Business Eye Sept Oct 2023

06

Navigating The Windsor Framework

Business advisory firm BDO stages an event advising businesses on how to navigate the current post-Brexit arrangements, held appropriately at Belfast’s historic Custom House.

08 Barista Bar Heads To Scotland

Northern Ireland-born self service coffee brand Barista Bar, brainchild of Henderson Foodservice, has been exported to Scotland, where it will feature in Spar stores all over the country.

12 Accentuate The Positives

It’s high time for our politicians to get back to work and leverage the many positives that Northern Ireland has going for it as a business region, says Judith Totten, Founder & Managing Director of Upstream

20 A Hand In Hand Approach To Deal Advisory

Turnaround, performance improvement, profit enhancement, value creation... they’re all part of the fabric of working life for an 80-strong specialist team at KPMG across the island of Ireland. We catch up with KPMG’s James Neill.

26 Henderson Group –Rising To The Challenges Of Employee Care

It might be relatively easy for some employers to make their organisations a better place to work. But, for one of Northern Ireland’s largest private sector employer, it’s a more complex challenge, explains Group HR Director Sam Davidson.

30

EY – More Than A Place To Work

With a team of 900 in Belfast and recently announced plans to recruit an extra 1,000, EY will be one of Northern Ireland’s largest private sector employers by a distance. But what makes the EY Belfast a great place to work?

35 Sports & Tourism – A Winning Combination For Economic Growth

The blending of sports and tourism can be a powerful catalyst for economic growth, says Janice Gault of the NI Hotels Federation.

36

Maxol And The Roadside Revolution

Maxol has returned to our TV screens with a new ad campaign. CEO Brian Donaldson explains that it’s all part of a roadside retail revolution in which the company is playing a leading part.

39 Christopher Mason – Easing The Way On Dispute Resolution

A good firm of lawyers, says Christopher Mason of MKB Law, can take away much of the pain and stress of commercial disputes.

46 Killeavy Castle Takes Hotel Of The Year Title

Newry’s Killeavy Castle Hotel has been named as Northern Ireland’s Hotel of the Year at the prestigious AA Hospitality Awards 2023 held in London recently.

65 Strategic Power Appoints New CEO

Industry veteran Liam Faulkner has joined Strategic Power Connect as its new CEO, leading the firm into the new business energy era.

Comment

Richard Buckley EDITOR

Irish Magazine Editor of the Year 2005

Early autumn has brought a brief flurry of hope that the impasse could be broken and that the DUP would return to government somehow but that was shot down when a meeting of the party’s leading members produced no disagreement with the leader’s position. According to the leader, of course.

So we go forward with a de facto direct rule in place. Westminster via the Northern Ireland Office calls the shots and pays out what money there is while this place is run by a cabal of senior civil servants. It’s hardly ideal but it seems to work in some shape or fashion.

While the measures imposed by the Protocol/Windsor Framework are now starting to become reality, we continue to have the best of both worlds. We might have no functioning devolved government, but we continue to have unfettered access to both the UK and EU marketplaces. And, as observers point out until they’re blue in the face, that’s not to be sniffed at.

It’s a fact that even the DUP, in its most lucid moments, knows full well that the dual access card is one that’s well worth having and that it should not be given away. But, having protested for so long, the party can’t easily put all of its arguments on the shelf and head back to Stormont.

Something has to give. Some form of concession, even if its a nebulous, even a notional one, has to be flourished publicly by the UK Government to allow the DUP to cogitate and consider before issuing its agreement. That’s how theatre works.

The problem seems to be that the UK Government and Rishi Sunak don’t give much of a toss about Northern Ireland. The Tory’s conference in Manchester passed with barely

a mention of this place. Labour’s was much the same. The two main parties are laser focused on trying to position themselves for next year’s General Election and nothing is going to change until the votes are cast and we find out if Sir Keir Starmer really can make it to Number 10.

Meanwhile, it’s good to see that Invest NI is making the right noises as it sets out to make changes in the wake of the highly critical report from Sir Michael Lyons.

It’s fallen to Interim Chairman Colm McKenna, a former senior banker around this part of the world, to make what’s in effect a holding statement saying that the organisation takes the recommendations seriously and that it’s taking action. But, at this stage, it’s all a bit interim and it’s all a bit like hold music.

Whether Colm McKenna takes the chairman’s seat in anger or not remains to be seen. But the appointment of a new Chief Executive is even more crucial. The business community will be more than keen to see one of their own being appointed to the role, providing they can find one prepared to pick up the baton, of course.

Despite our lack of government, Northern Ireland has something quite unique to sell out there in global markets.

“We might have no functioning devolved government, but we continue to have unfettered access to both the UK and EU marketplaces. And, as observers point out until they’re blue in the face, that’s not to be sniffed at.”

It looks as though Northern Ireland will continue to meander along without the devolved government that we’re supposed to have... at least for the foreseeable future.

From fast local decision making, industry and sector expertise, to experience in supporting growth, mergers, acquisitions and international expansion, it’s good to have a banking partner that is as committed as you are.

Eye on News

Practically navigating the Windsor Framework

The Custom House in Belfast has a long history of dealing with a variety of Customs and Duties from the 19th century to being HM Revenue & Customs Belfast HQ until 2021, however recently business leaders gathered to discuss the latest Customs connotations in the form of the Windsor Framework.

The event held by business advisory firm BDO NI, provided crucial insights and practicalities for businesses across the island on the Windsor Framework, shedding light on its operational aspects in its initial days.

Delegates from across the retail, agri-food, and manufacturing sectors joined BDO’s specialist customs and tax teams from Belfast, Dublin, and London to hear how to best navigate the new arrangements and to avoid any adverse impacts on their businesses or supply chains.

BDO NI Tax Partner, Lorraine Nelson said:

“There has been a lot of noise surrounding Brexit over recent years, we have had the NI Protocol and now this year, the Windsor Framework. However, the practicalities and impact on day-to-day business here is usually overshadowed by the political implications and reaction. Businesses here have a strong history of ‘just getting on with it’ and this has been the case over the last number of years too.

“In Northern Ireland, there is a

noticeable air of business confidence, and at least a part of this is fuelled by the certainty and opportunities that come with the Windsor Framework. Any alterations will have repercussions on the necessary procedures and paperwork and companies are seeking clear guidelines considering what has been a notably intricate and shifting situation here in Northern Ireland.

“We have organised this event to collate the information available and provide a one-stop-shop to help business leaders to understand the changes, ensure they are fully compliant and inform both their customers and suppliers”.

Besides obtaining the perspective from Northern Ireland, attendees also acquired a comprehensive understanding of how the Windsor Framework affects the Irish market. This included a detailed explanation of the necessary procedures and measures that companies must have in place for operations across the land border, sea border and Europe.

Carol Lynch, BDO Partner, Customs and International Trade Ireland said, “There is a real opportunity for

business located in Northern Ireland, and for future investment here, with businesses looking to have dual access to both the UK and EU markets, and for GB businesses a ‘gateway to Europe’. These new red and green lane arrangements are not a case of a quick tick box and drive on through, all sectors and indeed each business will be impacted differently. There are many variables, such as types of customers, supply chain routes, regulatory requirements will determine the level of compliance and paperwork because of these new changes.”

The event also heard from Paul Lynam, Deputy Director General of the British Irish Chamber of Commerce about the need to secure supply chains.

With the Windsor Framework already in place and the red and green lanes now operational, offering a clear pathway for the movement of goods, the experiences of those businesses that have already started to work through the new processes can also offer practical guidance and feedback.

GM Marketing (Ireland) Ltd is a distribution company, operating across the island of Ireland, GB, Europe and beyond. Its COO James Woods discusses the challenges the new arrangements will have on the sector,

“At GM Marketing we represent over 40 household brands in the Irish market, including manufacturers in GB and from across Europe. Since Brexit we have fought hard to keep these brands in the Irish market, North and South, maintaining choice for consumers here. This has been an uphill struggle, with ever changing challenges and new obstacles placed in our way.

“Lack of clarity around labelling, and precisely what green and red lane access will look like, continues to frustrate these brands, with many turning to us daily for advice. Much more of this uncertainly, along with additional costs, will without out doubt lead to some of these brands making the difficult decision to exit the market here. At GM we remain optimistic and want to shift our focus to taking advantage of the opportunities for us and our brands.”

L-R: Matt Clark, Partner, Customs and Excise, BDO GB, Carol Lynch, Partner, Customs and International Trade BDO Ireland, Lorraine Nelson, Tax Partner BDO NI and James Woods, Chief Operating Officer GM Marketing (Ireland) Ltd. Pictured at Custom House, Belfast.

DALE FARM’S DROMONA SITE CELEBRATES 80 YEARS

Dairy co-operative Dale Farm has marked the 80th anniversary of its Dromona Cullybackey site, the home of Dromona butter.

The milestone was celebrated with a dinner held at Galgorm on Thursday 21st September attended by both current and former employees.

Dromona Cullybackey began churning butter in 1943 and has since evolved and diversified to produce a range of butter and spreads for retail, ingredients, and foodservice markets. In 1955 the site was purchased by the

Milk Marketing Board which evolved to become United Dairy Farmers in 1995. Since then, the site has been a part of the Dale Farm family, bringing award winning Dromona butter to homes across Northern Ireland.

Currently some 80 people are employed at the facility, based on the Dunminning Road outside Cullybackey.

Dale Farm Chair Fred Allen said:

“For 80 years Dromona Cullybackey has been synonymous with excellence in butter production and has grown to become a favourite in NI homes. Key to that success is the commitment to quality demonstrated by the people who have worked at the site over these past eight decades, and we were delighted to join with employees past and present to celebrate this significant milestone.”

Financial services consultancy firm fscom wins big at Compliance Register Platinum Awards

Governance, risk, and compliance consulting firm fscom has achieved three major industry awards at the Compliance Register Platinum Awards.

The Belfast-based firm, which specialises in GRC solutions for financial services institutions across the UK and Ireland and has virtual offices in London and Dublin, was named Best Consultancy Firm at the London awards ceremony on Thursday 28 September.

Heather O’Gorman, Associate Director at fscom, achieved the Compliance Rising Star award, while Azariah Nukajam, fscom’s Head of Investments, was named Best Compliance Consultant. Judged by the Academy of Compliance Excellence, the Compliance Register Platinum Awards celebrate the achievements of firms and individuals who demonstrate exemplary service to Compliance and Regulation.

Now in their 20th year, the awards are based on client nominations and are voted by industry, with fierce competition across the UK and Irish financial services and compliance consultancy landscapes.

The recognition continues fscom’s success after Director Alison Donnelly was named ‘Fintech/Payments Leader of the Year’ by the European Women in Payments Network in December 2022. The company was also named Best Consultancy for Regulatory Compliance at the Compliance Register Platinum Awards (2022 and 2019), and Boutique Consultancy Firm of the Year (2021 and 2020) at the Global Advisory Experts Annual Awards.

fscom Associate Director

Azariah Nukajam said:

“It was an honour to pick up the Best Compliance Consultant award last week. These awards are particularly important to us as they are client nominated, and I am thrilled to be recognised alongside some exceptional companies and consultants. Thank you to my clients, colleagues and peers across the industry for their continued support and congratulations to Heather and the wider fscom team.”

fscom Managing Director Jamie Cooke said:

“We are delighted to have secured three prestigious awards at the

Compliance Register Platinum Awards in London and I am thrilled to see Azariah and Heather’s work recognised by industry. As a consultancy that operates across the UK, Ireland and European jurisdictions, the accolade of

Best Consultancy is a fantastic endorsement of our compliance and regulatory expertise and would not have been possible without our remarkable team and the continued trust and support of our clients and partners.”

fscom Managing Director Jamie Cooke; Senior Compliance Associate Andrew Johnston; Associate Director Azariah Nukajam; Associate Director Heather O’Gorman and Director Alison Donnelly collect the ‘Best Consultancy Firm’ Award at the Compliance Register Platinum Awards.

David Rea, Vice Chair; Diarmaid Currie, site General Manager; Nick Whelan, Group Chief Executive; Fred Allen, Chair attending the dinner at the Galgorm Resort.

NI born Barista Bar expands into Scotland with exclusive

£2.5m distribution

deal

Premium coffee to go brand, Barista Bar, developed by Henderson Foodservice, part of the Henderson Group, is expanding into Scotland with an exclusive £2.5m distribution deal with CJ Lang & Son, which owns the SPAR retail brand in the region.

The deal is part of Barista Bar’s long-term ambitious UK growth strategy and will see Barista Bar replace the company’s incumbent offering within 104 of CJ Lang & Son’s company owned SPAR stores throughout Scotland, alongside a host of its independent retailers.

Barista Bar installation roll out has begun, with the first installation taking place at David Sands Pinkie Farm store in Musselburgh, East Lothian, back in August. Already the retailer, who joined the SPAR family in June 2023, has experienced a growth in sales of over 100% versus the previous coffee offering.

The agreement means that Barista Bar is now available via 730 machines across the UK, selling over 12 million cups per annum. Since launching in 2015, and thanks to this exciting new

partnership, the number of locations offering Barista Bar machines has surged by an astonishing 1,721%.

The announcement was made at CJ Lang & Son’s annual trade show and conference in Aviemore, Scotland, where the Barista Bar team introduced the brand and its products to even more independent SPAR retailers from across Scotland.

Mark Stewart-Maunder, Commercial and Development Director at Henderson Foodservice commented; “This is an extremely exciting day for our premium coffee to go brand, and a huge testament to the commitment the team has displayed in making the product a resounding success since it launched in 2015.

“Two years ago, our Foodservice company invested over £6m into Barista Bar to upgrade the brand and

machinery to produce a stand-out product that has had a hugely positive impact on our retailers’ sales and footfall, and our very first Barista Bar Drive Thru opened at SPAR Mallusk just last year. We look forward to CJ Lang & Son’s stores and independent retailers experiencing this boost as we continue to show the benefits of a high-quality food and coffee to go offering within convenience retailing.”

Barista Bar machines are amongst the best in the market, boasting a patented milk system to create a unique and satisfying foam on cappuccinos, lattes and hot chocolate drinks. The brand has also diversified its offering, with the first ever Planted machine, offering oat milk options, installed at SPAR Queen’s University in Belfast last October.

In response to overwhelming demand and remarkable success, the Planted offering has since launched in SPAR Mallusk and SPAR Titanic, marking the beginning of a broader expansion strategy set to unfold across additional

locations in the coming months.

Colin McClean, CEO at CJ Lang & Son added; “This exclusive brand franchise agreement with Barista Bar coffee is a great commercial proposition for not only our Scottish SPAR independent retailers and our SPAR Scotland company owned estate but for all convenience and petrol forecourt stores in Scotland.

“We anticipate having Barista Bar coffee available in the majority of our company owned SPAR Scotland store estate by the end of 2024, with the balance coming over in 2025.”

Keavy O’Mahony-Truesdale, Brand Manager at Barista Bar finished; “We have met a number of Scottish SPAR retailers at CJ Lang & Son’s trade show and look forward to introducing even more independent retailers our hugely competitive, high quality Barista Bar offering in the coming months.”

CJ Lang & Son, based in Dundee, is the wholesaler for SPAR Scotland, the largest symbol group in Scotland, with

300 convenience stores across the country.

over

Keavy O’Mahony-Truesdale, Brand Manager at Barista Bar is pictured with Mark Stewart-Maunder, Commercial and Development Director at Henderson Foodservice, which owns the brand in Northern Ireland. Barista Bar is expanding into Scotland, where it will be available in 104 SPAR stores operated by CJ Lang & Son, plus a host of independent SPAR retailers in the region.

Eye on Energy

Powering Inclusive Service

Renowned as a legacy provider, trusted supplier and local employer, Power NI is dedicated to serving Northern Ireland and its vibrant communities. Investing in and supporting various local groups, charities, initiatives, and partnerships, Power NI takes pride in ensuring accessibility for all.

Inclusive customer care

Gwyneth Compston, CSR Manager at Power NI, said: “It’s been an exciting year for us. We now stand among just nine companies worldwide to have successfully achieved ISO 22458, the esteemed Inclusive Service Kitemark. We place

a huge focus on our customer care, and we work really hard to be more accessible for our customers, so we are delighted to have achieved recognition for it. As the sole electricity supplier to receive this prestigious certification, Power NI has demonstrated an ongoing commitment to delivering an inclusive service for all customers.”

Power NI also has long-standing partnerships with Age NI, NOW Group, Advice NI and Christians Against Poverty, and is fully

committed to caring for those in later life, particularly those with disabilities and long-term illnesses.

Gwyneth continued: “Power NI is committed to providing assistance to those customers who require additional support. Some of the services we provide to customers include supplying bills in different formats, depending on their needs, such as braille, large print, or as a talking bill. We also provide doorstep services such as giving us a password or an instruction to knock or speak loudly when NIE Networks meter readers call. If you have a mobility problem, they will allow more time for you to answer the door and customers relying on life-supporting medical equipment can receive priority and timely updates during power cuts.”

Building an accessible future for everyone

Power NI staff are familiar with Relay UK, a free service that helps customers who are deaf, hard of hearing, have a speech impairment, or anyone who has difficulty when using the phone. Some Power NI staff have also undertaken British and Irish Sign Language lessons and the company plans to expand these initiatives to empower staff and to better communicate with customers with hearing impairments.

Gwyneth said: “Power NI’s commitment to accessibility continues to excel and we are delighted to also be Northern Ireland’s first electricity supply

company to be JAM Card Friendly. The JAM Card, an acronym for ‘Just A Minute,’ verifies that staff are trained to recognise those who may have communication barriers or hidden disabilities and may require more time and care to attend to their needs.

“Our staff are continuously undergoing necessary training to upskill and ensure they can provide excellent customer experience. We’re also proud to have added Reachdeck to our website, giving our customers the tools to access information in their required format, making it more accessible for people who may have disabilities, visual impairments, limited digital skills, or non-native speakers.

“We are delighted to be acknowledged as world-leading caregivers, especially during times of financial strain and personal difficulties faced by our customers. At Power NI, we’re incredibly passionate about clear communication, and eliminating jargon and unnecessary detail from our interactions with customers. We have partnerships with both the Plain English and Plain Numbers campaigns, and we are continuously improving our letters, bills, and other forms of communication to be as straightforward as possible for all our customers.”

Power NI’s CSR Manager Gwyneth Compston pictured with Denise McNamee Customer Engagement Specialist.

For over 90 years, Power NI has been expertly tunedin to customers’ individual needs, providing a service that’s a step ahead.

Nicola Tipping, NOW Group’s Business Development Manager and Gwyneth Compston, Power NI’s CSR Manager, celebrating the launch of their new partnership with NOW Group participants.

Time for the politicians to get to work and leverage all the positives of NI

Whatever your views on Brexit, The NI Protocol and The Windsor Framework, one thing is clear: the sooner our politicians get back to Stormont, the better.

Northern Ireland has so many positives, including the quality of our businesses, our renowned work ethic and our entrepreneurial pedigree – but as every month unfolds the importance of having a functioning devolved assembly that ties in to central government to drive economic strategy and business support comes into sharper focus.

Speaking at The Conservative Party Conference the boss of Harland and Wolff, John Wood, warned the lack of a Stormont government was putting future investment at the shipyard in jeopardy, adding the time for “playing games” is over.

Given this broad backdrop, it’s amazing to hear that local firms remain confident.

When faced with major challenges or economic uncertainty, the best businesses adapt and evolve their offering to meet changing needs and demands of their market, identifying fresh opportunities for investment as they go.

At Upstream we positively encourage our clients to push traditional boundaries.

If experience of economic downturns has taught us anything, it’s that there

is always opportunity. It’s at times like these our range of bespoke funding solutions can come into their own by unlocking committed income streams to release working capital that can be used to secure discounts with your suppliers, manage your supply chain more effectively, grow your team or even acquire a competitor.

Often the first question we ask is: “what could you do if you had unlimited cash?”

For us the answer is a crucial indicator of whether a CEO, business owner or director has got the stomach and the vision for what it takes to be successful.

The good news is that access to cash no longer needs to be a growth inhibitor.

In fact our growing team at Upstream is the indisputable validation that unlimited capital does indeed drive growth. As evidence of how local businesses are turning increasingly to us for funding support, by the end of Q2 2023, we almost quadrupled our book size. Within that growth we are supporting a range of corporate and SME business owners with ambition to scale and diversify across the manufacturing, wholesale, distribution, and service sectors.

So why is this?

Well firstly, the scale of ambition in Irish businesses is heartwarming and to be celebrated.

Secondly, is a traditional funding model which is understandably constrained by often ‘offshore’ credit policy and decision making, which is looking at the economic landscape and planning for trauma. One of the things our customers like most about us is that, at Upstream, we make decisions locally and fast – even if that’s a no. More than that we partner with our clients through the provision of innovative, tailor-made solutions that are shaped around a client’s specific circumstances and opportunities – not by their historical performance. We try to build headroom into our solutions, and future proof the business against the unforeseen, to rebuild bruised post pandemic confidence and assure our clients that we are aligned with them now, and for the months and years ahead.

At Upstream – part of Cubitt Trade Holdings (Europe) LLC – we specialise in structuring scalable, innovative, and increasingly largescale working capital solutions for ambitious businesses where growth, and development is being constrained due to insufficient and unimaginative funding. We are also more frequently collaborating with our Banking colleagues to find really

creative solutions that complement our clients’ needs - which really is the ‘win: win’ scenario for all parties.

Covering Ireland and headquartered in Belfast, Upstream is led by an experienced team of ownermanagers who have been supporting businesses of all sizes, across most sectors, as individuals for decades, and under the auspices of Upstream for more than a decade.

Now, as part of a major, international finance group, with business and financial interests across Europe, North and South America and a specialist focus on supply chain, logistics, warehousing, and inventory management, Upstream has access to significant, flexible, and scalable capital, which has been earmarked for deployment in the UK and Ireland’s commercial and corporate markets.

If you run a stable, financially sound business with major growth ambitions, locally or globally, that are being constrained by lack of cashflow, we’d love to talk.

Judith Totten MBE, Founder and Managing Director, Upstream

One of the key things that always impresses me about businesses within this region is how resilient they show themselves to be. Many of our firms have been through multiple recessions, the pandemic, Brexit –as well as ongoing political uncertainty.

Eye on News

The Irish News launches re-designed paper

Fresh from being announced as the top selling title in the UK regional market according to the latest Audit Bureau of Circulations survey (January to June 2023), The Irish News has launched a redesign of its newspaper.

Following two years of research and consultations to gather invaluable feedback from readers and stakeholders, the aim of the rebrand is for the newspaper to be distinctive, impactful, and easier to read.

While The Irish News has been heavily investing in digital transformation, the printed newspaper remains a fundamental part of its business.

Speaking on the rebrand, Dominic Fitzpatrick, CEO, IntoMedia Group, Owners of the Irish News, said: “Through the rebrand, we have carefully crafted our use of typography,

colour, messaging, and images to support and provide a solid platform for our trusted journalism. However, the most noticeable difference to the paper is our bold new masthead, projecting a confident, contemporary face to the world while celebrating the paper’s rich Irish heritage and history.

“The new stacked masthead has a renewed strength and confidence to represent the Irish News’ place and position in the market, and our commitment to the printed page, ensuring our independent journalism continues to be enjoyed by as many readers as possible”, continued Dominic.

“We feel a deep sense of duty and responsibility to our readers to honour the trust they place in us each and every day. Our relationship with them is special and about so much more than news. It’s about a shared sense of purpose and a commitment to playing a positive role in society, and the depth and breadth of voices in our newspaper.

“Our journalism will remain what it has always been: thoughtful, progressive, fiercely independent and challenging,” finished Dominic. In a message to readers, Noel Doran, Editor of the Irish News assured them that although the

paper looks very different, some things would remain the same:

“We take immense pride in the quality and diversity of opinion we offer each day. Rest assured, your favourite writers, along with some notable new additions, will continue to inform, inspire, entertain, and lead public discourse during a time of profound change on this island.

“We face significant economic, environmental, and constitutional challenges, and The Irish News is dedicated to providing fair, comprehensive, and insightful coverage, just as we have done for over 130 years.”

IntoMedia Group chief executive officer Dominic Fitzpatrick, deputy chief executive officer Sinead Cavanagh and editor Noel Doran with the new-look Irish News. Picture: Mal McCann

Eye on News

Ross’s Marks Centenary with Investment in Auction Business

Ross’s is led by a father & son partnership: Daniel Clarke, chartered surveyor, art expert and auctioneer, and his son Angus, who is responsible for marketing and development of the business.

Based in a landmark Grade-B listed building in Belfast’s May Street,

Ross’s reputation is established on sales of Irish art, antiques, and quality furniture. Over the last 10 years, the auction house has diversified into high-end jewellery, gemstones, and watches, which now account for 30% of its turnover.

Employing a team of 14, the Clarkes

have also developed their business model in line with changing consumer trends such as recycling and sustainable living. The auction house has also been influenced by programmes such as Antiques Roadshow and The Repair Shop, as well as the growth of online bidding sites like eBay and Gumtree. The recent investment, which has created three new jobs, includes the digitisation of the business, ensuring the auctions are available online and are supported across all digital channels.

Ross’s has also enhanced its preauction viewing facilities by investing in the latest 3-D photo technology to capture detailed imagery of its extensive jewellery collection. A fully secure room to showcase its diamonds, jewellery, and watches has also been opened to the public and two gemstone specialists have been appointed to advise, value and market the range.

The historic building, which has survived two World Wars and four attempted bombings during the 1970s and 80s, has also been upgraded and extensively refurbished to include new exhibition spaces,

photography rooms, and art storage areas with bespoke racking.

“This investment in our business coincides with our centenary, but our focus is very much on the future,” said Angus Clarke.

“We’ve always had a very loyal client base, across the island of Ireland, and our bricks & mortar business remains our centrepiece, providing the personal, face-to-face experience which many still prefer.

“However our online auction platform meets the needs of the growing numbers of customers who prefer to buy from a distance. Now we have worldwide exposure combined with the convenience of bidding at the touch of a button. This accessibility is a win:win for vendors and buyers alike – fully backed by our reputation for expertise, knowledge and trust.”

To officially mark its new business chapter, the Clarkes are hosting an exhibition of works by renowned Irish artist, Noel Murphy. Launching on 19 October, the exhibition will centre on 100 years of auctioneering at Ross’s.

Northern Ireland’s leading auction house, Ross’s Auctioneers and Valuers, is marking its 100th anniversary with an investment of £750k in its Belfast facilities, establishing the business for future growth through new audiences and markets.

Angus & Daniel Clarke at Ross’s Auction Rooms

Eye on Finance

Early diagnosis of financial distress key to business recovery

By Lisa Lappin, Restructuring and Insolvency Director at Baker Tilly Mooney Moore

Northern Ireland businesses have operated in a challenging economic environment for some time now. The combination of stubborn inflation, high interest rates and their impact on secure lending, a tight recruitment market and rising employee costs have resulted in a volatile market with little room for maneuver.

Now that the Bankruptcy and Companies Court has reopened to creditor winding up petitions, businesses that do find themselves in financial distress have less protection from creditor action.

With pressure on profit margins coming from all sides, the situation will in the first instance result in increased costs being passed on to the consumer, an unfortunate but entirely necessary, and in today’s climate normal, course of action to keep the business on course.

For some businesses, however, this set of circumstances has the potential to push them to the end of viability. Regardless of the industry, the advice for any company in a difficult financial position remains the same; act early and seek professional advice before it’s too late.

That can of course be easier said than done, and many owners or directors may simply be unaware of the issues or the scale of the pressure their company is facing. With talk of business collapse normalised in today’s economic climate, it’s important to know the warning signs of financial distress and where to look for them, to prevent problems from becoming unmanageable.

Typically, reduced cashflow is the ultimate sign of financial distress and indicates that a company will become increasingly less equipped, over time, to pay its debts. Failure to meet tax

obligations such as National Insurance, PAYE or VAT can be a key element in losing control of company finances, and we often see HMRC as the largest creditor in a formal insolvency process.

On the people side, the failure to pay pension deductions from employee wages to a pension provider is often one of the first symptoms of a company under pressure, while the cancellation of staff bonuses can also indicate that finances are on the decline.

Perhaps less obvious are changes such as a lack of investment in new technology, people, or marketing, or the failure to make essential repairs to buildings or machinery in a timely manner. All may be indicative of poor cashflow and general financial distress.

Though behaviours can be hard to quantify, actions such as increasing creditors, lengthening creditor payment days, being slow to submit returns to HMRC, late filing of statutory accounts, and falling behind with the competition are all further symptoms of a business losing control of its cashflow, however these behaviours may mean something entirely different when happening in isolation.

Depending on the company’s purpose, an increase in stock levels can also be an early indication that orders are reducing, and finances are inevitably deteriorating.

What’s perhaps more obvious, and likely to cause immediate alarm, is directors finding themselves unable to

draw an income from a business, and of course the threat of legal action from key creditors or pressure from the bank.

It’s important to remember that these issues, whether alone or in combination, do not inevitably spell the end for a business. Instead, they are vital areas for owners, directors, and managers to monitor, particularly in the economic environment we are operating in.

A company’s accounts will give a good indication of business performance, and timely management of accounts should highlight any red flags that need further exploration. The earlier professional advice is sought, the more options for business recovery will be available to avoid the situation becoming beyond the company’s control.

Eye on News

Home grown Belfast law firms see rapid growth in two years under Lewis Silkin brand

UK-based Lewis Silkin first joined forces with employment law specialists Jones Cassidy Brett in 2021 before acquiring tech-focused Forde Campbell the following year. Within the last 24 months the Belfast office has generated circa 30 new jobs bringing the total Belfast based team to 48. The firm says it aims to double this again in the next three to five years.

Head of Belfast office and partner Ciara Fulton says that bringing both Jones Cassidy Brett and Forde Campbell into Lewis Silkin which operates across Ireland and the UK, as well as in Hong Kong - has enhanced the Belfast operation’s reach.

“Most law firms which come to Northern Ireland tend to import their operations and business, whereas Lewis Silkin’s Belfast operation is

entirely indigenous,” says Ms Fulton. At the same time, we have stayed true to Lewis Silkin’s core specialisms – ideas, people and possibilities.

“This means we have an advantage in terms of our local knowledge and specialisms – which include employment, immigration, intellectual property, tech and data.”

The Belfast office now also includes a business immigration team of seven led by London-based partner, Stephen O’Flaherty while Paul Gillen is now partner specializing in employment.

On the tech and IP side, the team is experiencing rapid growth.

Rory Campbell who co-created Forde Campbell in the mid-2000s with Mathew Forde, says the rapid expansion of digitisation across all sectors has opened up demand for specialist legal

advice. Both are now partners in the company.

“Our firm developed in parallel with tech start-ups,” says Mr Campbell. “We would involve ourselves at the core of their activity particularly during investment rounds and thanks to this we have built a strong reputation in this field.”

“We are also increasingly focusing on data privacy and security which is becoming an increasingly important area in all types of organisations, and have established a new data team in Belfast led by legal director, Mary Traynor,” says Mr Campbell.

“Practices in the world of work are transforming very fast and law firms such as Lewis Silkin know that we must constantly keep learning and adapting in order to provide our clients with the legal protection they need,” says Ms Fulton.

Left to right: Lewis Silkin Belfast partners, Katey Dixon, Stephen O’Flaherty, Mathew Forde, Adam Brett, Ciara Fulton, Rory Campbell, Paul Gillen.

A law firm which grew out of two established Belfast legal specialists within the last two years says it has already more than doubled its workforce in that time.

James Neill & KPMG

A Hand In Hand Approach To Deal Advisory

“Turnaround and Performance improvement is a vitally important area for us as a firm,” says James Neill, who joined KPMG back in April of this year as a Deal Advisory partner in Belfast and one of three partners leading the all-island Turnaround & Restructuring practice. “KPMG has always been strong in restructuring and insolvency, but more recently

we’ve placed a stronger focus on strategic turnaround and performance improvement.

“The terms themselves have been re-defined,” he adds. “For restructuring, it’s historically been focused on value preservation. When it comes to turnaround and performance improvement, we are very much focussed on value creation and enhancement. To achieve this we utilise a variety of

bespoke tools and methodologies such as our proprietary Elevate system which delivers rapid EBITDA improvement using a data driven approach to identify, quantify and implement opportunities.”

James came to KPMG in Belfast from one of NI’s leading independent advisory firms, where he was a founder and remained for 11 years, with a strong reputation as one of

Turnaround, performance improvement, profit enhancement, value creation... they’re all part of the fabric of working life for an 80-strong specialist team at KPMG across the island of Ireland.

Northern Ireland’s top operators in the deal advisory space.

“I view KPMG in Ireland as having a very unique position in a deal advisory context.

“Firstly, it’s an all-island practice so we have genuine 32 county coverage which, coupled with international reach, is very powerful in terms of delivering value for clients. We also have an incredible range of talent and experts in key

deal advisory specialisms ranging from M&A, transaction services, strategy, sustainability advisory, modelling, infrastructure, forensics etc so we have the depth of service to deal with all eventualities. Lastly and in many ways the most vital, we have commercially astute, emotionally intelligent professionals who understand what it takes to be a good advisor.”

James is quick to pinpoint a

differentiator he sees as crucial to the KPMG deal advisory offering. “There’s an emotional intelligence required in our roles and that’s something our team keeps in mind at all times, through whatever the process might be and however long it takes.

“A company sale, a major turnaround, a piece of significant restructuring, buying a business, an insolvency event...any of these will

be a major event in the life of the business leaders involved. That’s something many professional advisors don’t recognise. One can provide hard technical and commercial advice but sometimes business owners or leaders require more nuanced support as they progress on a journey and whilst they come to us for technical expertise, specialisms and experience they in many

Eye on Cover Story

instances need us to have empathy and provide emotional support.”

The KPMG Deal Advisory team works on a wide variety of transactions on behalf of its clients, some relatively small, some much larger, but the principles of good advice don’t change regardless of the client.

The transaction market, says James Neill, is holding up well despite the obvious challenges presented by the wider economy at the moment. “The market maybe doesn’t quite have the urgency that it had two years ago in terms of execution, but it’s steady, it’s solid and company valuations are holding up. That’s not bad, considering that the cost of debt has gone up and the overall macro economy is not without its challenges.

“We’re seeing balance sheets remain strong across the board and there are no real signs of distress in the market as things stand. Yes, there are headwinds, but it won’t be anything like it was 10 years ago when we had a property led tsunami that resulted in all sorts of problems with very few solutions available. The current environment is very different. At the moment, for those with capital and an entrepreneurial growth mindset, opportunities are presenting themselves and there will be more to come. If we do see any stress in the market, it’s likely opportunistic

M&A will emerge as a theme, as the many cash-rich companies seek to take advantage of opportunities.

“I think that we’ll be seeing more of what we term ‘accelerated M&A’ presenting itself ie where there is a catalyst or an event leading to the sales process but the core business is profitable and sound. There is certainly going to be a narrowing of the gap between corporate finance and M&A activity and insolvencies.

That’s inevitable in certain climates.”

In addition to his business advisory lead role, James Neill is also one of Northern Ireland’s relatively small band

of licenced insolvency practitioners, so he’s well placed to advise on any issues around insolvency or the possibility of insolvency. “On the other side of the coin, we’ll also see more wind ups as business owners look more closely at their options and deal with legacy debt positions. It’s understandable that the challenges of the last three or four years haven’t necessarily left all business owners in a positive balance sheet position and some will want to move on from those positions.”

Looking to the future, he notes that KPMG in Ireland has always been the one of the leading advisors in the

market and it’s that history and market depth that attracted him to the role.

“I’m a bit nostalgic when it comes to turnaround and restructuring, so it means a lot to me to help maintain the strong position KPMG has in the allisland market. We also have an incredibly experienced and rounded team full of quality advisors and we are focussed on helping our clients in whatever way we can. Dealmaking isn’t always easy and it isn’t always straightforward. Sometimes a lot of effort has to be put in. And that’s where we come in.”

James Neill is also an optimist when it comes to surveying the wider local economy and business market.

“There’s always a danger that we can underplay the quality of the Northern Ireland market or the opportunities that lie ahead for it. Yes, it has some legacy challenges, but in terms of quality of people, leadership and professionalism, it’s second to none.

“What we also tend to forget is the fact that we’ve come a heck of a long way in the past 15 years or so. Our horizons now look very different to what they did back then. Sometimes we don’t give ourselves enough credit for what has been achieved in these six counties and for the journey we have been on. It’s sometimes better thinking, if we have achieved so much in the past 15 years, what could be achieved in the next 15.”

“The current environment is very different. At the moment, for those with capital and an entrepreneurial growth mindset, opportunities are presenting themselves and there will be more to come. If we do see any stress in the market, it’s likely opportunistic M&A will emerge as a theme, as the many cash-rich companies seek to take advantage of opportunities.”

Leading supplier reaps rewards for online sales growth across Ireland

The company, which recently retained its Deloitte Best Managed Company status for the 10th consecutive year, posted a sales increase of 41.4% for 2022, and announced over 40% of its sales were processed online, thanks to the investment into its e-commerce offering.

At the recent Irish eComm Awards held in Dublin, Henderson Foodservice was the most successful company on the night, taking home four awards throughout the all-island contest, including Overall Irish Ecommerce Website of the Year, triumphing over big brands including Brown Thomas, Petstop.ie and An Post.

The team also won Food and Drink eCommerce Website of the Year, a promotion from their Highly Commended win in 2022, while also retaining their Business Growth Award for a second year. Finally, the company was awarded B2B eCommerce Website of the Year and achieved Highly Commended in the eCommerce In-House Team of the Year category.

Henderson-foodservice.com is now the company’s single largest channel for placing orders, with 47% of sales in the past month placed online and a 60% increase in online sales overall. New user numbers have increased 19% in

the past year, with the conversion rate also rising by 22% on 2022. The wins come just weeks after securing a huge win at the 2023 Institute of Hospitality Awards for Supplier of the Year, a testament to the commitment of the company to meeting the needs, filling in the skills gap and creating overall efficiency for the entire sector, says Cathal Geoghegan, Managing Director at Henderson Foodservice.

Cathal commented; “We are thrilled to have been recognised by so many prestigious establishments in the past few weeks, and it really is a testament to the incredible work our teams have put in to developing those solutions that are really needed in the industry, while keeping everything efficient by investing in an online overhaul for our dot com offering.

“Since the global pandemic hit the hospitality industry in 2020, our customers have been in recovery

mode. Myriad challenges have continued to strike the industry and our hundreds of customers across Ireland, so our long-term strategy has been very much about working alongside them to create solutions that aid recovery and boost both theirs and our own businesses.”

Henderson Foodservice recently launched its Effortless Christmas campaign which seeks to provide a seamless and abundant festive ordering process for their foodservice customers across Ireland, helping to relieve the stress chefs and caterers face during the busiest time of the year.

The full brochure of canapés, starters, mains, sides, desserts, cheese and crackers can all be viewed via henderson-foodservice. com, and include local suppliers such as Yellow Door, Glastry Farm, French Village, Ballylisk of Armagh and Ballymaloe, alongside leading foodservice brand, Country Range.

Henderson Foodservice, a leading supplier to the hospitality industry across Ireland is attributing a flurry of prestigious recent award wins to its growth in online sales over the past two years.

Accountancy

Don’t let Inheritance Tax Be the True Legacy!

In 2022/23 H M Revenue & Customs (HMRC) reported IHT receipts of £7.1billion, up £1 billion from the prior year, an increase of 16%. This upward trend looks set to continue. National Statistics show IHT receipts for April 2023 and May 2023 at £1.2 billion, an increase of £0.1 billion compared to the same period last year. Rising asset values combined with frozen IHT nil rate band thresholds have been stated as factors contributing to the increase in IHT receipts.

For most, IHT can be mitigated, with planning, allowing more of people’s wealth to pass to their loved ones. In fact IHT has often been described of as a “voluntary tax”, in that if actions are taken early enough, it is possible to negate any IHT payable on the estate. Currently, IHT is payable at 40% on the value of each person’s estate exceeding £325,000, this is the nil rate band. An additional allowance of £175,000, known as the residence nil rate band, is also available towards the value of the home passing to direct descendants. It should be noted that the residence nil rate band is reduced by £1 for every £2 that the estate is worth more than £2m. IHT reliefs and exemptions are also available, when certain conditions apply, to reduce the potential IHT

exposure. For many using trusts or a family investment company are useful vehicles incorporated into estate planning, where appropriate, allowing individuals to pass on wealth to the next generation whilst retaining control over the assets. Many think trusts are only suitable for the very wealthy when in fact a simple trust can be a useful tool in estate planning regardless of the level of wealth.

UK IHT has often been a topic for debate over the years. In January

2018 the then Chancellor asked the Office of Tax Simplification (OTS)

to conduct a review of the IHT regime. In the end the Government decided not to proceed with any major changes. However, IHT has featured again in the press, recently, with calls on the Government to abolish IHT sparking mixed reactions. It will be case of wait and see what happens next.

In the meantime, individuals are encouraged to review their estates and speak to their tax or legal advisor to understand their IHT position, discuss their options and plan accordingly, otherwise the tax man may be the true

benefactor. There are a number of IHT reliefs and exemptions that are available and a review will determine which of these will be applicable and the conditions to be met to fully avail of these.

Not a topic that any of us wish to consider, that of death, and the possible Inheritance Tax (IHT) payable on any wealth we have created during our lifetime and wish to pass on to our nearest and dearest. Yet government statistics show more people than ever are being hit by IHT.

Eye

onBest Places to Work

Eye on Workplace

Henderson Group –Rising To The Challenges Of Employee Care

At Henderson Group, the company’s 5,000+ employees spend their working hours in offices, in stores, in distribution centres and even behind the wheels of delivery lorries. So creating a consistent, high quality workplace for all is no easy task.

“We’ve increased our headcount

by almost 25% since the start of the Covid pandemic,” says Henderson Group’s Human Resources Director, Sam Davidson. “It’s growth that has been driven by shoppers. People changed their food shopping habits during Covid, liked what they experienced across all of our stores and we’re really pleased

that they haven’t changed them back again. Therefore we’ve been able to provide more local jobs for local people.”

Between its major operational hub at Mallusk, which includes a number of warehouses, central support offices and the Henderson Foodservice operation, and its 104 SPAR, EUROSPAR and ViVO stores, the group has 110 different workplaces all over Northern Ireland.

“We enjoy a really positive workplace culture right across our locations,” says Sam Davidson. “Of course it can be more of a challenge to create a consistent culture with so many dispersed retail stores, and that’s where we rely heavily on our retail management teams to create the right

working conditions in their stores.”

At the same time, he adds, Henderson Group faces a similar challenge to many large-scale employers at the moment. It’s extremely difficult to find and recruit new members of staff.

“There is a real shortage of of both labour and skills across the board,” he says. “People have become a lot more discerning about what jobs they’re doing and it’s not always easy to persuade people to take a chance on moving employer in this uncertain economic climate.”

The Group, says Sam Davidson, looks on its employees as customers. “We value our colleagues in exactly the same way as we value our shoppers.

It might be relatively easy for some employers to make their organisations a better place to work. But, for one of Northern Ireland’s largest private sector employers, it’s a more complex challenge.

Emma Gibson, Group Human Resources Manager/ Martin Agnew, Joint Managing Director, Henderson Group/ Justine McGreevey, Head of The Academy/ Sam Davidson, Group Human Resources Director.

Eye on Workplace

We couldn’t do what we do, and we couldn’t serve local communities in the way that we do without them. A lot of organisations claim that they are people businesses.

“In our case, people are our business. It’s as simple as that. But local communities are also our business. We play a part in all of the local communities we serve right across Northern Ireland.”

With employment rising rapidly during and after Covid, a lot of those people are relatively new. Of Henderson’s direct workforce, some 60% have less than five years’ service under their belts.

Hybrid working remains part of life at Mallusk where the group’s central support teams can spend a couple of days a week working from home should they wish. But remote working was never an option, even at the height of the pandemic, for store staff, warehouse and logistics team members.

“What our colleagues think is really important to us. We carry out what we call pulse surveys every few months, asking seven or eight questions and taking the pulse of our workforce. It gives us a good insight into the issues as our colleagues see them.

“But keeping in touch with our entire team is always going to be a challenge. They don’t call this industry FMCG – Fast Moving Consumer Goods – for nothing!. Change happens quickly and we’ve got to be nimble and open to change.”

Henderson Group has a wellestablished set of wellbeing

programmes called Well Aware for its entire workforce, broken up into four key areas:-

MOVE a physical wellbeing/ fitness programme

MUNCH initiatives and advice around nutrition

MIND turning the focus on mental health and wellbeing

MONEY a series of resources around personal financial management

Backing that up, the company also has its own in-house occupational health team. Access is also provided to the SPAR UK Benevolent Fund and GroceryAid for those who may need financial support.

“Our managers work hard to ensure that our key messages and programmes are communicated to everyone working in their teams. We have to ensure that everyone, whether they’re working in a store, operating in a field-based role or right here at our main hub in Mallusk, feels part of the same family and has access to all that brings. Effective communication is very important to what we’re trying to do.”

Henderson Wholesale, Henderson Retail and Henderson Foodservice have all received Gold Investors In People accreditation and will now work towards the top-level Platinum Award.

“It’s a form of official validation of the processes we have in place. But real success lies in keeping colleagues happy and well, and in retaining them within our teams. This is a close contact business, after all.”

Eye on Workplace

Study reveals the best companies to work for in the UK, according to employee reviews

Anew study has revealed that Google is the best company to work for in the UK, according to employee reviews.

Employee engagement experts

Weekly10 analysed online Glassdoor reviews for 1,090 companies with employees in the UK, to determine which are the best places to work. Companies with more than 1,000 reviews, 20 salaries and 5 job openings were included in the research.

The analysis took user ratings for several different categories, which were then weighted and added together to create an ‘Employee Satisfaction Score’ out of 100 for each company.

The categories considered were salary, business outlook, recommendation to friends, approval of the CEO, ratings from different demographic groups, health benefits, financial benefits, flexible work hours and working from home, sick pay and vacation days, transportation benefits, career opportunities,

and miscellaneous benefits.

Google was revealed to be the best company to work for in the UK, with an impressive employee satisfaction score of 82.88 out of 100 overall. It received 95.35 for career opportunities and 89.30 for salary, which were some of the highest scores in each of their respective categories based on the ratings of former and current employee feedback.

Google also scored highly for its sick pay and vacation system with 87.86 out of 100, alongside receiving 79.14 out of 100 for its flexible work hours and work from home policy based on employee feedback. The median yearly salary at Google is approximately £82,500.

In second place was Salesforce, with a satisfaction score of 81.28 out of 100 based on ratings of employee feedback.

Deutsche Bank received 97.98 for its health benefits and 97.71 for its flexible hours, also scoring 96 for sick pay and holiday. The median yearly salary at Salesforce is approximately £73,566.

The company was however let down slightly by its business outlook experience score of 63.51 out of 100 based on employee feedback. Salesforce provides customer relationship management software and applications focused on sales, customer service, and marketing automation.

Morgan Stanley came close behind in third with a satisfaction score of 79.61 out of 100 based on ratings of employee feedback. The financial services company received 86.75 for approval of its CEO and has a median yearly salary of £67,658.

Deutsche Bank ranked fourth with a satisfaction score of 79.29 out of 100, while Cisco Systems came fifth with a score of 79.11. Investment banking company Deutsche Bank scored 72.95 for business outlook based on ratings of employee feedback and has a median yearly salary of £73,002. Digital communications company Cisco Systems received 83.78 in the same category and has a median yearly salary of £56,389.

Other companies that managed to make the top ten include Dell Technologies, Accenture, Bank of America, Avanade, and Microsoft.

A spokesperson for Weekly10 commented:

“Sites like Glassdoor are an extremely valuable resource for those looking for new job opportunities due to how much information can be found regarding the experiences of current and former employees.

“Whilst salary is an important factor, many of the top companies also received high ratings in categories such as health benefits, sick pay, and flexible hours. Work-life balance is extremely important when considering long-term employment options and the top companies are ranking highly in areas that contribute to this discussion. They also notably share high approval for their CEOs, with all the top ten companies scoring above 70 in this category.”

We’re the right people to find the right person for the right job. honeycomb.jobs

Eye on Workplace

EY Northern Ireland –More Than A Place To Work

But what makes EY, one of the big four global professional services firms, a great place to work and how does it attract, engage and look after its employees?

Richard Buckley talks to Jonathan Williamson, EY Northern Ireland’s Chief Operating Officer, as well as Director Roisin Shanks and Senior Consultant Alexios Sofias

“Our people are what this business is all about,” says EY’s Jonathan Williamson. “For us as an employer, it’s about recruiting the best, training the best and looking after them. It’s also about respecting our people and creating an environment where people

feel connected, and that they belong both here in the office and elsewhere.”

There’s no doubt that EY does things differently. It’s one of the few organisations I’ve come across that gives all staff an allowance to encourage people to focus on their wellbeing and health in a way that is personal to them. Whether it’s a gym membership, dental treatment, a spa break or a home charging station –the choice is an individual one and that’s what makes it so unique.

“The feedback that we’ve had is that this particular initiative is really important to our people and one thing that helps differentiate us as an employer.” Jonathan adds.

EY Northern Ireland has also

embraced the hybrid working world.

Employees are encouraged to align office days with those of their fellow team members, using these “anchor days” to enable teams to work more collaboratively, improve relationships and help everyone find a balance that works for them, the firm and their clients.

Jonathan commented “We work in a fast-paced environment which reinforces the importance

of ensuring our people feel both protected and valued. Embracing and promoting flexibility allows us to balance life outside of work with exceptional client service, and our leaders in Northern Ireland ensure that they role model this.”

“In practice, most of us are in the office for a few days every week,” says Roisin Shanks, a Director in the Strategy & Transactions team and a specialist in due diligence.

With a team of 900 already in Belfast, and recently announced plans to recruit an extra 1,000, EY will be one of Northern Ireland’s largest private sector employers.

Eye on Workplace

“On a personal level, I really enjoy the craic here in the office. And it’s important to have that faceto-face time with colleagues.

“But as a working mother of two children, I wouldn’t be able to do what I do without the hybrid working model and the flexibility that EY offers.”

This flexibility had been developed and put into place before the pandemic, but it’s now part of everyday working at EY.

It might surprise many, but there are almost 40 different nationalities represented in the workforce at EY Northern Ireland. It’s a statistic that demonstrates the diversity of the EY Northern Ireland workplace.

To ensure that everyone feels included, there is a wide range of colleague-led networks – including an active Women’s Network as well as a Unity Group for LGBT+ colleagues. The firm also maintains a wide range of sporting societies, other personal interest groups and a thriving social calendar including the EY Summer Party. There’s also a gym within EY’s Bedford House building in the centre of Belfast, which further promotes the commitment to wellbeing.

“We’re well aware that there is a war for talent out there,” says Jonathan. “We compete not only with other professional services firms, but also with a range of other employers. So doing the right thing for our employees is not just the right thing to do, but it’s absolutely essential as we

operate in this competitive market.”

When she joined EY (then Ernst & Young) as a graduate 21 years ago, Roisin Shanks became part of a 100-strong team. That team has increased ninefold over the intervening period. “We’ve used the phrase ‘Think Global, Empower Local’ and it sums this organisation up very well. We work globally, but we’re firmly rooted here in Northern Ireland.

“I can’t say that I know everyone in the business anymore, but the same EY culture is still at the heart of everything we do. It’s the people that make EY the success that it is.”

Alexios Sofias is a Senior Consultant in the Data & Analytics team. He moved to Belfast from Greece after studying at Strathclyde University in Glasgow, where he graduated in Electronic Engineering. He’s well versed in EY’s international ethos but he’s also a great example of how EY recruits a variety of skillsets to create long term value and positive change for their clients, people, and society.

“Not so long ago, big accountancy and consultancy firms focused on recruiting accountancy graduates and that was about it,” adds Jonathan Williamson.

“Alexios is just one of the graduates we’ve recruited from a wide range of different disciplines. It all adds to the mix of talents that help us improve the quality and breadth of our services.”

Alexios says that he joined EY Northern Ireland, not just because of its flexibility and employee

care, but because it also boasts a large data analytics team.

“We’re focused as a team on innovation and the company gives us the tools and the backing to drive that innovation forward,” he says. “And, however busy we get, support is never too far away.”

As it prepares to welcome hundreds of new employees in a recruitment drive backed by Invest Northern Ireland, EY has also been demonstrating this innovation in adopting an academy approach. It has one running currently aimed at data analysts, and others are in the pipeline.

“They will be fundamental to how we grow going forward,” says Jonathan. “We believe there is great talent all over Northern Ireland, and these academies will help us reach audiences who might not otherwise consider us.”

Jonathan adds “Northern Ireland is a unique business location for us, and this growth agenda represents a unique opportunity for EY to help shape the future of this wonderful community.”

Jonathan Willamson, EY Belfast’s Chief Operating Officer. Roisin Shanks, EY Director.

Alexios Sofias, EY Senior Consultant.

Musgrave NI - Best Places to Work in NI in 2023

Musgrave NI is part of the wider Musgrave Group which is currently Ireland’s leading food retail, wholesale and foodservice company. Together with its retail partners, the business supports more than 41,000 jobs, in more than 1,000 stores and offices across the island of Ireland, with turnover of £4 billion.

The business recently launched the Musgrave Institute providing all colleagues with the opportunity to invest in their own learning and development journey. Using AI technology, the online resource offers 360 skill assessments and personal learning paths for colleagues and complements the array of functional development programmes and experiential learning initiatives that are already in place to help colleagues learn, grow and develop their skills and careers.

How we work

Operating across Northern Ireland, ROI and Spain, Musgrave Group has over 10,000 colleagues working within departments that are cross-functional. As such, the major areas of the business are led by a Centre of Excellence which works collectively as One Musgrave –simplifying the business and making things less complex while leveraging the group’s scale, supply chain and partnering functions efficiently.

During the pandemic, Musgrave quickly became apparent that the world of work would move on from five days a week in the office, to a model that would allow colleagues more flexibility and a better work/life balance, while also ensuring productivity, innovation and teamwork remained supported.

Trevor Magill, MD of Musgrave

Northern Ireland explains the strategic direction of the business“At Musgrave, our strategy of “Unlock the Potential” contains three elements: unlocking the potential in our markets, in our business and most importantly, our people. Our people are the heart of our business and as our greatest asset, they make Musgrave a great place to work and in return we aim to be the very best place to work, grow and thrive.”

Learning and Development

Trevor continues - “We grow our business by growing our people and offer an array of career opportunities.”

Trevor explains - “To respond to this, we introduced our hybrid work model: Work Smart @ Musgrave - allowing colleagues the option to alternate their time between connecting and collaborating in the office and working remotely. It brings an opportunity to retain the best of the remote working experience, while enabling colleagues to connect in person and work together onsite. It supports the delivery of our business growth strategy by enabling colleagues to work in a more productive and agile way. It also enables us to attract and retain the best talent, including parents and people with caring responsibilities – anyone in fact who finds it easier to work flexibly but still has a huge amount to contribute to a business.”

To protect and enhance team connections, personal development, and social engagement, Musgrave expanded its colleague health and well-being programme, Be Well,

Trevor Magill, MD of Musgrave Northern Ireland.

Eye on Workplace

Annmarie O’Brien

I have been provided with a range of opportunities to learn and develop my professional skillset. The opportunity to gain cross-divisional experience enhanced my knowledge of the exciting Musgrave brands throughout the island of Ireland. My current role involves purchasing alcohol across the retail and wholesale business for Musgrave and Drinks Inc. I really enjoy Growing Good Business, working with suppliers to identify future consumer trends and launching new products into the market.

Why have I stayed? For me

Musgrave is a lot of variety, and no day is the same. Even though I work in Finance, I work in a role which sees all sides of the business so there is always something to keep you busy and there is never a dull moment! The other thing for me would be the people - they make this business.

Work Well to meet the needs of hybrid workers while also focusing efforts on employee engagement.

Health and Wellbeing

“Colleague Health & Wellbeing is a key part of our engagement strategy and we have a Centre of Excellence dedicated to this. Our programme Be Well, Work Well, with the support of our Wellbeing Champions, delivers our health and wellbeing strategy and focuses on the following pillars: nutritional, physical, social, and

mental health - designing initiatives that are relevant for our colleagues while inspiring them to prioritise their health and embrace positive lifestyle choices.”

Engagement

Ensuring the voices of colleagues are heard is key to Musgrave’s growth and success. Through employee engagement surveys and focus groups, the business ensures it understands and takes action to improve colleagues’ experience of working in the business.

Musgrave develop their people into leaders – there are great opportunities for progression across the business. Working hard has helped me progress from a Credit Controller to Credit Manager.

“We support our Inclusion and Diversity Strategy with Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) which invite colleagues from across the business to join an ERG that interests them, for example, Disability, Culture & Heritage, or Gender. Each ERG has a sponsor from the Musgrave Board and a commitment to bring new perspectives to our strategic thinking.

In 2021 we launched GenRep, our youth Board, comprising ten young colleagues aged 22 to 27 years, designed to inform and shape our growth strategy”.

Trevor concludes:

“As a business that is at the very heart of local life in Northern Ireland, Musgrave is built on solid foundations, with people who care passionately about the work that they do in the communities they serve. We remain more committed than ever to our purpose of Growing Good Business; delivering sustainable growth to benefit our people, partners, and communities; and leaving a legacy for future generations.”

To find out more about our career opportunities visit www.musgravegroup.com/careers

Financial Planning Manager

Sara McAuley

Credit Control Manager

Trading Manager for Spirits, Beer and Tobacco Claire McAlinney

Eye on Workplace

RSM strengthens future growth with record trainee intake in Northern Ireland

By Richard Gardiner, managing partner, RSM Belfast

Leading audit, tax and consulting firm RSM has strengthened its workforce in Northern Ireland, taking on a record 12 new students in 2023, a 20% increase from its 2022 intake.

The new recruits will be based in the firm’s Belfast office, with half of the region’s trainees in audit and risk assurance, demonstrating where the firm’s focus in people investment lies. The others are spread across accounting insight advisory, corporate tax and economics consulting.

Richard Gardiner, RSM UK’s office managing partner in Belfast, said: ‘It’s an exciting time to be joining RSM, as we are continuously investing in recruiting, developing and training our people to help shape our ambitious growth plans. This year marks our largest cohort of new trainees, and I’m delighted to welcome them to the firm’s Belfast office. Our focus in Northern Ireland remains on strengthening our presence in the region, delivering a premium service to our clients in the middle market and

providing young professionals with a supportive framework to learn, gain confidence and thrive in the workplace. I look forward to working with them as they take their first steps on the career ladder at RSM.’

The new recruits will be supported in studying for their professional ACA, AAT, ATT, ICAS, ACCA, CIA or CTA accountancy qualifications and will also benefit from a comprehensive internal development programme focused on developing a broad range of skills and supporting wellbeing.

Helen Bloodworth, associate director of Early Careers at RSM UK, said: ‘It’s rewarding to know this year is our biggest number of trainees coming on board to help deliver our business ambitions. With a focus on personal and professional development, RSM is a great place to start your career

and an exciting environment within which to progress. The latest wave of trainees come from different backgrounds with different experiences and outlooks, and the firm benefits from having a wide and deep pool of people. In return, they will gain a well-structured training path in their early years against a backdrop of working in a supportive and collaborative culture.’

RSM’s emphasis on attracting more who choose a career in professional services straight from school as an alternative to attending university remains a key focus. The firm offers trainees a range of further opportunities from technical development to participation in charitable activity, and sponsorship of the Duke of Edinburgh Gold award.

In August RSM announced it has retained its ‘Two Star’ status as an ‘outstanding’ company to work for in the latest Best Companies survey, which measures workplace engagement in the UK.

RSM achieved the accreditation despite the backdrop of challenges for employers including the rising

cost-of-living, soaring inflation and the threat of a recession.

Survey response rates among RSM’s employees also jumped from 53.95% in 2022 to a high of 75.19% in 2023 and was comfortably above the average of other big companies (64.18%).

The firm also supports flexible working, as Richard Gardiner explains: ‘A flexible approach to work helps us meet the needs of our clients and our people. We know our highly skilled people have a range of diverse needs, which can be harder to meet working solely in any one setting, either home or office, and it’s not always the right place to meet our clients’ needs either. Agile working is a fundamental part of who we are. We encourage our people to proactively work with their line managers to determine how, when and where they work best to meet the needs of their clients, their teams and themselves.’

For further information on career opportunities at RSM visit https:// www.rsmuk.com/careers/students.

Eye on Tourism

Sports and Tourism: A Winning Combination for Economic Growth

Over the past few weeks, television screens have been lit up with a sports extravaganza, featuring the Rugby World Cup, the Ryder Cup, and captivating cricket matches.

For those less inclined toward sports, the return of beloved shows like Bake Off and Strictly provides ample entertainment. Yet, beyond the thrill of the games and entertainment, these world-class events serve as a powerful way to spotlight a country’s offerings on the global stage.

France, for instance, is currently hosting Rugby World Cup matches in cities like Paris, Nantes, Marseilles, and Lyon. The influx of rugby enthusiasts has not only boosted the French economy but also showcased various vibrant cities to the world. Looking ahead, Paris gears up for the 2024 Olympics, promising even more extensive benefits that extend beyond the capital.

Reflecting on this, I can’t help but feel a tinge of envy, as Ireland bid for the 2023 Rugby World Cup but failed to convert the opportunity. The missed opportunity to demonstrate our capabilities in hosting such a grand event, not to mention the economic and promotional advantages, leaves a sense of what could have been. Our legendary Irish hospitality, diverse landscapes, and warm welcome would have undoubtedly left a lasting impression on visitors from around the globe.

Tourism is undeniably a transformative force, capable of driving positive change. It spreads economic prosperity, revitalises communities, and addresses socioeconomic challenges. Since the Good Friday Agreement, Northern Ireland has witnessed a resurgence of interest in tourism, resulting in substantial investments in the hotel industry and a significant rise

By Janice Gault, Chief Executive, Northern Ireland Hotels Federation

in employment opportunities.

Over the last two decades, the hotel industry has invested over £1bn in construction, expansion, and refurbishment. The number of hotel bedrooms have doubled with 10,000 people employed directly in the sector and a further 5,000 supported by it.

Yet, if truth be told, it is not really seen as an equal to the manufacturing, stem, or agricultural industries. It’s intertwined with the hospitality sector, contributing to retail, food services, and transport.

The true economic value of tourism, when considering both direct and indirect impacts, far exceeds what’s often reported. In Northern Ireland, a comprehensive assessment indicates a staggering £3 billion contribution to the economy, three times the reported amount. This is a

model developed by Grant Thornton and used in the recent Northern Ireland Tourism Alliance report.

As we progress into 2024, the tourism and hotel sectors are performing reasonably well, though challenges like costs and staffing persist. Achieving the four-billionpound milestone is a tangible goal, but it necessitates collective effort, supportive policies, and effective national strategies. The industry, having weathered the pandemic storm, now seeks favourable taxation, improved immigration policies, and acknowledgment of its long-term transformative potential.

In the realm of sports, it appears that a collective bid from England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland has secured the EURO 28 football competition with twenty-four

teams. This event, though a different sport, presents a significant opportunity for tourism, aligning perfectly with what the industry needs—a sporting chance!

Looking ahead, global opportunities, economic benefits, and sustainability within the sector will be at the forefront of discussions at the upcoming Hospitality Exchange in Belfast on the 17th and 18th of October 2023. For anyone passionate about the potential of sports and tourism as a powerful catalyst for growth, this event is a must-attend.

For more information and to book your tickets, visit hospitalityexchange.org.uk Don’t miss this chance to be part of the conversation shaping the future of tourism and hospitality in our region.

MAXOL & THE ROADSIDE RETAIL REVOLUTION

Eye on Retail

Maxol’s Northern Ireland base at Mallusk is home to a collection of relics and reminders of the family firm’s 100-plus year history in the fuel business. There’s an old petrol pump, a hand operated pump once used to dispense engine oil, and photographs of the company’s employees and its early vehicles.

Yet a brand new TV and outdoor advertising campaign launched north and south at the end of August makes no mention of Maxol’s fuel sales, formerly its stock in trade. Instead, it concentrates on the company’s role as a convenience retailer, or roadside retailer as Chief Executive Brian Donaldson likes to call it.

The Co. Down man has been at helm of the Irish group for some years and splits his time between Mallusk and Maxol’s HQ in Dublin’s IFSC. And he sees a bright future for the company despite the clear challenge of more and more vehicles moving from petrol and diesel to electric power.

“We’ve been refocusing this business since 2011,” he says. “Back then, we moved out of home heating oil and sold our commercial bulk business. We chose to focus on retail fuels, on convenience retail, wholesale fuels to independent dealers who own their own service stations, our fuel card business and our lubricants division. Since then, our EBITDA has grown from €13 million to €45million. So we’re clearly doing something right.”

At the same time, Maxol has acquired some 30 new retail sites and refurbished more than 70 trading sites the length and

breadth of the island of Ireland. “Our priority,” adds Brian Donaldson, “has been to position those sites primarily as convenience retail outlets that also provide fuel and other energies for mobility.”

In Northern Ireland, Maxol works closely with the Henderson Group and SPAR as its retail partner. In the South, things are different. Maxol might work with BWG Foods as a partner supplier, but it operates its roadside retail stores under the Maxol brand name. It even has a series of own label ranges on the shelves and it has also sold four million cups of coffee under its own ROSA Coffee brand name.

In the North, the company has been busy in recent times, redeveloping its sites at Kinnegar in Holywood, at Portrush, Downpatrick, Glenabbey and Edenderry. The Kinnegar site is held up as a case study for future developments. Maxol purchased land next to the existing site and redeveloped it to include a larger Eurospar store (a first in the Maxol estate), more car parking and – crucially – a new state of the art Ultra Rapid EV charging hub, under their Maxol Recharge brand, another first in Maxol’s estate and a first on the island of Ireland.

“EV charging hubs are part of our strategy to offer leading edge

facilities at key sites across our network over the next 5 years as demand for pay-as-you-go charging grows. We know that we have to supply EV drivers just as we’ve supplied petrol and diesel customers for many years,” says Brian Donaldson. The next UltraRapid EV charging hub due to open is Braid River in Ballymena and it will be similar in scale and quality of facilities to Kinnegar.

Changes resulting from both Covid and Brexit, he says, helped the business as a whole. “Shoppers turned in their numbers to convenience retailers and away from the bigger supermarkets. But that change in shopping habits has stuck. More and more people are shopping at their local store more regularly. Hybrid working habits, also here to stay, have helped to make a difference too. The days of the ‘big shop’ might just be numbered.

“Our ongoing challenge is to offer value, range, quality and local produce to rival anything that any other retailer can offer and that’s what we’re doing. The growth in our customer base and financial performance reaffirms the progress we have made.

“We’ll also be looking at acquiring ‘dry sites’, where there’ll be no fuel on sale, no pumps, but where we will offer ultra-rapid charging hubs and other services. This will complement our evolving roadside offer and extend our brand into new markets. Given the history of this company, that’s a significant move.”

Maxol was founded back in 1920 when William & James McMullan signed a supply agreement with the Anglo Mexican Oil Company (AMOC) and founded McMullan Bros. Ltd, trading under the Mex brand name. By the 1970’s, the firm had become Maxol and it has remained in McMullan family ownership throughout its history.

Brian Donaldson says that Maxol will also consider forging new partnerships. One reason for that is the company’s desire to continue the development of its in-store offer and to bring new services to its growing network to meet the changing needs of customers.

Maxol employs 86 staff directly but more than 1,200 indirectly and, given its retail footprint, it’s a company making a significant economic contribution both north and south.

The company has just launched its first major advertising campaign since 2016. The six-figure campaign builds on Maxol’s recently announced investment programme of more than £97M and is part of the company’s 2023-2027 strategic plan. Developed alongside Dublin agency Havas, ‘Bags More’, is a humorous ad filmed at a Maxol site outside Dublin, and features ‘Conor & Ciara’, a time poor young professional couple typical of the kind of shopper Maxol wants to target as a retailer. Significantly, the campaign majors on the range of goods available at Maxol stores.... but doesn’t mention fuel or show the forecourt.

“We’re embarking on a three-year campaign to promote Maxol as a retail convenience-led brand,” says Brian Donaldson. “But I suppose it goes even further than that. We’re changing the customer’s image of what the Maxol brand means and that is an important objective of our current strategic plan.”

‘Bags More’ runs across TV from 28 August and feature on out of home (OOH), digital, PR and instore. The campaign will conclude on October 8.

View the ad here

https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=9dvCIE2BdjE

Eye on News

IOD Chair Calls For Apprenticeship Funding

still dealing with the legacy of our troubled past, it is important to recognise the progress we have made in the last 25 years, and the opportunity that the next 25 years can bring,” he said. “It is also important to acknowledge the role of some of our leaders, particularly our business leaders in the positive change we see every day.”

Gordon emphasised the opportunities being missed through the absence of political leadership.

established leaders such as Dame Rotha Johnson DBE, Sir Michael Ryan, Brian Conlon and Brendan Mooney, through to emerging leaders particularly in the tech sector and winners alike, they exemplify the best that NI has to offer across our family businesses, corporations, public and private sectors.”

Speaking at the annual IoD dinner sponsored by the Bank of Ireland, Arthur Cox and the Charles Hurst Group in the Culloden Hotel on Thursday, Mr Milligan who has chaired the IoD for six years said:

“The recent international investment conference, the NI Investment Summit, which attracted global investors would have been unheard of in 1998 as would the trade delegation led by US economic envoy Joe Kennedy III whom we are looking forward to welcoming back next month,” said Mr Milligan.

“While we have further to travel as a society

“Similar to employers in GB, if businesses in NI had the same access to the £60m that we pay into the apprenticeship levy each year we would use this to create innovative and flexible employment opportunities for 24,000 young people not in employment, education or training; or for 32% of women of working age who are not in employment; or for the 63% of disabled people who are not in work.”

Mr Milligan acknowledged the enviable levels of business leadership available in Northern Ireland.

“I share in the celebration of this leadership through our Director of the Year Awards,” he said. “From

He also acknowledged the work undertaken by many businesses and organisations to become socially and environmentally sustainable. “Our recent Shared Island funding enables us to take our ambition to the next stage,” he said. “In supporting our leaders across the island to move the dial on ESG (environmental, social and governance) not only are we addressing pressing global issues but also meeting the expectations of consumers and investors.”

“Times like these demand resilience and flexibility. They will reward the optimism that spots the opportunity for positive change, and it will reward collaboration and bravery.”

Mr Milligan will step down from his role as Chair of IoD NI in March 2024.

Institute of Directors NI Chair, Gordon Milligan OBE, has urged political leaders to approach Northern Ireland’s future in equal partnership with the business community.

Pictured at the IoD NI Annual dinner are (L-R) Kirsty McManus, Nations Director, IoD NI; Gordon Milligan OBE, Chair, IoD NI, writer Lisa Magee who spoke at the event and Paul Magee, Director Corporate Banking, at lead sponsor Bank of Ireland

Christopher Mason –

Helping To Ease The Way On Dispute Resolution

Commercial disputes aren’t what any business owner wants, says Christopher Mason, but they’re an unavoidable fact of business life and need to be dealt with effectively and professionally.

Christopher heads up a dedicated Commercial Litigation team at Belfastbased MKB Law working hand in hand with the firm’s Corporate & Commercial teams and working even more closely with business clients of all shapes and sizes.

“Our clients want to be safe in the knowledge that a strong team is in place at MKB, a team that has their back when it comes to commercial disputes. Our clients know their businesses, they’re commercially astute, and they want direct, practical advice when disputes occur.”

A graduate of the College of Law in Chester, Christopher worked in Liverpool for 10 years, qualifying as a solicitor there in 2013 and going on to become Director of Litigation at a Merseyside law

firm similar in size to MKB Law and with a similar client base.

“I moved over to Northern Ireland for family reasons. I immediately liked what I saw here at MKB. It’s a firm with a strong focus on business clients. In fact, it’s the backbone of what we do. We typically work with business clients ranging from £20 million to £100 million turnover.

“We set out to resolve commercial disputes as quickly and effectively as we can, and we’ll try to do that as seamlessly as we can, taking as much of the effort, stress and worry as possible from the shoulders of our clients. We do all the heavy lifting, in other words.”

But he admits that rapid resolutions aren’t always possible. “Some disputes are complex or contain deeply entrenched issues

and simply can’t be resolved quickly. What’s important is that we always stay fully engaged to protect the position and interests of our clients throughout the process, however long it takes.

“We want our clients to feel that they can offload the problem to us and we’ll deal with it so that they can focus on running their businesses. We have to keep clients fully informed, of course, but we take control of the matter and our clients can have as much or as little input as they feel comfortable with. Our clients trust us and most of them don’t want to know about what we’re doing in exacting detail.”

Not every commercial dispute, of course, will end up in litigation. Many are resolved by effective negotiation or by formal mediation... increasingly used to resolve disputes and avoid expensive court proceedings. The majority of cases are also resolved before trial begins, some of them on the steps of the court itself.

“Whatever way a dispute is eventually resolved, it’s absolutely

crucial that business owners and managers have access to professional legal advice from a very early stage,” adds Christopher. “Leave it too late and the risks are increased substantially.”

Christopher Mason heads up a Commercial Litigation team that also includes experienced solicitor Gavin Coyle and trainee solicitor Michael Murphy. It’s team that Christopher fully intends to grow over the coming years as its client base grows. Technology, he says, plays an increasingly important role in today’s commercial litigation. As a firm, MKB Law was one of the early adopters of paperless systems and the latest legal software and technology.

“In litigation, you have to be flexible. Every day is different, and technology plays a major role in the effective processing of information, communication and the professional management of what can be quite complex processes. It’s an area that we will continue to invest in going forward.”

No longer just a numbers game

Thus far, 2023 has allowed accountants to showcase their resilience, and how indispensable a role they play in business. We’ve always known that accountancy is an industry of perpetual change, but in recent years, and even months, its evolution has come at rapid pace. Unpredictable economic shifts, the digital transformation and everchanging regulations have compounded, with accountants ultimately having to adapt to remain relevant.

But what does this accountant of the future look like? First off, they see far beyond the number crunching and financial recording in favour of a broader set of responsibilities such as analysing forecasts, identifying emerging trends, networking – ultimately more than an accountant, but a strategic advisor.

Understanding the skillset of the contemporary accountant is important, but more important is understanding how we as business owners continue to nurture and support our industry talent to grow in tandem with the sector’s demands. How do we support talent to embrace new paradigms to and remain a central

figure in their clients’ businesses?

It may seem a question with a simple answer, but many firms are yet to consider their next steps in the war against talent. According to a recent Intuit QuickBooks survey of accountants, 92 per cent have experienced hiring challenges in the past year, with numbers reaching concerningly low levels in 2022. Talent and growth are entirely correlated, so accountancy firms should carefully and proactively monitor their resource to identify and address any emerging skills gaps. To put in bluntly, investing in human capital is a non-negotiable when it comes to maintaining client standards, and remaining in a comfortable position to accept new growth opportunities.

I believe it’s our responsibility to advocate for employees, and part of this is ensuring that career development strategies are in place to retain and attract the best. And my response focuses on talent at all levels.

Now in its fifth year, we developed and introduced our RBCA Academy Programme in 2019, to ensure that we

commit to talent entering the workforce. Just these past few months we’ve welcomed six bright individuals at the very start of their careers to our fold. It makes me proud to be in the position to offer local talent a setting where I know they will thrive, not only enhancing their technical skills and having the opportunity to achieve Chartered Accountancy status, but also investing in their interpersonal development and growing to become a trusted business partners to their clients.

We recently invested in a new Belfast city centre office that provides the physical environment needed for productivity and learning. Furthermore, our team is exposed to and understands the importance of digital tools. In 2022, we redesigned and invested in new cloud technology, successfully tackling our tech stack. Whilst there is much debate on whether investing in software is worth the cost implication to clients, our continued growth would signal that improving efficiency and performance is key to continued success. And whilst some ill-advised pundits would argue that accountancy’s future is limited in this increasingly digital

world, we argue that new accounting technologies are simply complementary to our work, and will never replace it. Why? People will always buy into people. Relationships are, if you will, the secret weapon of the modern-day accountant – the point of difference that gives that crucial competitive edge.

Across the firm the team is encouraged to get out of their comfort zones and focus on presentation skills, and building their personal networks. And it’s a strategy that proves to be working.

Our workforce headcount has grown by 25 per cent in recent months, due to rapidly increasing client demands for our services. So, my leadership focus for the future will continue to prioritise talent. As leaders, we should all be willing to develop our employer proposition and support the continued repositioning of accountancy as the rewarding, exciting career that it is, to futureproof the talent pool for generations to come.

For more information visit www.rossboyd.co.uk

Ross Boyd, founder of RBCA, says firms must nurture and invest in talent to stay ahead of the curve.

Eye on Events

Hagan Homes celebrates 35 years in business

Hagan Homes, a pioneering force in the housing sector here, has celebrated its 35th anniversary and completed its 5,000th home.

Since its inception in 1988, Hagan Homes has continually evolved in the face of a number of economic, political and planning hurdles along the way. In recent years it has intensified its efforts and in 2018, the company celebrated its 30th anniversary by committing to constructing an additional 2,000 homes within a decade, with an investment of £300 million. The company recently hosted a special celebration event to mark the important milestone.

1 – Colin McAlister, James Hagan, Seamus O’Neill Jnr, Seamus O’Neill. 2 – Lorraine McLean & Morgan Hamill. 3 – Anne Heeks, James Rodgers, Natasha Rodgers, Emma McNeill.

4 – Jarlath McAleavey, Gareth Young, Sean McAteer, Arron Wilson, Carlton Bell.

(2)

(4)

(3)

(1)

5 – Julie Ann Osborne, Michael Martin, Andrea Beattie, 6 – Lindsay Fyfe, Charles Lynn, and Louise Lynn. 7 – Eoin O’Hagan, Art O’Hagan, Dan Henry. 8 – Eamonn McAlister, Ciara McGuigan, Jonny Finlay. 9 – Henry Campbell, Sarah Fletcher, Jim Burke, David Fletcher. 10 – Chris McElhinney, James Hagan, Colm McElhinney, Ciaran Murdock. 11 – Anne Heeks, James Hagan. 12 - Orlagh Mc Neill, Sharron Dobbin. 13 – John Toner & Ben Wall. 14 – David Calvert, Mark Hardy, Jack Strain. 15 – Harrison Ash, Jonny Finlay, Connor Couston. 16 – Graham Todd, Julie Clarke, Harrison Ash, Ryan McGurk.

(14)

(11)

(16)

(13)

(10)

(7)

(15)

(12)

(6)

Eye on News

Dunadry Hotel rolls out welcome mat to a green future

them to pay off their initial investment in less than four years, then ‘make money’ for the remainder of the lifespan of their solar system. Given the fact that our solar panels come with a product performance warranty of 25 years, this offers massive long-term savings and allows hotels to plan and build for a sustainable future.”

Hospitality Ulster CEO Colin Neil MBE is also looking forward to a greener future.

“We are delighted to have NextGen Power as our Accredited Partner in our journey towards a greener future for our members,” said Colin.

“The problems that the hospitality sector has faced in recent years are well documented so we welcome this opportunity to provide members with a clean energy source that will contribute much-needed cost savings without having to compromise on quality or luxury.

The award-winning Dunadry Hotel in County Antrim has taken a major step towards sustainability and environmental responsibility through a collaboration with local solar energy specialist Next-Gen Power.

Nestled on the banks of the flowing Six Mile River, the Dunadry has partnered with Belfast-based Next-Gen Power to install state-of-the-art solar panels and make a significant stride towards embracing renewable energy.

Through the installation of a 50kW Solar PV system, which includes 125 solar panels, discretely positioned out of sight on the roof of the hotel, the investment in this Solar PV project will equate to an annual saving of an estimated £15,000 per year.

The hotel, which part of the McKeever Hotel Group, also expects to reduce its all-important carbon footprint by 22 Tonnes per year.

Eddie McKeever, Group Operations Director at the McKeever Hotel Group, said: “As a hotel that values both luxurious experiences and responsible practices, we are thrilled to partner with Next-Gen Power to bring solar energy to the heart of

our operations. This endeavour not only aligns with our commitment to provide exceptional guest experiences but also underscores our dedication to environmental stewardship.

“With 72 bedrooms, our AA Rosette Mill Race Restaurant, indoor heated pool and thermal areas, and a modern Health & Fitness Club with fully equipped gym, we consume a huge amount of electricity so it was imperative, with current energy prices, that we reduce our electricity costs and our reliance on non-renewable energy sources.

“Working with Graham and the team at Next-Gen has really made the transformation easy for us,” he added.

“Within four months, the entire project was completed and we are already seeing the benefits.”

Headquartered in Belfast with an office in Drogheda, Next-Gen Power (NGP) provides green energy solutions, powered by the sun, to businesses and households across the island of Ireland.

The company is carving a niche for itself in the hospitality sector, and is now an Accredited Supplier of Hospitality Ulster, the non-profit organisation which represents and supports hospitality businesses across Northern Ireland.

“The Hospitality sector in Ireland has been hit extremely hard by the cost-ofliving crisis, as rising energy costs have caused us all to rethink how we heat and power our businesses and homes,” said Next-Gen Power COO Graham Bailie.

“We are proud to be an Accredited Supplier of Hospitality Ulster and our goal is to support its members on their decarbonation journey by providing them with solutions they can use to take control of their own electricity generation, reduce their monthly outgoings and create a sustainable future for their businesses.

“We are currently working on projects with another 10 local hotels, each requiring bespoke solutions based on their electricity usage and their future plans to become more sustainable,” he added.

“Our aim is to provide every hotel with savings of 60 to 70% on their annual electricity costs, which should enable

“It’s great to see one of our members, The Dunadry Hotel, setting an inspiring example for the hospitality industry, showing that environmental consciousness can coexist harmoniously with exceptional guest experiences,” he added.

Next-Gen Power is an approved installer for the recently released 20% Grant for Solar PV installation through the Northern Ireland Sustainable Energy Programme. This is a support measure to help businesses in Northern Ireland reduce the capital needed in order to create a sustainable future for their businesses.

Founded in 2013, NGP’s green energy solutions include the use of Solar Panels (PV) and/or Battery Storage to give customers a natural, efficient and cost-saving alternative to electricity from the grid.

Using the latest online technology, NGP can remotely conduct an energy survey and offer Solar PV and Battery Storage solutions to reduce electrical demand, improve energy efficiency and provide huge savings.

Last year was NGP’s best to date with installations of its solar panel and battery storage solutions increasing by a staggering 100 per cent. The company is already well on course for another record year in 2023.

Looking forward to a green future in the gardens at the Dunadry are (l-r) Next-Gen Power COO Graham Bailie, Hospitality Ulster CEO Colin Neil MBE, and Eddie McKeever, Group Operations Director at the McKeever Hotel Group.

Eye on News

Killeavy Castle Named Hotel of the Year

Killeavy Castle Estate, a four-star luxury retreat nestled in the heart of County Armagh has been named AA Hotel of the Year Northern Ireland at the prestigious AA Hospitality Awards 2023.

Killeavy Castle Estate, which opened its doors to guests in 2019, has swiftly emerged as a beacon of excellence in the Irish hospitality industry. With its breathtaking setting amidst 365 acres of countryside on the slopes of Slieve Gullion, comprising a 45-bedroom boutique hotel, two charming lodges, magnificent castle accommodation, spa, working farm, fine dining farm to fork restaurant, farm store and woodlands the estate has redefined sustainable luxury and relaxation.

The awards ceremony took place on 25 September at the JW Marriott Grosvenor House in London and was hosted by renowned TV presenter Claudia Winkleman. Owners of Killeavy Castle Estate, Mick and Robin Boyle proudly accepted the award for ‘AA Hotel of the Year Northern Ireland’ alongside General Manager Matthew Hynds and other members of the Killeavy team. Expressing their profound joy and gratitude at receiving the prestigious

award, Mick and Robin Boyle said: “We are delighted and honoured that Killeavy Castle Estate has been named Hotel of the Year Northern Ireland by the AA Hospitality Awards.

“This award is a testament to our vision to create a special, environmentally sensitive destination hotel in South Armagh, the unparalleled beauty of our estate and the surrounding area but mostly the unwavering dedication of our exceptional team and the fantastic service they provide to all our guests. At Killeavy we are all deeply committed to providing our guests with an unforgettable and sustainable experience, and this accolade inspires us to continue our pursuit of excellence.

“We are most proud that the Killeavy luxury experience is a uniquely environmentally friendly one. The produce we serve is grown on the estate or from the surrounding countryside. Single plastic use is minimised, and waste is composted or recycled, nothing

goes to landfill. Over the next decade we are replanting and regenerating 50,000 native trees on the estate as part of a plan to create 150 acres of native woodlands. The net effect is that Killeavy Castle will be carbon neutral next year, well ahead of our 2027 target, so guests can come and enjoy our luxury without any environmental concerns.”

Speaking about Killeavy Castle Estate and its offering, the AA Hospitality Awards inspector commented: “Located in a 365-acre estate made up of woods and farm lands, Killeavy Castle was built in the 19th century, but only recently opened as a hotel after massive refurbishment and investment. The original coach house and mill blend seamlessly into the newer locations. Dining is relaxed and much of the provenance comes from the estate and walled gardens. The spa offers an array of treatments while a wealth of outdoor activities are also on offer along with some wonderful walks. The estate also offers self-catering options.”

The AA Hospitality Awards are a symbol of excellence in the UK’s hospitality industry, recognising outstanding establishments across various categories in the sector, seeking out and celebrating the very best in hospitality across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

This latest accolade reaffirms Killeavy Castle Estate’s commitment to delivering exceptional experiences, showcasing the rich heritage and natural beauty of Northern Ireland, and offering guests a luxurious retreat unlike any other. Killeavy Castle Estate has won numerous awards in recent years in recognition of its excellence in hospitality including two AA rosettes for ‘Culinary Excellence’ in its restaurant and an AA four-star rating for excellence in hospitality last year.

For more information about Killeavy Castle Estate and its award-winning offerings, please visit www.killeavycastle.com

Awards host, Claudia Winkleman; General Manager of Killeavy Castle Estate, Matthew Hynds; Head Chef at Killeavy Castle Estate, Dario Percic; Events Manager at Killeavy Castle Estate, Seidy Hynds; owners of Killeavy Castle Estate, Mick and Robin Boyle; Executive Head Chef at Killeavy Castle Estate, Darragh Dooley and Simon Numphud, Managing Director at AA Media.

WILSON POWER & ENERGY ‘CHARGE’ FORWARD IN SOLAR PV

As more companies in Northern Ireland and beyond seek alternative ways to power their businesses in response to soaring energy costs, the team at Wilson Power & Energy are seeing a continued increase in the number of organisations exploring the opportunity to switch to solar PV as a viable option for reducing their reliance on imported fossil fuels whilst also working to reach their own ESG goals and lower their carbon emissions.

Dromore-based Wilson Power & Energy is bolstered by unrivalled knowledge and experience and bring over more than 15 years’ experience in complex DC Systems to their customers and oversee the strategic development, installation, and ongoing aftercare of solar PV installations ranging from as small as 80kW to over 1,000kW. The team leads on the development and installation of solar projects across Northern Ireland and also supports a number of developers on complex projects, bringing their in-depth expertise to wider projects.

Commenting on the soaring popularity of their solar PV offering Andrew Wilson, Owner / Director, Wilson Power & Energy said, “In addition to being an integral part of

larger micro-grid projects, solar PV offers several significant benefits to companies. By investing in solar panels, companies can expect to see a 25-40% energy savings.

“Installing solar PV is also a transparent way to meet sustainability goals through a fully traceable energy source located on-site. As a standalone investment, tying in with an uninterrupted power supply (UPS), or working in tandem with battery energy storage, solar can be a keystone for local businesses seeking to cut energy costs and reduce carbon emissions.”

Despite misconceptions about the effectiveness of solar PV in a cloudy climate like Northern Ireland, Andrew explains how the panels work for local businesses.

“Solar panels absorb energy not

only from visible light, they also absorb different wavelengths that penetrate clouds,” he says.

“Whilst solar PV is more effective on bright sunny days, you can expect to generate electricity during any daylight hours and, when combined with appropriate storage developed to meet your company’s needs, you can still benefit significantly from solar power in spite of our weather!”

Wilson Power & Energy continues to set standards locally and internationally, driven by its specialisation in renewable energy systems and commitment to innovation and sustainable practices which not only highlight the company’s technical prowess but also underscore its dedication to creating a greener future for the community.

The team includes the only trained engineers on the Island of Ireland on the MSP brand of battery energy storage technology and carry accreditations from MCS, NICEIC, Safe Contractor, Construction online Gold and Avetta and work with brands like Schneider, MSP, Fronius, Canadian Solar and Delta Electronics, amongst others, with MSP being on an exclusive service partnership basis.

For companies working to reach ESG targets, a solar PV system installed by Wilson Power & Energy can complement other sustainable technologies such as high-powered, fast EV chargers. Contact the team today to begin developing a bespoke energy strategy for your business.

Andrew Wilson, Owner and Director of Wilson Power & Energy.

Eye on Charity

ACTION CANCER CONTINUES TO SAVE LIVES IN ITS 50TH YEAR

Action Cancer, Northern Ireland’s leading, local cancer charity has unveiled its Breast Cancer Awareness Month campaign taking place during October which is supported by Gordons Chemists and local online car insurance company its4women.

Ambassadors for the charity and partners gathered together at Action Cancer House in Belfast

for a special celebration event.

2023 marks the 50th Anniversary of Action Cancer and the 45th Anniversary of its unique breast screening service.

Action Cancer has now recruited a cohort of new Ambassadors for the breast screening service- women who had their breast cancer detected by the charity. These women will be sharing their stories during the month of October

to spread awareness of Action Cancer’s life-saving breast screening service.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer type among females in Northern Ireland accounting for 30% of all cancer diagnoses among women. The latest statistics state that 1,457 women are diagnosed with breast cancer and 314 die from the disease every year.

Breast screening is for well women

Women with breast cancer detected by the charity come together to launch breast cancer awareness campaign.

Fiona McQuillan, Pharmacist at Gordons Chemists; Anna Kayes from its4women; Joanna Currie, Consultant Radiographer at Action Cancer and event host Claire McCollum.

Eye on Charity

who have no signs or symptoms and is the most effective tool for picking up cancers at an early and treatable stage. Action Cancer offers screening to women aged 40-49 and 70+ and encourages women aged 50-70 to attend for routine screening when called by the NHS.

Screening takes place at Action Cancer House in Belfast and on board the charity’s Big Bus, supported by SuperValu and Centra. This free service is not available anywhere else in the UK or Ireland.

The charity detects 6 cancers for every 1,000 screenings, with the majority of women receiving reassurance.

Joanna Currie, Consultant Radiographer at Action Cancer, said: “We, at Action Cancer, have a long history of innovation and we look back proudly over our 45 years of breast screening in NI.

“Our lasting legacy is that we sit at the forefront of breast screening technology, being the only unit in the UK and Ireland to currently utilise Tomosynthesis/3D breast imaging in the screening environment - a technology which has been proven to find very small cancers that can often be missed hiding in the breast tissue.

“Our dedicated X-ray team remain

committed to ensuring the very best for all clients at every step.  Action Cancer provides a simple online/telephone booking service and a relaxing screening environment for clients to visit, with staff who are skilled and compassionate in equal measures, motivated by the idea that they truly are making a difference.

“It has been wonderful for me and the team to meet the ladies who have come through their breast cancer journey, who are now cancer free and are here with us to celebrate today. We are also delighted to give ladies a tour of our Therapeutic Suite, showing them what support we have available in Belfast and regionally throughout Northern Ireland to help them in their recovery.

“We have now opened up new breast screening appointments for October onwards, so ladies please book your mammogram today.”

Fiona McQuillan, Pharmacist at Gordons Chemists, said: “It is so special to be here today to celebrate these amazing women whose lives have been saved by Action Cancer’s breast screening service.

“Gordons Chemists is proud to be partnered with Action Cancer and 2023 marks our 18th year as a corporate supporter.

“Throughout October our 55 stores across Northern Ireland will turn pink to raise money and spread awareness of the key message that where breast cancer is concerned, early detection saves lives. A huge thank you to our customers and staff who will be continuing to support this fantastic cause! Pop into your local store to buy a breast cancer bag for life.”

Action Cancer is calling on members of the public to back its ‘Breast Friends’ fundraising campaign, empowered by local online car insurance company its4women. The campaign which was setup in 2019, calls upon friends, family and loved ones to raise vital funds for Action Cancer’s breast screening service through social events. Since 2019 the campaign has raised over £213,000 which has funded 2,000 breast screening appointments.

Anna Kayes from its4women said: “I am delighted that Breast Friends has provided 2,000 local ladies to avail of a potentially life-saving breast screening appointment. Its4women has donated £120,000 of the amount raised since 2019 and we will continue to match all fundraising until 2025 with a commitment of donating a

further £60,000 by that date. I urge the general public to join the campaign by getting together with friends and organising a fundraiser such as a dinner party, quiz night or coffee morning. Whatever you choose to do its4women will match whatever you raise meaning your support will go twice as far. With your support we can provide many more breast screening appointments and save more lives.”

Breast screening appointments are now available with Action Cancer. Women aged 40-49 and 70+ can book an appointment online at www. actioncancer.org or by calling 028 9080 3344. Keep an eye on Action Cancer’s website for upcoming Big Bus visits. Anyone affected by a cancer diagnosis can also visit the website for information on the free therapeutic supports available throughout Northern Ireland.

If anyone is interested in organising a Breast Friends Fundraiser this October, please contact Leigh Osborne on 07928 668543 or events@actioncancer.org. For information on how to support via your local Gordons Chemist, please contact Lucy McCusker on lmccusker@ actioncancer.org.

Action Cancer Ambassador Tracy McCausland from Lisburn.

Ambassadors and guests join with Action Cancer staff to launch the charity’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month campaign.

Action Cancer Ambassador Jacqueline McKee from Finaghy.

New look Fleet Financial launches greener driving scheme for NI businesses and their employees

Fleet Financial, a vehicle leasing business with a 27-year history, is ramping up its services to include a new electric-vehicle (EV) salary sacrifice scheme which will give businesses a boost in attracting and retaining staff, as well as supporting their transition to greener vehicles.

The scheme will enable employees to exchange part of their salary for payments towards an EV car, similar to many popular cycle-to-work initiatives.

Currently, nearly 80 per cent of Fleet Financials order book is made up of electric or hybrid vehicles.

Speaking about the launch of the new scheme, Damian Campbell, Sales Director of Fleet Financial commented: “The future of EV’s is evolving each day. Manufacturers are bringing more vehicles to

the marketplace, our charging infrastructure is improving, with both the private and public sectors offering investment.”

“With increased focus on EV’s, this increasingly popular employee benefit is proving to be a very effective way for employers to attract and retain talent. Schemes such as this represent an opportunity for us to support the transition to electric vehicles and support companies and their employees in the drive to net zero.”

The new scheme has been announced as the Mallusk-based company recently launched a rebrand to reflects its evolving product portfolio and supporting the growth of the business over the coming years. The Company has been part of Lookers PLC since 2012, a development which allowed Fleet Financial to continue expanding and evolving its services, buying power and digital offering in order meet market demands and trends.

“Whilst the rebrand will be aesthetically notable to customers, the same experienced and dedicated team will continue to support our customers throughout Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK from our offices in Belfast. The service and values that have been at the heart of the business since it launched in 1996 will continue”.

“We are delighted that our newlook brand is in place as the company renews its commitment to promoting greener technologies via our Electric & Plug-in Hybrid salary sacrifice scheme. The initiative represents a significant investment in supporting our customers and their employees to reduce their carbon footprint. With a huge selection of cars and specialist systems available alongside all-inclusive service and expert support we hope that more like-minded organisations will come onboard and help us achieve our aim of reducing and removing emissions across the industry.”

NORTHERN IRELAND’S LEADING BUSINESS AWARDS

NORTHERN IRELAND’S LEADING BUSINESS AWARDS

Eye on Awards

Company of the Year

Northern Ireland’s overall company of the year in the opinion of the judging panel. Companies can be of any size/scale, number of employees, and must be able to exhibit exceptional performance, especially but not exclusively during the 12 month period to 31st May 2023.

Sponsored by AIB

www.businesseyeawards.co.uk

Employer of the Year

This category sets out to recognise those local organisations exhibiting best practice in terms of people management. The judging panel will look for clear evidence of class-leading initiatives designed to make the organisation a better and more caring employer.

Sponsored by Labour Relations Agency

Family Business of the Year

The Northern Ireland economy includes a high proportion of family-owned enterprises. This category sets out to recognise the very best. Open to all family-owned enterprises based in Northern Ireland, irrespective of size, scale or sector of operation.

Sponsored by Harbinson Mulholland

Young Business Personality of the Year

The category is open to senior managers and leaders in businesses and organisations across the private, public and voluntary sectors, whose leadership and achievement can be clearly demonstrated.

Sponsored by Ulster University Business School

Medium/Mid-Sized Business of the Year

This category will recognise a leading player in the 50-250 employee sector of the Northern Ireland economy, a key sector which includes a number of our leading private sector companies. As with Company of the Year, entrants must demonstrate exceptional performance across the board.

Sponsored by TLT Solicitors

Employee of the Year

Every organisation values its people. This new award category gives employers and organisations the opportunity to nominate their key employees for special recognition. The award is open to any employee of a Northern Ireland-based organisation in any sector as nominated by a direct or senior manager within the organisation.

Sponsored by Honeycomb

Tourism & Hospitality Award

The company or organisation making the most valuable contribution to the continued development of tourism & hospitality here in Northern Ireland. Possible entrants might include hotels/hotel groups, other forms of accommodation, tourism development organisations, restaurants, travel facilities, etc.

Sponsored by Visit Belfast

Innovative Company of the Year

Open to any Northern Ireland-based company of any size able to demonstrate evidence of significant innovation in products, services or processes resulting in demonstrable gains for the business as a whole.

Sponsored by Queens University

Manufacturer of the Year

A very important category, this one is open to all manufacturing organisations, of any size and scale, operating in Northern Ireland. The judging panel will look for evidence of innovation, attention to detail, state of the art engineering and product market success.

Sponsored by RSM

Community (CSR) Award

Corporate social responsibility plays an important role for NI companies and this specialist category sets out to recognise an organisation from the private, public or voluntary sectors making a clear and impactful contribution to its local community as a whole.

Sponsored by Biopax

Eye on Awards

Green/Sustainable Company of the Year

Once again open to a Northern Irelandbased organisation of any size, this award will recognise an organisation which has made significant and demonstrable progress towards becoming more sustainable and contributing to the wider environmental goal.

Sponsored by Strategic Power Connect

www.businesseyeawards.co.uk

Fast Growth Business of the Year

This award will be presented to the local company able to demonstrate significant growth – in terms of turnover and/or employment – over the last 12 to 18 months dating back from the closing date for entries.

Outstanding Leadership & Management Award

This award is aimed at individuals in senior management and leadership positions who have achieved significant results for their organisation as a result of their leadcership.

Business Personality of the Year

The keynote award will honour Northern Ireland’s outstanding business personality over the past 12 months, an individual whose leadership achievements have contributed to business success and to the wider local economy.

Sponsored by Ardmore

Lifetime of Achievement Award

A premier award on the night, this special award will be presented to an individual who has made a significant and lasting contribution not just to their own business or sector, but also to the Northern Ireland business community and economy as a whole.

Sponsored by Tarasis

Sponsored by Upstream

Professional Services Firm of the Year

This category sets out to honour Northern Ireland’s leading accountancy, legal or other professional services firm working with and providing key advice to clients in the local business community.

Sponsored by Lockton

Commercial Development Project of the Year

The most significant commercial development across any sector to include tourism and hospitality, office, retail and other key sectors, in terms of innovation, sustainability and contribution to the wider NI economy.

Sponsored by Alpha

Diversity & inclusion Award

With diversity and inclusion firmly on the corporate agenda today, this new award will identify a local company which has diversity and inclusion at the heart of its recruitment and human resource management policies.

Sponsored by AIB

Construction & Property Company of the Year

The construction or property organisation making the most significant contribution to the wider economy through the development of innovative, sustainable and relevant project(s) across any sector, including both residential and commercial development.

Small Business of The Year

The organisation with 50 employees or less which, in the opinion of the judges, exemplifies best practice and achievement across the board. Evidence of growth and development, clear vision and strategy to deliver growth, commitment to superior customer service, demonstration of innovation across the business.

Sponsored by Belfast City Centre Gift Card

Sponsored by Elliott Duffy Garrett

Full details are available online at businesseyeawards.co.uk

Eye on News

“Working with the Belfast Region City Deal partners and sharing their vision to create ‘inclusive economic growth that delivers more and better jobs’, Henry Brothers is committed to embedding social value through delivery of this project, with a focus on creating apprenticeship opportunities and providing student placement and professional trainee opportunities, together with delivering paid employment opportunities for those currently facing barriers to employment.”

Henry Brothers awarded £30m contract for new Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre

Acontractor has been appointed for the Queen’s University Belfast-led Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre (AMIC), a £100m Belfast Region City Deal project, with almost £80m coming from the UK Government.

Henry Brothers has won the £30m contract to construct the 10,500m² Factory of the Future building at Global Point Business Park in Newtownabbey.

AMIC will reinvigorate Northern Ireland’s industrial potential and address the future technology and skills challenges faced by the region’s manufacturing sector.

It is being delivered by Queen’s in partnership with Ulster University, industry, and Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council and supported by the UK Government and NI Executive.

By 2050, it’s estimated that AMIC will have contributed more than £1bn to the local economy, directly and indirectly created over 1,500 permanent jobs and supported the training of 300 apprentices.

Professor Sir Ian Greer, President and Vice-Chancellor of Queen’s University, said: “Queen’s vision as a civic university and a Belfast Region City Deal partner is to create tangible impact where it truly matters. We are determined to drive societal progress for generations to come through delivering

three Innovation Centres in advanced manufacturing, clinical research and secure, connected digital technologies.

“Connecting our underpinning high-quality research with industry, government and the manufacturing sector will turbocharge our region’s capabilities and embed a culture of innovation to act as a driver for increased productivity.

“Our focus is on driving sustainable economic growth to have a positive impact on the lives of people across Northern Ireland.”

Professor Stuart Elborn, Interim Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Queen’s University, said: “As part of our City Deal programme AMIC will create jobs by supporting local companies to be more competitive on a global scale, attract new investment and ensure that we have the skilled workforce needed for the future.

“Through City Deal we are committed to delivering inclusive growth benefits right across Northern Ireland in terms of productivity, jobs and skills and for the AMIC project we’re delighted to be working with Henry Brothers, a company which shares this ethos.”

Henry Brothers, which is headquartered in Magherafelt, with more than 200 employees based across Northern Ireland, England, and Scotland, has been awarded

the construction contract after a competitive tendering process.

Work includes the early contractor involvement process, construction of an engineering hall, a clean room, laboratory spaces, an auditorium and office accommodation as well as external landscaping and mechanical and electrical services.

Planning permission for the building was given in May, and it’s hoped that construction work at the site can start next spring. AMIC plans to be operating from the Factory of the Future by 2026, with capacity for 150 staff, as it delivers for Northern Ireland’s manufacturing sector.

David Henry, Managing Director, Henry Brothers, said: “We are pleased to be working with Queen’s University on the new Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre, which will provide support for the manufacturing and engineering sectors in Northern Ireland and beyond.

“As one of Northern Ireland’s leading construction companies, we understand how important facilities like these are in addressing the industry-wide skills shortage.

“Having previously delivered the redevelopment of McClay Library and David Bates buildings at the University, we have an established relationship with Queen’s that we look forward to building on.

Mike Brennan, Permanent Secretary of the Department for the Economy, said: “The Department, along with Invest NI, continues to support the development of the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre and we are delighted to see another key implementation milestone being achieved by Queen’s University Belfast.

“The £100m investment shows the commitment that exists within Queen’s and the Belfast Region City Deal to collaborate with industry partners in order to unlock innovation within our region. AMIC will play a key role in the realisation of the 10x vision for our economy, by driving growth through innovation.”

Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey Councillor Mark Cooper BEM, said: “The appointment of a contractor for AMIC is great news bringing the development a step closer. The Council is delighted to support this project with a £10m investment which will see this flagship facility, the first of its kind in Northern Ireland, set for Global Point Newtownabbey.

“This state-of-the-art centre will act as a catalyst for advanced manufacturing in our Borough and will further strengthen the Council’s plans to transform Global Point into a world-class hub of advanced manufacturing excellence.”

AMIC is building on 50 years of sustained innovation and industry support through the Northern Ireland Technology Centre (NITC), the Polymers Processing Research Centre (PPRC) and the more recent universityindustry partnership, the NI Advanced Composites and Engineering (NIACE). It will provide a specialised environment for advanced manufacturing, materials, and engineering sectors to access the latest digital, automation and robotics technology supported by experienced engineers.

THE JANS GROUP WELCOMES NEW MEMBERS TO ITS BOARD

The JANS Group has announced the appointment of three nonexecutive directors to its board as the company prepares for further significant growth.

With its headquarters located in Caulside Drive Antrim, the JANS Group operates a number of companies across Northern Ireland encompassing electric commercial vehicles, campervans, modular builds and composite manufacturing. Its recent acquisition of a majority stake in BlueMAC, a world leader in the design, planning and manufacture of material processing systems and waste recycling facilities is part of its £50 million growth plan announced in 2021.

Joining the board as Chairman is Dr Mark Sweeney OBE. Appointed in April 2023, Dr Sweeney has a background in the industrial, commercial and manufacturing sectors within Northern Ireland and globally.

He has a wealth of knowledge and experience, working in some of Northern Ireland’s largest companies, most recently as a Vice-President of Caterpillar with responsibility for its European and South American Operations.

Established in 2019, with just twenty-four employees, the JANS Group has grown to providing over 200 employees with stable employment and attractive career prospects in the sectors it operates.

The Group, which is currently positioning themselves for exponential growth, will see the new board members alongside others, responsible for the overseeing, constructively challenging and holding to account of the JANS management in their implementation of strategy within the Group’s system of corporate governance as well as facilitate strategic decision making.

The second, new board member is Eamonn Donaghy, an experienced tax consultant and business advisor and currently head of Tax at HNH Partners.

For over a decade Mr Donaghy headed up the campaign for the devolution of corporation tax varying powers to the Northern Ireland Assembly as a means of stimulating the economy in Northern Ireland.

Lastly, in the trio of new appointments, John-George Willis also joins the board as a non-executive member. By background he is a corporate lawyer, specialising in mergers and acquisitions, and corporate governance and is a consultant at Tughans, in addition to being chairman of Pivotal since 2019.

Speaking about the recent appointments, Ronan Hamill, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the JANS Group said; “I extend a warm welcome to Dr Mark Sweeney, Eamonn Donaghy and John-George Willis as they join the JANS Group board. This is an exceptionally busy time for the JANS Group.

“With our continued plans for expansion, the impact of our new board members and the Chairman will help us drive strategic growth for the Group, by providing their

knowledge and expertise to the senior management team. I have no doubt that together we will put County Antrim, and indeed Northern Ireland, on the map as a centre for world-class manufacturing, innovation and creativity.

“We have a number of strategic announcements to come within the next year and, as such, we will be keen to offer a range of jobs, skilled and non-skilled, to those living within the local community and beyond. The Group is excited at what the next one to five years has in store across all of the companies.”

The new non-executive directors of the JANS Group board will be responsible for providing independent judgement on issues such as the company’s strategy, performance and resources including key appointments and ensuring standards of conduct are adhered to. The board members will oversee the JANS Group which includes companies; ETRUX, JANS Composites, JANS Modular, JANS Lifestyle, Bespoke and BlueMAC.

The JANS Group, with its headquarters based in Antrim has appointed new non-executive directors to its Board as the company prepares for further significant growth. Pictured from left are Eamonn Donaghy, Peter Drayne, Mark Sweeney, CEO Ronan Hamill and John-George Willis.

Eye on News

Long-term lessees acquire Down Royal country pub with support from Ulster Bank

Husband and wife duo Tara and Declan Walsh first met while working in bars on various cruise liners where both were employed for over a decade in the 1990s.

Moving back to Northern Ireland, they continued to work in the hospitality sector, running a number of local bars before taking up positions together in Gowdy’s of Down Royal.

It was in 2014 that the opportunity arose for them to take on the lease of the premises after an extended period of closure for the business.

Based in Lisburn, Gowdy’s of Down Royal, is a family-friendly

country pub serving home cooked food at an affordable price point for customers.

Supported by long-term manager Frances and a 30-strong team, its unique position beside Down Royal Racecourse has led it to become a go-to destination for spectators to the course’s 12 annual race meetings, during which time the business is transformed to accommodate the significantly increased demand.

Ulster Bank business development manager Lee White said: “We’re so pleased to help Tara and Declan acquire this established business.

Their knowledge and proven

experience combined with their enthusiasm and vision demonstrates not only its significant growth and transformation over the past decade but the great future it has ahead under their ownership.”

For almost a decade now under Tara and Declan’s management, Gowdy’s of Down Royal has grown significantly, with turnover doubling and staff headcount increasing three-fold.

Tara said: “We are thrilled to finally be able to say that we are the proud owners of Gowdy’s of Down Royal. We always knew we wanted to buy the business – as far back as 2014 when we first

took over the lease. Over the past decade we’ve put a lot of time and energy into building the business up to where it is today and re-establishing the brand as a go-to destination.”

Declan added: “We are very thankful to have our vision supported by Lee and the team at Ulster Bank. Without this, our new venture would simply not have been possible. They have helped make this process really smooth and easy. Truly, this support has turned our dream into a reality.”

Situated next to Down Royal Racecourse, country gastropub Gowdy’s of Down Royal has been acquired by its long-term lessees as part of a six-figure investment supported by Ulster Bank.

Eye on News

KPMG launches NetWalks at One Young World Summit in Belfast

The KPMG NetWalks will see the firm lead delegates through the heart of the city to the conference venue at the International Convention Centre, to the Cathedral Quarter and to the Titanic Quarter. Taking in some of the city’s sights, the walks are designed to keep the 2,000 participants from around the world active and bolster their wellbeing during what will be a busy week of conference activities. They will also give delegates the opportunity to network while simultaneously seeing some of the city.

KPMG is a longstanding supporter

of the One Young World Summit which is being held in Belfast for the first time, starting next Monday 2nd October. It will bring over 2,000 young leaders representing 190 countries and 250 organisations in an annual gathering which confronts the biggest challenges facing humanity.

Johnny Hanna, Partner in Charge of KPMG in Northern Ireland, said: “We are delighted to be running the KPMG NetWalks during the One Young World Summit. Many of the delegates will be visiting Belfast for the first time and we want to play our part to make sure they learn about our city and are mentally

and physically refreshed so they can make the most of what promises to be a hugely rewarding week.

“The lessons delegates learn - from each other and from the stellar list of speakers – at the event will be taken back to their homes in all corners for the world and we want to make sure they have the best experience possible. Good luck to everyone taking part from all of us at KPMG and we look forward to NetWalking with you throughout the week.”

Alexandra Nelson is one of seven delegates from KPMG Ireland and 32 from KPMG Global attending One Young World in Belfast and will be helping lead the NetWalks.

She said: “The One Young World Summit represents a once-in-alifetime opportunity, one which we, as delegates, are really looking forward to and one which will put Belfast in the spotlight for the week. The KPMG NetWalks will be part of an

intense few days of activity and we can’t wait to meet and network with our peers from around the world.

“We hope that delegates will take the ethos of the KPMG NetWalks back to their home cities after the summit and organise their own NetWalks.”

Delegates at One Young World participate in four transformative days of speeches, workshops and networking. Throughout the Summit, they are counselled by influential political, business, and humanitarian leaders such as President Mary Robinson, Didier Drogba and Professor Muhammad Yunus.

Once the Summit is over, delegates graduate as One Young World Ambassadors, returning to their workplaces and communities with the means and motivation to make a difference. Since 2010, One Young World Ambassador projects have impacted the lives of over 41.56 million people.

KPMG will be ensuring tomorrow’s leaders build lifelong networks and are mentally and physically refreshed at the upcoming One Young World Summit in Belfast at a series of walks throughout the weeklong event.

Partner in Charge of KPMG in Northern Ireland Johnny Hanna, Angelica Cullinan, Niamh McLernon, Kathryn Kerr and Harriet Porter.

Lowe Corporation named amongst first time winners of 2023 Deloitte Best Managed Companies awards

Eight new businesses, including one from Northern Ireland, have been awarded the Best Managed Companies accolade at the 15th annual Best Managed Companies awards, led by Deloitte in association with Bank of Ireland.

The Deloitte Best Managed Companies programme promotes and recognises excellence in Irish and Northern Irish owned and managed companies, considering their business performance from every perspective.

The network of companies who hold the Best Managed title have a combined turnover of €17 billion and provide over 53,000 jobs across a range of sectors – from manufacturing and tech to construction and food and beverage. The network includes a total of 130 indigenous businesses representing 24 of the 32 counties across the island of Ireland.

Eight companies achieved Best Managed status for the first time this year, including innovative Lisburnbased refrigeration, commercial catering equipment and kitchen rental company Lowe Corporation.

The companies received recognition following a detailed judging process that evaluates the entire management team and business strategy, looking beyond financial performance at areas such as a company’s environmental, social and governance standards, strategic planning and talent strategy.

Aisléan Nicholson, Lead Partner for the Best Managed Companies Awards Programme at Deloitte in Belfast said: “This year we’re celebrating 15 years of the BMC programme and the incredible companies that have qualified. Even

though this year’s cohort faced into another challenging period, over the past 15 years we’ve seen how indigenous Irish businesses find opportunities in change. Strengthening governance and recognising the value of specialist expert advice on critical areas such as ESG were key discussion points in the coaching sessions. We also saw companies increasingly focused on innovation. Despite the uncertainties of the past few years, the confidence of Irish and Northern Irish businesses is clear to see.”

Established in 1977, Lowe Corporation has grown to be one of the world’s largest suppliers of rental refrigeration, catering and kitchen infrastructure to a wide range of sectors and more recently has launched an innovative IoT asset monitoring and SaaS platform.

Rachel McCausland, CEO of Lowe Corporation said: “We’re thrilled and honoured to be included in this year’s Deloitte’s Best Managed

Companies awards, a recognition that underscores our relentless commitment to innovation, teamwork, and operational excellence. A heartfelt thank you to our team, clients, and partners who continue to fuel our journey towards setting new industry benchmarks. This milestone reminds us that while we have much to celebrate, the best is still yet to come.”

The eight newly qualified companies are: APC Ltd (Dublin), Codex (Dublin), JJ Rhatigan & Company (Galway), Kyte Powertech (Cavan), Lowe Corporation (Antrim), Mail Metrics (Dublin), Production Equipment Europe (Galway), and Topflight Travel Group (Dublin).

There were also 31 companies that requalified as a Best Managed Company, five companies achieved Gold Standard, including Strabanebased cooking oil supplier and waste oil collector Frylite Solutions, and five companies were awarded

Platinum Standard, including Belfast-based price comparison technology company Seopa.

Senior Director Nikki Canavan, Head of Origination & Sustainability, Bank of Ireland Corporate Banking said: “Bank of Ireland is delighted to be the Lead Sponsor of the Deloitte Best Managed Companies Awards for the sixth consecutive year. Once again this year our judging team has been extremely impressed by the resilience and flexibility displayed by businesses who have successfully navigated the choppy waters of the Irish commercial landscape. These businesses have also integrated sustainable practices into their everyday operations, embracing new challenges and deploying targeted resources as their business models evolve. I want to congratulate every one of this year’s winners, especially the 8 new first-time winners, and wish them sustained success into the future.”

Pictured (L-R) at Lowe Rental’s offices in Lisburn Rachel McCausland, CEO of Lowe Corporation and Aisléan Nicholson, partner at Deloitte.

Eye on News

Belfast’s Hotels Go Green In Major Sustainability Shift

Following a groundbreaking partnership led by Visit Belfast, Belfast City Council and Green Tourism in 2021, hoteliers across Belfast are ramping up their green credentials at a record rate.

Seventy five percent of the city region’s 4,800 hotel rooms are now officially accredited by Green Tourism, the global body which promotes sustainable and environmental standards across the sector.

More than 20 leading hotels, groups and brands, including Hastings Hotels, The Merchant Hotel, Bullitt Hotel, Andras House Hotel Group, Titanic Hotel Belfast, AC Hotel Belfast, Clayton Hotel, The Maldron Belfast City Centre, The Fitzwilliam Hotel, Hilton Belfast, the Leonardo Hotel, Malmaison Hotel, The Harrison, Radisson Blu and Ramada by Wyndham have all secured a Green Tourism award in a drive to support Belfast’s sustainable tourism mission.

The Green Tourism Standard – one of the largest and most established sustainable certification programmes in the world – recognises an organisation that works responsibly, ethically and sustainably, contributes to their community, is reducing their impact on the environment and aims to be accessible and inclusive to all visitors and staff.

Now, 75 percent, or around 3,570 of all Belfast hotel bedrooms, are sustainability certified.

To mark the milestone achievement, Visit Belfast, the city’s dedicated destination marketing and management organisation, in partnership with Green Tourism and the Global Destination Management Movement (GDSM), has launched a sustainability whitepaper, acting as a blueprint to support the entire tourism industry’s efforts to tackle the climate change challenge, drive sustainability and embrace net zero.

Belfast has already made great

strides in embracing sustainability and transiting to a zero carbon and circular tourism and hospitality sector.

In 2022, it was ranked the Top 10 Most Sustainable Destinations in the World in the annual GDS Index - a worldleading sustainability benchmarking and performance improvement programme for destinations and their visitor economies. Climbing eleven places since 2021 to take the eighth spot, places Belfast as the most sustainable destination in the Island of Ireland.

Belfast City Council declared a climate change emergency in October 2019 and unveiled the city’s first Climate Plan in 2020 with Visit Belfast leading out on the ‘sustainable tourism’ transformation programme.

Councillor Róis-Máire Donnelly, Chair of Belfast City Council’s Climate and City Resilience Committee, said:

“We know there’s significant work ahead for us as a city to become truly sustainable but being rated in the Top 10 Global Destinations Sustainability Index is very encouraging - and that’s

thanks to the efforts of Visit Belfast and our city’s tourism meetings industry.

“We’re serious about making sustainable changes. The Net Zero Carbon Roadmap was developed by the Belfast Climate Commission and the council adopted those carbon targets in 2022. A Local Area Energy Plan is now being developed, and The Belfast Agenda, currently out for consultation, also sets out a bold plan to tackle climate change. Collective design, delivery and partnership is the way forward.”

Launching the white paper, Sustainable tourism for cities and stakeholders, and the Belfast model for success, which is co-authored by Green Tourism, Visit Belfast and the GDS Movement, Scott Maclean, Green Tourism’s managing director said:

“We see this white paper as a pathway for others to instigate changes and improvements that put sustainability at the heart of their tourism sector and hope it can be seen as a blueprint for excellence

for all forward-thinking destinations. Green Tourism is enormously proud to have played a part in Belfast’s transition alongside all our partners and, of course, all the newly accredited Green Tourism member businesses.”

Celebrating the hotel sector’s performance and the launch of the whitepaper, Rachael McGuickin, Director of Business Development, Sustainability and Transformation at Visit Belfast, said:

“The commitment of Belfast’s tourism and hospitality sector to support our ambitious sustainability journey is nothing short of remarkable. With our valued partners on board, we are not only improving our ability to compete globally for visitors and events, but we are also enabling Belfast to become a more sustainable place to visit, meet and live in.”

For more information on Green Tourism and to view the whitepaper sustainable tourism for cities and stakeholders, and the Belfast model for success, please visit: https://www.green-tourism.com/ destinations

Pictured celebrating the initiative’s success are representatives from Visit Belfast, Green Tourism and representatives from Belfast’s many leading hotel groups and independent operators including Hastings Hotels, The Merchant Hotel, Bullitt Hotel, Andras House Hotel Group, Titanic Hotel Belfast, AC Hotel Belfast, Clayton Hotel, The Maldron Belfast City Centre, The Fitzwilliam Hotel, Hilton Belfast, the Leonardo Hotel, Malmaison Hotel, The Harrison, Radisson Blu and Ramada by Wyndham.

Cosmetic Surgery Clinic

Get The Body You Want With VASER Lipo®

• Anti-Wrinkle Injections

• Facelift

• Ear Correction

• Liposuction

• Blepharoplasty

• Thread Lifts

• Dermal Fillers

•

The Next Generation Of Body Contouring

• Abdominoplasty

• Rhinoplasty

Every body type has areas that are predisposed to fat storage and even with rigorous diet and exercise, those unwanted bulges often persist. VASER

• Skin Lesion Removal (Moles, Cysts & Lipomas)

Lipo now offers a safe alternative for eliminating unwanted fat, revealing a smooth, new shape with fast recovery.

“I

This procedure is now available for the first time in Northern Ireland whether you need help with a small problem area or a major transformation.

VASER Lipo is an advanced body contouring procedure that selectively removes unwanted body fat. This offers an alternative to the harsh techniques of traditional liposuction. VASER Lipo uses state-of the-art ultrasound technology designed to gently reshape your body.

What are the advantages of VASER Lipo?

VASER Lipo has the ability to differentiate fat from other important tissues - such as nerves, blood vessels and connective tissues. Innovative VASER technology breaks

Eye on News

NI retailers win big on national stage at prestigious Retail Industry Awards in London

Northern Ireland’s SPAR and EUROSPAR retailers have brought home a sweep of awards from the prestigious Retail Industry Awards, which took place in London earlier in September.

Henderson Retail, which operates over 100 SPAR and EUROSPAR stores brought home seven awards including Community Retailer of the Year, Forecourt Retailer of the Year and Convenience Retailer of the Year (Regional).

Their company owned stores also received Store Team of the Year (EUROSPAR Doagh), Post Office Retailer of the Year (SPAR Mallusk), Forecourt Retailer of the Year (EUROSPAR Hillcrest, Portrush) and Samuel McCann from SPAR Malone Road took the Store Manager of the Year award for the second year in a row.

“Community retailing is in the DNA of this Spar retailer and they deliver for – and with – the local people, year after year,” said a judge. “A very strong retail proposition and an impressive financial performance,” said another, adding “the investment into stores is clearly having an impact, with a striking improvement in availability and notable margin gains from electronic shelf-edge labels.”

A final judges comment read; “Hendersons are clearly a standout multi-site operator. The company does not stand still and is always looking to develop in all fields. It’s a fantastic success story.”

Independent stores were also victorious on the night with Derry’s Lynch’s EUROSPAR triumphing in both the Tobacco Retailer of the Year award for their Skeoge store, and Chilled Retailer of the Year for their Greysteel store.

EUROSPAR Creightons of Balmoral in South Belfast won the Independent Retailer of the Year

award (3,001 – 6,000 sq. ft.) while Hamilton’s SPAR, Castlederg took the prestigious Fresh Produce Retailer of the Year award.

In all, 11 awards were brought home from London, with an additional four Highly Commended accolades for Henderson Retail and their stores, and a further four Highly Commended nods for independent stores Creightons of Balmoral, Lynch’s and Smyth’s EUROSPAR, Ballymoney.

SPAR UK, of which there are now over 300 stores in Northern Ireland, also won Symbol / Franchise Group of the Year.

Mark McCammond, Retail Director at Henderson Group commented; “The standard of retailing gets higher every year, and we are incredibly proud to be reaching the standards expected of a world class retailer for our operations in Northern Ireland. Participating in awards like the Retail Industry Awards, which are so respected throughout the trade, give us that extra boost to do better for our staff, our shoppers and our local communities within the stores we operate.

“We are particularly proud of our store awards, with Samuel McCann bringing home Store Manager of the Year for another year, and EUROSPAR Doagh also triumphing with the Store Team of the Year trophy. Not even a year after opening, SPAR Mallusk has also won Post Office Retailer of the Year, which goes to show the level of services under one roof at the flagship store for Henderson Retail.”

Paddy Doody, Sales and Marketing Director at Henderson

Group added; “Once again, our independent retailers have shown how much our region excels. In the past year, we have worked with our independent stores to adapt even more to their shopper needs, celebrated countless long-term partnerships and invested alongside them to

create community hubs which service their communities and bring value on their doorsteps when they need it most.

“Congratulations to all this year’s winners and highly commended retailers, it has been a fantastic year for SPAR, EUROSPAR and Henderson Group.”

Samuel McCann, store manager at SPAR Malone Road won the award for Store Manager of the Year for the second time at the Retail Industry Awards 2023.

Michael Surginor from Henderson Retail with one of seven awards brought home by Henderson Retail and their company owned stores from the Retail Industry Awards 2023.

Banks Still At Risk On Money Laundering - FScom

Financial services institutions must formalise their Anti-Money Laundering (AML) processes to remain fully compliant and stave off money laundering attempts, a report by Belfast headquartered financial services compliance company fscom has warned.

Based on audits of the AML frameworks of 60 financial services firms, fscom’s Fincrime Compliance Report 2023 examines the challenges banks and financial institutions are exposed to, outlining their compliance responsibilities on areas including Sanctions, Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs), Suspicious Activity Reporting (SARs) and Customer Risk Assessments.

The report found the top five AML risk areas in the year to June 2023 to be Compliance Monitoring, Customer Risk Assessments, Transaction Monitoring, Customer Due Diligence, and Enhanced Due Diligence.

While the audits suggested that institutions have increased their vigilance and understanding of the regulatory environment, in part due to the increased scrutiny on banking sanctions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine which led to enhanced screening processes, it concluded that many AML frameworks still do not provide an adequate level of assurance.

When compared with fscom’s 2022 Fincrime Compliance Report, new and emerging concerns were identified around insufficient AML training; a lack of evidence of high-risk client sign off by senior managers;

customers being permitted to make transactions before enhanced due diligence measures were applied; insufficient transaction monitoring rules and inadequate investigation of screening hits.

Another issue is a lack of robust customer risk assessments, in particular failing to treat customers or transactions with associations to high risk third countries (HR3Cs) appropriately. As regulations stand, firms must apply enhanced measures to any business relationship or transaction with a person established in a high-risk third country. Covering the period July 2022 to June 2023, the AML audit reviewed the financial compliance processes of 60 institutions, including Electronic Money Institutions, Authorised Payment Institutions, Virtual Currency Exchanges and Bureau de Changes. The audit process consists of four elements, starting with an internal review of policies against regulatory obligations; ‘side-by-side’ walk throughs to assess the firm’s operational efficacy; customer due diligence file testing; and staff interviews with employees to gauge their knowledge of the legislation behind their AML framework.

The majority of institutions sampled were UK based, however firms in Ireland, Switzerland, Jersey, Singapore, Lithuania and the Cayman Islands were audited in line with local legislation and regulatory guidance. Completed annually by fscom’s team of financial crime compliance consultants and led by fscom Manager Richard Dunlop, the report provides wider industry with a series of best practice recommendations to address compliance issues and stay ahead in the everevolving financial services landscape.

fscom Director Philip Creed (pictured) said:

“We are pleased to share our Fincrime Compliance Report 2023 with wider industry. Though it features the most striking findings, it identifies the new and emerging risks that all financial institutions should be aware of and should serve as a valuable example of the standard required to meet the recommendations of the regulator. Financial services firms are at a constant and evolving risk of money laundering as financial crime actors grow more sophisticated; therefore, we advise them to not only meet their regulatory obligations but to strive for industry best practices.”

NI’s Cosmetic Medicine Awards Return To Culloden

The Cosmetic Medicine Awards (CMAs), will return to the five-star Culloden Estate and Spa on Saturday, 2 December, when the best and brightest in the field of cosmetic medicine will be vying for prestigious awards.

These, the only aesthetic awards to take place in Northern Ireland, were the brainchild of industry professional Lesley McGarrity, who teamed up with PR and Event Management boss Michelle McTernan last year to organise the inaugural awards, which were a roaring success.

Lesley McGarrity is excited about the forthcoming awards. She says;

“Aesthetics is a rapidly thriving industry in Northern Ireland and we truly have world class clinics, practitioners, companies and products who can now be recognised and celebrated locally. These awards provide an excellent networking opportunity, strengthen bonds between other clinics, build a stronger community and reinforce the importance of maintaining excellent standards and regulations for the safety of our patients.”

Michelle McTernan says;

“We are honoured to have Croma Pharma back again as our headline sponsor and an esteemed panel of internationally acclaimed industry professionals as our judges, to maintain our authenticity. We had such positive feedback from all our sponsors and guests last year and we’re ensuring that the calibre of entertainment is top class too. We’ve booked Boyzlife, Brian Kennedy and a few other surprises, it’s going to be an amazing event.”

Sponsored once again by Croma Pharma, the CMAs will be hosted by aesthetics royalty Amanda Cameron and local broadcast legend Robin Elliott.

The official launch of the awards took place in the 18th century Glenlo Abbey Hotel and Estate, one of the most remarkable five-star hotels in Ireland, which offers the most unique dining experience on board two original carriages from The Orient Express. Glenlo Abbey, together with Sea Park Investments, has donated a generous weekend for two as a prize at The CMAS, to help raise money for the event’s nominated charity, Action Cancer.

William Elliott from Sea Park Investments says;

“Sea Park Investments is proud to be sponsoring the Cosmetic Medicine Awards and we will be treating one lucky winner and their guest to a fabulous five-star experience at Glenlo Abbey in County Galway, where they can dine on-board the original Orient Express. Hopefully we will raise lots of money for Action Cancer, who are celebrating their 50th anniversary.”

Young Chefs And Waiters Honoured At Titanic Belfast

The winners of the prestigious Young Chef Young Waiter Ireland Awards 2023 have been revealed.

Galway native Stiofán Feeney, who is currently working at Stage Italy in Rome, beat off stiff competition to win the Young Chef award and Francesca Motta, who works at Chapter One in Dublin, won the Young Waiter award. Both will now go on to compete at the world finals in Monaco in November 2023 to celebrate culinary professionals and hospitality excellence.

In the final of yesterday’s (Tuesday) competition, which was held at Titanic Belfast, a host of professional young waiters and chefs from Northern Ireland the Republic of Ireland took part in a comprehensive judging day with a number of culinary challenges in the kitchen of Titanic Belfast and serving challenges in the Titanic Suite under the watchful eyes of an expert panel of judges. Online judges included Chef Richard Corrigan and chef-proprietor Anna Haugh of Myrtle London, while at the live final Group Executive Chef at Harcourt Developments Gordon Smyth, Noel McMeel of Ebrington

Hotel, Mike Tweedie of Adare Manor and Adrian McNally, Titanic Hotel Belfast were joined by alongside other wellknown advocates for new talent.

Those vying to be crowned Young Chef were given 3.5 hours to create a three course meal whilst the Young Waiter candidates had to select pairing wines for each course and undertake a number of challenging scenario based situations before taking part in an interview with the judges.

Industry guests from across the tourism and hospitality industry, including Tourism Northern Ireland, Belfast Met, Hospitality and Tourism (HATS) Network and Harcourt Developments, were invited to attend the final part of the competition for an intimate lunch whilst the judges observed for the final part of the challenge.

Judith Owens MBE, Chief Executive of Titanic Belfast commented: “The Young Chef Young Waiter competition is a fantastic initiative that showcases the up-and-coming stars of those working in hospitality and provides a very important platform to encourage more young talent

to pursue a career in the industry.”

“The response to this year’s event has been incredible and we at Titanic Belfast were delighted to give participants the chance to use our kitchen and Titanic Suite to demonstrate their skills and culinary flair to the judges and invited guests. Congratulations to Stiofán Feeney and Francesca Motta and I wish you both the very best at the world final,” Judith continued.

Judge, Chef Richard Corrigan

added: “This competition celebrates excellence and promotes culinary arts and hospitality as a career of choice. The judges were very impressed at the extremely high calibre of talent of all of our finalists and each one of them should be very proud of themselves. I look forward to following the careers of our winners, and indeed our fantastic group of finalists, in the years ahead as I am confident they will all have very bright futures.”

Organisers of the Cosmetic Medicine Awards, Michelle McTernan and Lesley McGarrity are pictured with Adam Peevers from Glenlo Abbey and William Elliott from Sea Park Investments at the official launch of The CMAS 2023.

Pictured at the final of the Young Chef Young Waiter Ireland Awards 2023 at Titanic Belfast are Francesca Motta, winner of the Young Chef award and Stiofán Feeney, winner of the Young Chef award. They are joined by Robert Lee Mulcahy, Chairman YCYW Ireland and Monaco and Judith Owens MBE, Chief Executive of Titanic Belfast.

Eye on News

Strategic Power Connect appoints renewables veteran

Liam Faulkner as CEO

An energy supply and renewables expert with over 15-years’ experience, Liam will continue the company’s mission to help commercial and industrial businesses access affordable, renewable and secure energy, while also meet tightening decarbonisation legislation.

SPC designs and installs onsite renewable energy systems –wind or solar - to enable major energy users to reach their sustainability goals. Users can secure energy supplies at a set price through a Power Purchase Agreement - ensuring costs can be managed and energy price spikes avoided. It also ensures security and provenance of supply by producing energy onsite and removing reliance on the grid.

Crucially, it offers a fully funded model where users can avoid upfront capital costs, as well offering an outright sale option.

Most recently, Liam was chief executive officer of Naturgy Ireland and a member of the European energy supply management committee within the Group. Naturgy is a challenger energy brand within its core markets, which Liam grew through diversification and the development of new products and markets. Previously he worked for O2 Ireland, Royal Bank of Scotland and Deloitte and holds a Masters in Business Administration from London Business School.

His appointment marks the next stage of growth for Strategic Power Connect (SPC) as it plays a central role in global decarbonisation by helping large energy users to access affordable and secure renewable energy.

Strategic Power Connect Chief Executive Officer Liam Faulkner said: “I’m proud to have joined Strategic Power Connect, a company which is playing a major role in decarbonising industry. At a time when large energy users are under pressure to reach increasingly demand sustainability goals, to reduce costs and ensure security of supply, our offer is innovative and timely.

“Couple that with the fact we can provide onsite renewable sources for no upfront capital expenditure

and SPC make a compelling case. I’m excited to continue building on the hard work which Paul and the team have put into the firm look forward to continuing the growth trajectory in the future.”

SPC was founded by Paul Carson in reaction to growing concern for energy provenance, ESG and climate change. It is part of the Strategic Power Group which also houses Strategic Power Projects, an all-Ireland renewable energy company established by Paul to support ambitious government plans to reduce emissions through the development of large-scale solar photovoltaic and battery energy storage systems.

Strategic Power Group Managing Director, Paul Carson said, “We are delighted to have Liam

onboard as CEO to lead Strategic Power Connect on its next stage of growth. He is a true expert in the renewable energy field and will help us to expand our reach to high energy users both locally and further afield and to play our part in global decarbonisation.

“We have already uncovered huge demand for Strategic Power Connect’s offering from large energy users looking to reduce their energy costs while more consciously making their transition to decarbonise their energy outputs. With Liam’s leadership, we will be able to help industry and other large energy users to bolster their resilience, meet emissions targets and secure a more prosperous and sustainable future for all.”

Leading renewable energy developer Strategic Power Connect has appointed Liam Faulkner as Chief Executive Officer.

Pictured are, from left, Liam Faulkner, CEO of Strategic Power Connect, and Paul Carson, Strategic Power Group Managing Director.

Belfast City Extends Summer Schedule

Belfast City Airport has announced the expansion of its summer 2024 schedule with three charter services to Menorca, Mallorca and Italy.

The new services, facilitated by Northern Ireland’s leading tour operator, Travel Solutions, are available to book now.

Summer 2023 saw huge demand for the Palma de Mallorca route which will return in June next year. New services also include Mahon in Menorca and Venice Marco Polo Airport which connects holidaymakers with the popular resorts of Lido Di Jesolo and Bibione on the Venetian Rivera.

Katy Best, Commercial Director at Belfast City Airport, commented:

“We are very pleased to build upon our existing relationship with Travel Solutions and to offer our passengers the perfect opportunity to explore the vibrant cultures and rich histories of both Menorca and Venice.

“Following the success of our partnership with Travel Solutions for the 2023 summer Palma service, we have no doubt that these new routes will prove equally popular amongst

a wide range of travellers including families, couples and friends.

“The confirmation of these three charter services reaffirms our commitment to providing those who choose Belfast City Airport with direct links to popular destinations.

“Those travelling to any of these destinations from Belfast City Airport will also benefit from a hassle-free start to their journey thanks to our prime location, just five minutes from the city centre along with our average security processing times of just six minutes.”

This latest news follows the recent announcement by the Civil Aviation Authority that Belfast City Airport was ranked as the UK’s Most Punctual Airport for Q1 2023 and has retained the highest rating of ‘Very Good’ for accessibility services.

Peter McMinn, Travel Solutions Managing Director said:

“We are pleased to continue our

relationship with the team at Belfast City Airport, and excited to increase the number of holiday destinations we will be offering the Northern Ireland holidaymaker next summer.

“As a local travel company, we continue to offer more choice at fantastic prices”.

Customers booking through Travel Solutions will also be able to choose from a range of accommodation including both selfcatering or all-inclusive hotels.

For further information on charter services or to book, please visit www. travel-solutions.co.uk

Eye on News

BDO Northern Ireland Announce New Partner Appointment

Business advisors BDO Northern Ireland have announced Lorraine Nelson as a new Partner within its tax team.

Lorraine has a wealth of experience providing tax services to growing businesses based both locally and further afield. Since joining the firm last November, Lorraine has been central in advising on a range of merger and acquisition transactions, and assisting companies implement tax efficient structures.

BDO Northern Ireland – which employs some 150 people and has moved into new offices during a period of growth and investment in the first half of 2023 – has further plans to invest in talent to meet growing client demand.

Announcing the appointment, BDO NI Managing Partner, Brian Murphy, said:

“Lorraine has greatly contributed to our business growth plans over the last year and we are thrilled to

welcome her to our leadership team.

“With over 15 years of experience in the world of tax and commercial transactions, Lorraine brings extensive knowledge and a proven track record of delivering exceptional client service. Her expertise and unique insights as a dual UK and Irish qualified tax practitioner will play a pivotal role in the opportunities presented to businesses and investors here in Northern Ireland.”

Brian added: “Northern Ireland’s dynamic business environment has been experiencing remarkable growth in recent years, despite a challenging backdrop. As a trusted advisor, Lorraine applies her expertise in assisting local businesses to grow globally, to manage their tax exposure, and to help to identify opportunities and risks on potential business ventures and acquisitions.

“Her style is refreshing in its practical, commercial and straight-talking manner. I have no doubt that Lorraine’s insights will

be key in guiding our clients through the intricacies of the evolving tax landscape.”

On joining the partnership team at BDO NI, Lorraine commented: “I am honoured to join BDO Northern Ireland and to be a part of this esteemed team. I look forward to adding to the firm’s legacy of excellence and assisting

clients in navigating the complexities of tax and commercial transactions.

“I am committed to being at the forefront of the ever-changing tax legislation here in Northern Ireland, ensuring that our clients benefit from the most up-to-date and efficient tax strategies.”

Game on! Fibrus’ £47k sports fund helps almost 50 grassroots clubs

Water sports, swimming and boxing clubs are among the beneficiaries of a new grassroots sports fund established by Fibrus.

The full fibre broadband company had originally set aside £30k for the initiative but an additional £17k was added to the initial pot after applications flooded in from local communities.

Nearly 50 grants of up to £1,000 have now been given to a range of clubs, including football, Gaelic games and cricket, in Northern Ireland and Cumbria, as Fibrus continues to roll out in these regions.

In Northern Ireland, 29 grassroots sports will benefit from the investment via the ‘Play it Forward’ fund.

These clubs, who are working with young people, covering everything from rugby and rowing to athletics and hockey, will get a share of the cash which can be used in different ways, such as for purchasing new kits, subsidising training fees, buying new equipment or enhancing existing facilities.

Dominic Kearns, Chief Executive of Fibrus, said the ‘Play it Forward’ fund reflects the company’s commitment to invest in communities beyond broadband.

“Our promise to connect communities on a local level also means encouraging children to go outside, make friends and have fun,” he said.

“The decision to increase the fund this summer will help nearly 50 grassroots clubs to thrive and make a lasting impact in their communities, empowering young people to excel in sport, while enjoying themselves.

“After an overwhelming response from the community, we felt compelled to extend the fund to make a positive impact in the lives of kids.

“If the ‘Play it Forward’ sports fund helps young people in local clubs to pursue their sporting passions and fulfil their potential, then it will have done its job both here in Northern Ireland and in Cumbria.”

One of the clubs that has benefited from the sports fund is Coleraine Alumni Rowing Association, whose chair Jamie

Gibson expressed his gratitude.

“Receiving a ‘Play it Forward’ grant from Fibrus has been a game-changer for the club and the funding has allowed us to purchase new oars for the club’s youth section,” he said.

“It has not only bolstered our club’s capabilities but has also strengthened the bond within our community, enabling us to continue providing opportunities for our young athletes to participate in

sports and build lasting friendships.”

Fibrus is already committed to giving back to local communities outside of sports. The Fibrus Community Fund invests £120k each year (across Northern Ireland and Cumbria) to combat digital deprivation in these regions. Just last month, the company announced it had allocated all of its funding for 2023 ahead of schedule in Northern Ireland due to overwhelming demand.

Welcoming news of Fibrus ‘Play it Forward’ sports funding are: Keeva Kyle from Raceview Ladies Football Club; Brooke Reeves of Coleraine Alumni Rowing Club; and Maggie Steele, coach at Shane O’Neill’s GAC.

Pictured (back row) is Senior Partner Nigel Harra, Maybeth Shaw (Partner) and Managing Partner of BDO Northern Ireland Brian Murphy. They are joined by (front row) Partners Laura Jackson, Lorraine Nelson and Michael Jennings.

For when business success needs admin support

Eye Moving On

Sam Denning has been appointed as the new General Manager of the Everglades Hotel in DerryLondonderry. Sam has over 13 years’ experience in the hospitality industry and has previously worked in management positions across at Hastings Hotels properties including the Culloden Estate & Spa, Ballygally Castle and Stormont Hotel.

Nicola Abernethy has been appointed as PR and Communications Manager at Stena Line. Based in the Belfast office, Nicola is part of the Group Brand and Communications team and is responsible for media relations and driving the internal and external communications strategy for the ferry operator’s Irish Sea region. A skilled communications professional, Nicola joins Stena Line from a leading PR and public affairs agency and previously held a communications role in a regional economic development organisation.

Richard Mackie, associate director in risk advisory in RSM’s Edinburgh office, will be moving to the firm’s Belfast office at the start of October. Richard first joined RSM in 2013, and after four years working as a strategic advisor for a number of public and private organisations, returned in April 2022. He has more than 20 years’ experience in risk management, working for several high-profile clients including the International Criminal Courts in the Hague and UK government departments. As associate director, he is responsible for supporting RSM’s regional and national growth targets across Scotland, the North of England and Northern Ireland.

Wilson Nesbitt has announced seven Senior Team Promotions. Stepping into the role of Partner leading the Family Law team is Ciara Brolly. Ciara is renowned for her technical expertise and direct advice in divorce and financial settlements. Ciara leads on high value, complex private client matters.

Sian Brunt has been promoted to Senior Associate. Sian’s expertise focuses on dispute resolution, recovery litigation, employment law, professional negligence including fraud and conflict mediation and contentious banking matters.

Hannah Simpson has also been appointed to Senior Associate level. Hannah is a personal injury specialist; handling road traffic injuries including credit hire recovery, accidents at work and industrial diseases. She also focuses on medical negligence; on which she lectures & trains solicitors.

Sharon Hawthorne is promoted to Senior Manager. She assists with the management of the residential banking team in our lender services department, contributing to its impressive record on meeting strict service delivery criteria.

Daniel McCracken has been made Associate. Daniel leads on estate disputes; advising on will validity, financial provision claims for disappointed family members and contentious trust and land matters. He also provides technical support for the wider private client team.

Izabela Treacy has also been appointed Associate in the real estate team. She specialises in commercial and social property development, investment and landlord and tenant transactions.

Chi Ling Tip becomes Senior Solicitor, assisting in commercial property, including development, leaseholds and title rectifications.

4. Ciara Brolly

2. Nicola Abernethy

6. Hannah Simpson

3. Richard Mackie

5. Sian Brunt

1. Sam Denning

7. Sharon Hawthorne

10. Chi Ling Tip

8. Daniel McCracken

9. Izabela Treacy

Eye on News

CITY AIRPORT LEADS THE WAY ON IGNITE PROGRAMME

Belfast City Airport has reaffirmed its commitment to inspiring the next generation through education with the launch of year five of its IGNITE programme.

IGNITE, a joint youth leadership initiative delivered by the airport and film charity Cinemagic, launched in 2019 by Senior Vice President of HBO and Game of Thrones creator Jay Roewe, aims to provide 100 young people with life changing opportunities over a five-year period.

To date, 84 students from secondary schools and higher education colleges across Greater Belfast have now completed the 12-month programme, with a further 23 participants embarking on the IGNITE course this year.

Speaking at IGNITE’s year five launch, which will see the airport exceed its original target of 100 students, Head of Marketing Anna McKelvey said:

“When we first joined forces with Cinemagic to launch

this programme in 2019, we held a clear vision of making a positive and long-lasting impact on the lives of young people across Northern Ireland.

“We take immense pride in having accomplished this goal and in our continued efforts to champion more young people and shape the leaders of tomorrow.

“IGNITE is the only businessto-arts initiative of its kind in the region, enabling young individuals to not only enhance their self-confidence, resilience, mental well-being, and employability but also earn a professional qualification.

“It has been a privilege so far to support 84 young people in creating brighter futures for themselves, and we look forward to doing the same with this year’s cohort.”

Over the next 12 months, 23 students from nine different secondary schools and higher educational colleges in Northern Ireland will collaborate with youth organisations, foundations, charities, recognised names

in the field of sport, TV, and film, alongside representatives from other businesses in the private sector.

This unique opportunity will help participants build upon their personal skills, strengths, and values, create networks and business connections, and develop the confidence to pursue their own interests with passion and determination.

On completion of the programme, students will not only have developed on a personal level but will also gain an NLP Diploma in Personal and Career Development, which will stand them in good stead for future employment.

Echoing the sentiment and excitement of Anna McKelvey, Chief Executive of Cinemagic, Joan Burney Keatings, commented:

“The IGNITE programme provides an unmatched opportunity for young people in Northern Ireland and we’re thrilled to partner with Belfast City Airport for the fifth year to roll out this project once again.

“Year after year, we see interest in the programme, and registration numbers grow, highlighting the popularity and indeed regional need for such an inspiring initiative.

“This year will take us beyond our initial target number, and also sees us welcome two new schools, widening our reach and engagement across Northern Ireland, ensuring an inclusive and diverse programme.

“It is a huge privilege to work closely with these young people who demonstrate such huge potential, and we can’t wait to see what year five of this fantastic programme brings.”

The 2023/2024 IGNITE programme, featuring students from Ashfield Boys School, Ashfield Girls School, Bangor Grammar, Belfast Metropolitan College, Campbell College, St Dominic’s Grammar School, St Louis’ High School, Victoria College, and Wellington College, will culminate with a celebratory graduation event for all graduates.

Business Services team grows at Baker Tilly Mooney Moore

Belfast accountancy and advisory practice Baker Tilly Mooney Moore has expanded its Business Services department, welcoming Emma Scott and James Malee to the team.

Emma joins the department as Payroll Administrator, while James takes on the position of Trainee Accountant.

Servicing companies across sectors including retail, hospitality, construction and engineering, the firm’s Business Services department operates a full accounting, bookkeeping and payroll processing function.

Emma brings experience to the role of Payroll Administrator, having worked at another midtier accountancy firm and as

a payroll specialist in the local food processing industry. Having recently moved to Northern Ireland, James joins the team after holding the position of Accounts Assistant at a practice in Liverpool, where he also studied Accounting and Finance at Liverpool Hope University. Business Services is one of Baker Tilly Mooney Moore’s specialised areas which also cover Audit & Assurance, Taxation, Restructuring & Insolvency and Consulting.

Stephen McConnell, Business Services Partner at Baker Tilly Mooney Moore said:

“We are pleased to welcome Emma and James to the team. We are a busy and growing department that has the privilege of working with companies of all sizes in Northern Ireland, visiting their premises or working from our offices to operate their accounting function so they don’t have to. With experience in accounting and payroll administration at other leading accounting practices, James and Emma’s knowledge and expertise will enhance and add value to this service.”

Emma Scott, Payroll Administrator at Baker Tilly Mooney Moore said:

“I am thrilled to join the Business Services team at

Baker Tilly Mooney Moore. Having spent my initial weeks getting to know the client base, I am looking forward to supporting our specialist team and the wide range of businesses we work with.”

James Malee, Trainee Accountant at Baker Tilly Mooney Moore said:

“It is fantastic to join the Baker Tilly Mooney Moore team and to support clients in areas such as retail, hospitality, and engineering. It is a varied and fast paced role that I have no doubt will be highly rewarding, allowing me to build on my professional experience. The team were sure to give me a warm welcome following my move from Liverpool, and I know I will receive excellent support going forward.”

Payroll Administrator at Baker Tilly Mooney Moore Emma Scott, Business Services Partner Stephen McConnell, and Trainee Accountant James Malee.

W&G Baird Sets Sail With Luxury Yacht Brand Sunseeker

W&G Baird, a leading name in printing solutions, is delighted to announce its prestigious commission to produce ‘The Range’ brochure for global brand, Sunseeker Yachts.

This luxurious showcase was launched at the recent Cannes Boat Show and is set to captivate a global audience during the highly anticipated Southampton Boat Show.

Sunseeker Yachts is the world’s leading brand for luxury performance motor yachts, renowned for its commitment to extraordinary design, craftsmanship, and performance.

They are celebrated globally for their uncompromising pursuit of excellence. Their print-wear must reflect their iconic brand, featuring stunning photography, beautiful images and first-class design. W&G Baird were delighted to secure the contract to produce this ‘print perfect project’.

Based in County Antrim, W&G Baird is a renowned name in the world of premium printing solutions, dedicated to delivering uncompromising quality and craftsmanship to clients worldwide. With a 160-year legacy of excellence, W&G Baird has earned the trust of luxury brands seeking the finest in print materials.

David Hinds, Director at W&G Baird, said, “The entire team at W&G Baird is absolutely thrilled to have been selected to print this absolutely stunning piece of work for Sunseekers.

“We have taken immense pride in our meticulous work on this exceptional print piece, which underscores our prowess in delivering luxury, highquality print solutions for some of

the world’s most esteemed brands. This project serves as a testament to the extraordinary quality and craftsmanship that we are able to produce from our County Antrim factory for a global audience.”

David continued: “The finished product features seamless foil blocking over embossing on the cover, debossing to a secondary location, and a lay-flat presentation that is both FSC certified and carbon balanced – the finished result is simply stunning and one which the entire team are immensely proud of.”

Sunseeker’s Global Marketing Manager expressed their immense delight with the brochure’s quality and finish, underscoring the rarity

of print materials produced by Sunseeker, which must consistently adhere to industry-leading standards reflective of the brand’s relentless pursuit of perfection.

“Our decision to entrust the production of our 2024 Range brochure to W&G Baird was a strategic one, based on the quality of their facilities, their track record of excellence, and their proactive account management. This publication is indeed a pinnacle of prestige,” commented the Global Marketing Manager.

In a testament to their commitment to excellence, W&G Baird successfully met the critical deadline for the Cannes Boat Show, ensuring Sunseeker’s global launch was executed seamlessly.

David Hinds, Director at W&G Baird is pictured with ‘The Range’ Sunseeker brochure.

Eye on News

AbbeyAutoline launches new branch in Newtownards

AbbeyAutoline is celebrating its 50th anniversary by enhancing its high street presence in Northern Ireland with the relocation of its Newtownards branch to a new town-centre premises.

Northern Ireland’s largest insurance broker has made a significant investment in the new premises, located on Old Cross Street in Newtownards, and will employ 17 staff.

The relocation of the Newtownards branch reaffirms the company’s long-term commitment to the high street with 440 staff employed in 15 branches across Northern Ireland.

The move is part of AbbeyAutoline’s continued expansion strategy following its launch in 2020 after the integration of Abbey Insurance and Autoline, and the recent acquisition of familyowned brokerage, BMG Insurance.

The Newtownards branch will be led by James O’Hara, Branch Manager and Ashleigh White, Assistant Branch Manager, and both have over 30 years’ collective experience working within the insurance industry.

Customers will have access to AbbeyAutoline’s full range of Personal and Commercial insurance products including Business, Car, Home, Travel, Taxi, Van, Motorbike, Farm and Haulage Insurance.

AbbeyAutoline was recently named Commercial Lines Broker of the Year, as well as shortlisted for Personal Lines Broker of the Year, at The British Insurance Awards 2023.

Speaking about the opening of the new Newtownards branch, Julie Gibbons, Managing Director of AbbeyAutoline, said: “We’re delighted to relocate AbbeyAutoline’s Newtownards branch to a new town-centre location, strengthening our position as Northern Ireland’s largest insurance broker with a strong high street presence.

“This opening of the new branch reflects our unwavering commitment to serving local communities across Northern Ireland as we celebrate 50 years in business.

“As we embark on this new chapter in Newtownards, our team of specialist

staff will continue to deliver an exceptional level of customer care and expertise as they provide tailored insurance solutions that meet the unique needs of our clients.”

Easyjet Celebrates Flying Half A Million Passengers At Belfast City Airport

easyJet has marked a significant milestone at Belfast City Airport, welcoming its 500,000th passenger since it launched operations in July 2021.

To celebrate the momentous occasion, Rock Choir was invited to perform in the terminal while the 500,000th passenger, Abby Wood, who arrived on a flight from London Gatwick, was presented with a bouquet of flowers.

easyJet currently operates six UK routes from Belfast City Airport including Bristol, Glasgow, Liverpool, London Gatwick, London Luton and Manchester.

Ellie McGimpsey, Aviation Development Manager at Belfast City Airport, commented:

“Reaching the milestone of half a million passengers at Belfast City Airport in under two years is an incredible achievement for easyJet, and we were delighted to join with our airline partner to celebrate this occasion and express our gratitude to all passengers for their continued support.

“easyJet’s services have been consistently popular with passengers who wish to avail of convenient and affordable air travel options, and the feedback we have received since it began flying from Belfast City Airport has been fantastic.

“easyJet’s consistent presence at Belfast City Airport forms part of our ongoing commitment to offering

unrivalled convenience and connectivity to passengers and we look forward to continuing our successful partnership with easyJet and long into the future.”

Ali Gayward, easyJet’s UK Country Manager, said:

“We are delighted to celebrate carrying more than 500,000 passengers to and from Belfast City Airport. We’ve continued growing our operations at Belfast City, serving our customers

with more domestic connections to a greater range of destinations than ever before.

“Whether our customers are connecting with friends and family, exploring more of the fantastic destinations the UK has to offer or travelling for business, we are committed to offering great value and a warm welcome. Thank you to our fantastic customers for choosing to fly with us from Belfast City.”

James O’Hara, AbbeyAutoline Branch Manager and Ashleigh White, AbbeyAutoline Assistant Branch Manager.

A GTI FOR THE ELECTRIC AGE

VWhas given us a glimpse of what the first allelectric GTI will look like. Revealed at the recent Munich motor show, the VW ID. GTI Concept is a performance orientated version of the upcoming Polo-sized all new ID 2.

It’s expected to have at least 220bhp and crack 0-62mph in just under seven seconds –figures that are pretty close to those of the existing Golf GTI.

Indeed, VW is making much of

the new car’s links with iconic GTIs from the past. Among the bespoke features is a deeper front bumper with pronounced air curtains and vertically stacked LED daytime driving lights on either side. The lower section houses a contrasting black air duct with honeycomb-shaped detailing and red-coloured tow hooks.

The VW badge is also illuminated in white for a striking look at night, while the headlights themselves get the firm’s IQ Light matrix technology.

Plastic cladding bulks out the wheel arches, which accommodate retro-look 20in wheels of a double eight-spoke design, while prominent sills feature GTI logos

underneath the doors - all in black.

There’s a chunky new spoiler at the rear for added downforce and high-speed stability, bespoke 3D light graphics, a badge illuminated in red, prominent GTI graphics and a black valance within the lower section of the bumper.

The sporting package is rounded off by a 15mm drop in ride height, which suggests plans for a stiffer suspension set-up on the production car.

“With the ID. GTI Concept, we are taking the GTI DNA into the electric age,” says Thomas Schäfer, CEO of Volkswagen Passenger Cars.

“It remains sporty, iconic, technologically progressive and accessible, but now with a new interpretation for tomorrow’s world: electric, fully connected and extremely emotive. Here, driving pleasure and sustainability are a perfect match. This means GTI has a future – for our brand and for the fans. A Volkswagen sports car for the electric age that is suitable for everyday driving: 100 per cent electric – 100 per cent emotion.”

At 4104mm long, 1840mm wide and 1499mm tall, the most powerful of Volkswagen’s planned ID 2 variants is slightly larger than today’s petrol-engined Polo GTI.

Traditional GTI design elements

continue inside with a threespoke steering wheel featuring a red 12 o’clock marker, chequered “Jack-e” upholstery for the seats and a golf ball-shaped rotary dial for the infotainment.

The 10.9in digital display can also be configured in ‘analogue’ mode, which closely resembles the gauge cluster of the Mk1 Golf GTI.

The larger 12.9in central touchscreen infotainment display also offers varying themes with links to the past. In a nod to the Golf GTI’s rally heritage, the headup display projects information onto the windscreen for both the driver and front passenger.

Among the more conceptual touches is a red LED pulse sensor incorporated within the backrest of the driver’s seat.

Like the standard ID 2, the ID GTI can accommodate up to five people. Boot space is put at 490 litres, with up to 1330 litres available when the rear seat is folded down.

The bad news for GTI fans is that we probably won’t see this new car in showrooms before 2027, with the standard ID. 2 due to launch a year earlier. We won’t know prices til then either but with standard ID. 2 prices expected to be around £22,000… a price tag in the mid-twenties seems likely.

VW’s new entry level electric car will carry the famous GTI badge, writes James Stinson.

Motoring

Eye on Motoring

Latest Clio displays hybrid benefits

The

Renault has revealed full UK pricing and specifications of its recently updated Clio supermini.

With the smaller Zoe and the reborn Renault 5, due to launch next year, both being fully electric, Renault is ploughing a more traditional furrow with the latest Clio.

It comes only as a full hybrid now (E-Tech), which means a petrol engine allied to an electric motor. On price, it undercuts the previous hybrid model’s starting price at £21,295, rising to £24,095 for the highlyspecified Esprit Alpine model.

The hybrid technology in this latest Clio E-Tech emphasises the massive strides being made in making petrol engines as eco-friendly as possible. It produces 145hp for effortless, strong performance and offers a range of up to 550 miles.

The Clio can use its electric motor up to 80 per cent of the time in cities –cutting fuel consumption by up to 40 per cent compared to a conventional petrol engine – with the benefits of near silent running and no need to plug-in to charge the battery.

Compared to the previous Clio-ETech, CO2 emissions are 3g/km lower at 96g/km while fuel economy is also up from 64mpg to 67.3mpg.

No performance data has been revealed, but the current Clio E-Tech

just slips under the 10-second marker from 0-62mph, topping out at 112mph… so expect something similar.

Split into three trim levels, each comes comprehensively equipped. The base Evolution model with its headlinecapturing £21,295 price point includes 16-inch alloy wheels, rear parking sensors and two 7-inch displays, one in front of the driver and the other a touchscreen infotainment system.

From here the £22,695 Techno model adds front parking sensors, wireless charging for your smartphone, ambient lighting inside the cabin and larger 17-inch alloy wheels.

Topping the range is the Esprit Alpine

trim, which will set you back £24,095. As well as introducing a unique and sporty design inspired by Renault’s Alpine brand, it also includes a larger pair of displays inside, growing to 10-inches behind the steering wheel and 9.3-inches for the now Googleintegrated infotainment system. It also adds heated front seats and steering wheel, plus more active safety features including active cruise control.

The new Clio’s LED headlights are slimmer than before and are joined by a dramatic lighting graphic that will feature across the wider Renault range in time.

The LED units come in conjunction with a sharper new bumper design,

fresh colour options and new wheel designs of up to 17 inches.

Alongside Renault’s focus on better quality materials within the cabin, the brand has also focused on sustainability.

There’s no longer any leather inside, while the majority of the fabrics used are partially made from recycled materials. With some 16 million sold since it launched in 1990 – over 1.1 million in the UK alone – the Clio remains one of Renault’s most important cars. And despite increased competition from all-electric rivals, Renault still believes the Clio will remain a big seller for years to come.

Commenting on the launch of the New Clio E-Tech full hybrid, Guillaume Sicard, Country Head UK & Managing Director Renault Brand UK, said: “Clio is at the very heart of Renault, being one of our most well-loved and successful models, and the New Clio E-Tech full hybrid is a milestone in the model’s long-running story.

“It combines the Clio’s trademark attributes with the efficient technology that supports our customers as they transition to a car that offers a significant level of electrification, making the model more relevant than ever.”

The new Clio is available to order now, with customer cars arriving by the end of the year.

best of petrol and electric combine in the latest Renault Clio, writes James Stinson.

we create trusted connections with communities across Northern Ireland.