriment of a large propor�on of UK adults.

“It looks as if people still aren’t getting the message.

The huge benefits of having a Will, and the even bigger risks of not having one, should be far more widely known and talked about.

People think a Will is just for the end of their life, and it is – but who knows when that will be?”[1] Findings from a recent survey

by Opinium revealed that over half (60%) of UK adults do not have a Will, making this the highest number ever recorded.

Unfortunately, this means that over 31 million are now at risk of dying intestate and their estate being distributed in accordance with this law and not in line with their personal wishes. Poor planning can also lead to significant Inheritance Tax (IHT) implica�ons both on your death and poten�ally for those you leave behind.

However, it is not all doom and gloom. At Fairstone Financial Management NI, we take a 360 view when it comes to financial planning and we strive to

advocate that estate planning is for everyone and can give all family members and par�es involved, financial peace of mind and security for the future. The future is unpredictable; however, this is one aspect of it which you can control with proper planning.

It is important to seek financial advice to ensure that your estate planning covers all areas which are applicable and beneficial to your situa�on. The first step in this process is to make an estate plan which can comprise of a Will, Trust and enduring power of a�orney.

A Will is a legal document which allows you to choose your own executors and trustees, the people you would want to act as guardians to your children and make gi�s of specific assets. A key benefit to making a Will, is that family members will not have to worry about your affairs a�er you have gone. If used with a trust, the process of beneficiaries receiving your money should occur quickly and without any difficulty or disrup�on.

Se�ng up a trust provides you with peace of mind that your money and assets are distributed to certain loved ones a�er you pass away and can also instruct on how and when these individuals receive their inheritance. Trusts help ensure that your money goes to the ones you love and help protect against third part claims,

in the event of financial difficul�es or marital disputes. Using a trust can also save your loved ones from paying Inheritance Tax on their inheritance; Inheritance Tax on top of Inheritance Tax. If you become incapable of managing your property and financial affairs, you will need 0 someone to do this for you. An enduring power of a�orney gives fai the person appointed a�orney, the power to deal with your financial and legal affairs in the info@ event of losing mental capacity.

A�orneys can deal with your property, pay bills, make purchases and sign documents on your behalf without the need to apply to the court of protec�on.

If you’re looking to create an estate plan, we can help make sure that you have the most tax efficient structure in place to meet your unique needs and create a legacy for your loved ones. Estate planning is for everyone and by taking the first steps today you are that li�le bit closer to controlling your assets a�er your death for future genera�ons.

Source data: h�ps://business.unbiased.co.uk/p ress-releases/31-million-uk-adults -at-risk-of-dying-without-a-will-2-1 0-2017 [1]

T: 02892 605088 E: info@fairstoneni.co.uk

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18 Crescent Business Park, Ballinderry Road, Lisburn, Co Antrim BT28 2GN Fairstone Financial Management NI is a trading name of Fairstone Financial Management Ltd. Fairstone Financial Management Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority – FRN: 475973. Part of the Fairstone Group.

The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) is an agency for arbitrating on unresolved complaints between regulated firms and their clients. Full details of the FOS can be found on its website at www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk

Eye on News

A&L GOODBODY APPOINTS NEW HEAD OF BELFAST OFFICE Corporate law firm A&L Goodbody has announced the appointment of Michael Neill as head of its Belfast office.

M

r Neill succeeds Mark Thompson, who has completed two terms in the role and will continue as one of the firm’s most senior and respected partners, focusing on his extensive corporate client practice.

With over 20 years specialising in financial services, corporate restructuring and disputes, Michael Neill is consistently ranked as a leader in his field by various legal publications. He will continue advising clients alongside his role as head of the firm’s Belfast office.

A&L Goodbody Managing Partner Julian Yarr commented: “Firstly, I would like to thank Mark Thompson for his tremendous contribution as head of our Belfast office over the past six years.

Together with a diverse group of 12 partners in Belfast, Mark has laid firm foundations for the continued growth and success of A&L Goodbody in Northern Ireland and we have every confidence that Michael will continue this fantastic work in the years to come.

“Michael is both an outstanding lawyer and leader and assumes this role at an exciting time for A&L Goodbody,” he continued. “We have ambitious plans to better serve our clients and also attract and develop the very best talent.

I look forward to working with him in achieving these ambitions.”

Recently named ‘Corporate Law Firm of the Year’ for the third time

by Insider Media, A&L Goodbody employs over 120 lawyers and

business service professionals at its recently upgraded offices in Belfast city centre.

“Since joining the firm nine years ago, I’ve seen our Belfast office grow significantly in size, expertise, capability and geographical reach, both locally and internationally,” said Michael Neill.

“This growth is testament to our commitment to providing exceptional client service delivery and the quality of our people. Moving forward, we will further strengthen our position as a market leader by continuing to invest in our people and emerging technologies in order to offer a modern, efficient and commerciallyfocused service to our clients.”

Michael Neill graduated in 1995 from Queen’s University Belfast

Michael Neill, new Head of Belfast Office, A&L Goodbody with Julian Yarr, Managing Partner.

with an LLB in Law and Accounting, before studying at the Institute of Professional Legal Studies at Queen’s. He was admitted to the Role of Solicitors by the Law Society of Northern Ireland in 1997 and has since specialised in all areas of corporate recovery, as well as conducting a wide variety of financial services, fraud and insolvencyrelated litigation. He sits on the Law Society Finance Committee and is a former chairman and now a National Council member of R3 (The Association of Business Recovery Professionals) for the Northern Ireland region. He lectures and writes extensively in the areas of corporate recovery and insolvency.

BDO NORTHERN IRELAND APPOINTS IVAN MINN AS BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Business advisory firm, BDO Northern Ireland, today confirmed a new senior hire with the appointment of former banker Ivan McMinn as its first Business Development Director.

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he well-known business professional has forged a successful career spanning more than three decades in the financial services industry and most recently headed up the business acquisition and corporate banking divisions of an international bank.

The appointment follows an active year which saw BDO Northern Ireland appoint its first non-executive Chair and expand its mix of professional accountancy, tax and advisory services to more than 1,000 local and international businesses.

Brian Murphy, Managing Partner of BDO Northern Ireland said: “This is a timely and high calibre addition to our team. Ivan’s appointment will support us in our strategic growth plan and adds

resource to support the senior team in engagement, network and learning from someone who shares our philosophy and approach to business.

“This is an exciting period for Northern Ireland’s economy and, while there are challenges, businesses are rightly seeking to capitalise on the region’s competitive cost base, skillset and location. Having access to a wide range of advice is critical for sustained growth for all businesses.

We are proud to support many of Northern Ireland’s most innovative and exciting businesses and look forward to expanding our services to more companies in the months and years ahead.”

A well-respected figure in the business community, Mr McMinn will take up the new position with immediate effect. He said: “In previous roles I’ve worked alongside

Former banker Ivan McMinn has joined BDO Northern Ireland as its first Business Development Director. He is pictured (third from left) with BDO Northern Ireland partners: (back row) Laura Jackson, Stephen Kirkpatrick (Non-Executive Chair); Nigel Harra; Carol Malcolmson; (front row) Michael Jennings; Maybeth Shaw; Francis Martin; Brian Murphy; and Sean Lavery.

and forged a longstanding relationship with the team at BDO Northern Ireland.

We share the same core values and passion for local business. When the chance came, joining BDO was an easy decision to make. I am excited to be continuing my career with talented professionals who value the relationships they build with individual entrepreneurs and business managers.

“My career has been built on assisting local family businesses to realise their growth aspirations. The expert teams at BDO Northern Ireland hold an in-depth understanding of the complex issues shaping the business environment and give clients the very best insights and guidance. I look forward to working alongside them in this new chapter of my career.”

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Eye on Awards

Stalwart of food industry honoured with prestigious award at Balmoral Show

Brian Irwin from Irwin’s Bakery receives the Contribution to Agri-Food Industry in Northern Ireland award and Tim Graham from Dromore based company Graham’s Bakery, with the prestigious Young Agri-Food Innovator award from Neal Kelly, Henderson Wholesale Fresh Foods Director. Also pictured is awards host BBC’s Jo Scott.

Brian Irwin, Chairman of Irwin’s Bakery has been presented with a special Contribution to the agri-food Industry in Northern Ireland at the inaugural Henderson Wholesale Fresh Innovation Awards at the Balmoral Show.

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he revamped awards were held this morning (Friday 18 May) at the 150th Balmoral Show to celebrate the Henderson’s fresh food suppliers, farmers and growers rewarded for their product innovation, accessibility of goods and their sustainable practices.

Mr Irwin also picked up the Overall Supplier of the Year Award for Irwin’s Bakery, which has been trading with Hendersons since the early 1900s.

Tim Graham of Graham’s Bakery also became the first ever recipient of the Young Agri-Food Innovator Award, a fresh category for the all-new awards.

The judges agreed that Tim was

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excelling in New Product Development for the Dromore based company; Tim recently collaborated with the wholesaler to produce an exclusive line of celebration cakes for the new Occasions range developing throughout Henderson branded stores.

Other winners at the breakfast ceremony included T.S Foods Ltd for Excellence in Product Innovation for their Ann’s Kitchen range of fresh and convenient fish meals; Hovis Ltd which won the Excellence in Regional Delivery award for maintaining a 99.98% service level when delivering over 50 bread and bakery products,

six days a week, directly to the entire network of SPAR and EUROSPAR retailers in Northern Ireland.

PRM Group, one of Henderson Wholesale’s leading fresh brand suppliers took home The Tomorrow Matters Award which is a nod to the alignment of the Group’s CSR practices with its suppliers. Ballyclare pork producers Fred C Robinsons were presented with the Own Brand Supplier of the Year gong, reflecting the company’s increase in sales of +13% of the SPAR’s enjoy local range of pork sausages.

In the first Local Butchery Awards to be presented at the event, Henderson Retail honoured four butchery concessions who scored highest during audits which took place at the start of the year. The audits focused on quality, range, presentation, innovation, flair, availability and creativity.

McMurray’s Butcher at EUROSPAR Templepatrick, H&J Carnduff Butchers in EUROSPAR Brackenvale on Saintfield Road, and Haye’s Family Butchers, from SPAR Greystone in Antrim were Highly Commended in the category.

Quail’s Butchery in SPAR Dromore Road, Banbridge took home the title of In-Store Butcher of the Year, with Joe Quail accepting the award on behalf of the team.

Jo Scott, BBC Northern Ireland’s Home Ground presenter hosted the awards which saw over 100 members of the local food industry, Henderson Group Board of Directors and Ulster Guild of SPAR come together for the awards ceremony and breakfast, made up from producers including Ballygarvey Eggs, Boconnell Mushrooms, Connolly Meats, Henry Denny, Lacpatrick Dairy, Total Produce, Fred C Robinson, Allied Bakeries and Armagh Apple Juice.

Eye on Awards

Joe Quail (2nd right) from Quails Butchery located in SPAR, Dromore Road, Banbridge collects the Instore Butcher of the Year trophy from Geoffrey Agnew, Managing Director of Henderson Group. Also pictured is Neal Kelly (right), Henderson Wholesale Fresh Foods Director and awards host, BBC’s Jo Scott.

Presenting the trophy to Alvin Donaghy (2nd right) from Fred C Robinson is Dr Lynsey Hollywood, Head of the Agri-Food Business Development Centre at Ulster University.

Also pictured is Neal Kelly, Henderson Wholesale Fresh Foods Director and awards host, BBC’s Jo Scott (left).

Stephen McNeice (centre) and Paul Holmes (right) from TS Foods are presented with the Excellence in Product Innovation award by food writer Sam Butler at the inaugural Henderson Wholesale Fresh Innovation Awards held during the Balmoral Show. Also pictured is Neal Kelly (2nd right), Henderson Wholesale Fresh Foods Director and awards host, BBC’s Jo Scott (left).

Head of Food Technology at CAFRE, Joy Alexander (2nd left) presents the award to Darren Hughes (centre) from Lisburn based PRM. Also pictured is Neal Kelly (right) Henderson Wholesale Fresh Foods Director and awards host, BBC’s Jo Scott (left).

Gary Mason (centre) and John Hopkins (right) from Irwin’s Bakery collect the Overall Supplier of the Year Award from Paddy Doody (2nd left) Sales & Marketing Director at Henderson Group and Neal Kelly (2nd right) Fresh Foods Director, Henderson Wholesale at the inaugural Fresh Innovation Awards. Also pictured is events host BBC’s Jo Scott.

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Eye on Tourism

Causeway Coast Goes For Coffee Following on from the success of the first Belfast Coffee Map released one year ago, NI Coffee Maps recently launched Belfast Coffee Map 2.0 and the first Causeway Coast Coffee Map.

S

howcasing the wealth of speciality coffee establishments in Northern Irelands first city, and along it’s world renowned Causeway Coast, the pocket maps will act as a guide for visitors and locals in search of Northern Ireland’s best coffee.

The event, which took place in Portrush Townhall, an architectural jewel of the Causeway Coast, was attended by guests from across Northern Irelands coffee industry as well as hospitality and tourism sectors.

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The maps were created and launched

by Belfast man Gareth Patterson who, when travelling, encountered similar publications in a number of European cities. He said: “Like any coffee enthusiast, one of the first things I do when visiting any country or city is seek out the best spots for a high-quality coffee.”

“So many cities around the world celebrate their thriving coffee culture through a bespoke coffee map, directing both tourists and locals to the best coffee establishments on offer, and we are so excited to now have something akin in Northern Ireland. At NI Coffee Maps we are incredibly passionate about our country and it’s coffee culture and we see these maps as a way to show the world how seriously Northern Ireland takes its coffee and the incredible range of speciality coffee shops we have here. We truly believe that the coffee scene in here rivals that of any European, if not global, destination.”

“In a year when Lonely Planet declared Belfast and the Causeway Coast the

number one regions in the world to visit in 2018, we are delighted to be able to offer our resources to what we believe will be an influx of visitors to our shores.”

NI Coffee Maps has not only expanded on their guide offering, but also their team size, with Emma Patterson joining this year and leading their online and social media presence.

Belfast Coffee Map 2.0 and Causeway Coast Coffee Map will be sold in all 27 featured establishments, as well

as Visit Belfast and a number of independent retailers across the Belfast and Northern Ireland. A list of stockists can be found on their website.

Follow NI Coffee Maps on Instagram @nicoffeemaps or Facebook, or visit www.nicoffeemaps.co.uk

BUSINESS EYE FIRST TRUST BANK SMALL BUSINESS AWARDS

Eye on Awards

Ozaroo Takes Top Award At 2018 BEFTAs

WINNER SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD Adrian Moynihan (left), Head of First Trust Bank and Brenda Buckley, Business Eye present the Small Business of the Year Award to Conor and Chris Martin from Ozaroo Retail.

An online retailer which has grown from a bedroom business to become a multichannel operation with a £9 million turnover has taken the top award at this year’s Business Eye First Trust Bank Small Business Awards, known as the BEFTAs.

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zaroo, set up by Chris Martin while he was studying at the Queen’s University, Belfast, was named ‘Small Business of the Year’ at the fourth annual BEFTAs held last night (31st May) at Belfast’s Crowne Plaza Hotel and hosted by television personality, Marc Mallett.

The awards which are organised by Business Eye magazine and supported

by First Trust Bank, shine a light on Northern Ireland’s small business sector and recognised its top performers across 14 different categories, celebrating industry and business success as

Full List of Winners – Business Eye First Trust Bank Small Business Awards AGRI FOOD BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

across NI’s private sector, should be immensely proud. If it wasn’t for their contribution, Northern Ireland as a region and as an economy would not be fairing as well as it is in light of ongoing economic and political uncertainty. The innovation, dedication and creativity showcased by this year’s BEFTAs finalists and winners sets an example to our future business leaders and upcoming entrepreneurs and we are proud to shine a spotlight on their operations. While each business is different, all the winners share a number of common denominators - agility, resilience, innovation and a focus on open, honest customer service. I offer my congratulations to all the entrants and winners and look forward to seeing how their businesses develop over the coming years.”

Brenda Buckley, Commercial Director of Business Eye, added: “Given the number of entries received for this year’s awards and the energy and atmosphere at the ceremony, it’s clear that the BEFTAs have truly cemented themselves as a must-do in Northern Ireland’s business community. We received very strong entries from a wide variety of companies based right across Northern Ireland. They are very much an integral part of the business calendar here, and we’ve every reason to believe that they will go from strength to strength.”

INDEPENDENT RETAILER OF THE YEAR

SMALL BUSINESS MARKETING AWARD

SPONSORED BY RETAIL NI

SPONSORED BY CMI

WINNER: UBERFONE

WINNER: CATALYST INC

HIGHLY COMMENDED: 88 RETAIL

HIGHLY COMMENDED FLEET FINANCIAL START-UP BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

SPONSORED BY LOCKTON

SPONSOR: ULSTER UNIVERSITY BUSINESS SCHOOL

FAMILY BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

WINNER: CLANDEBOYE ESTATE YOGHURTS

WINNER: YELO

SPONSORED BY HARBINSON MULHOLLAND

SPONSORED BY BUSINESS EYE

HIGHLY COMMENDED: KEENAN SEAFOOD

HIGHLY COMMENDED: I3 DIGITAL

WINNER: McCALLS OF LISBURN

COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTION AWARD

HEALTHCARE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

SPONSORED BY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION NI

SPONSORED BY BAKER TILLY MOONEY MOORE

HIGHLY COMMENDED: KILLOWEN CONTRACTS & CUNNINGHAM BUTCHERS

WINNER: THE IRISH BLACK BUTTER COMPANY HIGHLY COMMENDED: NOISY NUTS FUTURE STAR: BENN CUDWORTH

WINNER: DIVERSITY NI

WINNER: MODIUS HIGHLY COMMENDED:

INNOVATIVE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

TECHNOLOGY BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

SPONSORED BY FSB

SPONSORED BY MCS GROUP

MILESIAN MANOR LIFESTYLE CARE HOME

WINNER: PROAXSIS

HOSPITALITY & TOURISM BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

HIGHLY COMMENDED: KES GROUP & RESONATE TESTING

WINNER: FATHOM HIGHLY COMMENDED: ALLSOP & NIMBUS

SPONSORED BY TOURISM IRELAND

MANUFACTURING BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

SPONSORED BY FIRST TRUST BANK

WINNER: BELFAST TATTOO

SPONSORED BY FIRST TRUST BANK

HIGHLY COMMENDED: RAYANNE HOUSE

WINNER: ANACONDA INTERNATIONAL

WINNER: OZAROO HIGHLY COMMENDED: HAGAN HOMES & THE MOMENTUM GROUP

HIGHLY COMMENDED: ANACONDA INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMER FOCUS AWARD SPONSORED BY NIMBUS WINNER: LARCHFIELD ESTATE HIGHLY COMMENDED: McCALLS OF LISBURN & SAFE GAS (NI)

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SMALL BUSINESS EXPORTER OF THE YEAR

well as innovation, customer support and community contribution.

The brand-new ‘Family Business of the Year’ trophy, one of the most hotly contested in this year’s BEFTAs, was lifted by fashion retailer, McCalls of Lisburn.

There were wins for companies right across Northern Ireland with Tyronebased Anaconda International named ‘Manufacturing Business of the Year’ and Belfast-based user experience agency Fathom coming out top in the ‘Technology Business of the Year’ category. Last year’s overall winning company Yelo was named ‘Exporter of the Year’ in recognition of their impressive growth in new markets while Clandeboye Estate Yoghurts lifted the ‘Agri-Food Business of the Year’ accolade.

A special award was also presented to 16-year-old Benn Cudworth, a GCSE pupil at Bangor Grammar School and founder of thriving online business, GamingAddicts. Benn’s hard work, innovation and dedication was recognised by the judges who awarded him with the inaugural ‘BEFTA Future Star’ trophy.

Speaking at the 2018 Business Eye First Trust Bank Small Business Awards, Head of Business Banking at First Trust Bank, Seamus McGuckin, said; “Northern Ireland’s small business community, which together with medium businesses and self-employed people account for more than 75% of turnover

SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

Eye on Awards

HIGHLY COMMENDED SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD Adrian Moynihan, Head of First Trust Bank and Brenda Buckley, Business Eye present a Highly Commended certificate in the Small Business of the Year category Tom Kerner and Simon Huntley from The Momentum Group.

WINNER AGRI FOOD BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD Bryan Boggs and John Witchel from Clandeboye Yoghurts receive the Agri Food Business of the Year Award from sponsor Gary Ennis, Partner and Head of Office, Lockton Companies.

HIGHLY COMMENDED AGRI FOOD BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD Robert Shanks from Keenan Seafood, receives a highly commended award in the Agri Food Business of the Year category from sponsor, Gary Ennis, Lockton Companies.

HIGHLY COMMENDED SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD James Hagan from Hagan Homes receives a highly commended award in the Small Business of the Year category from Adrian Moynihan, Head of First Trust Bank and Brenda Buckley, Business Eye.

WINNER COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTION AWARD Siofra Healy, Director of Philanthropy, Community Foundation, presents the Community Contribution Award to Chris and Paolina Hawthorne from Diversity NI.

HIGHLY COMMENDED COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTION AWARD Siofra Healy, Director of Philanthropy, Community Foundation, presents a highly commended certificate in the Community Contribution category to Martin Quinn, Operations Director, Anaconda International

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Eye on Awards

WINNER CUSTOMER FOCUS AWARD Gavin and Sarah Mackey from Larchfield Estate receive the BEFTA Customer Focus Award from sponsor Gareth McAllister, Managing Director of Nimbus.

HIGHLY COMMENDED CUSTOMER FOCUS AWARD Gareth McAllister, Managing Director of Nimbus (category sponsor) presents a highly commended award in the Customer Focus category to Paul Scott, Safe Gas NI.

WINNER SMALL BUSINESS EXPORTER OF THE YEAR Michael Mulvenna, Richard Furey, Dylan Burke and David Sinclair from Yelo receive the BEFTA Exporter of the Year Award Professor Mark Durkin, Executive Dean of Ulster University Business School.

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HIGHLY COMMENDED CUSTOMER FOCUS AWARD Alastair McCall from McCalls of Lisburn receives a highly commended award in the Customer Focus category from sponsor Gareth McAllister, Managing Director of Nimbus.

HIGHLY COMMENDED SMALL BUSINESS EXPORTER OF THE YEAR Professor Mark Durkin, Executive Dean of Ulster University Business School presents a highly commended award in the Exporter of the Year category to Adrian Bradley from i3 Digital.

HIGHLY COMMENDED HEALTHCARE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR Mary Macklin and Rose Macklin from Milesian Manor Lifestyle Care Home receive a highly commended award in the Healthcare Business of The Year from Tom Penman, Tax Partner, of sponsors Baker Tilly Mooney Moore.

Eye on Awards

WINNER HEALTHCARE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR Tom Penman, Tax Partner, Baker Tilly Mooney Moore presents the Healthcare Business of the Year to Jason McKeown, Modius.

HIGHLY COMMENDED HOSPITALITY & TOURISM BUSINESS OF THE YEAR Conor and Bernie McClelland from Rayanne House, Holywood receive a highly commended award in the Tourism/Hospitality Business of the Year category from Michael McQuillan, Board Member of Tourism Northern Ireland (sponsors).

HIGHLY COMMENDED INDEPENDENT RETAILER OF THE YEAR Graham Johnston and Andrew Davis from 88 Retail receive a highly commended award in the Independent Retailer of the Year category from Gavan Wall, Board Member of Retail NI.

WINNER HOSPITALITY & TOURISM BUSINESS OF THE YEAR Colin Wasson and Brian Wilson from The Belfast Tattoo receive the BEFTA Tourism/Hospitality Business of the Year from Michael McQuillan, Board Member of Tourism Northern Ireland (category sponsors).

WINNER INDEPENDENT RETAILER OF THE YEAR Gavan Wall, Board Member of Retail NI (sponsors) presents the BEFTA Independent Retailer of the Year to Conor Mills and Mark Groves from Uberfone.

WINNER FAMILY BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD Angela Craig, Associate Partner, of sponsors, Harbinson Mulholland presents the Family Business of the Year Award Alastair McCall, McCalls of Lisburn.

Eye on Awards

HIGHLY COMMENDED FAMILY BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD Maurice and Brian McGovern from Killowen Contracts receive a highly commended award in the Family Business of the Year category from category sponsor Angela Craigan, Associate Partner, Harbinson Mulholland.

HIGHLY COMMENDED INNOVATIVE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR Tina McKenzie, FSB Northern Ireland Chair presents a highly commended award in the Innovative Business of the Year category to Conor McCrossan and Chris Melly from KES Group

WINNER INNOVATIVE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR Kelly Moffitt and David Ribeiro from ProAxis receive the BEFTA Innovative Business of the Year from Tina McKenzie, FSB Northern Ireland Chair.

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HIGHLY COMMENDED FAMILY BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD James Cunningham Jnr and James Cunningham Snr from Cunningham Butchers receive a highly commended award in the Family Business of the Year category from category sponsor Angela Craigan, Associate Partner, Harbinson Mulholland.

HIGHLY COMMENDED INNOVATIVE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR Mike Hudson, Mary Kelly and Michael Thompson from Resonate Testing receive a highly commended award in the Innovative Business of the Year category from Tina McKenzie, FSB Northern Ireland Chair.

WINNER MANUFACTURING BUSINESS OF THE YEAR The team from Anaconda collecting the BEFTA Manufacturing Business of the Year from Seamus McGuckin, Head of Business Banking (centre), First Trust Bank.

Eye on Awards

WINNER SMALL BUSINESS MARKETING AWARD Kerry McGarety and Tiernan Byrne from Catalyst Inc collect the BEFTA Small Business marketing Award from sponsor Ken Roulston, Managing Director of CMI.

HIGHLY COMMENDED START-UP BUSINESS OF THE YEAR Noel Allen, Noisy Nuts receives a highly commended award in the Start-Up Business of the Year category from Brenda Buckley, Business Eye.

WINNER FUTURE STAR AWARD Sixteen year old GCSE student Benn Cudworth receives the BEFTA Future Star Award from Brenda Buckley Business Eye for his online company Gamingaddicts.co

HIGHLY COMMENDED SMALL BUSINESS MARKETING AWARD Ken Roulston, Managing Director of CMI (sponsor) presents a highly commended award in the Small Business Marketing category from Brian Casey and Damian Campbell, Fleet Financial.

WINNER START-UP BUSINESS OF THE YEAR Alistair Bell from the Irish Black Butter Company collects the BEFTA StartUp Business of the Year from Brenda Buckley, Business Eye.

HIGHLY COMMENDED TECHNOLOGY BUSINESS OF THE YEAR Georgina Whiteside and Michael Sage from Allsop receive a highly commended award in the Technology Business of the Year category from sponsor Louise Smyth, MCS Group.

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Eye on Awards

WINNER

HIGHLY COMMENDED TECHNOLOGY BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

TECHNOLOGY BUSINESS OF THE YEAR Louise Smyth, Managing Director, MCS Group presents the Technology Business of the Year to Gareth Dunlop, Sofia Bradley Andy McCrea and Jim Morrison from Fathom.

Jennifer Bentley and Hannah Crawford

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Keith Watt and Molly McGillin

Gareth McAllister, Managing Director, Nimbus receives a highly commended award in the Technology Business of the Year category from sponsor Louise Smyth, Managing Director, MCS Group.

Rachel Young and Jo Hannaway

Brian Wilson, Alan Barr and Ian Wilson

Katherine Hutchinson, Gordon McCandless and Kerry McIlwaine

Diane Ramsey, Kelly Moffitt, Timothy Ferguson and Ashleigh Kennedy

Ruaidhri O’Donnell, Lisa McMaster and Glyn Roberts

Eye on Awards

Marc Mallett and Ciara Donnelly

Margaret McQuillan, Shauna O’Boyle, Christine Maguire and Nicola Nicholson

Eddie Rice, Wendy Newell, Nuala Bradley and Suneil Sharma

James Hagan and Janet McKay

Marc Mallett with Brenda and Richard Buckley

Tierna Byrne and Kerry McGarvey

Faye Thomas and Loraine McKeown

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Eye on Awards

Terry Moore, Kieran Moore and Eamonn Bunting

James Hagan, Terry McErlane and Janet McKay

Staff from Anaconda International

Leo Callow

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Seamus McGuckin, Head of Business Banking, First Trust Bank

Eye on Awards

Sam, Brenda and Richard Buckley

Noel Allen of Noisy Nuts

Top local dance band, Hitlist

Richard Buckley

Mick and Tina Butterworth with Poulina and Chris Hawthorne

Marc Mallett

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Eye on Awards

Gary McDonald and Glyn Roberts

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Hannah Johnston and Chris Melly

Conor Mills and Mark Groves

Conor Martin, Esther Shaw, Andy Crick and David Orr

Colin Anderson, Tommy Anderson and Chris Adams

The Tantalising Trio perform

Tom Denman, John O’Rourke and Anne Fitzpatrick

Richard Furey, Dylan Burke and David Sinclair

Innova perform

Eye on Awards

Maureen Fox, Carol Fittzsimons, Tina McKenzie, Ciara Donnelly, Gary McDonald and Natalie Maginnis

Charlotte Irvine and Elaine Welsh

Aveen Stewart and Tighearnan McLaughlin

Stephen Currie, Neil Murphy, Adrian Bradley and Nuala Bradley

Frank Pettigrew and Claire Hunter

Roger and Beth Vance

Julie Wardlow and Julie Roulston

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Eye on News

First Trust Hosts Women In Business Evening Positive mentorship, confident decision making and how to achieve work life balance were the key talking points at a unique ‘Women in Business’ networking evening hosted by First Trust Bank in Belfast

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upported by Women in Business NI, over 120 local business leaders gathered to hear from one of Northern Ireland’s most-well known business figures, Ellvena Graham. Now enjoying a portfolio career, Ellvena is currently chair of the Electricity Supply Board, the Belfast Waterfront and Ulster Hall Ltd Board and President of the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce after more than 30 years with Ulster Bank.

With almost 20 questions from the

floor over the course of an hour, Ellvena gave a frank recollection of her career to date including advice on how to deal with negativity, getting the most from a mentorship, and the importance of diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

Speaking at the event in First Trust Bank’s University Road branch, Ellvena Graham said; “The old adage of ‘it’s your attitude not aptitude that determines your altitude’ rings true to me. Over the course of my career to date, I’ve seen how greater diversity boosts creativity and productivity, so it’s vital that our up-andcoming local business women have the confidence to excel in their chosen fields.

“While women need to take pride and encouragement from their own skillset and trust in their abilities, our business leaders and boardrooms need to ask themselves, ‘are you a radiator or are you a drain?’ We want workplaces that radiate positivity, not drain energy. This is what I’ve found crucial to nurturing an environment of inclusivity and with it, growth.”

Pictured at a special women in business networking evening in Belfast hosted by First Trust Bank and supported by Women in in Business NI is: Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce President, Ellvena Graham; Adrian Moynihan, Head of First Trust Bank and Marian Mawhinney from the MS Society NI.

Donna Wilson, Head of Customer Advocacy, First Trust Bank added; “Companies and economies are at their most competitive when they harness the talent of all individuals irrespective of gender, and it was evident from the open and frank discussion at our women in business event, that diversity remains a boardroom issue for many of our local leaders.

“At First Trust Bank we too want to ensure we are reflective of the communities we serve and to that end, we support the HM Treasury

Women in Finance Charter, an initiative designed to achieve a more balanced, representative and fair financial services industry as well as our own 50-50 gender balance at managerial level by 2020. We were delighted to facilitate a lively Q+A with Ellvena and share diversity and inclusion experiences.”

Guests also raised support for the MS Society NI at the networking evening - a charity which provides care and services to people living with multiple sclerosis and their families.

Arthur Cox Appoints New Partner To Finance Team

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eading law firm Arthur Cox has further strengthened its Finance practice in Northern Ireland with the appointment of Colm McElroy as Partner.

Colm, from Magherafelt, joined the firm in 2010

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after obtaining a law degree from Queen’s University, Belfast and gaining his professional qualification at the university’s Institute of Professional Legal Studies.

Announcing his appointment, Catriona Gibson, Managing Partner at Arthur Cox, said: “I am delighted to welcome Colm to one of the most respected Partner teams in Northern Ireland and know that he will add further insight and capability to our already strong Finance Partner group.

“His appointment, from within our existing group of Associates, also illustrates the tremendous depth of talent present in the wider Arthur Cox team.”

Colm joined Arthur Cox at a time when the local economy was still facing significant challenges caused by the fallout from the 2008 worldwide financial crisis. He gained considerable early experience advising financial institutions on debt restructuring and enforcement strategies.

Over recent years, he has acted for both banks and

private equity funds in the purchasing and sale of significant loan portfolios. With more normalisation now coming back to the market, Colm advises a broad spectrum of financial institutions and corporate borrowers on domestic and international finance transactions.

He joins a strong Finance Team led by one of the most experienced practitioners in Northern Ireland, Head of Finance Kieran McGarrigle.

Colm McElroy commented: “It is a tremendous honour to become a Partner at Arthur Cox, one of the foremost law firms in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

“I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Finance team as we continue to lead the market in advising financial institutions and corporate borrowers on a wide range of domestic and international finance transactions.”

Arthur Cox employs more than 90 people in Belfast and has additional offices in Dublin, London, New York and Silicon Valley.

Eyeon Export

Eye on Export

International Trade: Opportunity Knocking

The time is now for Northern Irish businesses to be bold and to consider exporting. HSBC NI’’s Corporate Relationship Director, Marty Colvin, describes a market full of opportunity for NI’s businesses.

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hen it comes to exporting, there is a perception of increased risk that can put businesses off, but the opportunities that exist and the support on hand to help you start your export journey should not be ignored. Expanding your horizons beyond the domestic market gives you access to new customers, can enhance your company’s profile and exposes you to new ideas that could help drive growth and innovation.

Exporting is a big step for a business of any size, but my message is to be brave and seize your opportunities. There is tremendous potential for growth beyond our borders and numerous examples of where NI

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and UK companies have found success in international markets.

That said, being brave is one thing but there are a few key pointers and common findings that are always worth reinforcing: It is vital to do your research, on the internet, through government agencies such as InvestNI and the many other export promotion bodies. It is about identifying the right market where your goods or services are required, and targeting it. HSBC’s recently launched Trade Navigator report (www.business.hsbc.com/tradenavigator) is a fantastic tool for budding and existing exporters as it provides insight into how businesses are thinking right now, what trends are gaining traction in

international trade and how best to navigate the global business environment. It is comprised of individual reports on 23 markets across the world, providing insight for exporters as to where you can continue to grow as well as helping to predict where opportunities can be unlocked in the future.

If you can, visit your target markets. Make connections, speak to potential customers and understand the way the market works. Speak to those who have been successful there; seasoned exporters are often willing to share their experience both good and bad. Be patient as well. Many markets require personal relationships to be built up over many visits so a long term view is often required.

Get your finances in order. There’s no benefit in securing global orders without the ability to complete the transaction. Working capital management is key, whether this be via traditional overdraft funding, international invoice finance or

even through more structured products such as Letters of Credit, Advance Payment Guarantees to secure upfront payments or even Manufacturer’s Advance loans. A bank with a track record in funding international supply chains should be able to guide you and assist with potential solutions.

Most importantly though, it’s essential to make sure you’re going to get paid. Open account is a valid option within the UK and Republic of Ireland, where there is common language and strong legal protections, but particularly through the early stages of a trading relationship and often throughout, both the exporter and importer will seek a level of comfort from each other that a) the exporter will get paid and b) the importer will receive the goods which they are paying for. The Payment Risk Ladder detailed below illustrates the various payment methods which can be considered and the levels of protection provided to both

Eye on Export “ Exporting is a big step for a business of any size, but my message is to be brave and seize your opportunities. There is tremendous potential for growth beyond our borders and numerous examples of where NI and UK companies have found success in international markets.”

an importer and an exporter.

There’s no doubt that NI is full of outstanding entrepreneurs and ‘Northern Ireland plc’ has a long and glorious history in punching above its weight.

Many export trails have been well blazed already, given our strong pedigree in the aerospace, aggregates processing machinery, agri-food and IT sectors - to name a few - so the door is already half open in many markets.

However, supply chains are being reconfigured, and advances in transport technology and infrastructure have the capacity to open new trade corridors. In the coming years, three billion

people will join the consumer class across the world and most will be in the emerging markets.

They will in turn drive demand for infrastructure and housing, services and education, retail goods and consumer brands.

With Northern Irish companies having an excellent reputation across many of these sectors, this represents an enormous opportunity that easily transcends typical organic, domestic growth.

The challenge though is to build confidence among smaller companies to find and grasp these opportunities. Together with the Government we can provide SMEs with the support,

confidence and funding they require to be able to `think big’.

At HSBC, our priority in these changing times is to help our clients to understand the opportunities - and the challenges - of this increasingly complex world. We can offer our experience, gained over 150 years of helping businesses trade and providing access to our global network to exporters of all sizes. We have expert trade teams in more than 50 countries around the world giving us access to over 90 per cent of all world trade and capital flows. Above all, though, we can help connect Northern Irish businesses with the suppliers and customers that can help them succeed internationally.

As with any business venture, exporting is not without risk, but thorough preparation, a strong network and the right support can help our SMEs venture into international markets with confidence.

HSBC NI’’s Corporate Relationship Director, Marty Colvin

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Eye on Export

A World of Opportunity Awaits Local Businesses in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough With the continuous advancement and evolution of modern technology and transport options, our world is getting smaller – and with these strong global connections the export reach for local businesses has never been greater or easier.

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reating and sustaining export opportunities for local businesses and entrepreneurs is fundamental in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council’s (ABC Council) quest to grow the local economy.

With the potential to support development of innovative products and practices, and the access to new and diverse customers, entry into different export markets is without a doubt the catalyst for boosting business growth.

With over 8,100 registered businesses and a total workforce of 72,300, ABC Borough already proudly boasts a strong economic and entrepreneurial reputation, with a GVA

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(Gross Value Added) of £3.2 billion, the second highest output in Northern Ireland. However, not content with resting on its laurels, ABC Council is keen to strengthen this exceptional reputation – with a predicted growth in global Gross Domestic Product (GDP) it is continuing to exploit the limitless opportunities and benefits available in a strong global economy.

“It is council’s number one priority to grow our local economy and a key component of this is to drive export sales to global markets. We are committed to taking a direct and proactive approach to supporting business growth,” commented Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon, Alderman Gareth Wilson.

Many micro, small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are daunted by the prospect of exploring global export opportunities, which is why ABC Council is committed to facilitating trade missions as well as providing innovative initiatives, tailored mentoring and engaging workshops. In this way, it will support local businesses in helping them to gain and sustain footholds in foreign markets in order to boost their long term business growth.

All Go for Global Exporting Opportunities Viewed as the largest economy in the world

by International Monetary Fund (IMF) and a key destination for international trade - the United States (US) represents a hub for export opportunities and potential growth for all businesses. With this in mind ABC Council, supported by key partners Invest Northern Ireland (NI) in Chicago and the NI Bureau in Washington, embarked on an ambitious export trade mission to North America in early 2018.

With a delegation of 15 SMEs, keen to explore new exporting opportunities in the US, the ‘Go West’ trade mission involved new client meetings and appointments as well as numerous networking events, which focussed on growing trade and investment for local businesses.

Benefiting greatly from the trade mission, Dave Linton Director of social enterprise, Madlug Community Interest Company (CIC) commented,

Eye on Export

At the recent ‘Go West’ programme, which saw a council led delegation embark on an ambitious export trade mission to Chicago.

Pictured: Lord Mayor Alderman Gareth Wilson and Chair of Economic Development and Regeneration Committee, Councillor Joe Nelson along with council officials, 15 local businesses and representatives from Invest NI in Chicago and the NI Bureau in Washington.

“Providing expert guidance and advice along with one-of-a-kind networking opportunities – the Go West Programme was an excellent opportunity for us to prepare for future investment in the US market and to ultimately enable our continued global reach and growth.”

With exciting plans afoot for two new export programmes to Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland later this year, ABC Council is committed to driving export sales into valuable markets in order to generate and sustain local economic growth.

Exploiting Emerging Markets Regaining its title as the world’s fastestgrowing economy in 2018, India is experiencing exceptional and unparalleled growth. This emerging market is highly attractive with huge export potential, which is why ABC Council has recently pinpointed it for a trade mission to drive business growth and opportunity for local businesses.

Led by ABC Council, the ‘Export to India’ programme saw 11 ambitious local SMEs spanning a range of sectors build new trade links, export and source opportunities within this new thriving market - what is more, the delegation also explored opportunities to encourage inward investment from India back into the borough to enhance job creation and economic prosperity for everyone.

Commenting on the ‘Export to India’ trade mission, Brian Brannigan, Head of Sales at Linwoods remarked, “Prior to the programme, we were already exporting to over 30 countries worldwide - and were very aware that India was potentially a massive market for us. We were looking to use the programme to test the scale and nature of the market opportunity for Linwoods and to meet with potential distributors.

We met with 12 potential distributors in total over the five days, which highlighted the opportunity for us in India.

“Our experience on this council initiative was massively positive because we were well prepared before we went to India.

The quality of the meetings in India were excellent and the planning of the whole trip was very well organised. Having a civic delegation accompanying us added real weight – we got to meet very senior government and business figures as a result which opened many more doors. We are now very confident that we will win new business in India and expect to create more jobs in the borough as a direct result.”

China’s booming economy has also been identified as a new target market for both inward and outward investment for the borough. Experiencing strong growth over the past four decades, this emerging market has the potential to drive business growth for the benefit of the local economy.

This intended trade mission highlights ABC Council’s continual commitment to enable and facilitate local businesses to seek, create and secure valuable opportunities on a global scale, while also showcasing the borough as the preferred location for inward investment to ultimately strengthen and boost the local and regional economy.

Explore Export Opportunities With expert advice, tailored and exciting programmes ABC Council is here to help you explore and do business in existing and emerging export markets.

To find out more please contact the Economic Development department on: 0300 0300 900. email: info@armaghbanbridgecraigavon.gov.uk armaghbanbridgecraigavon.gov.uk

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Eye on Export

INVENT 2018 FINALISTS ANNOUNCED Twelve entrepreneurs from Northern Ireland have secured their place in the final of Invent 2018, the prestigious annual competition from Connect at Catalyst Inc, supported by Bank Of Ireland UK.

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he aim of Invent is to discover the product with the greatest commercial potential and to showcase Northern Ireland’s rapidly developing Knowledge Economy. For 9 months, the Invent competition challenges and develops Northern Ireland’s innovators, entrepreneurs, scientists and start-ups to develop their proof-of-concept ideas and prototypes.

Over 130 people came forward with their innovations this year and last night, over 300 people descended on the Waterfront Hall in Belfast to witness this year’s 24 Semi-Finalists pitch against each other for a highly

coveted place in the final stage of the competition. The 12 finalists are now one step closer to winning a share of the £33,000 prize fund and a place on the NI Tech Mission to California with Catalyst Inc, in association with Invest NI. Invent Programme Manager, Kerry McGarvey reflected on the evening of innovation: “The quality of entries just gets better every year. Each team had just three minutes to convince the judges that their solution for the problem they identified has great commercial potential – our twelve finalists did an outstanding job and

Invent 2018 Finalists pictured with Dr. Michael Shaw, RPS and Gavin Kennedy, Bank Of Ireland UK

they are brilliant examples of NI’s booming knowledge economy.”

The Semi Final was sponsored by RPS Group and Managing Director, Dr. Michael Shaw commented: “We are delighted to sponsor the Invent Semi Final. Invent showcases and highlights the wonderful talent and amazing innovations we have in Northern Ireland.”

The highly experienced judging panel on the night included James Foster, Transaction and Investment Lead at Accelerated Digital Venture, Devina Paul Partner with Galvanise, Mike Shaw Managing Director at RPS Group, Alison Crawford, Investment associate with Atlantic Bridge, Connor O’Connor, Managing Partner at Enterprise Equity and Gavin Kennedy, Head of Business Banking NI at Bank of Ireland UK who said:

“The 24 inspirational teams passionately pitching their brilliant business ideas, vision and potential made the judges final selection a tough task. Year on year the depth and quality impresses and 2018 is no exception. The diverse innovations across a range of different categories, sectors and perspectives shows the future of innovation, commercial and entrepreneurial talent looks bright for Northern Ireland. On a personal note I was thrilled to get such a close insight into these young businesses of future.”

The climax of the competition will happen at the Awards Night on Thursday 11th October 2018 at Belfast Waterfront. Over 700 investors, entrepreneurs, executives, students and researchers will gather to hear the announcement of the winners. Tickets are on sale now at www.invent2018.co

Ambitious Cross-Border Rail Development Plan Launched Translink and Iarnród Éireann have launched an ambitious new strategic development plan for the Cross-border Enterprise Rail Service between Belfast and Dublin.

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alled ‘Better Connecting Dublin and Belfast’, the strategy sets out a road map of how both companies jointly plan to further enhance the service on this important north/south rail corridor.

It sets out a three staged approach – starting with the introduction of new fleet to allow for an hourly frequency between

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the two cities and with additional investment in infrastructure and line improvements to reduce the average journey time to less than two hours. From there, the longer-term aspiration would be to introduce electrification on the line and new rolling stock which would achieve further frequency improvements and a journey time of potentially 90mins or less.

Jim Meade CEO, Iarnrod Eireann (Irish Rail), Frank Allen, Chairman, Iarnród Éireann, Frank Hewitt, Chairman, Translink, and Chris Conway, CEO, Translink are pictured launching the plan at a business and stakeholder event held as part of Bus + Train Week 2018.

As trade evolves, it’s not where you are now, it’s where you go next.

Expanding into new markets is easier when your bank is there ready and waiting. We operate across 54 countries and territories, so wherever you’re heading, you could have the support of our specialist teams.

Find out more.

Visit our Export Resource Centre: www.business.hsbc.uk/export

Together we thrive ©2018 HSBC Group. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. AC 41881

Eye on News

HUGHES INSURANCE SIGNS UP TO SUPPORT MENTAL HEALTH Hughes Insurance is the latest employer to sign up to Northern Ireland’s Mental Health Charter, highlighting its commitment to helping employees get through difficulties at work caused by mental illness.

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hief Executive of Hughes Insurance, David Egan signed the Charter during Mental Health Awareness Week, further cementing the company’s commitment to this important issue following their partnership with mental health charity Inspire, earlier this year.

David said: “I’m very proud to be signing this Charter on behalf of Hughes Insurance. We take our duty of care for our employees very seriously and have already committed to running a number of programmes for staff via our partnership with Inspire, all of which aim to help staff maintain good mental health. Hughes is committed to continuing to support staff on the important subject of mental health.”

Peter McBride CEO at Inspire commended Hughes Insurance noting “It is great to see Hughes Insurance signing the mental health charter today. They are great supporters of Change Your Mind – our mental health anti stigma campaign, as well as being partners with Inspire as the charity. This signing evidences their commitment to promoting positive mental health in their workplace and valuing the wellbeing of each staff member.”

The Charter which is a joint project between the Equality Commission, Action Mental Health, Change Your Mind, Disability Action, the Mental Health Foundation, MindWise and Inspire, sets out five commitments that employers

David Egan, Chief Executive of Hughes Insurance (right), was joined by Dr Michael Wardlow, Chief Commissioner of the Equality Commission (left) as he signed the Charter during Mental Health Awareness Week (14-20 May).

and service providers will work to deliver.

The commitments for staff with mental illness include: an open and inclusive workplace culture; promotion of equality of opportunity and challenge discrimination in the workplace; equality of opportunity in recruitment and selection; identification and provision of sources of information and support; and adoption of Every Customer Counts recommendations.

Dr Michael Wardlow, Chief Commissioner

of the Equality Commission, said: “It’s good to see a large employer like Hughes leading the way. Mental ill health is a largely hidden disability and observing the provisions of the Charter helps people recognise it, talk about it and give and receive help. This is a voluntary, long term and practical commitment that helps employers comply with – and go beyond - the law. It can have huge importance for employees to help them when they experience difficult times.”

Grand Central Hotel Set To Open On Global Stage Catriona Lavery and Howard Hastings of Hastings Hotels with Tourism NI Chief Executive John McGrillen

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he forum, which was secured in a combined effort by Hastings Hotels, Tourism NI, and Moloney & Kelly, is an influential global Meetings and Incentive Travel trade event being held in Europe for the first time having previously been hosted in Boston, New Orleans, Miami and Mexico.

Caitriona Lavery, Group Sales Manager of Hastings Hotels said: “We are delighted to announce that the Grand Central Hotel will be opened to host our first guests who are some of the world’s major meetings and incentive travel buyers.

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“We have been working intensely to secure this international event since 2014 and have invested heavily to win it for Belfast & Northern Ireland. It will be attended by over 100 of the world’s leading destination management companies and 100 of the world’s leading meeting and incentives buyers and planners who book approximately $2bn (£1.5bn) in business revenue annually all over the globe. The potential economic generator to Northern Ireland is massive, in fact it has already led to a number of confirmed incentive programmes which will have further economic benefits by generating

Hastings Hotels has announced that the Grand Central Hotel will open week commencing 18th June and the first guests to check-in will be a group of international delegates attending the prestigious Hosts Global Forum. millions of pounds to the local economy.

“The Hosts Global Forum is a fantastic one-off opportunity to showcase Belfast and Northern Ireland on a worldwide level and we are looking forward to welcoming the delegates to the new Grand Central Hotel which, given its capacity of 300 bedrooms and central location, is the ideal base for business travellers wanting to experience and explore our city,” Caitriona added.

John McGrillen, Tourism NI Chief Executive commented: “The new Grand Central Hotel will be the perfect venue to showcase Belfast and Northern

Ireland to the prestigious Hosts Global Forum. The choice of Northern Ireland as the first host of this event within Europe demonstrates our growing global appeal to businesses and potential investors.

“With the Grand Central Hotel opening in time for the event, delegates will be able to experience first-hand the positive outlook for our hotel sector and understand why Northern Ireland is a destination with global appeal. The level of hotel growth in Northern Ireland provides a significant contribution to the local economy, with £500 million being invested in the accommodation sector by 2020,” John added.

Eye on Charity

Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice Grand Night Out at the Culloden Estate and Spa The event was held to raise funds to open a sixth bed at NI Children’s Hospice this year and included an auction hosted by Wilsons Auctions with items such as a signed Snow Patrol guitar and golf shoes signed by Rory McElroy. Photos by Aaron McCracken Photography.

L-R Wayne Nickels, Lynsey Nickles, John Cubitt, Emer Costain, John Costain and Craig Routledge from Cunningham Coates The team from Bufab Ireland

The team from Mauds Ice Cream

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Grace Stewart, Head of NI Children’s Hospice Services along with her husband Trevor.

Bill Surgin and his wife Lorraine from Total Mobile

Heather Weir CEO NI Hospice and host for the evening Pamela Ballantine.

Eye on Charity

L-R Ashley and Richard Snape along with Suzanne and Michael Bennett from Creative Living

L-R Jenny Leslie, Roberta Wilson and Lesley Burton from Mauds Ice Cream

Mauds Icecream staff; L-R Anita Saunderson, Lisa Mageean, Ashleigh McMurty, Pauline Keel and Stephanie McIlroy.

The team from Creative Living

L-R Natalie and Paul Clarke with Sarah and Greg Coates

The team from Thompson Aero Seating in Craigavon

L-R Billy Webb, Heather Weir CEO NI Hospice, David Cox and Margaret Butler Chair NI Hospice

L-R Rebbecca Wilson, Matthew Forsythe and Emma Dines from Mauds Ice Cream

ACA Models; Nicole Beggs, Lucy Spratt, Miss NI Katharine Walker, Alison Clarke, Klaudia Gorska and Fiona McGoran

Pat Webb, Dame Judith Hill, Billy Webb, Heather Weir CEO NI Hospice, Helen Pallin and Margaret Butler Chair NI Hospice.

L-R Ailleen Martin with her husband Scott Martin, Anne and John Knaggs along with Tracey and Trevor Carruthers

L-R Peter and Jana Draynes from Draynes Farm along with Damien and Lesley Mulholland

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Eye on Travel

British Airways...

Serving The World From Belfast City

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Eye on Travel British Airways’ service from Belfast City Airport to London Heathrow has been described many times as something of a lifeline amongst today’s much larger selection of air routes operating into and out of Belfast’s two airports.

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ut, more importantly than that, the British Airways (BA) Heathrow link connects Northern Ireland travellers with an unrivalled global network. Not only is it back to profitability as a route on its own, but it feeds into a BA international network which is also flying high.

“There’s no doubt that the market for full service international travel is back where it should be,” says Brenda Morgan MBE, BA’s Partnership Manager for Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. “Belfast to Heathrow is a profitable route and it’s an important route for the airline because a high proportion of passengers travel onwards on BA international services.”

Thanks to the introduction of a separate cabin on Domestic flights brought in by the airline just last year, Club Europe, those passengers can travel the whole way in business class, and this option is already proving very popular.

But all of this doesn’t mean that travelling with BA means higher fares. “It’s definitely not the case,” says Brenda Morgan.

“For those simply travelling to London, our fares are competitive with those offered by other airlines. And for those flying on overseas, we’ve introduced a range of basic fares which allows passengers to decide if they want a bag, pre-assigned seat and they will soon be able to add Wifi to that package - ideal for the leisure customers in particular.

“On BA long-haul, no matter what fares you’re travelling on, you won’t pay for food, you won’t pay for a blanket and pillow and you won’t pay for entertainment headphones.”

BA’s attention to the needs of connecting passengers underlines their importance to the airline. Passengers on flights out of Belfast City will have noticed

that mobile technology enables cabin crew to identify passengers and their final destinations.

“So our crew will know that you’re travelling onwards to Washington, for example, and they’ll be able to help with issues like tight connections, and where possible resolve any issues that the passenger is experiencing. The BA App has also seen a huge investment to keep our passengers informed while on the move, it can also assist with baggage queries, seat reservations and flight changes. It’s all part of the service these days.”

BA’s local manager advised that the airline has just launched a huge investment plan to transform the product that is offered to customers.

“We are in year one of a five year investment plan and we are investing $88million in transforming the lounge product alone,” she says. “Our US lounges have been upgraded and the biggest of them all, the lounge at Terminal 7 in JFK Airport, New York, has just been completed as has the new BA lounge in Boston.

“It’s a huge investment for the airline, and consistency is crucial. Whether the lounge is in New York or Aberdeen, it has to have the same look and feel.

When you consider that we have eight lounges at Terminal 5 in Heathrow, that puts the scale of the operation into perspective.

“There’s no doubt that the business class market is back.

Passengers want to upgrade now and we’ve taken a long, hard look at how we do all aspects of our Club World/Club Europe service... from check-in through to dedicated security, to boarding and to all aspects of the on-board service.”

Another major investment of £400million over the five year period will see BA introducing

“ We’re winning back passengers who have been using international services out of Dublin Airport, and that’s important for us.

Our message to the travelling public is that they can fly straight out of Belfast City and access an international network that really couldn’t be any more comprehensive.”

Brenda Morgan MBE, BA’s Partnership Manager for Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland

its new Club World seat/bed next year, complete with direct aisle access for each passenger combined with the fine dining experience and WIFI. Back on Belfast-Heathrow, Brenda Morgan says that load factors on the route are running at really high levels.

“Any uncertainty around Brexit or anything else certainly isn’t being reflected in passenger numbers,” she adds.

British Airways recently introduced faster bio-metric boarding gates at London Heathrow, reducing the important amount of time that it takes to turn each aircraft around once it is on stand.

“We’re winning back passengers who have been using international services out of Dublin Airport, and that’s important for us. Our message to the travelling public is that they can fly straight out of Belfast City and access an international network that really couldn’t be any more comprehensive.”

Despite the existence of a number of direct transatlantic flights out of Dublin, BA sees

increasing numbers of Northern Ireland passengers flying to the USA via Heathrow every day of the week. The airline’s Las Vegas route is particularly popular with NI travellers.....although what that says about us isn’t clear!

“The future is all about growing our business here in Northern Ireland, and that means a whole lot more than travellers flying between here and London Heathrow. We are a full service airline and we’re proud of that. But we’re also an airline that can be as competitive on price as any other.”

British Airways offers four return flights daily into the bespoke Terminal 5 at London Heathrow, and that extends to eight daily when you add in codeshare partner Aer Lingus’ services into Terminal 2.

Full details are available on www.ba.com

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Eye on AgriFood

Neal Kelly & Henderson Group...

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Eye on AgriFood

Celebrating Local Links Henderson Group’s annual supplier awards, the Fresh Innovation Awards, are a unique event on the agri food calendar.

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ot only do the breakfasttime awards celebrate the very best of Northern Ireland fresh food produce, but they take place in the unique setting of the Balmoral Show, our very own large-scale showcase of all that’s good about food and farming in this part of the world.

This year’s event, hosted by the BBC Home Ground’s Jo Scott, honoured a range of local food producers, providing bakery products, meat, convenience meals, dairy products and other lines to the Henderson Group’s Spar, Eurospar and Vivo retail outlets.

Neal Kelly is Henderson Group’s Fresh Food Director, a member of the senior management team at the company and a man who has helped drive something of a fresh food revolution at the group’s retail outlets, all of which now offer a much higher proportion of fresh products than ever before.

“The awards started on a very modest basis in a tent behind the Spar shop that we set up every year at the Balmoral Show, but they’ve grown to become an important part of the year for us as a company.

“It’s vital that we are able to celebrate our partnerships with a really wide range of Northern Ireland food producers, as well as to celebrate the incredibly high quality of the food products being produced here every day,” says Neal Kelly.

Henderson Group took the decisive step a couple of years ago of introducing the Enjoy Local range of locally-produced food products. From potatoes to pancakes, mash to mushrooms and steak to scones, Spar’s Enjoy Local range now extends to more than 150 fresh and chilled products.

“We’ve long been passionate about food provenance and I think we’ve come a long way

“ We intend to continue to build on the local supplier network that we’ve established. Our door is always open to high quality local producers of food products that will appeal to the shoppers who come through our doors.”

Neal Kelly, Henderson Group’s Fresh Food Director

as a company and as a retailer,” he says. “Nowadays, food provenance is a tick box for us. Food quality is the key.”

On that front, the company runs a regular taste panel to sample locally-produced foods and monitors the views of its consumers right across Northern Ireland. The use of local suppliers, in the Henderson Group book, extends right through to working with suppliers who only supply goods to one or two stores in certain areas. So, local becomes hyper local as Neal Kelly puts it.

Suppliers feeding into the Henderson Group retail network range from larger players like Mash Direct and Irwin’s Bakery through to small food businesses producing bespoke and specialist products across the board.

“We really have looked at – and tasted – the very best that Northern Ireland can offer. And it’s worth emphasising that these local producers are, in turn, using local produce from local farms,

as well as from other suppliers.

So the knock-on effects can’t be under estimated,” Kelly adds.

“We intend to continue to build on the local supplier network that we’ve established. Our door is always open to high quality local producers of food products that will appeal to the shoppers who come through our doors.”

And those shoppers, he reckons, have changed in the way that they shop. “Less and less consumers are relying on the old weekly shop at the very big supermarkets,” he reckons. “Instead, we see shoppers coming in on a regular basis to pick up meal essentials from our stores. And, having a strong range of good quality, local products, is key to make sure that those shoppers get what they need.

“We’ve made the changes to the food products that we stock in our stores, and we’ve put the emphasis very strongly on freshness. But we won’t be making any compromises on quality either.”

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Eye on Sponsorship

Ulster Orchestra Needs Your Support Malvern PS

Left to right: Malvern PS, David Armstrong (PwC), Jackie Redpath (Greater Shankill Partnership), and Jonathan Simmance (Player Animateur, Ulster Orchestra)

Under the leadership of Managing Director Richard Wigley, the Ulster Ochestra has taken a proactive approach when it comes to working with the business community, and with local communities in general.

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nd two were neatly combined at a recent event held at the Spectrum Centre on Belfast’s Shankill Road.

“We’re delighted to support the Ulster Orchestra,” says

“ We are extremely proud to connect our brand with the Ulster Orchestra, an organisation which embodies a number of similar values to ourselves.

This membership reflects Ulster Carpet’s well-established tradition of striving to help the local community.”

Nick Coburn, Group Managing Director & Deputy Chairman of Ulster Carpets

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PricewaterhouseCoopers partner David Armstrong. “We spent a lot of time selling Northern Ireland as a place to do business, and having a professional, full-time orchestra is something that we see as being really important. We tend to talk a lot about culture around here....but this is real culture.

“We’ve got close to 2,000 people here in Northern Ireland and a lot of them love music. So our links with the orchestra are good for our own staff as well as entertaining our corporate guests.

We see it as a win:win scenario.”

Gareth Elliott, Managing Director of Newbridge Financial Services, is a relatively new recruit to the ranks of Ulster Orchestra corporate supporters. “We looked at a wide range of sponsorship opportunities for our business, and this one jumped out at us.

Katherine Russell (Ulster Orchestra), Brona Whittaker (Arts & Business) and Treena Clarke (Harbinson Mulholland)

Our link with the orchestra means that we receive tickets which we can use for customers and staff, but it also means that we can get involved in the community work that the orchestra does all over Northern Ireland.”

Veteran Shankill Road community champion Jackie Redpath was on hand to see the Ulster Orchestra work at first hand.

“It’s really important that we involved as many children from disadvantaged backgrounds as we can in this kind of experience. It

helps them in all sorts of ways... concentration, team work, literacy not too mention musical knowledge itself.”

Photography by Jim Corr

For information on Ulster Orchestra corporate sponsorship opportunities contact Denny Elliott – denny@ulsterorchestra.com

CORPORATE MEMBERSHIP PACKAGES THE PERFECT PLATFORM FOR YOUR BUSINESS

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Contact Denny Elliott on denny@ulsterorchestra.com or 07799 346997 www.ulsterorchestra.org.uk/corporate-membership-scheme

PRINCIPAL FUNDING PARTNERS

Eye on Tourism

Visit Belfast Ups Plans To Drive City Tourism’s Economic Return To £546M By 2022 Belfast’s official tourism marketing organisation has set a new round of ambitious targets to harness the value of the city’s flourishing tourism sector.

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nveiled as part of its Business and Marketing Plans launch for the year ahead, and up to 2022 at Titanic Hotel, Belfast, Visit Belfast has pledged an economic return of £130m from its activities in 2018-19 and £546m over four years to 2022.

Last year, Visit Belfast booked in a combined 475,000 leisure and conference bed nights, won 95 new conference events and secured a record-beating 117 cruise ship as part of its Cruise Belfast marketing partnership with Belfast Harbour.

The event welcomed key tourism, hospitality, retail, leisure and city stakeholders to hear more about the organisation’s significant contribution to the city’s tourism economy.

Gerry Lennon, Visit Belfast with Angela Jackson, Department for the Economy, Michele Shirlow of Food NI and Dr Howard Hastings OBE, Chair of Visit Belfast

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Aubrey Irwin, Tourism Ireland with Eimear Lewis of Titanic Belfast and Anne McMullan, Visit Belfast

Eye on Tourism

Anne McMullan and Mary-Jo McCanny of Visit Belfast with Paula Stephens of The Merchant Hotel

Donal Durkan of Invest NI with Gerry Lennon, Lord Mayor Cllr Nuala McAllister and Peter Harbinson of Invest NI

The Visit Belfast Business Development Team with Caitriona Lavery of Hastings Hotels and Jennifer Crawley-Patterson of Belfast Waterfront and Ulster Hall

Jennifer Hempton, Anne McMullan and Gerry Lennon, all of Visit Belfast with Andrew Kennedy, Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council

Paul and Emma McCausland, Value Cabs with Anne McMullan, Visit Belfast

Yvonne McIlree Titanic Hotel, Suzanne Bowman Jury’s Inn, Ann McVeigh ArtisAnn Gallery

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Eye on Investments

Combine An Investment With Some Fun

Pamela Doherty, Classic Car Insurance Manager, Autoline Insurance

Ethical investments are now completely mainstream – investing in the arms trade, tobacco or petro-chemicals are not to everyone’s liking.

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more surprising recent addition, however, has appeared on the webpages of Porsche which ran an article describing some classic car buyers as “immoral”.

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Investors, so the piece went, were “causing an explosion in prices” and vehicles were being “sequestered in garages, rarely or never seeing the light of day”.

While I can understand why a

purist might be outraged at the prospect of a thing of beauty, such as a classic 911, being hidden under wraps, I’m not convinced that as an investment class it’s causing untold global damage.

The truth is, investing in a classic car can be a lot of fun, because unless you have the means to buy a £1million supercar, there’s nothing wrong at all with taking your classic investment out for a spin.

And the even better news is that experts say that classic cars are now deemed to be the bestappreciating investment you can make, second only to jewellery.

That won’t come as a shock to anyone who’s been keeping an eye on the prices of vintage 911s or original E-Types. But even much more recent vehicles are quickly rocketing in value; just look at the Sierra Cossie RS500 which hit the headlines last year after selling for a frankly astounding £113,000!

Of course, you don’t have to spend big to own an enticing classic. One car I’ve seen tipped as an up and coming classic is a Renault Twizy, an early electric vehicle which looks as bizarre as its name suggests, but currently comes with a price tag well under £10,000.

The idea is that in a world where the markets are looking more unsettled than ever, and interest rates continue to stubbornly cling to historically low levels, investors are seeking safety in tangible assets. So, if you’ve got any Turners or original White Album pressings knocking about, you’d be doing well to hang onto them – and the same goes for classic cars.

That’s all well and good for anyone looking to turn a profit, but where does it leave those of us who would rather enjoy their vehicles than keep them stowed away simply to serve as a well-polished meal ticket?

Well, while some cars are

destined for classic status the minute they roll out of the factory – homologation specials, those of particular historical interest and low-production rarities as an example – others have to earn it simply by virtue of being the last survivors of their kind.

If it were us spending our own money? We’d forget about valuations altogether and get something reasonably clean, something mostly original and something that you’ll appreciate owning.

That way, you can enjoy it for what it is rather than being terrified by the sheer solicitude that comes as part and parcel of being the owner of something exceptionally rare or valuable.

In a few years’ time, who knows?

You might find that you’ve earned a decent little reward off the back of it, but even if not you’ll have had fun with it and enjoyed the experience of owning and caring for something which matters to you. At the end of the day, isn’t that what owning a classic car should be all about?

For more information on Autoline’s classic car insurance or to speak to our specialist team directly, ring us on 028 7051 1010 or visit www.autoline.co.uk

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Eye on Law

President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom officially opens The Resolution Centre

The Bar of Northern Ireland was delighted to have been honoured with the presence of the Right Honourable the Baroness Hale of Richmond DBE, President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom to officially open The Resolution Centre as part of the Supreme Court’s historic visit to Belfast on 30th April 2018.

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he Supreme Court is the final court of appeal for the United Kingdom hearing cases of profound importance to everyone in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and members

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of the Bar of Northern Ireland regularly and proudly appear in its normal London home, deploying their legal knowledge and advocacy skills on behalf of their clients.

The Resolution Centre has been

established by the Bar of Northern Ireland to cater for a different and emerging need where the conditions lend themselves towards pursuing resolution by means of out-ofcourt mediation and arbitration.

The Resolution Centre is therefore a venue within the local Belfast market for skilled mediators and arbitrators to use their specific set of core skills to assist parties in arriving at alternative resolution options.

Its facilities include private, acoustically sealed rooms; state of the art Wi-Fi, telephone and video conferencing; flexible opening hours; catering and dedicated staff and services to assist clients to resolve matters by means of alternative dispute resolution.

In addition to handling commercial disputes, The Resolution Centre is therefore available for handling private cases including divorce and family law and in certain

situations may be the most appropriate option as it may offer a more timely and cost-effective solution with the added advantages of preserving the privacy and relationships of those involved.

Speaking at the official opening, Lady Hale said : “ I congratulate the Bar of Northern Ireland for creating The Resolution Centre to cater for those circumstances where an opportunity exists for disputes to be properly settled by means of alternative dispute resolution.

The venue has been specifically designed to support the resolution process and to create the potential for skilled mediators and arbitrators to find solutions for the parties involved. I wish The Resolution Centre every success for the future.”

Liam McCollum QC, Chairman of the Bar of Northern Ireland said: “The creation of The Resolution Centre is good news for both local and prospective international clients as it provides another addition to the advantages that the jurisdiction can already offer to them. Clients already have direct access to a wide network of skilled local solicitors and the ability to engage the Bar’s existing expertise in providing trusted and independent advice and representation in court alongside the significantly lower cost of commercial litigation in Northern Ireland compared to other locations.

The Bar of Northern Ireland are very grateful to the justices of the Supreme Court for visiting the centre and are honoured that Lady Hale has officially opened the centre as part of the Supreme Court’s historic visit to Belfast.”

Further details on the facilities and services available at The Resolution Centre can be found at http://theresolutioncentre.co.uk

Eye Moving On 1 Ulster University has appointed Mark Latuske as Deputy Director of Talent and Performance. Mark is a Human Resources specialist and has both consultancy and in-house experience. He has worked across a number of private and public sector organisations including Danske Bank, the NHS, Barclays Wealth, Permanent TSB, Lloyds Banking Group and Sainsbury’s.

1 Mark Latuske

2 Simon Huntley

3 Lindsey McCracken

2 Simon Huntley has joined The Momentum Group, award-winning R&D Tax Credit specialists. Simon has been appointed as Corporate Business Manager, bringing extensive business development knowledge, with UK and international commercial experience across a range of sectors. He will be focused on driving forward the benefits to the business community of the R&D Tax Credit initiative.

3 Lindsey McCracken has been appointed as Head of HR at fscom. Lindsey is CIPD qualified and has extensive experience within the recruitment industry. She has worked on managing client relationships with a range of significant global corporates and acted as a talent Partner to support their talent management strategies.

4 Also at fscom, Stephen Watkins has been appointed Senior Manager of Information Security. He has extensive experience within the Information Security industry and has worked on conducting audit and risk management reviews, creating incident response plans, patch management, and implementing information security policies with accompanying processes.

4 Stephen Watkins

7 Karen Johnston

10 Mark English

5 Martin Ellis

8 David Taylor

6 Sarah McGonigle

9 Grainne Hughes

5 Martin Ellis has been promoted to Associate at White Ink Architects, Belfast. Martin is a Senior Architect and has been with the practice since 2014. He has a wealth of experience in residential, education, health and commercial projects and is also White Ink’s BIM Manager and a member of the Northern Ireland BIM Steering Group.

6 Also at White Ink, Sarah McGonigle has been promoted to Associate. A Chartered Architect, Sarah completed her RIBA Part 1 placement year with White Ink in 2007 and returned to the practice in 2010. As a Senior Architect she specialises in complex residential schemes and also has particular expertise in executing Peer Reviews on prospective projects for clients.

7 Karen Johnston has been appointed Sales & Business Executive for Louth-based skin healthcare company Ovelle Pharmaceuticals.

Karen will be responsible for introducing the Elave and Ovelle ranges of adult, baby and apothecary creams to pharmacies across Northern Ireland.

In her previous post, as an Account Key Manager for an international mineral based make-up and skincare company, she was tasked with growing sales and boosting brand engagement. After leaving school, she started a career in the travel industry and spent a lengthy period in sales and management positions with some of Northern Ireland’s leading travel and tour operators.

Almac Group has made three senior 8 appointments. David Taylor is appointed as Head of Manufacturing Operations. He has worked in the pharmaceutical and fine chemical industries for over 20 years. He held senior positions across the UK in leading pharmaceutical 9 development companies. Grainne Hughes becomes Vice President of Business Support Operations. Grainne joined Almac in 1999, working in production compliance and also held roles in purchasing and logistics. Most recently she was Head of Operations. And 10 Mark English is appointed as Vice President of Packaging and Logistics Operations. Mark worked in operational and planning roles before joining Almac in 2010 as Head of Logistics.

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Eye on News

The Mission Control Communications Picks Up 4 Awards On 2 Continents In 1 Day Taking on some of the world’s leading advertising, branding and marketing agencies, The Mission Control Communications has won 2 Gold, 1 Silver and 1 Bronze for its work with corporate clients at two of the advertising world’s most hotly contested events in New York and London.

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wards won by The Mission Control Communications for clients in the United States and Europe at the 2018 Communicator Awards and Creativepool Annual Launch Awards span three key aspects of corporate communications, including Branding, Corporate Identity and Advertising for the following: Liberty Mutual Surety – Surety You • Gold, Corporate Identity Campaign-Identity Programme for Corporate Communications CA • Gold, Campaign-Branding for Integrated Campaign CA Science Heroes and Heroines • Silver, Campaign for Marketing CA • Bronze, Direct Mail CP “Whilst awards are not a driving force for our agency,

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they do demonstrate a benchmark that places us alongside some of the best known and most highly respected advertising, branding and design groups in the world,” said James Killoran, Strategy Director at The Mission Control Communications.

“More importantly – they are a testament to the relationships we have built and continue to build with our clients, that collectively, allow us to compete and win with such consistency on an international stage.”

Now with 17 worldwide awards and as many nominations under its belt in just three years, The Mission Control Communications is proving that size and location are no barrier to creating outstanding work in some of the most challenging sectors of the advertising, branding and design industry for clients that expect results.

Mission Accomplished!

James Killoran, Strategy Director at The Mission Control Communications.

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Eye on Law

YOUR RETIREMENT ROADMAP IN FOUR STEPS

When thinking of retirement, people often dream of relaxing days at home, family time and extended holidays abroad. But what we are less likely to think about is how we will finance our retirement and protect what we have worked so hard for - our homes and assets.

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y putting measures in place, you can ensure your retirement is what it is intended to be, a time of relaxation and enjoyment.

STEP ONE – Ensure sufficient income to fund your retirement Start by identifying your retirement objectives and the likely cost to fund your desired lifestyle and care plan.

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An assessment of your future income weighted against your anticipated annual outgoings will provide a useful guide of the likely cost of your retirement.

STEP TWO – Protect your assets What most of us fear is losing the property that we worked so hard to acquire. Under CRAG (Charging for residential guide) if you have assets over the value

of £23,250 you will be entirely responsible for the cost of your care. Even if your assets are worth between £14,250 and £23,250 you will pay a significant contribution towards your care.

Unfortunately, the thresholds are unlikely to improve in the short term. On 29th March 2018 the Department of Health confirmed their decision not to increase these unreasonably low limits, relying on the significant financial challenges facing the Health Service as justification.

This means that most people will be faced with the prospect of funding their care using their savings and, once depleted, the sale of their family home.

However, there are measures you can take to avoid this. The creation of a trust to hold property will place the capital value in the hands of nominated trustees. This should be preferred over a gift of your home as you can retain the right to live in the house.

Timing is paramount when deciding if this is an appropriate strategy. If the planning is done when it is “reasonably foreseeable” that you will require long term care, the Health and Social Care Trust could challenge any transfer of assets.

To avoid this, planning should be done early as part of your overall retirement planning.

STEP THREE – Be aware of inheritance tax Some people accept the requirement to fund their care and will ensure they have the money and assets to do so. However, this could be to the detriment of your family. If significant assets remain in your estate at the time of death, it could lead to a large inheritance tax bill.

Options to consider include; insurance to cover any potential inheritance tax liability, gifting

and transferring assets in a strategic way and utilising any allowances and exemptions to reduce any potential tax liability. The sooner tax planning commences the more successful it is likely to be.

The 7-year rule is widely referred to in the media. This relates to the time a gift remains chargeable to your estate for inheritance tax. By starting the clock when you are in good health with good prospects of surviving 7 years you have a greater opportunity to pass more assets to your family without any inheritance tax being paid on the gift.

STEP FOUR – Creation of a Will The fourth step is to ensure your legal affairs are in order.

The creation of a tailored will and letter of wishes can provide further asset protection for you and your family.

A discretionary trust will allow nominated trustees to consider the family circumstances at the time of death to determine when to distribute any assets.

This offers an additional safeguard to avoid any assets and wealth being used against your wishes. An enduring power of attorney should also be considered. This allows someone who you trust to manage your financial affairs in the event of incapacity.

If you would like advice on future proofing for your retirement, Mills Selig offer market leading advice and services, whilst being sensitive to, and showing understanding of, your personal situation.

Eye on Tax

The Impact For Businesses

by Mark McNeill, ASM Chartered Accountants In the March 2015 Budget the government announced major plans to modernise the tax administration system by introducing digital services for tax.

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aking Tax Digital (“MTD”) is a key part of the government’s plans to make it “easier” for individuals and businesses to get their tax right and keep on top of their affairs.

Whether MTD will make dealing with one’s tax affairs easier is a matter of some debate. The requirement to submit quarterly updates to HMRC and to provide an annual “End of Year” return, on the face of it, doesn’t seem like making the system easier. Indeed when you consider the timescale for submitting the quarterly updates, taxpayers have one month to compile the information and declare that the period’s data is complete to the best of their knowledge, and the timescale of submitting the End of Year return, 31 January following the end of the tax year, then it is hard to believe that preparing and submitting 5 returns rather than the current 1 annual return is making matters easier.

A delay in commencement – for some When MTD was originally introduced it was intended to be implemented from April 2018. However the small matter of Brexit has got in the way and the government have accepted that their systems will not be ready for implementation by April 2018. As a result MTD for individuals has been delayed until April 2020 at the earliest.

It’s not all good news though, as from April 2019 legislation will require businesses above the VAT threshold to set up a digital tax account and file quarterly returns online. This means that VAT registered businesses (including selfemployed and landlords) with turnover above the VAT registration threshold (currently £85,000) will have to: • Keep their records digitally (for VAT purposes only); and • Provide their VAT return information to HMRC through Making Tax Digital compatible software.

According to HM Revenue & Customs “Keeping records digitally will result in more timely and accurate recordkeeping, helping to prevent errors

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associated with manual processes.

Quarterly updates direct from records will help prevent errors that can happen when businesses undertake manual calculations or transcribe information from one format into another.”

All very good. But what does that actually mean in practice and what is actually required to be done?

For VAT return periods beginning on or after 1 April 2019, businesses will have to keep digital records and submit VAT returns digitally.

Businesses will need to utilise commercial software which must be able to:

• Keep records in a digital form; • Preserve digital records in a digital form; • Create a VAT return from the digital records; • Provide HMRC with VAT data on a voluntary basis; and • Receive information from HMRC via the API (“application programme interfaces”) platform.

The use of spreadsheets will be permitted but they will need to be combined with third party commercial software, using API’s, to ensure a seamless flow of data to and from HMRC. HMRC has confirmed that the requirement to keep digital records does not mean that businesses will have to make and store invoices and receipts digitally. Businesses can continue to keep documents in paper form if they prefer, although details of the transactions themselves and certain specific information will need to be stored digitally.

Potentially all very complicated, and certainly more time consuming for some.

What about the cost?

HMRC acknowledge that there are likely to be one-off transitional costs in relation to MTD, such as: • Time spent setting up new software or reviewing existing software processes; • A small minority of businesses may need to purchase new hardware

or upgrade existing software; • Additional accountancy or agent costs to facilitate the move to Making Tax Digital; and • Training of staff and familiarisation with Making Tax Digital and how it impacts on their business.

HMRC also accept that there may be on-going costs, which are expected to include: • Cost of moving to Making Tax Digital compatible software, from either paper or spreadsheet systems; • Using bridging software to accommodate Making Tax Digital compatibility for spreadsheets; and • seeing marginal increases in existing software costs through Making Tax Digital compatibility improvements being passed on to businesses.

These costs will be very unwelcome for most businesses given the commercial pressures a lot of businesses are under.

It would appear that MTD is here to stay. The finer details may need ironed out and timescales may slip. It would also be helpful for greater clarity from HMRC. But the rationale behind MTD is a good one. The ability to have a digital account with HMRC which deals with

all the tax affairs of a business such as income tax, PAYE, NIC, and VAT is a welcome idea. We are all used to dealing with online banking and making online payments, so the move to online tax is a natural step. It is important though that taxpayers are fully prepared for what is coming and are ready to make the change to digital record keeping.

MTD for VAT is the first step in this process. As with any change, being forewarned is helpful and gives businesses time to react and plan. With less than a year to its implementation, now is the time to start planning for MTD for VAT. ASM Chartered Accountants has six offices, Magherafelt, Dungannon, Belfast, Dublin, Dundalk and Newry. The 160 strong team specialises in a range of accountancy disciplines including, taxation, audit & accounting, corporate finance, Insolvency services, forensic accounting, consultancy services, internal audit, hotel, tourism and leisure.

Mark McNeill can be contacted at mark.mcneill@asmmagherafelt.com or 028 7930 1777 to discuss your taxation, accounting and business finance requirements.

Calor BioLPG is here, making businesses more sustainable.

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Celebrating life, every day, everywhere

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Eye on Events

Serving Up Renovation

AWARDS DOUBLE FOR BT NORTHERN IRELAND

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ward-winning County Down gastro-pub favourite, The Poacher’s Pocket, has undergone a £200,000 renovation.

Opening up new offerings for visitors, the cosy new front bar extension in Lisbane near Comber offers regular

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patrons and culture enthusiasts a traditional country-chic pub experience, complete with live music and pub quizzes. Pictured at The Poacher’s Pocket are Ronan and Jennie Sweeney, Balloo Inns Group Managing Directors and owners of The Poacher’s Pocket

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T in Northern Ireland has won the Employability Champion Award and Gold CORE, or Corporate Responsibility accreditation, at the Business in the Community’s Responsible Business Awards.

Garret Kavanagh, Acting MD of NI Networks, said “I’m so proud of the BT team in NI. To lift our Core accreditation to Gold is a huge achievement - the highest level of accreditation for corporate responsibility in Northern Ireland.

“Winning the Employability Champion Award for our Work Ready programme also recognises the success of our Tech Literacy strategy and the hard work of our BT volunteers, who are helping local young people get the skills and experience they need to find employment and progress in their chosen careers.”

Pictured L-R: Barbara Roulston, BT Head of Corporate Affairs in NI, Garret Kavanagh, Acting Managing Director of NI Networks for BT in NI, and Lisa McIlvenna, Deputy Managing Director of BITC NI

Celebrating life, every day, everywhere

DRINK RESPONSIBLY The BAILEYS, GORDON’S, CAPTAIN MORGAN, SMIRNOFF, GUINNESS, SMITHWICKS, CARLSBERG and HARP words and associated logos are trade marks © Diageo 2015.

Eye on Events

DANSKE BANK UPS THE MORTGAGE STAKES

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anske Bank has launched a new ‘Helping Hand’ offer for customers who remortgage from another lender.

The new offer will see customers benefit from free standard legals, a free valuation and £250 cashback, as well as reduced rates on the

Bank’s Standard Fixed Rates.

Pictured launching Danske Bank’s new Helping Hand offer for mortgage switchers are Helen McErlean, Mortgage Consultant, Danske Bank and Richard Caldwell, Managing Director of Personal Banking and Small Business, Danske Bank.

RAISING A GLASS TO PARTNERSHIP

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ontinuing their successful partnership, top Australian winemaker Neil McGuigan and celebrity chef and Masterchef host John Torode have launched their new McGuigan Torode Tempranillo

at an event hosted by United Wine Merchants at the Titanic Hotel Belfast.

Neil and John are pictured with Nina Doyle, Brand Manager, United Wine Merchants and Martin McCauley, Managing Director, United Wine Merchants.

ARTHUR COX CANCER CHARITY BOOST

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eading law firm Arthur Cox has raised over £3,500 for Cancer Focus Northern Ireland as part the Big Shops’ Showdown, a one-day charity shop takeover challenge. The initiative, organised

by Business in the Community,

encouraged business volunteers to step outside the office for a day, to take over the running of one of Cancer Focus NI’s charity shops with Arthur Cox taking over the Ballyhackamore outlet. The overall total raised for Cancer Focus NI was £52,945.

Progressive Boost For Mental Health Charities

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s part of its commitment to local society and to mark Mental Health Awareness Week (14-20 May), Progressive Building Society has announced that it is donating £25,000 each to two local mental health charities

as part of its 2018 charitable giving.

Pictured are Teresa Sloan Director of Fundraising and Communications AWARE NI, Darina Armstrong Chief Executive of Progressive Building Society and Anne Holland CAUSE Fundraising Manager.

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Eye on AgriFood Sam Butler talked to Brendan Gallen, marketing manager of Bailies Coffee, about the growing success of the Belfast coffee roaster and Oscar Woolley about the launch of Suki Tea’s new Editions, a innovative range of high-end single estate teas.

Belfast Duo Stirring Up A Taste Revolution

Bailies Coffee Roastery in Belfast is rated Coffee Roaster to watch in 2018

Roaster to Watch Bailies Coffee Roasters in Northern Ireland was recently named “Roaster to Watch” in 2018 by the industry’s influential

Premium coffee from Bailies in demand across the UK

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Caffeine magazine. The magazine pinpointed Bailies as a company to watch during the recent London Coffee Show, a major expo for the global coffee industry.

Brendan Gallen, marketing

manager at Bailies, describes the magazine’s recognition as a “marvellous boost”. “Being listed by the magazine which is at the heart of the speciality coffee scene, sets us apart in what is an intensely competitive industry”.

“We’ve been at London Coffee Festival for a number of years and this year found it a tremendous success because of the very high level of interest in our range of select coffees, our fresh branding and our approach to sourcing coffee directly from farming partners across the world.

“Several potentially very important new leads are currently being progressed, and we are confident that significant business will result,” Brendan adds..

The company, which operates a state-of-the-art roastery with extensive facilities for barista training and a coffee machine showroom in Belfast, is focused on premium single origin coffees and blends developed from quality green beans it selects carefully from specialist growers in Panama,

Honduras, Costa Rica, Colombia, Brazil, Kenya and Ethopia.

Bailies deals directly with growers and is committed to ethical sourcing that takes into account living conditions of pickers and their families as well as ensuring each receives a fair price and promotes good agricultural practices.

The roaster is focused sharply on world class coffee experiences and this is borne out by the increasing number of enquiries received from right across the world from coffee shops, restaurants and luxury hotels for their specialist coffees.

As a result of this devotion to quality, the company has become a key player in the development of Ireland’s coffee culture and is now focusing on opportunities in Britain and further afield.

In addition to an impressive range of coffees, the company sells, rents and provides expert technical support for equipment from industry leaders.

Training is provided to baristas on courses certified by the Speciality Coffee Association.

Bailies has developed a range of select coffees

Eye on AgriFood Oscar making tea trendy again Oscar Woolley is determined to make tea as trendy as coffee especially with young adults and teenagers. Joint founder and managing director of Suki Tea with business partner Ann Irwin in Belfast, already a UK leader in gourmet teas, Oscar has taken a leaf from the coffee revolution that’s continuing to sweep Northern Ireland. As a result of his enterprise, our traditional cuppa is changing.

The taste revolution means tea lovers and others are now able to enjoy a cuppa made from select growers specialising in ultra-premium leaves, known as microlots, that Oscar and his team have identified from sourcing trips to specialist tea gardens around the world and especially in Japan and Africa.

They have been working with selected growers on small plantations in Rwanda, Nepal and Japan on picking leaves for the development of Suki’s recently launched limited edition teas.

“Getting close to select growers is also in line with our longstanding focus on the ethical sourcing of teas,” Oscar says. “We are keen to see how the tea is grown, picked and shipped, as well as the living conditions of the growers and their employees,” he adds. This approach to ethical sourcing led to Suki pioneering a Darjeeling from the acclaimed Bannockburn plantation in India, the first with Organic, Fair Trade and Rainforest Alliance accreditation.

Suki, of course, has been pioneering innovations in tea here since its formation by business partners Oscar and Anne Irwin at the iconic St George’s Market in 2004. The partners subsequently decided to begin growing their own tea at Portaferry on Strangford

Suki business partners Ann Irwin and Oscar Suki creating a revolution with Editions single estate teas from Suki Tea in Belfast

Lough, still a work in progress.

Suki is now focused on is an ambitious initiative to increase awareness of and interest in premium teas, especially the looseleaf variety, against a background of steadily declining UK sales of traditional teas, which researchers say have tumbled by more than 20 percent since 2010. Sales of premium loose-leaf, herbal and fruit teas, especially among consumers aged 25–34, are “going from strength to strength”.

Suki, winner of a string of UK Great Taste Awards, is challenging the coffee culture by launching Editions, a select range of small batch teas from single estates in Japan, Rwanda and Nepal, aimed at encouraging cafes in particular to consider gourmet ‘Tea of the Month’ promotions that will command the attention of customers here, in Britain and the Republic of Ireland.

“Our first three microlot Editions are part of a planned handcrafted range and are a Japanese Black Tea, a Nepalese Ruby Vine and a Rwandan Orange Pekoe. The teas are all sourced from small growers and handpicked, which we’ve identified Tea from the select Sorwathe Gardens in Rwanda is among and tasted for outstanding flavour the new limited edition teas launched by Suki in Belfast and quality,” he continues.

“The new range of signature teas is also an imaginative response to a growing demand from quality conscious clients in foodservice especially in the UK and Ireland.

There’s now an increasing opportunity from customers wishing to enjoy premium teas that offer different flavours and taste experiences. We’ve seen this become a major trend in the coffee industry in the US and Europe.

What we are doing is developing this approach for the tea industry.

“We are sourcing small batch teas from very specialist growers and dealing directly with them. Among the most obvious benefits of this approach is that we know exactly where the signature teas come from, who cultivates them and how they are grown and shipped.

“Our unique Japanese Black Tea, for instance, is sourced from a small plantation that’s been owned by the same family for seven generations and has never exported the tea. So, their tea will be available outside Japan for the very first time from Suki,” he adds. The small business also sells its teas and infusions to customers in the UK, Ireland, other parts of Europe, including Germany, as well as Japan.

Suki Tea has won a host of awards for its premium teas

Suki employs around 15 people and has established Ireland’s first Tea Academy to help increase tea knowledge among cafe and hotel staff.

Tea is increasingly seen as being healthy. And certain teas are also contributing to the trend in Britain where people are becoming very keen on specialist, herbal and green teas. In addition, gourmet teas are being matched with food to enhance the flavours.

Afternoon tea sessions are also becoming increasingly popular particularly in hotels and high-end restaurants here and further afield.

Both companies are excellent examples of the market-led innovation that underpins the food industry here. Innovations such as these from Bailies and Suki are earning Northern Ireland widespread respect in Britain and further afield.

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Eye on Technology

Microsoft Ireland & Connect Unite to Enable Innovation in Northern Ireland Connect at Catalyst Inc has announced that Microsoft Ireland has joined as a member of Connect. Already located on the Catalyst Inc Belfast site, Microsoft will share its depth of knowledge and extensive resources through its membership to help Catalyst Inc achieve its mission to build a community of innovators in Northern Ireland.

Kieran McCorry, National Technology Officer for Microsoft Ireland with Elaine Smyth, Head of Programmes Connect at Catalyst Inc

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atalyst Inc is a not-for-profit organisation that provides agile work space, across three locations, and through Connect provides a series of programmes for the most innovative entrepreneurs in Northern Ireland. In 2018, over 800 NI entrepreneurs were involved in the programmes which focus on helping innovative businesses of all stages to soar to success; from the very early stages of developing an idea through to scaling their business globally.

This new membership will see Microsoft increase its engagement throughout the Connect network,

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supporting entrepreneurs in developing business utilising Microsoft’s trusted cloud and Artificial Intelligence services and solutions. The membership highlights Microsoft’s dedication to the growth of the innovation ecosystem and their support of ground-breaking innovations being developed by entrepreneurs in Northern Ireland.

Kieran McCorry, National Technology Officer for Microsoft Ireland said: “We are excited to join Connect at Catalyst Inc to work with the entrepreneur and start-up

community in Northern Ireland.

Microsoft has been at the centre of the revolutionary changes that technology has brought to every aspect of our lives and we’ll be at the centre of tomorrow’s transformations as well. We have already established a strong relationship with the tech community in the Republic of Ireland, working alongside accelerators, developers, universities, and startups, and we are excited that it is now time to build on this collaboration by extending this into Northern Ireland”.

Welcoming Microsoft as a Platinum member company, Steve Orr, Director of Connect, said:

“The talent and ambition of entrepreneurs in Northern Ireland has the power to change the world.

We’re here to make that happen by providing the opportunity for our most experienced business people to volunteer their time and to share their experiences, contacts and collective intelligence to give NI’s innovators an advantage. We are proud to have Microsoft as a member company, working with us to support our entrepreneurs and helping us to achieve our vision for Northern Ireland to have one of the most entrepreneurial economies in Europe by 2030.”

Is it true that, the less miles I put on the car, the less I pay?

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Eye on Motoring

Motoring with Derek Black dbmotoring@btinternet.com

The New Touareg Is Very Good But It Has To Be In The Top People’s League!

Better to drive, more luxurious and with all the latest tech, the latest VW Touareg is bidding strongly to compete with the elite of the SUV world. There is more room inside yet it is 200kg lighter than before, making it relatively more efficient.

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orget about that V10 towing a jumbo jet - that is a distant memory. Today’s V6s offer loads of response and relatively better economy. There are 3.0-litre turbo diesels with outputs to 204 or 262 PS with all-wheel drive and an 8-speed

powerhouse with great towing capability. But with emissions in the region of 180g/km the company car tax will be in the 37% bracket. However this is a about par with its top tier rivals.

A 367PS plug-in hybrid is in the pipe line for those with environmental concerns.

A new suspension design gives automatic gearbox.The more powerful the Touareg better ride and handling version can reach 62mph in little over 7 than would be expected from what seconds and has a top speed potential is still a big, heavy vehicle. Other in excess of 130mph where permitted. changes improve the Touareg’s offGiven this performance the road capability. Ground clearance combined cycle consumption claim is increased and there is a better of 38mpg is above par for such a ‘angle of attack’ on slopes and

higher ground clearance.

Inside feels less utilitarian than before with a 12—inch screen and a head-up display projected on the windscreen. There are sophisticated safety options including thermal imaging to improve night vision, radar to see around blind junctions and an auto drive system that works at low speeds in heavy traffic.

Prices start from just under 38k which is class competitive when the levels of standard kit are taken into consideration. It is a much better Touareg all round but can it catch up with the cachet of a Range Rover or even an Audi Q8?

VAUXHALL’S FINEST? HOW DOES THE INSIGNIA COUNTRY TOURER STACK UP? If you are not quite ready for the tall and boxy lines of an SUV, then an elegant estate car on stilts and with all-wheel drive might just meet your needs.

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he Insignia Country Tourer is up against rivals from the posher brands but turns out to be a serious contender both in looks and capability.

With the latest 210PS 2.0-litre biturbo diesel engine my car gave a satisfying surge of power when I needed it. Otherwise it could cruise quietly at low engine speeds all day. The figures show a 0-62mph time of 7.7 seconds and a top potential of 142mph - quite the executive express.

It comes with an eight-speed gearbox and all-wheel drive as standard. There are no silly paddles but you can change gear manually with the lever if you wish. I just let the clever gearbox get on with its job which it did with great efficiency.

There is a FlexRide system which lets you choose various suspension settings and engine behaviours. (At this point I have to remind myself that I am not driving an Audi!) Inside, the story goes on with an 8-inch touch screen, cruise control with a speed limiter, climate control and the rest.

Vauxhall actually goes further than most rivals with its OnStar communications system that puts you in touch with a call centre in the event of a breakdown or

accident.You can also get automatic headlamps that dip themselves when they spot an oncoming vehicle.

With all this performance, the Country Tourer does cost a bit more than the average car to run with combined consumption of just 47mpg and emissions of 188g/km putting it in 37% BIK. Still you are getting what you pay for in terms of drivability.

With a list price from £28K before haggling the Country Tourer makes other raised 4x4 estates such as the Volkswagen Passant and Audi A4 Allroad look rather expensive. No wonder some people have described it as the ‘best Vauxhall ever’!

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Eye on Motoring

DFC at Balmoral Show

A big thank you to the organiser and all the visitors at making the 150th Balmoral Show the biggest show yet.

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ur TRACKER agent Pauline Nelmes was delighted to share a stand with the Rural Crime Partnership throughout the week. At the Balmoral Show Pauline was busy spreading the word about TRACKER, the market leading stolen vehicle device.

Pauline was also joined by Carryduff farmer Alistair Dobbin on spreading the word. Mr Dobbin had his ÂŁ40,000 New Holland tractor stolen overnight and through the help of TRACKER it was recovered within 24 hours causing Mr Dobbin very little disturbance.

An exclusive subsidy for TRACKER with the Rural Crime Partnership was announced at the Balmoral Show for quads and trailers.

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Is tax included in the monthly payments?

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Eye on Motoring

Motoring with Derek Black dbmotoring@btinternet.com

Citroen Joins The SUV Pack With Its Compact C3 Aircross!

Citroen’s cars have a long tradition of standing out from the crowd. My headmaster’s DS was a triumph of style and engineering.

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hy I nearly bought a GS, intrigued by its shape and suspension. Even their

runabouts were quirky - my friend had a 2CV and had to resort to second gear if there was a strong headwind on the M1.

Nowadays, the French company, is still working hard on its USPs. They are setting up DS as an upmarket brand, a French Audi they hope? And they are coming up with a bewildering batch of smaller cars with names like Cactus, and in this case, Aircross, to add appeal.

The C3 Aircross that I have been driving is a jacked-up version of the once dumpy but recently much improved, C3 hatchback. This one came with a 110bhp

turbo petrol engine which felt livelier than its capacity would suggest. It takes just over 11 seconds to reach 62mph, which is fairly average everyday performance.

More petrol cars are coming my way as makers are playing up alternatives to diesel. With a claimed 57mpg combined and emissions of 115g/ km, the 1.2-litre petrol version is easy on the pocket and falls into the 22% BIK bracket. It sounds good until you look at the diesel alternative.

The familiar 1.6 HDi donkey in 100PS form, may not feel as responsive and

takes a couple of seconds more on the standard sprint. But with a combined figure of around 70mpg it is well ahead of the petrol. Emissions are 104gm/ gm and this means a 24% BIK rating.

So diesel is still ahead on running costs but the petrol version costs nearly £1,000 less with list prices starting from £16,555 before haggling.

With a bright red colour scheme and contrasting black roof, my test car was eye-catching. It worked well as a fairly roomy everyday runabout but proved a bit bouncy on longer drives against the clock.

New Compact Suv Shows How Kia Just Keeps Getting Better!

The rise and rise of Kia is remarkable. In the early days, their still unbeaten seven-year warranty was their main attraction.

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ver the years they have added better style and drivability to their sterling core value.

Mind you, prices have also grown!

Apart from its dubious name, the Stonic is a smart cross-over SUV that is right on today’s money in many ways. Attractive, affordable but maybe not as practical as some, it is just the sort of tall small car that everyone seems to want these days.

There are three engine options - 1.0 turbo petrol, 1.4 petrol and 1.6 turbo diesel. The fact that the 1.4 is fitted to the cheapest model says it all - this is an old engine lacking in lustre. By comparison the 1.0 turbo is a star - more responsive and more economical.

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It is not the first time I have been impressed by the new generation of small three-cylinder petrol engines.

This one is a prime example with 118bhp it is eager to go yet also has surprising torque, almost diesel like, which makes for relaxed cruising. With 57mpg combined and emissions of 115g/km it is in the 24% BIK group.

Most business users will go for the old faithful diesel 1.6 CRDi. This is not as much fun to drive but the reward comes at the pumps with a stated 67mpg combined and 109g/km emissions, it falls into the 25% BIK class.

With firm springing the Stonic feels under control and is moderately comfortable to travel in. There is plenty

of room in the front and slightly less in the rear but the boot is of a useful size. That high driving position makes for good visibility ahead through the rear window is small - however you do get parking beepers.

List prices start around £17K for the 1.0 turbo petrol and from nearer 18K for the turbo diesel. That is on the stiff side reflecting Kia’s growing confidence but I would expect some discount in the real world.

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