Chamberlink April 2021 by Kemps Publishing

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The official publication of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce

CHAMBER Free to Members £5.00 where sold

April 2021

LINK

‘…I love this city region’ Henrietta spells out her vision as the Chamber’s youngest CEO – See page 6

Picture: Marc Kirsten

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Contents April 2021 Business News 4

Editor’s View Championing the region’s youth

Confidence is growing in the region

Chamber will be at the forefront as firms emerge from pandemic

BBC’s big Brum move to ‘drive further growth’

10 Government must ease burden on firms 12 President’s Focus Future Faces Chamber president Jaccy Datta 15 Theatre announces the return of live performance 16 Chamber welcomes new patron

18 Chambers outline a blueprint for mayor

Chamber Group

19 Mayoral candidates set their stalls out

35 Commonwealth: Royal approval for Opportunities Week

20 The Griffin Report Jodh Dhesi, chief executive of the King Edward VI Foundation

36 Transatlantic: Midlands advisors complete US deal

22 Birmingham Museums offer more online content

37 Future Faces: Ethics are key for Generation Z 38 Cannock Chase: Committee member takes on challenge

23 David Nicholson named new NHS trust chairman 25 Why firms shouldn’t rush to borrow money

39 Burton & District: President looks back 40 Lichfield & Tamworth: Speeding payments on toll

26 Chamber says export slump only short term 27 Pioneering business adopts online tool

41 Sutton Coldfield: Peddimore proposals revealed

28 Animation video helps spread vaccine message

42 Solihull: Chamber vice-president appointed

Chamber Patrons

44 ABCC: Community missing out on in-person festivals

30 Funding scheme for local businesses

Sector Focus

1813 Club and Premier Members

54 Business Travel: Investment package for the bus sector

32 Management buy-out for Midlands manufacturer

International 34 Warning on growing fraud risk

56 Finance: Know the risks of crypto currency 58 Technology: Schools must learn lessons about IT security 59 Retail: The future of retail is optimistic

Features Growing Your Business 47 Top tips for securing new customers

Hotels, Conferences & Events 51 Stepping back in time at The Grand Hotel 52 Business is heating up for Dalesauna

60 Legal: Uber ruling could impact gig economy workers 62 Property: Demand for office space despite pandemic 64 Manufacturing: Upturn for manufacturing sector 66 Sport: ‘The Tour 21’ raises half of £1m target for charity

Member Section 67 Member Profile Sajid Mahmood, TOA Taxis (Radio System) Ltd 68 New Members Chamber welcomes new members 70 …any other business News from Chamber businesses April 2021 CHAMBERLINK 3

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Opinion

CHAMBER LINK

The official publication of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce

Editor’s View By John Lamb

Cannock Chase

Championing region’s youth

Chamber of Commerce

Sutton Coldfield

Chamber of Commerce

Greater Birmingham

Commonwealth Chamber of Commerce

Greater Birmingham

Transatlantic Chamber of Commerce

Front cover: Stepping up: Henrietta Brealey See page 6 Editor John Lamb 0121 274 3237, 0797 1144064 j.lamb@birmingham-chamber.com Deputy Editor Dan Harrison 0121 274 3239, 0797 1144052 d.harrison@birmingham-chamber.com Reporter Jessica Brookes 0750 8317356 j.brookes@birmingham-chamber.com You can now read the latest issue of CHAMBERLINK and view back issues online at: www.greaterbirminghamchambers.com

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Kemps Publishing Ltd Unit 8, The Courtyard, 707 Warwick Road, Solihull B91 3DA. 0121 765 4144 www.kempspublishing.co.uk Managing Editor Laura Blake Designer Lloyd Hollingworth Advertising 0121 765 4144 jon.jones@kempspublishing.co.uk Printers Stephens & George Print Group PRIVACY NOTICE: Kemps Publishing Ltd process personal information for certain legitimate interest purposes, which includes the following: • To provide postal copies of this publication to Chamber members and Kemps' customers; and • To offer marketing and promotional opportunities within this publication to Chamber members and prospects. Whenever we process data for these purposes, we always ensure we treat your Personal Data rights in high regard. If you wish to, you can visit www.kempspublishing.co.uk to view our full Privacy Notice and to learn more about our legitimate interests and your rights in this regard. CHAMBERLINK is produced on behalf of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce by Kemps Publishing Ltd and is distributed to members without charge. The Chambers and the publisher are committed to achieving the highest quality standards. While every care has been taken to ensure that the information it contains is accurate, neither the Chambers nor the publisher can accept any responsibility for any omission or inaccuracies that might arise. Views expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of the Chambers. This publication (or any part thereof) may not be reproduced, transmitted or stored in print or electronic format without prior written permission of Kemps Publishing Ltd.

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can’t remember at which stage of the lockdown it was. But I was in the office virtually on my own and our local coffee shop was open. After ordering my drink and waiting at the correct social distance a customer came in with his little boy. The youngster kept looking at me but turned shyly away when I smiled and said hello. Eventually he pulled on his dad’s sleeve and whispered: “Daddy, is that Boris Johnson?” Now I do have fairish hair and at that time it was a long time since I’d been to the barber and it was probably a bit unruly from walking across the road. But the Prime Minister? Never surely… I said I was glad I was not him and we had a good laugh. But I’ve remembered the incident several times as I’ve watched Mr Johnson on television and asked myself: “Who would be the PM?” Over the years, many leaders of our country have distinguished themselves at the height of crises and others have failed miserably. Cometh the hour, cometh the man (or woman, of course)… But I can’t help feeling that Boris has been dealt a rough deal as a man who apparently has a libertarian spirit rather than one suitable for imposing austere Covid-19 measures. I’ve never met the man, so I don’t know. Other leaders I have met or whose company I have enjoyed have always impressed me, no matter their political colours. I was impressed with Tony Blair when he was a guest at a Chamber lunch when he was PM. But I always felt the best Prime Minster we never had was William Hague (now Baron Hague of Richmond). Some of you may remember that he was lionised by the then PM Margaret Thatcher

as the 16-year-old Hague spoke against the evils of socialism at the 1977 Tory Party conference in Blackpool. But thereafter, the Iron Lady dismissed pressure to give Hague ministerial office as a 21year-old MP as a gimmick. And he didn’t reach high ministerial level until he served as Foreign Secretary in David Cameron’s cabinet. I met Hague when he was resting between political engagements and writing a biography on William Pitt the Younger. At the age of 36, Hague had become the youngest leader of the Conservative Party since Pitt. He had been hosting a Birmingham Law Society awards evening at the ICC and myself, and another regional journalist, enjoyed a long session at the bar with him afterwards. Remember those days? This brings me to the theme of this piece – youth. Like Hague and Pitt before him, what a joy it is to see young people stepping up to take on critical roles. Birmingham, as the youngest city in Europe, now has the youngest leader of the historic Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce in Henrietta Brealey. As they say, if you’re good enough you’re old enough. We wish her well as she steps into the shoes of Paul Faulkner, who has had a large impact on the city region over the past six years. Business generally has a long way to go, but thankfully personnel at board and managerial in the private and even public sectors are gradually getting younger and you only have to look at the amazing array of talent in our own Future Faces division. Having said that, some of us hope that there might still be room for a little experience for a few more years…

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Business News

Business News Latest news from Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce

Confidence is growing in the region By John Lamb irms across the Greater Birmingham have shown an “indomitable sprit” in the face of the grave crisis caused by the Covid-19 crisis, a new Chamber survey reveals. The Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBCC) first quarterly business report of 2021 shows renewed optimism after the Prime Minister’s Roadmap to Recovery set out a blueprint for recovery. GBCC chief executive Paul Faulkner says Boris Johnson’s assurances seemed to translate into greater levels of business confidence among firms in the region. He added: “Both profitability and turnover projections were the highest we’ve seen in 12 months. Elsewhere, it was a mixed bag – domestic and international sales saw a minor upturn but still remain in negative territory. “Hiring levels picked up markedly. However, unsurprisingly, capex and training investment remains sluggish. The majority of firms continue to experience severe problems related to cash flow levels and we also saw a noticeable increase in the number of firms that are under pressure to raise their prices as the dual forces of Covid-19 and Brexit continue to bite.”

‘In spite of the imposition of a national lockdown, the figures actually represent a broad-based improvement on Q4 of 2020’ Domestic demand balance rose by five points to 47 but remained short of returning to positive territory as businesses attempted to adapt to the latest nationwide restrictions Across the board, 33 per cent reported an uplift in domestic sales – up from the 28 per

Optimism: Julian Beer

cent listed in Q4; 27 per cent reported that their UK sales remained constant for the second consecutive quarter, whereas 40 per cent witnessed a drop in domestic demand (down from the 45 per cent noted in Q4). Contrasting trends emerged from the two individual sectors. For the second consecutive quarter, the manufacturing balance for UK sales recorded a fall – this time by four points to 44. The service sector balance went up by seven points to 48 with a notable increase in the number of service firms recording an increase in domestic output (up from 27 per cent to 35 per cent in the current quarter). The domestic orders balance score returned to positive territory for the first time in 12 months,

perhaps reflecting the positivity generated by the Government’s announcements. Export sales across manufacturing and professional services combined rose for the second consecutive quarter. However the overall balance score remained just shy of positive territory In total, 30 per cent of businesses in both sectors reported an increase in international sales – an uplift of eight per cent compared to Q4. This offset the rise of firms in both sectors which recorded a drop in export sales (up from 29 per cent to 32 per cent) which lead to the overall balance score going up two points for 47 to 49. Again, differing trends emerged in the two sectors. The service sector balance fell by one point to 47 because 33 per cent of service firms witnessed a fall in overseas sales (up from 29 per cent in Q4). The manufacturing balance made a welcome return to positive terrain for the first time since the start of last year; 37 per cent of manufacturers noted increased export sales over the last three months (compared to 19 per cent at the end of 2020) which meant the balance score went up from 46 to 53. Professor Julian Beer, deputy vice-chancellor Birmingham City University, who sponsor the report, said: “The figures for the first quarter of 2021 represent a significant upside surprise. In spite of the imposition of a national lockdown, the figures actually represent a broad-based improvement on Q4 of 2020. “This is quite remarkable given the enormous challenges created by both the lockdown itself and the impact of school closures on employees. It will be interesting to see the extent to which this is mirrored in national GDP data when they become available. “Looking forward, it seems likely that we will see a significant recovery in activity moving forward into the second and third quarters of the year, which is cause for optimism after an extremely difficult year.”

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Business News

Chamber will be at the forefront as enrietta Brealey, appointed the youngest chief executive in the 208-year history of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBCC), has pledged to continue to work hard to champion the needs of “a city region I Iove”. She succeeds Paul Faulkner, who, after six years in the position, is joining the Richardson family businesses. Ms Brealey, aged 30, was recently appointed chief strategy officer following five years as director of policy and strategic relations. Her work at the forefront of the Chamber’s campaigns around Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic has been acclaimed by many stakeholders at regional and national levels and she has also provided in-depth support for Chamber patrons, the top tier of membership. Ms Brealey said: “Paul has been a fantastic CEO of the Chamber and ambassador for the business community. He leaves big shoes to fill and I look forward to stepping up in April and continuing to drive the organisation, and the support and services we deliver for businesses, ever further forwards.

“It’s been 12 months like no other. In this critical moment, I look forward to continuing to work with our members and partners across the sectors to both stand up for local businesses’ interests through challenge and change and ensure that they are best positioned to tap into opportunities - locally and globally.

‘It will be a real privilege to lead our talented colleagues here at Team Chamber’ “I love this city region and working with the businesses that sit at the heart of what makes it such as great place to live, work and do business.It will be a real privilege to lead our talented colleagues here at Team Chamber. This is a proud institution with a long and influential history of being in business for local businesses. I am excited to take up this opportunity to navigate it through this next era.” David Waller, chairman of the GBCC, said: “We are thrilled to name Henrietta as chief executive

and her energy and drive speaks volumes for the direction the Chamber continues to head. “Business support needs to be at the cutting edge with views on developments in the structural, strategic and cultural world of today and Henrietta is ideally suited to pick up that broad role. “She will be perfect for continuing the leadership Paul has developed over the past six years, during which the reach, impact and influence of the Chamber has grown remarkably. I would also like to express the gratitude of the board, membership, stakeholders and staff for Paul’s magnificent work over the past six years. He has set a firm foundation from which Henrietta and the team at the Chamber will be able to develop further.” GBCC president Steve Allen added: “This is a richly deserved appointment for Henrietta. She has led the way in providing Chamber support for businesses in her position as chief strategy officer and policy director before that. “Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic and Brexit, she has ensured that informing, practically supporting and giving local

Henrietta Brealey sums up her thoughts as she take over this month from Paul Faulkner as chief executive of the Chamber:

“

I’m excited and determined as I prepare for my new role. This region is my home and a place I’m proud of and passionate about. I find working with businesses endlessly fascinating the innovation, resilience, creativity and community mindedness of our members is a constant source of motivation. As we emerge into the new world postpandemic, the Chamber will be at the forefront of promoting local businesses and supporting them in accessing opportunities both locally and across the globe. And that is an energising prospect. In just the last month we’ve seen high profile investments announced for Birmingham from the BBC and Department for Transport. The Commonwealth Games is a bright spot on the horizon for catalysing resurgence in our visitor economy

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and local pride. HS2, a truly transformative investment for the region and nation, is already driving local jobs and impact. Our Quarterly Business Report for Q1, our temperature check for regional business sentiment, showed the highest levels of business confidence in increasing turnover since the onset of the pandemic. Across Birmingham, Burton, Cannock, Lichfield, Solihull, Sutton Coldfield and Tamworth it feels like that light at the end of the tunnel is getting ever closer. While there’s a lot to be positive about, we all know that this year is not going to be smooth sailing. In terms of both looking after our brilliant people here at team Chamber as we work through the pandemic and adapting to the ever evolving needs of the business community when so much is still

uncertain - there’s still plenty to navigate. We will continue to work hard to champion the needs of local businesses, particularly those hardest hit by the pandemic and ongoing restrictions. But I know that we’ve got everything we need right here in the region, not just to get back on track to a strong recovery, but to do it with style. The Chambers’ been in business for business since 1813. From World Wars to massive industrial shifts, it’s seen it all, and has constantly pivoted and adapted to keep relevant to the needs of local businesses. A constant through the shifting ages. While much of what we do has changed throughout the years the core concept of the Chamber - that we are stronger (and louder) together than alone remains resolute. I look forward to making my contribution to that legacy.

”

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Business News

firms emerge from the pandemic

Much to be positive about: Henrietta Brealey

businesses a voice are first and foremost in our work. “While some of that has been very visible, much more negotiation and engagement with stakeholders has taken place behind the scenes. I know her approach to really listening too, and caring about, the needs of our members and building trusted relationships with stakeholders make her the perfect person to lead the organisation.” Mr Faulkner added: "Henrietta has been a delight to work with throughout my time at the Chamber, and it has been a pleasure seeing her professional growth and development over the past six years as she has led and transformed the Chamber's policy and strategic partnerships work to be the very best in the country. “Henrietta possesses a genuine commitment to Chamber members and the interests of the business community in Greater Birmingham. I wish her every success in what is a highly-respected and historic position in the city and wider region.” Ms Brealey first joined the Chamber as a policy assistant in 2012 while completing her studies at the University of Birmingham. She went on to gain an MSc (Distinction)

in Public Management 2012-2013 and a BA (hons) (1st Class) in English Literature 2009-2012. She held the roles of policy adviser and policy and patron adviser before leaving in 2015 to join the National Housing Federation as external affairs manager for the West Midlands. She returned to the Chamber later that year in the newly-created role of director of policy and strategic relationships, making her one of the youngest directors in the Chamber’s history. In 2018 she was appointed to the GBCC board as an executive director and earlier this year she was named chief strategy officer. Ms Brealey’s work has involved overseeing internal GBCC strategy processes and leading the GBCC’s research, policy, stakeholder engagement and campaigns activity as well as management of the GBCC’s top tier of membership, the patronage group. In 2019 she was named as one of Birmingham Live’s Brum 30 Under 30. Outside of work, she is a trustee of the University of Birmingham’s Guild of Students and a graduate and supporter of the UpRising Leadership Programme.

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Business News Commercial chief leaves Brewers Fleur Robinson is stepping down as commercial director at Burton Albion to start a new role as chief executive of Wrexham AFC. The National League club was famously taken over by Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney in February. Fleur (pictured), who has seen Burton Albion rise from the second tier of non-league football to enjoy two years in the Championship, will take up her new role on 1 June and will be looking to see the Welsh club make similar progress. She said: “It’s an incredibly difficult decision to step away from Burton Albion, a football club I love, and which has been a massive part of my life for more than 25 years, but this was such an exciting opportunity I didn’t think I could turn it down. “It’s a massive challenge, but the club has ambitious new owners, and it will be my job to turn those ambitions into reality. “I’ve come from a place where football is at the heart of the community and as a founder of the community trust at Burton Albion, I’ve seen how the power of football can be used to make a positive impact on people’s lives. I know that Wrexham has the same strong community commitment, and I wouldn’t have joined the club if it didn’t share those values. “It’s truly been an honour to be part of Burton Albion, working alongside the chairman, our wonderfully dedicated team and community partners to achieve the club’s many iconic milestones.” As well as developing commercial opportunities at Burton Albion, Fleur has been a champion of the development of the women’s game, a member of the FA Council, and was instrumental in the Inspiring Your Future initiatives looking at mental health and opportunities for young people. She is also on Burton and District Chamber of Commerce's executive committee.

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On the up: A number of BBC departments are relocating to Birmingham

BBC’s big Brum move to ‘drive further growth’ The BBC’s decision to move key departments and staff to Birmingham could be a catalyst for further investment in the cityregion, business leaders said. The broadcaster announced “a top-to-bottom change” with entire departments and news divisions moving to Birmingham, Cardiff, Leeds and Salford. As part of the changes, the Newsbeat team is relocating to Birmingham, while the Second City will also become the new base for Asian Network. News and current affairs programmes like BBC Two’s Newsnight, will be presented from different UK bases through the year, while Radio 4's flagship Today programme is to be co-presented from outside London for at least 100 episodes a year. The BBC Concert Orchestra and some Proms are also to leave London and the broadcaster has

promised 100 new reporters to be based in towns and areas that have never had a regional TV presence.

‘TV and film alone is a huge industry with substantial economic impact and rewarding careers’ Henrietta Brealey, chief executive of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, said: “Birmingham is young, creative, diverse – a melting pot of talent and ambition at the heart of the nation. It’s a natural choice for investment. “This announcement is great news for the region by itself. We also hope to see it act as a catalyst for further investment both from the wider media industry and the BBC themselves in due course. “TV and film alone is a huge

industry with substantial economic impact and rewarding careers. “The investment announced by the BBC represents a real opportunity to grow our regional talent pool in this space. “It also comes just days after the Department for Transport announced their own significant investment in creating roles in the city and is another welcome boost and reminder of the city’s strengths as we start to look post-pandemic.” Dr Jason Wouhra, president of the Asian Business Chamber of Commerce, welcomed the news about the Asian Network moving to Birmingham. He said: "It is great to see the BBC Asian Network is moving to Birmingham. The Asian Network is listened to by most of the Asian community in the UK and it is wonderful to see that they have decided to choose the UK’s first ethnic majority city as its home.”

Support for young entrepreneurs Students at South and City College, Birmingham, will be able to take part in a new series supported by NatWest as part of its Entrepreneur Accelerator. This follows the success of sessions last year. They will focus on three areas: growth mindset, business model canvassing and how to pitch yourself or an idea. Local entrepreneurs will also join the session to allow the students to virtually network. The sessions have been organised by NatWest’s Pam Sheemar (pictured). Kaussar Bashir, deputy faculty head for creative and professional studies at South and City, said:

“Our students have not just benefited from an incredible bespoke programme that Pam and her team have put together, but have also started a journey with passionate mentors.” The NatWest Entrepreneur Accelerator is a sixmonth programme that runs across the UK for established entrepreneurs with high-growth businesses looking to scale up. The programme is fully funded, and NatWest do not take any equity in the accelerator businesses allowing entrepreneurs to focus on growing

their business and make the most of the learning opportunities offered by the programme. NatWest also offers a free online digital tool to support businesses and entrepreneurs at all stages through NatWest Business Builder, which features digital modules, access to an online community and digital events. Ms Sheemar said: “We are delighted to be running these sessions for a second year. Our programme has been designed to develop our entrepreneurs as people as well as business leaders.”

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Business News

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Business News

Government must ease burden on firms – Chamber Waseem Zaffar: Only a quarter of vehicles entering the council’s Clean Air Zone will be charged

Councillor’s Clean Air Zone promise Just a quarter of vehicles will be charged to enter Birmingham’s Clean Air Zone (CAZ), a city councillor has claimed. Cllr Waseem Zaffar, cabinet member for transport and the environment at Birmingham City Council, made the claim to businesses during a Chamber question and answer session, with the zone just three months away from being introduced. Cllr Zaffar urged businesses to ‘take advantage’ of the multitude of financial incentives and exemptions on offer. He said: “We’re really encouraging everybody to take advantage of the financial incentives and exemptions and also encouraging people to check whether their vehicles are actually compliant or not. “Three quarters of vehicles that go through the Clean Air Zone area are compliant and those individuals will not be impacted by the Clean Air Zone. It is a quarter of the vehicles which are currently noncompliant and a lot of those will benefit from the financial incentives. “So it will give them some help towards improving their journey to cleaner, greener journeys and there are also the exemptions. I’d really encourage everyone to take advantage of the offers that we have got available.” Cllr Zaffar also encouraged firms to consider creating ‘workplace travel plans’, to encourage staff to consider greener modes of transport. He said: “Travel plans work with businesses to ensure that their customers, their employees, their partners, and visitors to their premises are taking advantage of more sustainable and cleaner journeys. “Travel plans can work with employees to see if more of them can walk and cycle, or use public transport to their place of work. “ Help is at hand to support businesses who want to put a travel plan together, via a national initiative called ‘Modeshift STARS’. The initiative, and examples of businesses already signed up for the scheme, are explained in a new Chamber briefing paper. 10 CHAMBERLINK April 2021

Business leaders have said that a rise in unemployment across the West Midlands underlines the need for the Government to ease cash pressures on firms. According to the Office for National Statistics, unemployment in the region increased by 0.6 per cent from the previous quarter. The employment rate also fell by 1.1 per cent to 73.9 per cent, while the inactivity rate increased by 0.6 per cent. However, the West Midlands did buck a national trend by recording the highest increase in workforce jobs – up by 26,000 – between September and December 2020.

‘The results further reinforce the detrimental impact that Covid19 continues to have on the national labour market’ Raj Kandola, head of policy at Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, commented that more must be done to ease cash pressures on businesses, in order to avoid more potential job losses. He said: “While it was a relief to see that the

Chancellor heeded the calls that we made in our Back Our Businesses report to extend the furlough scheme in the short term, the results further reinforce the detrimental impact that Covid-19 continues to have on the national labour market. “It was a similar picture closer to home as we saw a rise in unemployment and a decline in employment levels across the West Midlands. “However, it was pleasing to see the region buck the national trend and post the largest increase in workforce jobs across the country – a positive development which was also reflected in the data from our latest Quarterly Business Report. “The Budget also included a number of welcome measures which were aimed at offsetting any further redundancies and retaining staff. “Nevertheless it’s clear that the Government need to do more to ease the cash pressures that firms across the country right now if we are to avert an even greater jobs crisis - for example, removing the requirement to pay national insurance and pension contributions on furloughed staff for closed businesses would be a step in the right direction.” To read the Chamber’s Quarterly Business Report in full, visit greaterbirminghamchambers.com

Mondelez snaps up nutrition brand Cadbury owner Mondelez International has acquired a majority stake in fast-growing Solihull performance nutrition brand Grenade. Grenade was founded by Alan and Juliet Barratt in 2010 and has enjoyed rapid growth in the performance nutrition sector, with its Carb Killa® protein bar becoming a best-seller. Grenade chief executive Alan Barratt (pictured), who retains a minority equity interest in the company, said: “When Jules and I founded Grenade from our spare bedroom with a budget of $700, we dreamt of building an iconic brand available globally. “This partnership with Mondelez International gives us access to enormous resource and capability to help make those aspirations a reality and I couldn’t be more excited about our future growth and continued innovation.” Grenade will continue to be operated separately and led from its headquarters in Hampton-inArden. Barratt and the senior leadership team will also remain in place. Dirk Van de Put, chairman and chief executive of Mondelez International added: “Grenade’s great-tasting, on-trend products are a great platform for Mondelez

International in the UK market and beyond. This is another exciting opportunity to deliver on our

strategy to be a global leader in broader snacking, including in the important area of well-being.”

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Business News

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Business News

President’s Focus In light of Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day being celebrated in March, Future Faces Chamber president Jaccy Datta discusses why women in leadership must leave the ladder down behind them for other aspiring leaders to climb up. n March we celebrated International Women’s Day, when women’s achievements were marked and awareness is raised against bias and inequality in the workplace. However, just as International Men’s Day (19 November) brings attention to men’s mental health, which is vitally important all year round, similarly issues around gender inequality and women’s rights are not just limited to one day. But what can we all do on a daily basis to ensure progress continues for women in the workplace? While there are so many factors at play, women tend to naturally hold themselves back, often without even realising it. We have a habit of apologising more, we expect others to recognise our efforts and achievements (yet are reluctant to claim the deserved accolades when they’re noticed) and we often overvalue others' skills over our own, thereby underselling ourselves. Women can be incredible team players; however, they can be perceived to be somewhat insecure in their roles as leaders.

‘It is so important for women to support each other and cultivate a fairer work environment for all’ This perception is often attributed to the fact that women remain under-represented in leadership positions and feel that they have to work harder than their male counterparts to battle the cognitive biases against them and be heard. Furthermore, whilst a certain level of progress has been made to date, the scars still remain from the levels of inequality of the past. As Future Faces president, I am extremely fortunate to have a diverse committee with a number of fabulous female future leaders, and I encourage everyone in the committee to have their voice heard and their achievements recognised, regardless of their gender and whether this comes naturally to them. I often ask myself if I’m acting as the leader that the more junior version of myself would have aspired to be and, if not, what I can do to change that. It’s an important reflective practice for all leaders, but especially for us as women. The difficulties female leaders have faced getting to where they are now (whether that’s juggling work and family commitments or facing pay inequality), should not mean that they expect future leaders to have to go through the same hardships. Quite often, women don’t realise the burden of expectations they place on other women in this way until they really stop and consider this. It’s important, as leaders, that we are all aware of this issue so that future examples of this can 12 CHAMBERLINK April 2021

Leaders must leave the ladder down: Jaccy Datta

be challenged. Now as much as ever, it is so important for women to support each other and cultivate a fairer work environment for all. My recommendation for everyone out there climbing the career ladder is to always make sure you leave the ladder down behind you for others to follow in your steps, whatever the person’s gender. Let us not allow the scars of the past to affect the continuing of progress towards an equal society. Finally, for all leaders, both present and future,

always ensure that you share your achievements without simply expecting them to be noticed. For those who are daunted by this, or have feelings of imposter syndrome, perhaps you could start with sharing with your close friends and immediate colleagues and gain more confidence in yourself gradually. You are all worthy, your achievements are all great, and I look forward to seeing so many incredible future leaders making a difference across the region in the years to come.

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Business News

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Business News Building a better future: Stars of Constructed. Picture: Kris Askey

Royal Ballet makes senior appointment

Theatre confirms return of live performances Birmingham Repertory Theatre has become the first major venue in Birmingham to announce the return of live performances next month. The venue will stage two productions which were postponed due to local restrictions and lockdowns. Both productions are created and performed by Birmingham artists; Rosie Kay’s ‘Absolute Solo II’ on 19 May and Lightpost Theatre’s ‘Constructed’ from 27 to 29 May. Tickets are on sale now at birminghamrep.co.uk. Customers with tickets for previously scheduled dates for both productions will be contacted direct by the box office

‘Some of Birmingham’s brightest talent will reopen the venue in May’ Sean Foley, artistic director at The REP, said: “It’s been almost 12 months since we closed our doors and ceased most live performance. It’s been an extremely challenging period for all theatres across the country, but I’m delighted we can now look forward to welcoming back audiences and artists. So I am thrilled to announce that now, quite rightly, some of Birmingham’s brightest talent will reopen the venue in May.

“Both will showcase the very best our city has to offer as the theatre returns to live performance and The REP looks forward to celebrating the 50th anniversary of our home in Centenary Square.” ‘Absolute Solo’, which she performed in the 1999 Edinburgh Festival, and six years since last appearing on stage herself, Kay returns with ‘Absolute Solo II’ works that look backwards and forwards at her personal experience as a female in dance. The triple bill includes a new work created by herself during lockdown which explores the notion that now, as an older dancing female, she has something to say about the female body and the experience of being female and being on stage. ‘Constructed’ explores the culture of working-class black men in Britain. Set on a failing construction site, a group of labourers seek to better themselves but hierarchy and social circumstance forces them to stick to the job at hand. Constructed is directed by CJ Lloyd Webley and Mathias André. Lightpost Theatre Company originated as part of Shifting the Dial – a programme that aims to improve the mental well-being of young men of African, Caribbean, or mixed African or Caribbean heritage.

WMCA invests in Symphony Hall foyer Musicians practice in the newlyrefurbished foyer to mark the opening of a redevelopment of Birmingham’s Symphony Hall, to which the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) has committed £256,000. The construction project extends and remodels Symphony Hall’s public spaces to create a building that is economically sustainable, vibrant and connected to Centenary Square and surrounding areas. Home of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Symphony Hall is one of the world’s most outstanding concert halls and is renowned for its acoustic excellence and diverse programming. It also fosters creativity through both music and education and with this new design will welcome a diverse audience.

Picture: Eugene Hilton

Dominic Antonucci (pictured) has been appointed assistant director at Birmingham Royal Ballet (BR) succeeding Marion Tait, who stepped down at the end of last year. Currently ballet master with the company, Dominic said: “I am incredibly honoured and pleased with the appointment. I have a long, rich history with the company and care deeply about its success and its future. “Director Carlos Acosta has a tremendously inspiring and ambitious vision for Birmingham Royal Ballet and I am thrilled to be able to support his efforts as he navigates the company through this very difficult but nonetheless exciting time. “The future for Birmingham Royal Ballet is very bright and I sincerely look forward to helping Carlos and the company realise its enormous potential as we emerge from the pandemic and return to the stage.”

Comedian Minchin returns to Brum Tim Minchin, award-winning comedian, actor and composer, has confirmed new UK dates of his ‘BACK’ tour this autumn, opening at Birmingham Hippodrome on 23 and 24 October. ‘BACK’ is billed as “Old Songs, New Songs, F*** You Songs”, with a set list of material from all corners of Minchin’s repertoire. First performed in the UK in 2019, ‘BACK’ was Tim’s first UK tour in eight years and tickets sold out over a year in advance. The Hippodrome has also partnered with dance powerhouse company, Rambert to host the streaming of an innovative new production, ‘Rooms’. The production will be performed and broadcast live from 8 to 10 April. Tickets are on sale now at birminghamhippdrome.com

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Business News

Chamber welcomes latest patron By Jessica Brookes Managed services and security provider Air IT has joined Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBCC) as patrons. Air IT, which has offices across the country, including in Birmingham, is a multi-awardwinning firm which provides a full suite of IT support, cyber security, business intelligence, data connectivity and hosted telephony solutions. The business is independently ranked as one of the top 10 managed service providers in the UK, and in the top 150 worldwide. It is one of a select few managed services providers which has been awarded a coveted three-star ‘customer-led’ accreditation with the Service Desk Institute.

‘We look forward to developing our relationships with fellow members and contributing to the fantastic work of GBCC across the region’

Icing on the cake: John Whitty (left) and Andrew Pennington

Henrietta Brealey, chief executive of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, said: “I’m really thrilled that Air IT have joined our top tier of membership as patrons of the Chambers. “They join a raft of other influential, trailblazing businesses that are real leaders in our region. The Chamber is a not-for-profit business and our patrons, like us, are committed to supporting and developing a flourishing local business community. “Air IT are a forward-thinking business with their roots in the Midlands and a people-first culture. Their growth trajectory is impressive and we look forward to working with them on

that journey through our bespoke, tailored range of patronage services.” John Whitty, Air IT’s chief executive, said: “Becoming patrons of the Greater Birmingham Chamber is a major milestone for Air IT. It cements our expansion into the West Midlands following our acquisition of longstanding Chamber members, Microtrading. “Through our patronage, we look forward to developing our relationships with fellow members and contributing to the fantastic work of GBCC across the region.” Andrew Penlington, regional director of Air IT (Birmingham), said: “We are delighted to be

named as the 40th patron of the Greater Birmingham Chamber during our 40th year in business. “After many years of being a GBCC member, becoming a patron is the icing on the cake. This will allow us to play a more active role in shaping Chamber policies, as well as advising SMEs on best practice regarding technology which has been our mission from the start.” Last year Air IT acquired Birmingham-based Microtrading, which has provided managed IT services for more than 35 years. More patrons’ news – Page 30

Fleet management firm joins as preferred partner

Trusted advice: Steve Whitmarsh 16 CHAMBERLINK April 2021

Fleet management and vehicle leasing business Runyourfleet is the latest firm to be appointed as part of the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce’s (GBCC) preferred partner programme, writes Jessica Brookes. Runyourfleet, the trading name of Multifleet Vehicle Management, based at Henley-In-Arden, manages more than 26,000 vehicles for businesses across the UK. As part of its new partnership with the Chambers, Runyourfleet will provide members with access to impartial advice, and a complete range of fleet management, rental, and vehicle funding solutions with special offers, unique discounts and free upgrades. Members of the Chamber will be able to access benefits cloud based software, hosted by Runyourfleet. Steve Whitmarsh, managing

director of Runyourfleet, said: “At a time of huge change to the status quo of business and personal motoring, and as we transition to low and zero emission vehicles, we aim to be a source of trusted advice to all members of the Chamber. “With the Birmingham Clean Air Zone being introduced on 1 June, having access to impartial advice on running clean, safe vehicles has never been more important whether you have one van or a fleet of cars and vans. “We currently help businesses of all sizes across the UK manage over 26,000 vehicles, and as we can finance vehicles using our own funding facilities, we are able to be flexible yet competitive in our approach. We look forward to meeting members and working with the Chamber to make a

difference.” Runyourfleet joins utility consultants Inspired Energy and business finance hub Finpoint as preferred partners of the Chamber. Katrina Cooke, chief commercial officer at the Chambers, said: “We’re really pleased to welcome runyourfleet as preferred partners of the Chamber. “Our preferred partners scheme offers members bolstered benefits, the chance to seek advice, guidance and services from firms – all extremely crucial as we emerge from the devastating impact of the Covid pandemic. “We’re looking forward to working with runyourfleet more closely, and helping members access the range of benefits associated with this new partnership.”

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Business News

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Business News

Election Special

Sponsored by: NTS Communications

Contact Centre technology trends The last 12 months have been significant for the digital transformation of UK businesses. Faced with rapidly shifting circumstances in 2020, businesses either accelerated existing plans or applied a temporary fix. But last year’s solutions may already be out of date. Customers have adapted to doing everything online and businesses must adapt too. Less face-to-face contact with customers means a heavy reliance on digital solutions. Talking about “working from home” is out of date. “Operate from anywhere” is the new model. Agents and customers are working from wherever suits them, at flexible hours of day. Our clients need the technology to support customers and enable employees everywhere: no matter how, when or where they interact and engage. The solution is Unified Communication (UC), which includes messaging, voice and video calling, team collaboration, video conferencing and file sharing. No matter where you work, you can still access the same secure system, leading to better productivity, reduced costs, better employee performance and enhanced user experience. Contact centres using UC see a 50 per cent increase in agent productivity, a 2.9x average handle time improvement yearover-year and an 80 per cent decrease in customer complaints. If you want to improve your contact centre performance this year, please talk to us. Alan Pallett and Steve Ward Directors NTS Communications Promoting Growth Through Technology Specialists in Unified Comms, Contact Centres, Cloud T: 0345 450 0333 E: info@nts-comms.co.uk W: nts-comms.co.uk

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Let’s have some more Moore: The artist’s ‘Dreamers’ painting

Birmingham Museums to offer more online content Birmingham Museums is continuing with its series of special online content, and this month’s will range from the PreRaphaelites to Tolkien. The series has included a wealth of art, objects and incredible tales from Birmingham’s collections, and this one is no different. The content includes the extraordinary story of how three young students questioned and rejected academic art training to eventually become the worldrenowned Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. Birmingham Museums Trust holds the most important collection of Pre-Raphaelite art anywhere in the world. The collection has more than 3,000 paintings, drawings, prints and examples of decorative art and design.

There’s also a wander through the rural landscape of Tolkien’s childhood, the paintings of English painter Albert Moore, and a closer look at John Constable’s remarkable study of clouds.

‘A wonderful opportunity to continue access to the collections’ Tolkien is well known in Birmingham, of course, but painter Albert Moore is probably unknown to most people. He was in fact one of the most remarkable artists of the 19th Century, and one of the leaders of the aesthetic movement. Museum expert Jane Hornby will be exploring his works including ‘Sapphires’, ‘Birds’ and ‘Dreamers’.

Museum manager Wayne Dixon will also be taking a closer look at John Constable’s study of clouds and how he was influenced by the naturalistic paintings of Jacob van Ruisdael and the studio landscapes of Thomas Gainsborough. Alex Nicholson-Evans, commercial director at Birmingham Museums Trust, said: “There’s a wealth of compelling stories behind Birmingham’s collections. “In a continued period of isolation for so many people, Birmingham Museums on demand is a wonderful opportunity to continue access to the collections through these fascinating lectures and talks.” Access to the content, which has been Birmingham Museums’ experts, is via the purchase of a £20 pass that is now available to buy at birminghammuseums.org.uk

Air hostess joins the Covid battle Air hostess Emma Whitehouse has (temporarily) swapped her jetsetting lifestyle for the NHS frontline. When coronavirus struck, the 32year-old, who works for TUI, the Anglo-German travel giant, found herself grounded, so decided to join Sandwell Hospital’s ward services team in her hometown of West Bromwich. Emma, who has worked for the airline for seven years, said: “I have many friends and family members who work for the NHS, so I knew how much pressure they were under and wanted to do whatever I could to help. “At the start of lockdown, I was struggling mentally being stuck at home. I am used to travelling as an air hostess and across the country

as a cabin crew trainer. I was based at Gatwick at the time we went into lockdown so to go from that to nothing was a shock to the system.” So in April, she started work at Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, which runs the hospital, as a ward services officer, cleaning the wards and serving meals. Though she hopes to go back to her role as a flight attendant, Emma said working at the trust had been a ‘perfect’ fit. She said: “Working at Sandwell Hospital was the perfect solution for me as I could support my local hospital while keeping busy and doing something useful. I have found that many staff share a similar mentality to that of cabin crew. They’re flexible, adaptable and hard-working.”

Grounded: Emma Whitehouse

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Business News

Ex-NHS boss accepts new role as trust chairman Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust has appointed Sir David Nicholson chairman. He replaces Richard Samuda, who is retiring having completed three terms. Sir David’s career in NHS management has lasted more than 30 years and has included various senior posts. He was NHS chief executive for seven years from 2006-2013 and then, following a major national restructure, became the first chief executive of the organisation now known as NHS England, from 20132014.

‘I am very excited to be part of an organisation dedicated to improving health and tackling health inequalities’ Since his retirement from the NHS in 2014, he has taken on a number of roles providing advice and guidance to governments and organisations on improving population health and healthcare. He said: “I am very excited to be part of an organisation dedicated to improving health and tackling health inequalities and at the same time opening a fantastic hospital that will not only provide excellent healthcare facilities but will help regenerate the wider area.” Richard Samuda said: “I wish the Trust every

Sir David Nicholson: New chairman of Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust

success in the years ahead and am delighted that Sir David is taking the helm. “His experience, knowledge and passion for the NHS and the people it serves will be a real asset to the Trust in moving forwards through recovery and restoration and the opportunities that the new hospital will bring.”

What jobseekers want has changed Companies are being urged to rethink what they have got to offer to job candidates in the postcoronavirus world, according to recruitment specialist SF Recruitment. The Gas Street-based company says the pandemic has changed employees’ priorities, with more candidates seeking flexible working practices. SF says the working environment has overtaken salary and career progression in terms of importance. This follows a report published by Buffer and AngelList in February, which revealed that 98 per cent of 3,500 remote workers would like at least some time working remotely for the rest of their career. SF regional director Mike Lattimer said: “The stakes have never been higher in the race to secure the best talent and, as such, the recruitment world has seen one if its biggest shifts in recent memory. “Organisations should be prepared to discuss current market trends, like Brexit and Covid-19, as well as how they have adapted as a business over the last 12 months.”

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Business News

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Business News

Why firms shouldn’t rush to borrow money Businesses should not rush into borrowing money until they are certain they are ready to do so. That’s the view of Guy Bridge, chief executive Finpoint, Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce’s preferred finance hub partner. He said too many businesses were rushed into taking out loans, and there was a great deal of ‘misinformation’ in the marketplace by funders seeking to persuade loanees to sign on the dotted line.

‘There is a lot of misinformation trying to encourage borrowing’ He said: “When it comes to business funding, there is a lot of misinformation trying to encourage borrowing when you might not be ready to grow your business. Stability needs to come first. Spotting the need for investment will help alleviate short term pressures and can be the catalyst for driving your business on to better things.

Guy Bridge: Businesses being rushed into taking out loans

“Once you know the time is right and you’ve done all your preparation, it’s time to start looking at your finance options,

and matching them to your needs. “Getting a business loan can sound simple – but making sense of finance options can be overwhelming, especially if you don’t know what would be the best fit for your business.” “Before looking for external capital, you should make sure you’re managing cash effectively. Being able to demonstrate good cash management sends out the right signals to potential investors or lenders. Preparing a solid business plan is the key to securing funding. “Don’t rush into taking out a loan. Some providers might try to encourage you to take that step before you’re ready. “There’s a lot of choices and a lot of competition out there, so make sure you’re being advised fairly and honestly – especially when it comes to fees. “Have the relevant documentation ready such as last two years filed company accounts, up-to-date management accounts, last three to six months of business bank statements, and a clear purpose for the borrowing.”

Legal profession in line for shake-up The legal profession is facing its biggest challenge in a century, according to the director of Birmingham’s St Philips Chambers. The director, Joe Wilson, said barristers’ chambers needed to have a radical rethink about the services they provided, post-Covid. He said that education, training, the tech revolution and client care were likely to dominate from now on, and this was something St Philips has already taken on board. He said: “Straight away, we created a programme of webinars on many subjects right across our knowledge base, and we are proud of the way they have helped many try to navigate what has been a difficult terrain. Fortunately, we are extremely well-connected, as you would expect from a chambers of our standing, and we felt strongly that all our webinars had to be of the highest calibre possible. “We feel we have achieved this, with the judiciary citing our guide to creating and using electronic hearing bundles by Rob Mundy and Ali Tabari, as a go-to resource, and our YouTube channel already having over 13,000 views of our uploaded tutorials and webinars. “We believe this intense focus on education, training and client care is something that all barristers chambers will need to take on board.”

UHB awarded Centre of Excellence status University Hospitals Birmingham (UHB) has been recognised as a ‘Tessa Jowell Centre of Excellence’, for its excellence in treating brain tumours. The hospital trust is one of nine across the country to be recognised in this way. Tessa Jowell was a Labour MP who suffered a brain tumour when she was 70. She died a year later. She actively campaigned for better treatment for brain tumours, and after her death the government announced that funding for this type of cancer would be doubled. ‘Tessa Jowell Centre of Excellence status’ recognises the delivery of outstanding care and treatment by NHS staff in their efforts to provide above excellent patient care through a difficult time. Professor Colin Watts (pictured, inset), professor of neurosurgery at UHB, said: “This award is recognition of what we can achieve if we work together to deliver a truly multidisciplinary package for our patients: patient-centred, consultant-led, research orientated. It is a fantastic achievement.” UHB Charity launched the Giles’ Trust Brain Tumour Fund in 2015, to support one of the most under-funded areas of cancer research in the UK. The charity has been supporting the work of

Professor Watts and his team and seven years ago successfully ran a multimillion-pound campaign to bring both TomoTherapy and Cyberknife radiotherapy to the hospital. The Giles’ Trust also funds dedicated clinical research nurses. These nurses enable patients the opportunity to access clinical trials, trials which have the potential to offer patients new drugs and treatments with fewer side effects, longer life expectancy with the ultimate goal of being able to beat brain tumours. In the field of research, the charity has funded a project where the aim is to be able to provide information about the tumour earlier and with more accuracy than is currently possible through the means of Artificial

Intelligence (AI). This would lead to more targeted and faster treatment pathways. Cathryn Worth, Fundraising Manager, UHB Charity said: “We have an amazing neuro-oncology team here at the UHB and it is a privilege to support their work. “Everything they do has the patient at the centre whether it is regarding cutting edge equipment, ground-breaking research and even down to requesting items for the ward to make patients’ stays more comfortable. “This award demonstrates their commitment to not only their improved outcomes for our patients but also their quality of life.”

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Business News

Encouraging sustainable shopping Pandemic or otherwise, that the plight of our planet continues to hang precariously in the balance is not lost on most shoppers. Indeed, multiple surveys evidence that not only do most claim that being environmentally friendly is important to them, they say that the “pause for thought” the pandemic has given them has increased their determination to do well by our world. Yet, we are still in a world where convenience, efficacy, and value drivers far outweigh environmental drivers when it comes to shopping behaviour and purchase decisions for most shoppers. Recent research by Getty Images tells us that while 84 per cent of UK consumer said they were environmentally friendly, 68 per cent of them couldn’t name a single eco-friendly brand! Changing attitudes is one thing – creating long term behaviour change is quite another, requiring considerable effort on behalf of all concerned, especially when the rewards aren’t always tangible or immediately gratifying. And here’s where brand owners and retailer have a role to play at the coalface of the shopping experience, and not just in the supply chain or in the community: 1. Making it easier for shoppers to find and identify sustainable products 2. Understand shoppers’ goals and motivations and align positioning, messaging and display of sustainable products accordingly 3. Re-balance the value equation by increasing the tangible and immediate rewards, and/or decreasing the financial pain of buying sustainably For further information or an opportunity to chat, please contact Iona Carter, founding director: iona@tracerinsights.com 07775 823334 www.tracerinsights.com

26 CHAMBERLINK April 2021

Sponsored by: Tracer Insight Consultancy

Chamber says exports slump only short term The Chamber has labelled the post-Brexit slump in exports to the European Union (see other international stories on p34) as ‘inevitable’ – but only short term. The exports crash has been reported by the Office of National Statistics (ONS), which said exports to Europe fell by 40.7 per cent in January. This drop equated to some £5.6bn, and it also meant that trade between the UK and the EU – the country’s biggest trading partner – shrank by 2.9 per cent in January. Various elements have been blamed, including the introduction of red tape for exports which has followed Britain’s final bowing out of the European Union, but also the coronavirus crisis.

‘It was inevitable that we would see a change in January figures, but this was only ever going to be short term’ The ONS cautioned that the January slump was a blip, and said: “November and December 2020 saw increasing imports and exports of goods, particularly in machinery and transport equipment and chemicals. “These increases were consistent with potential stockpiling of goods from the EU in preparation for the end of the EU exit transition period. “UK goods imports from the EU also peaked in the weeks approaching previous Brexit deadlines in March and October 2019.” The ONS said that despite the slow start for trade in January, data showed that importing and exporting had begun to increase towards the end of the month. Chamber international business manager Stef Bowes said: “It was inevitable that we would see a change in January figures, but this was only ever going to be short term. “Businesses have adapted well and our focus here at the Chamber is making sure that businesses who are still facing challenges are given the support they need to trade successfully with the EU.”

Stef Bowes: January trend is ‘short term’

UK-US trade deal put on hold New US president Joe Biden has put plans for a UKUS trade deal on hold, it has been reported. The deal – supposedly progressing well under the Trump administration – may now not see the light of day until 2024, if at all, according to the ‘Daily Telegraph’. The publication said that the Biden (pictured) administration had other priorities, with the focus on restoring America’s pandemic stricken economy and also relations with China. The US Democrats are also said to be ready to take the British government to task over its ‘wanton disregard’ for international law in Northern Ireland. Further complications are unresolved issues from the Trump era trade negotiations, such as hormonefed beef and chlorinated chicken.

Eileen Schofield, vice-president of Transatlantic Chamber and Solihull Chamber confirmed that the trade deal had been delayed, but stressed that relations between the UK and US remained strong. She said: “We understand that the President Biden Administration has delayed the completion of the UK-US free trade agreement beyond 2021, there are pressing issues at home and we understand the administration has given priority to China, Japan and the EU. “However the UK-US alliance remains robust and strong with significant long standing economic benefits to both countries. “The Transatlantic Chamber continues to support businesses trading with the US and those business who are seeking business opportunities in the West Midlands.”

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Business News KPMG advises on clothing firm sale

Pioneering member adopts online tool A new Chamber member has become the first company in the UK to use an online assessment tool for a revolutionary approach to understanding safety culture and awareness within businesses. Chris Wrapson, of Health & Safety Secure, is the first in the UK to offer online safety diagnostic tool “Health and Safety Index” to businesses in Birmingham and nationally. The Health & Safety Index is a Sydney-based online tool that helps organisations understand and target specific areas of focus to enable health and safety improvements. Chris is a committed risk management specialist and occupational safety professional with technical membership of IOSH providing advice to company directors driven by expansion, with focus on team engagement and leadership skills. Chris said: “I am excited by the potential of this simple assessment tool which measures safety engagement to empower business owners to take a proactive role in improving safety culture in their organisations.” The Health and Safety Index is already being used by a cross-section of businesses, but until now had not entered the UK market. Chris adds: “The best talent remains loyal to their employer the more engaged and listened to they feel. Engaging directly with them and improving the communication and consultation between the key stakeholders can only have a long lasting positive effect on the fortunes of an organisation – particularly when it comes to safety.” Contact Chris Wrapson on 07532 367 009 or chris@healthandsafetysecure.co.uk

Safety first: Chris Wrapson

KPMG, Gowling WLG and Deloitte were among the advisers who brokered a deal for Direct Corporate Clothing (DCC) plc, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of corporate clothing, technical workwear and personal protective equipment, to acquire Incorporatewear (ICW) Limited from Workwear Group. Based in Oldbury and founded in 1999, DCC is recognised by the London Stock Exchange as a Top 1000 company. Incorporatewear is a premier corporate wear and uniform supplier based in Coleshill, with expertise in designing bespoke corporate clothing solutions to clients across the world. DCC was advised by Taj Lalli and Katie Hellewell from KPMG’s corporate finance practice and Ragi Singh and Grace Humber at Gowling WLG. Workwear Group was advised by Deloitte and Addleshaw Goddard. Taj Lalli, corporate finance director at KPMG, said: “Incorporatewear is a great addition to DCC as it will boost the company’s expertise and offering in the corporate clothing and uniform marketplace.”

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Business News

Animation video helps spread vaccine message Proud: Jan Denning

Hospitality firm is re-launched A company which offers a wide range of business support services has been relaunched and expanded to help get the hospitality sector back on its feet after the traumas of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Hospitality Partnership was re-launched by founder and director Jan Denning in December to offer a flexible, cost-effective solution to businesses affected and concerned by budget cutbacks in various permanent roles. It has welcomed four new associate partners, who join the original six associate founder members and more than 20 associate team partners, to help the sector recover. The Hospitality Partnership offer a talent bank of industry professionals covering a variety of key roles, skills and services including business development and training, accounting, financial control, procurement, HR and marketing. The new associate partners are Dynamize, a full marketing agency, Teri Gardner, from Food Safety Consulting, specialising in food safety and compliance, Kevin Roach, from Gaeltel, advising on sustainable, smart energy and Gavin Percy from Balancing Edges, providing health wellbeing, training and advice. Gavin said: “We joined because the concept of having professional specialists in all areas really appealed to me. What a great, flexible and cost-effective service to offer to clients - meaning that they only pay for the service they need without the overheads of a large company.” Jan Denning said: “I am so proud of The Hospitality Partnership. Staff resource is a challenge, we hear it every day, reduced budgets on permanent staffing costs means exploring new ways of working, to get the job done.”

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Birmingham-based video content agency Tinker Taylor has created a video for NHS Health Education England to reinforce consistent staff and volunteer behaviours when administering the coronavirus vaccine. Essential online briefings in each NHS region will feature the animation-based content as a key element, explaining the science behind adopting the correct behaviour and the important role that everyone can play during the vaccination process.

‘It is a truly humbling experience working alongside NHS England on such an important piece of communication’ The UK Government and the NHS are working to hammer the message home that all variants of the coronavirus vaccines are safe for everyone. But fears still persist, particularly within minority ethnic groups. NHS Health Education England’s senior leadership team, who commissioned the brief, are tasked with ensuring consistent delivery across the whole vaccination initiative, which is the largest of its kind. The video content is available at a dedicated website, via YouTube

Humbling: Sam Taylor

and will also play live at vaccine sites wherever possible with 16 translated versions available. Professor Mark Radford, chief nurse, deputy chief nursing officer at NHS England and Coronavirus Vaccine Workforce lead, said: “Branding is good and the animation is really clever. Feels engaging and interesting, getting across the key information with emphasis. Doesn’t feel cluttered with too much info. A great piece of work.” Helen Ives, chief organisational effectiveness and people officer at NHS England said: “I think this is a fantastic piece of work turned around in a very short time period and I am grateful to the team that has worked on it. It has been a pleasure working with you.”

Jonathan Van-Tam, the UK Government’s deputy chief medical officer, who sponsored the project, also added his praise. Supported by a written training guide, posters and leaflets which link out to the video content via a QR code, the entire project was delivered from brief to completion in just four weeks. Sam Taylor, creative director at Tinker Taylor, spoke of her pride in the project: “It is a truly humbling experience working alongside NHS England on such an important piece of communication. “I am truly grateful we were afforded the opportunity to make a positive social impact during such difficult times and I am delighted with how well the content was received.”

Keeping track of where the mail is Mail and print specialists Bakergoodchild have launched a new service to provide customers with mail pack tracking in real time via SMS and email – one of the first systems of its kind for mail. Customers will have full visibility available throughout the data, print, production and delivery lifecycle. Each individual mail piece is uniquely identifiable throughout all of the production processes and then, once scanned in the mail network, can be tracked in real time. Reporting dashboards are accessible to customers through the RightTrack software and provide an accurate picture of how much mail will be delivered and when, giving customers access to a fully auditable journey.

The system also allows access to regulatory compliant reports to evidence individual communications throughout the mail lifecycle – particularly useful for debt recovery and those communications that require mandatory notice periods. The biggest benefit of the system is the ability to automatically trigger additional personalised communications, like and SMS or email, by using the tracking data available from each mailing pack. Paul Brough (pictured), managing director of Bakergoodchild, said: “We are very excited that we are now able to offer this service to our customers. Designed and developed in-house

RightTrack appends Royal Mail’s item level MailMark data, providing the data and time the item was machine processed by Royal Mail, to the Bakergoodchild audit trail. “Providing item level tracking information as opposed to batch level reporting is such an improvement. “The fact that we can pull data into user friendly dashboard’s which can be used to trigger further communications has unlocked a new level of opportunities for us to enhance the user experience for our customers. “We are now able to offer a fully integrated multi-channel, data led service to our customers at the heart of our approach.”

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Business News

Main picture: The Grand Hotel Colmore Row, Birmingham

Providing beautifully designed and expertly installed flooring and soft furnishing solutions to commercial properties throughout the Midlands and beyond since 1946.

Clients include hotels, retail, pubs, offices, airports, leisure centres, nursing homes, hospitals and public holdings.

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Chamber Patrons

Chamber Patrons Greater Birmingham Chambers’ leading supporters

Contact: Victoria Osgood T: 0750 8713797

University shapes Funding scheme for local businesses growth programme HSBC UK has launched a £600m fund for SMEs in Birmingham as part of a broader £15bn lending scheme to support firms across the UK. The fund includes more than £10bn of specific regionally-focused allocations and the money is designed to support economies, employment opportunities and growth. Roger Pratt, HSBC UK’s business banking director for the Central Region, said: “We are committed to supporting businesses in Birmingham and we know they are adapting at pace and looking at what comes next. “We recently helped a Birmingham manufacturer and supplier of fastener components to purchase higher volumes of PPE from its suppliers, with the backing of the SME fund. “This fund is all about helping businesses to take new opportunities and grow and we want to reassure them that we’re here to support them achieve their goals.” Peter McIntyre, head of small business banking at HSBC UK, added: “With the vaccine rollout, there is light at the end of the tunnel and businesses in Birmingham are starting to look ahead again. “We’ve helped British business get through the last year with over £14bn of Covid-19 lending support. Now its time to turn our minds to what comes next and how we help companies grow again, opening up a world of opportunity and contributing towards a sustainable future society. “The £15bn fund will help businesses across the Midlands to expand internationally and here at home, support key sectors and drive investment across regions.”

Foundation hits £3m milestone

Experts in small business and entrepreneurship from Aston University have played a significant role in developing the Government’s new national management programme for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) to help them boost their performance, resilience and growth potential. The new scheme, Help to Grow: Management, announced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak in his budget, will be delivered through the Small Business Charter and leading business schools. Paula Whitehouse, associate dean enterprise and director of the Aston University Centre for Growth, is the curriculum director for the new national programme. Mark Hart, professor of small business and entrepreneurship, is advising the government on the development of Help to Grow: Management.

College of Food gets first female boss

For more information about the Wesleyan Foundation visit www.wesleyan.co.uk/foundation

The first female head of the University College Birmingham’s College of Food - who trained there herself 35 years ago - has shared her plans to work even closer with the regional food and hospitality industry in her new role. Responsible for a team of 30 and departmental operational strategy, Kali Davidson has already spearheaded the launch of the university’s new Food and Hospitality Hub @UCB, a training hub jam-packed with vital support for professionals struggling due to the pandemic, created in partnership with the NEC Group. “We have great links with industry, but I want to reach out further, make even more relevant links,” she said. “In normal times, I eat out a lot, and there are so many new, exciting places in Birmingham – Dishoom, the new Grand Hotel, incredible street food businesses – and I think it’s important for us to work with these. “It’s incredibly frustrating and unfortunate what’s happened with the pandemic, but when we come out the other side, we hope there will be plenty of opportunities to explore. “We have amazing lecturers, including Anthony Wright – the only chef lecturer in the UK with a Master of Culinary Arts, who also led Team UK’s campaign at the prestigious Bocuse d’Or.” As well as showcasing the university’s “wonderful, talented” students to businesses for both placements and paid work, Kali said it was also crucial for students to hear from industry during their studies to understand the sheer scope of what they could achieve. “You go to places like Fumo, Tattu, Marco Pierre White’s, which are always rammed, and you’ll find students we’ve taught working there,” she said. “But we need to be talking to more executive chefs and managers about collaboration – guest speaking, for example.”

For more information about Titan Partnership visit www.titan.org.uk

To find out more about how the department can help your business, email Kali at K.Davidson@ucb.ac.uk

The Wesleyan Foundation has now awarded a total of £3m to good causes across the UK since its launch three years ago. After pledging a further £50,000 to the Titan Partnership earlier this year, a Birmingham charity that has been tackling tech poverty within schools during the pandemic, Wesleyan hit the £3m milestone. The Wesleyan Foundation has now awarded more than 500 grants to charities, community groups and social enterprises across the UK. The specialist financial services mutual launched the Wesleyan Foundation in 2017 as part of their commitment to supporting great causes that are important to their members and the communities in which they live and work.

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The scheme will give 30,000 small business leaders and managers the opportunity to take part in a 12-week executive development programme led by business and enterprise experts from top university business schools across the UK, featuring case studies from entrepreneurs and guest speeches from leading industry figures. Aston University’s Centre for Growth has been supporting SMEs since 2013. Thousands of business owners and managers in the Midlands have benefited from the centre’s business growth programmes. All business schools delivering the programme have been accredited by the Small Business Charter, a national accreditation awarded by small businesses to business schools who excel in supporting SMEs and the local economy.

Great links: Kali Davidson

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Chamber Patrons Pretty good: The screening of Pretty Woman

Open-air cinema to return to the NEC The Luna Cinema, the UK’s leading outdoor cinema company, has announced its return to the NEC with a new drive-in season opening on Monday, 12 April. It offers state-of-the-art sound and visuals, using the UK’s highest definition outdoor screens, in-car digital sound and click-and-collect food and drink. This follows a hugely successful series of events throughout December when The Luna Winter Drive In Cinema took up residency at the NEC and attracted over 8,000 cars over a three-week period. The Luna Cinema will celebrate the 25-year anniversary of cult

classic ‘Romeo + Juliet’, alongside screenings of classics ‘Grease’, ‘Back to the Future’, ‘Pulp Fiction’ and ‘Dirty Dancing’. For those who want to watch newer releases, the series of events includes ‘The Greatest Showman’, ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ and ‘Rocketman’. The NEC will host a single screening, every evening, across 19 dates, concluding with a showing of ‘Pretty Woman’ on Saturday 3 May. George Wood, founder of The Luna Cinema, said: “We’ve managed to make every aspect of the event fully compliant with social distancing regulations, from the way tickets are scanned

through to the provision of food and drink. Audiences can feel confident that we have created an experience that is safe, allowing them to return to spectacular events.” Richard Mann, the NEC’s new business director, added: “The event operation is impressive and the feedback from visitors and all involved previously was fantastic. This next season promises to continue in that success and offer the public an opportunity to once again enjoy live events.” For more information and to book tickets, visit: www.thenec.co.uk/whatson/the-luna-drive-in-cinema

Universities in UK and Oz join forces A UK and an Australian university have joined forces to form a new strategic partnership aimed at promoting cooperation between the two countries and tackling major global challenges. Birmingham City University (BCU) and RMIT University (Australia) signed a Memorandum of Understanding, which will aim to drive innovation and economic development by connecting the arts with traditional scientific disciplines. In the partnership, the institutions will work together to boost international research co-operation, technology and innovation transfer, student and staff exchange, commercialisation and training, across a range of sectors. As part of the new agreement, the partnership will establish a ‘Commonwealth STEAM Challenge’, to coincide with the 2022 Commonwealth Games taking place in Birmingham. Professor Julian Beer, deputy vice-chancellor at the BCU, said: “ The coming together of BCU with RMIT signals a fresh and ambitious approach to teaching, learning and applied research that’s fit for the future.”

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1813 Club and Premier Members

Premier Membership Contact: Gary Birch T: 0845 6036650

Greater Birmingham’s leading companies

Management buy-out at Midlands manufacturer Security expert: Phil Bindley

Technology firm strengthens team A Birmingham communications technology company, Intercity Technology, has bolstered its senior team with the appointment of Phil Bindley as the new managing director of its cloud and security division. Mr Bindley has joined Intercity Technology after having worked for a number of other technology firms, including The Bunker, BlueChip and Anix Group. His background is in information security and technology, and he has had roles in leadership, sales and service delivery. He said: “Working in this sector for over 20 years has given me a wealth of experience in delivering technology security solutions and leading network transformation projects for a range of clients. “It is so important that as providers we look to become the enabler for our customers, maintaining and delivering confidentiality, integrity and availability of data. “Cloud and security are major growth areas for Intercity so I’m excited to use my knowledge and insight to help customers during this challenging period.” Andrew Jackson, CEO of Intercity Technology, said: “During one of the most difficult periods for many organisations, Phil’s appointment strengthens the talent we have across our workforce and further supports the growth we have seen as an organisation over the past couple of years. “Under Phil’s stewardship, I look forward to watching our cloud and security division develop and grow to meet the continued needs of our customers.” 32 CHAMBERLINK April 2021

A Midlands steel fabrications business - which is just one a few that makes lampposts – has been sold in a management buy-out. The firm is Sutton-in-Ashfield based Fabrikat (Nottingham) Limited, a designer and fabricator of lighting columns and guardrails. Fabrikat was founded in 1985 and has an estimated 20 per cent of the UK market share of lampposts, and a near 50 per cent share of the guardrail market. The £12m turnover firm has diversified in recent years into the area of decorative lighting poles and architectural metalwork, and it now has a 50 per cent share of the UK market in that as well. The firm also provides local authorities with services such as lighting-pole testing, geo-mapping and monitoring services. The business employs around 80 people across its design, manufacturing and marketing divisions. Its former owners, Martin Hopkins and Matthew Wass, have worked in the business for around 25 years, taking ownership in 2013 through a secondary and subsequent tertiary management buy-out.

The new owners are a buy-out team which includes financial director Paul Allen, general manager Mick Scott and technical manager Melvin Batty who have together have clocked-up more 70 years service with Fabrikat. The MBO has been funded by Duke Royalty Limited, who have taken a 30 per cent stake in the business. The sellers received finance advice and assistance from the corporate team of Smith Cooper, led by partner John Farnsworth. He said: “Martin and Matt recognised from the early days that the key to developing the business lay in setting a strong strategic plan and empowering the talented senior management team. “Few owners are able to get the balance of control and devolved responsibility right, but in this case, it has produced an extremely strong business and the talented management team that is now taking ownership.”

Martin Hopkins said: “Smith Cooper’s advice carefully considered all available options, and timing of the deal was crucial. The advisors were supportive at every stage of the process, making the transaction smooth and straightforward.”

Steel deal: John Farnsworth

Cufflinks for charity milestone Midlands Air Ambulance has marked its 30th anniversary by commissioning a limited edition run of cufflinks, designed and made by top Birmingham jeweller Deakin & Francis. Only 100 sets of the cufflinks have been created by the seventh-generation jeweller. The cufflinks feature the charity’s ‘pulse’ logo. In addition, 100 lapel pins with the logo have been produced to go with the cufflinks. Henry Deakin, managing director of Deakin & Francis, said: “The limited edition pulse collection, made in the Midlands for the Midlands, is a design we are particularly proud of, as the sale of every pair of cufflinks or lapel pin will directly help fund lifesaving air ambulance and critical care car missions in our region.”

Emma Gray, fundraising and marketing director for Midlands Air Ambulance Charity, adds: “While our heritage is two centuries behind that of Deakin & Francis, this is a fitting partnership for two organisations founded in the Midlands. “We are extremely grateful to Henry and James Deakin and the whole team for supporting our prehospital emergency service by crafting such a beautiful collection to commemorate our 30th anniversary. “Their support and that of our buyers will help fund future vitally important missions in our area as each pair sold will fund one of Midlands Air Ambulance Charity’s critical care car missions.” The cufflinks retail at £195, while the lapel pin is £95.

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1813 Club and Premier Members

Solicitors’ campaign urges larger take-up of wills A national firm of solicitors has launched a campaign to encourage people to make a will. Clarke Willmott, which has an office in Birmingham, said that more than half of the UK’s adult population did not have a will, which was a failure to safeguard their family’s future. Carol Cummins, private wealth team leader at the firm, said that wills were crucial when dealing with significant assets and certain family circumstances. She said: “While everyone with assets should have a will, the issue of not having a will quickly becomes more complicated when the value of assets increases. “For example, many people who are in their midlife and who have been property owners for 20 plus years are likely to have seen a significant increase in the value of their home, never mind any other assets that they have accumulated. “There are also complexities around less straightforward modern families. With second or third marriages and blended families much more common now, a will drawn up by a specialist will ensure that your assets go to exactly those you wish. “An accurate and correctly structured will not only gives peace of mind, it can mean more money for your family in the future by saving on inheritance tax. There is a difference, though, between having a will and having a good will and this is one of the key messages of our campaign.

Carol Cummins: Find time for making a will

“Having a badly drawn up, or DIY, will can sometimes be just as bad as not having one at all.” Clarke Willmott are helping people with wills by developing an online ‘Which Will?’ tool that prompts the user to think about what is important to them when making a will, and recommends which will best meets their needs. Ms Cummins added: “Having a will is one of those tedious admin jobs that sometimes we never get around to, perhaps because we have no idea where to start. “We really hope this campaign will give people the motivation, especially while we are all spending a greater amount of time at home, to just get it ticked off the list.”

Commendation for Covid support A national recruitment agency owned by the University of Warwick has received praise from Worcestershire County Council for its role in reducing the spread of Covid-19 across the West Midlands. Unitemps has been commended for its rapid deployment of temporary staff across multiple lateral flow testing sites, which it says has made a ‘tangible impact’ on reducing the spread of Covid-19. Worcestershire’s director of public health, Dr Kathryn Cobain, has personally thanked Unitemps for its efforts, singling out business development manager Andrea Skelly for her work in recruiting an operational workforce within 24 hours to support an urgent council initiative. Lorna Bytheway, director at Unitemps, said: “The recognition from Worcestershire County Council is testament to the team’s dedication during this challenging time, as we continue to adapt our services in response to the pandemic.” Unitemps has more than 20 years of experience providing comprehensive recruitment services for a wide-range of organisations.

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International Trade

International Trade T: 0121 725 8994 E: ibh@birmingham-chamber.com

Warning on growing fraud risk By Philip Parkin A Stratford global risk and compliance specialist has warned exporters to take every step they can to minimise the growing risk of fraud. GWCI chief executive Graham Welland was speaking in the aftermath of a bizarre multimillion pound fraud case involving $36m worth of copper. The case involved Mercuria Energy Group, a Swiss multi-national commodity trading company, who made a deal with Bietsan Bakir, a metal fabrication company based in Turkey, for the supply of the 10,000 tons of copper blister, which was to be shipped to China. But on arrival, it was found that the copper had been switched with paving stones, spraypainted to resemble the semi-refined metal. This happened despite the 300 containers that were used having been inspected and sealed to prevent fraud. Once the eight ships with the containers had set sail, Mercuria – one of the five-biggest oil traders in the world – paid the $36m to Bietsan, with whom it had a previous business relationship. A fraud investigation is now ongoing, with a dozen people already arrested. Graham Welland believes the case to be a crucial example of why the transparency of a company’s supply chain is essential. He said: “Corrupt and fraudulent activities are common practices within this industry and companies need to protect themselves and their goods during all stages of a transaction, however complex the supply chain.” He added that the coronavirus pandemic had ‘undoubtedly’ caused an increase in fraud, which

underlined the need for appropriate due diligence. He said that the pandemic, as well as a reduced supply of goods, had led to the rise of international scammers targeting businesses. PwC’s recent ‘Global Economic Crime and Fraud Survey 2020’, which quizzed more than 5,000 respondents across 99 territories about their experience of fraud, found that 47 per cent of them had suffered from this, the second highest reported level in 20 years. Respondents reported total losses of $42 billion to fraud, with the most common types of crimes being customer fraud (35 per cent), cybercrime (34 per cent), asset misappropriation (31 per cent), and bribery and corruption (30 per cent).

‘Corrupt and fraudulent activities are common practices within this industry’ Mr Welland added: “Much like with Mercuria, GWCI has seen a rise in companies ordering stock and reporting nothing arriving as well as requests of upfront fees to be paid prior to large orders that should immediately raise concerns. “Companies should carry out due diligence prior to making a commercial arrangement as this can prevent losses like those experienced by Mercuria. “This means appropriately vetting of individuals and companies you do business with. In the long run this can prevent huge financial losses, both through legal fees and lost revenue”. He added that with regarding the copper scandal, the usual practice when goods are not delivered, is for a trader to make a claim against a cargo's insurance policy. However, in the case

Graham Welland: Fraud has risen during the coronavirus pandemic

of Mercuria, six out of seven contracts used by the Turkish company to insure the cargo were forged. He warned that fraudulent activity would always take place, however it was in the interest of companies to put in place appropriate measures to help to protect them. As part of its procedures, GWCI produces detailed reputational damage reports, which can show businesses exactly who they are trading with and the associated risks. These reports can help protect companies against any reputational and financial damages that could materialise if they are found to be trading with enterprises or individuals who have unethical links.

New courses planned to help exporters The Chamber is stepping up efforts to help Britain’s exporters deal with the increase in red tape that has hit them post Brexit. The Office of National Statistics was forced to admit that exports to the EU fell by £5.6bn in January, as Brexit trade rules – and Covid-19 – hammered businesses. However, according to Chamber international trade training manager Leah Quarmby, the number of courses that the organisation is running to help exporters deal with the new rules is being stepped up. She said that eight training webinars had already taken place this year, attended by 32 delegates. She said future training courses were filling up fast, as businesses booked in their staff so that they could get to grips with the new paperwork. She said: “We are aiming to run a minimum of three courses a month. The most popular ones at the moment are understanding exporting, trading with the EU after Brexit and customs procedures. These areas are huge at the moment, the more of these we can offer, we will. “Training is on the increase as so many rules and regulations surrounding paperwork for import and export has changed after Brexit.

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“As well as the individual courses, we are also launching a new project which I believe will help larger businesses. “I decided to create this as I have had several requests for bulk training, so rather than companies having to ask, I would like to make sure our customers are in the know on what we can offer them.” These courses will accommodate up to eight delegates, and are aimed at not just documentation staff, but also finance and sales people, buyers and others. The training courses run so far have been widely hailed as a huge success, as comments from delegates have proved. Kay Southall, of Offspring International, said: “I enrolled onto these courses as I am in a relatively new role and wanted to get a bit more understanding in the documentation/procedures side. I found the courses very informative although relaxed and gained a lot of useful information from them. I would recommend to anyone.” And another delegate, Donna Watson, of Truflow Air Movement Ltd, said: “I enjoyed the course and it provided me with exactly what I needed.”

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Commonwealth Commonwealth Chamber Patron

Greater Birmingham

Commonwealth Chamber of Commerce

Contact: Mandy Haque T: 0121 725 8994

Royal approval for Opportunities Week The Chamber has received a royal seal of approval for its Commonwealth Opportunities Week. The Chamber received a congratulatory letter from The Queen, in recognition of its work to drive bilateral trade between Birmingham and the Commonwealth during the themed week.

‘The breadth of engagement that we now have globally within the Chamber has increased massively’ In the letter dated 25 February, the day of the Chamber’s Commonwealth Conference, Her Majesty wrote: “Please convey my warm thanks to the members of the Greater Birmingham Commonwealth Chamber of Commerce for their message, sent on behalf of the attendees of Commonwealth Opportunities Week, which is concluding today with a worldwide conference. “I much appreciate your thoughtfulness in writing as you did and, in return, send my best wishes to all concerned for a successful and enjoyable event.”

Search starts for £5m catering supplier The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games has begun the search for suppliers who can deliver nearly £5m worth of catering services for the event. The procurement involves opportunities to tender for catering services that will operate at both competition and noncompetition venues. These catering contracts will support around 2,000 jobs during the Games. The first procurement for catering services is opening this month and businesses are invited to apply. The contracts will be awarded this summer. John Crabtree, chairman of the Birmingham 2022 board, said: “These Games have always been about providing tangible, transformational opportunities and this is a great demonstration of how real those benefits can be. “We have a well-earned reputation for delivering incredible food in the city and region, and I know there are talented, ambitious, proven suppliers who will be relishing the opportunity to bid for these lots.”

Mandy Haque, international director at the Chamber, said: “I am delighted with the success of the Greater Birmingham Commonwealth Chamber of Commerce activity and how it is demonstrating immense value to members wanting to trade bilaterally. “The breadth of engagement that we now have globally within the Chamber has increased massively and we can use our international connections to help businesses grow. “There are a whole range of trade opportunities to explore within the 54 countries of the Commonwealth and here at the Chamber we have support for businesses of all sectors on their international journey. “I am also really excited to announce in commemorating Commonwealth Day we have launched a dedicated toolkit for Commonwealth Chamber members, enabling access to an online suite of resources to support international trade and connections with Commonwealth countries.”

One is pleased: Mandy Haque with the Queen’s letter

Residents are offered £2m to get Involved with Games Birmingham City Council is ready to splash the cash to get local residents interested in next year’s Commonwealth Games. The council is offering £2m to residents in its 69 wards, under its ‘Celebrating Communities Small Grants Funding Scheme’, so that people ‘feel involved’ with the event. The grants will be available for various initiatives, ‘Get Active’, ‘Ready, Steady, Fun’ and ‘Celebrating Culture’. The first is about ideas for encouraging people to get active by participating in sports and recreational activities. ‘Ready, Steady, Fun’ is about projects to ensure a local area is ‘Games ready’, which can range from making improvements to communal space to hosting celebrations to ‘connect people and foster civic pride’. ‘Celebrating Culture’ is about coming up with initiatives that encourage intergenerational activities. The council said: “Proposed schemes should harness the power of culture to bring people together, celebrate their identities, Birmingham’s

place in the Commonwealth and the culture, heritage and stories of their communities.” Council leader Ian Ward said: “We're determined that the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games will be a Games for everyone. “Of course, not every district and neighbourhood will have a venue for the main competition, but through this fund residents and community groups can play a big part in a citywide celebration. We want everyone to embrace our status as a proud host city and, thanks to this funding, there are lots of ways for communities to get involved. We hope Celebrating Communities will help unlock some of the local excitement and help make the events of 2022 memorable for the people of Birmingham.” The deadline for the first round of applications is 1 June 2021. Voting will take place to select the successful bids between July and September, with projects commencing in October. An application process for round two will then get underway with projects being selected and going live in early 2022. April 2021 CHAMBERLINK 35

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Transatlantic Transatlantic Chamber Patrons

Greater Birmingham

Transatlantic Chamber of Commerce

Contact: Mandy Haque T: 0121 725 8994

Midlands advisers complete US deal Bishopsgate Corporate Finance and Browne Jacobson have successfully advised the shareholders of West Midlands-based Focus Multimedia Limited (trading as Fanatical) on the sale of the business to US-based Fandom Inc. The deal, backed by private equity firm TPG, is for an undisclosed sum. Fanatical are a leading gaming e-commerce business established in 2012 by Focus Multimedia Limited in Rugeley - having been founded in 1995 as a distributor of PC CD-ROM software. Their online store has fast become a video gaming lover’s dream, supplying digital games, ebooks and gaming products such as video game keys (Steam and Uplay) directly to consumers’ PC’s in just a couple of clicks. To date, the site has sold over 80 million gaming keys to customers in more than 200 countries around the globe and with cutting edge technology and design. San Francisco-based Fandom Inc (previously known as Wikia) was founded in 1995 and is considered the world’s largest fan platform with more than 330 million monthly users. They specialise in content around gaming, comic books, movies and TV shows. Craig Johnson, co-founder and managing director of Fanatical, said: “Everyone here at

Fanatical is thrilled to become part of the Fandom family. The synergies between our two companies are undeniable and the opportunities that this acquisition presents are both incredibly exciting and vast. “We felt fully supported by our advisory teams – their joined-up approach, hard work and dedication ensured the transaction was a smooth one. We really appreciate all they did in successfully getting the deal done and can’t praise them enough.”

‘Everyone here at Fanatical is thrilled to become part of the Fandom family’ James McBain Allan, partner at Bishopsgate Corporate Finance who provided lead advisory services to Fanatical, said: “This is yet another cross-border deal, advised by Bishopsgate, of a Midlands business which really demonstrates Bishopsgate’s global reach and expertise. This was a complex deal that marks an exciting stage for the Fanatical - Fandom team and we are thrilled to have been part of it.” The Browne Jacobson team was led by corporate finance partner Paul McCannah, who said: “We are delighted to have delivered a successful outcome for the Fanatical Team on a

Game on: Paul McCannah

deal that is testament to the strength and heritage of the gaming sector in the Midlands. “This latest successful cross-border transaction has enabled us to further demonstrate the strength of our specialist corporate finance expertise with tech and gaming sector insight on a complex and time critical deal.”

New flight: United Airlines

United Airlines to expand route network United Airlines has announced plans to expand its global route network with a new daily nonstop service between Boston Logan International Airport and London Heathrow. The carrier plans to operate its premium Boeing 767-300ER aircraft on the route, with 46 United Polaris Business Class and 22 United Premium Plus seats. The aircraft features the highest proportion of premium seats on any widebody aircraft operated by a US carrier between London and the United States. "We are thrilled to offer travellers a convenient, non-stop option between Boston and London with this addition to our global network,” said Patrick

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Quayle, United's vice president of International Network and Alliances. “We will continue to monitor the demand recovery and travel restrictions as we finalise a start date for this service later in 2021.” United has provided service to London Heathrow for nearly 30 years and over the course of the pandemic has maintained continuous service between the US and the UK capital. Boston will be United's 19th daily flight between the US and London Heathrow. Flights are to depart Boston at 10pm and arrive in London at 9.35am the following morning, with the return journey leaving London at 5pm and landing in the US city at 7.30pm.

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Future Faces Future Faces Chamber Patrons Contact: Anna Assinder T: 0845 6036650

Ethics key for Generation Z, new report reveals One in four young people say ethics are the most important reason behind their purchases, according to a new survey conducted by Beatfreeks. The engagement and insights agency, who works with businesses looking to engage with young people, revealed the findings in its new report Institutions of the Future: A National Youth Trends report into Gen Z and the Private Sector. The report surveyed 2,000 young people aged between 16 and 21, otherwise known as Generation Z. It revealed that ethics and an authentic stance on societal issues lie at the heart of young people’s relationships with business brands and strongly influence their spending power. Almost nine in ten young people (87 per cent) pay attention to brands’ ethics when buying from them, with ethics noted as the main reason behind Generation Z’s selection of their ‘favourite’ brand.

Ethics was second only to ‘quality’, voted for by 50 per cent of respondents, and also beating ‘cost’ which was chosen by just 23 per cent. Beatfreeks say that these findings are particularly insightful, as Generation Z will account for 40 per cent of global consumers by the end of 2020, highlighting the need for brands to not overlook the purchasing power of young people. Anisa Morridadi, founder and chief executive at Beatfreeks, said: “Our report shows Generation Z’s willingness to uncover and call out social injustice online, but crucially they believe it shouldn't just be left to them. There is a new expectation that brands will listen, respond, and get behind societal issues, particularly after the enormity of societal change from 2020.” To download the full report, visit: www.beatfreeks.com/IOTF-report

Pandemic increases the severity of period poverty By Claudia Congrave The severity of period poverty has intensified since the beginning of the pandemic, according to Cysters charity founder and Future Faces executive committee member Neelam Heera. Speaking at a Chamber-hosted International Women’s Day event, she said that period poverty was still a major issue in the UK. She said that there was a huge gap in women’s access to sanitary products and education. One in 10 girls are unable to afford sanitary products and one in 10 women lack the correct knowledge of female reproduction, she claimed. During lockdown, Cysters’ mission has been to distribute more than 6,000 sanitary towels across the region every week to communities who need them most. Neelam said: “We have now been doing this for five years and unfortunately, we are still having to talk about period poverty. “The pandemic has shown us that the burden has only got bigger. We have been sitting on the Government task force for a long time, but we still are not seeing the change we need. In 2021, women should have the dignity of being able to access menstrual products and period poverty is not a conversation I want to Neelam Heera: Women should have dignity accessing menstrual products

be having as we move into the next year. We want this year to be the year where we see that change and will continue reaching out to the communities that need us.” Cysters is a grassroots charity that was founded in 2018, and to dedicated to supporting individuals and improving the health, education and welfare of those with reproductive and mental health issues. The charity is also an adviser on the Government task force for period poverty.

Anisha Morridadi: Ethics are behind spending power

New Members Pardeep Lagha (Gateley Legal) Sam Jeeves (Bespoke Commercial Finance) Anika Shah (Digital Glue) Rachel Hands-Portman (Languagesrachel) Alex Ayres (Pi-Kem Ltd) Oliver Barrett (PI-KEM) Musab Swaleh (PI-KEM) Shrule Rolinson (PI-KEM) Isabel Fernandes (PI KEM)

Upcoming Events FF Coffee ‘N Chat (Informal Networking) Date: 07/04/2021 Time: 13:00-14:00 FF Social Networking Date: 13/04/2021 Time: 12:30-13:15 Helping Young Professionals Manage Their Finances Date: 29/04/2021 Time: 12:30-13:15 FF Social Networking Date: 11/05/2021 Time: 12:30- 13:15 FF Professional Development Date: 27/05/2021 Time: 12:30-13:15 For more information and to book a place contact events@birmingham-chamber.com

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Cannock Chase Chase Chamber Patrons

Cannock Chase

Chamber of Commerce

In brief Staffordshire’s deputy police commissioner has launched a new initiative to tackle business crime. The organisation aims to simplify the procedure used to tackle these crimes, which is says is ‘complicated and confusing for victims to follow’. The county’s various Chambers of Commerce have been invited to participate in the scheme and Staffordshire’s deputy commissioner said: “Nationally, the response to victims of business crime is fragmented and disconnected, and we know that businesses often struggle to navigate the system after suffering a business crime.”

Cannock Chase Council has agreed to fund a cycle storage facility in Market Street, Hednesford, which will be monitored by CCTV. Almost £23,000 has been set aside for the scheme. Local councillor Gordon Alcott said: “Cycle storage is a step closer for the town to promote themselves as bike-friendly. “Installing the new cycle stores will be an asset to the town and encourage residents and visitors to cycle to the town centre, instead of using their car.

A family run construction firm in Staffordshire has secured a £150,000 funding boost via the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS). Trades and Labourers, based in Newcastleunder-Lyme, secured the loan from BCRS Business Loans to kickstart growth plans, after having to scale back its operations during the first coronavirus lockdown. As well as safeguarding four jobs, Trades and Labourers also expects to create an additional 10 jobs during the term of the loan, and managing director Lynn Sanders said: “With new funding in place, the company intends to continue fulfilling existing contracts that were previously on hold, whilst also having the working capital required to secure new contracts in the coming months.”

Contact: Chris Plant T: 0845 6036650

Chamber member takes on challenge for daughter By Jessica Brookes A Cannock Chase Chamber committee member is hoping to raise £5,000 in memory of his daughter, who tragically passed away from meningitis aged just 36. Rhiannon Gauntlett contracted bacterial meningitis in February 2020, leaving behind her eight-month old daughter, Lilith Gauntlett, and husband Daniel. In memory of his daughter, Paul Reeves, former head of customer banking for Yorkshire Bank, is looking to raise thousands in the next year for charity Meningitis Now by completing a number of endurance challenges. Paul, now non-executive director for Morecambe Bay Wines, is looking to raise cash by running the London Marathon in October and the Stafford half-marathon in September. Paul is no novice to marathons, as he has previously completed five of them since picking up the running bug in 2014, completing his first at the age of 50. Alongside the running challenges, Paul and his family are also looking to host a memorial fundraising in Rhiannon’s home town of Stone, once Covid restrictions ease in late summer to give his daughter, in his words, ‘the send off she richly deserves’. Describing why he has chosen to take on the fundraising challenges, Paul said: “We just don’t

Paul Reeves: raising awareness of meningitis, which struck down his daughter Rhiannon (inset)

want people to suffer like we have. So if there is anything we can do to raise awareness just to help families really, especially people who survive. Meningitis can cause major brain injuries which can be life changing for families.” To donate to his campaign, visit https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/ SomeoneSpecial/RhiannonGauntlett

Staffordshire air quality monitored Air quality sensors are to be used at three pollution hotspots in Staffordshire to collect data. The sensors are being installed by Staffordshire County Council, as part of its efforts to combat climate change. The three locations for the sensors are Newcastle-under-Lyme ring road, Burton-on-Trent Orbit accommodation and Cellarhead Junction. The sensor scheme is part of what the council calls its ‘Simulate’ strategy and is part of a Department for Transport Funded programme. Staffordshire county councillor Julia Jessel said: “We’re using the latest technology and innovation to improve air quality for our residents. This is a vital part of our commitment as a county council to combat climate change.”

Enterprise centre set for major expansion A council-run centre for small businesses in South Staffordshire is set to treble in size, in a move that is expected to create around 100 jobs. The expansion will see 35,000 sq ft of commercial units added to Four Ashes Enterprise Centre, which is between Penkridge and Wolverhampton. The existing centre was built in 2004, and has proved popular with local businesses, according 38 CHAMBERLINK April 2021

to its owner, South Staffordshire Council. The centre will grow from 15,600 sq ft to 50,572 sq ft. The expansion of the site is part of a £24 million investment by the council into all its business sites across Staffordshire. Council leader Brian Edwards said: “Our units at Four Ashes have always been very popular, so we know there is demand for more commercial units in this area which has superb connectivity and sits within the junction two growth corridor.

“As a council, it is our priority to support local businesses and the wider economy, especially as we move forward from the pandemic. We are proud to be able to offer this extension, which will give new start-ups and existing businesses the opportunity to achieve their business goals.” The new units will vary in size, ranging from 936 square foot to 4,000 square foot. Each will have its own office, kitchen and toilet facility.

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Burton & District Burton & District Chamber Patrons Contact: Chris Plant T: 0845 6036650

President looks back Next month, Nik Hardy (pictured) will hand over the reins of the presidency of Burton Chamber to Shaun Gray, European managing director of manufacturer Ginho. Mr Hardy would ordinarily have stood down at the last annual general meeting, which took place six months ago. However, it was agreed at the AGM that due to coronavirus pandemic, he would stay on for a further period. With his tenure now ending, Mr Hardy, owner of locally-based Hardy Signs, said: “As my period of three-year tenure as your Chamber president is coming to an end, I look back on what has been a challenging, exciting and transformative experience. “As you can imagine, it has been nothing like I was prepared for. In my first week in this position, I was interviewed on BBC about the Trent Bridge closure and later on ITV about Covid-19. “Among many events, I was pleased to speak at the opening of Grupo Antolin’s substantial expansion in Barton, leading to the creation of 150 jobs. “One of my priorities has been to strengthen the link between Burton and Greater Birmingham, and I believe that we have made some good progress on that. Another priority has been to sign up patrons for the Burton and District Chamber. So far, we have signed up six

patrons, including Burton Albion FC and my company, Hardy Signs Ltd. “In my role as president, I’ve been involved in many campaigns. One of them has been the Brexit support video series and a campaign where we submitted a question to the MPs that was answered live by Hilary Benn MP. “Throughout all this turmoil and disruption, your Chamber has continued to thrive. Once it is safe to do so and the restrictions are lifted, the Chamber will be there to get its members back on track with lots of opportunities to network face-to-face across the region - here at Hardy Signs we are champing at the bit to get back to it.”

£22.8m to improve Burton Burton has been awarded £22.8m by the Government to improve the town. Chancellor Rishi Sunak confirmed in his Budget that the town would be one of seven to receive cash, as part of the Government's Town's Fund programme. The funding will allow the creation of a new university learning hub in the town centre, a library and a community and enterprise hub at the Market Hall building. There will also be new pedestrian and cycle crossings over the River Trent and

improvements to towpaths on the Trent and Mersey canal. Ben Robinson, chairman of the Burton Town Deal Board, which put together the submission for the funding, said: “We are now able to push forward with the projects that have been identified by the consultation process and I’m excited about what can be achieved and what an impact it can have on our town. “It’s a fantastic opportunity to improve and preserve the heritage Market Hall and provide first class community facilities.”

Fund to back small businesses A £2m loan fund for small businesses facing difficulties accessing essential finance to help overcome the impact of coronarivus has been launched. The three-year Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Business Loan Fund will provide loans from £10,000 to £50,000 to companies across a range of sectors. It is the latest support

programme delivered by the county council as part of its ‘Staffordshire Means Back to Business’ strategy. It will see the county working with Stoke-on-Trent City Council and not-for-profit organisation BCRS Business Loans, which will administer the programme for both councils.

Staffordshire County Council’s deputy leader, Philip White, said: “This is targeted support where it is needed most. We have worked successfully with BCRS for a long time and will combine our efforts with colleagues at Stoke-on-Trent for this round of funding.”

In brief A group who usually provide a temporary home for international students when they study English at Burton and South Derbyshire College, have found that it’s good to talk. Even though the international students have been unable to attend the college, it has introduced online courses for those wishing to develop their English skills. And the ‘international host’ providers have offered their help to the learners by giving them an opportunity to have real conversations without being in the classroom. The students from Nippon Bunri University in Japan are now taking part in video calls to the ‘hosts’, where they can discuss everything from their hobbies to their favourite foods.

YMCA Burton has hit out at youth services spending cuts, which it says have left provision at its ‘most critical point in history’. Paul Laffey, chief executive of YMCA Burton, said: “Over the last 10 years we’ve seen an 82 per cent decline in local authority funding in the West Midlands for youth services. “Youth services exist to provide a sense of belonging, a safe space and for young people to enjoy their childhood and teenage years. This time of the global pandemic has been particularly difficult on young people, with many suffering from isolation, loneliness, unemployment and increased mental health problems.”

Staffordshire County Council has called on motorway bosses to rethink what it calls a ‘wave of overnight closures’ during upgrade work on the M6 motorway. The closures have led to a huge amount of disruption, particularly in Stafford, as motorists are forced to use alternative routes. Local councillor David Williams said: “We are incredibly disappointed to hear that a further six nights of overnight closures for resurfacing are required. “We’ve also had no clear explanation on why the work can’t be done during the existing closures already planned for this month or if any alternatives such as lane closures have been explored. It does feel that the additional nights of closure is the easiest option for Highways England, but the hardest option for residents in Stafford and our highways network.”

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Lichfield & Tamworth Lichfield & Tamworth Chamber Patrons Contact: Chris Brewerton T: 0845 6036650

Taking its toll: Midland Expressway is introducing number plate recognition

Lichfield Garrick: brought to life in virtual reality

Theatre brought to life in virtual reality Lichfield's beloved Garrick Theatre has been brought to life in virtual reality, thanks to a new project carried out by two Lichfield and Tamworth Chamber members. UK Surveyors (UKS) and Golddust Marketing have been working together on the project to help keep local hospitality venues in people’s minds during lockdown. UKS worked with Lichfield Garrick Theatre to produce a 3D virtual tour of the arts venue, showcasing the extensive Covid19 protection measures which have been put into place by the theatre, to ensure that visitors feel safe when the theatre reopens. Ellen Kentesber, deputy marketing manager at the theatre, said: “The 3D tour is absolutely perfect, thank you so much. We are very excited and are already getting views including lots of unique visitors. The feedback we have received about service from the team at Lichfield Garrick has been first class.” UKS produces 3D virtual tours using the latest data capture technology, which offers a cost-effective way for businesses to reassure customers that their business is Covid safe. During the last 12 years, the business based in Lichfield has been providing customers with fire zone plans, licensing plans, and building surveying services.

Speeding payments on Toll Midlands Expressway Ltd, operator of the M6 toll road, is introducing an automatic number plate recognition system, in a bid to speed up payments. The company claimed the system – being delivered in partnership with transportation firm Stantec - would help give the road a ‘worldclass’ tolling system. The first number plate recognition cameras are due to go live this month, initially as a pilot project for vans and trucks invited to take part in the trial, before being gradually introduced for use by all other road users. Midlands Expressway chief executive Andy Cliffe said: “The investment in the new infrastructure will deliver a world-class tolling system, enhancing the customer experience, improving further our strong record of journey time savings and reliability, and increasing the appeal of the road for new users. “Following a rigorous selection process involving sector leading companies from around the globe, Stantec has been commissioned to carry out the project. As a world leading consultancy, Stantec are responsible for

Council welcomes new leader Tamworth Borough Council’s new leader has pledged to once again make the town the region’s ‘beating heart’. Jeremy Oates, who has taken over from Daniel Cook, said: We have a good council and this is a great town with some fantastic assets, but that doesn’t mean we can become complacent, we can’t rest on our laurels. “We need to be more dynamic and more responsive, just as we have in the last 12 months. “Tamworth was once the beating heart of the ancient kingdom of Mercia, we need it to be that beating heart again, now and in the future. “We have the opportunity to drive that change through projects such as the Future High Streets Fund, the Gungate project and the Recovery & Reset programme.

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“We also need to be an engaging authority, listening and talking to people so we can go on that journey together.” Former leader Councillor Cook stepped down after a 12 year stint, after saying he wanted to devote more time to his family. He said: “Other than fatherhood, leadership of this council has been the honour and privilege of my life.” His replacement has served on the council for more than two decades, having been successfully elected to represent the town in seven consecutive elections since 2000. He has held various roles, including scrutiny chair, cabinet member, deputy mayor, mayor, deputy leader and also previously served as leader of the council between 2006 and 2009.

supporting the delivery of some of the best constructed and most technically efficient tolling systems available and we look forward to working with them to deliver a similar standout project for the M6toll.

‘The investment in the new infrastructure will deliver a world-class tolling system’ “The new tolling system is part of the wider ‘Road Ahead’ digital transformation programme which will improve operational efficiencies and further focus the business on the needs of our customers and the businesses and communities we serve. “Deploying the most innovative technology is central to ensuring we deliver efficient, hassle free journeys for the 50,000 drivers who rely on us each day.” Stantec is currently overall programme manager for a multi-million-dollar modernisation of the Ohio Turnpike in the USA that will introduce non-stop tolling across the 241-mile corridor.

Plans to establish swim centre at Lichfield retail park Plans to establish a new swimming facility at Lichfield Retail Park have been given the green light. Four 25-metre pools will be established at the so-called Swim House in a former retail unit at the park, located on Eastern Avenue, alongside other amenities such as a flotation room and a cafe. Lichfield District Council granted permission for the change of use at the unit. The Swim House is due to open next year, and 13 jobs are expected to be created.

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Sutton Coldfield

Sponsored by: Royal Sutton Coldfield Town Council

Sutton Coldfield Chamber Patrons

Sutton Coldfield

Charity of the Year

Chamber of Commerce

Contact: Chris Brewerton T: 0845 6036650

Plans revealed for first buildings at Peddimore

New plans: An artist’s impression of what the revamped Peddimore site may look like

Proposals for the first two buildings at Peddimore – a new employment park in Minworth, near Sutton Coldfield - have been unveiled as part of a consultation about the site which is set to become one of the region’s most important economic assets. IM Properties (IMP), Birmingham City Council’s appointed development partner for the first phase of the scheme, is preparing detailed planning applications for the first two employment buildings at the site. The company is in advanced negotiations with a first prospective occupier who would create in excess of 1,000 full time jobs. A second building to be located at the gateway into the site from the A38 could accommodate either manufacturing or logistics businesses and has the potential to create a further 470 full time jobs. Planning permission for Peddimore was granted in September 2019. Proposals for the two buildings have been presented to the community through a virtual consultation with visitors able to take a 360degree tour of the site and provide their feedback.

David Smith, planning director at IM Properties said: “Having a major prospective occupier for the first building will help accelerate delivery of the site and put it on the map. We consider this especially significant because of the challenges of Covid-19 and the critical importance of attracting investment, creating jobs, and supporting the recovery of the region. “We believe that Peddimore must deliver benefits beyond its site boundaries; it must deliver a social return on investment and create a positive legacy for years to come. “We have already made positive progress in supporting and funding community projects, and significant preparatory work is being put in place to ensure the project can realise its employment and skills commitments.” Both buildings will be located within Development Zone 1 which already has planning permission. The purpose of the upcoming applications is to agree the detailed layout and design of the two buildings, including access points, parking plans, landscaping and drainage. IMP says Peddimore will include substantial and attractive landscaping, including 4km of pedestrian and cycle paths.

Ark Media film hits the small screen A film worked on by production company Ark Media has aired on BBC2 as part of the channel’s Festival of Funny Shorts. Ark Media – whose managing director Phil Arkinstall is president of the Sutton Coldfield Chamber of Commerce - were commissioned by 104 Films, the UK’s leading production company focusing on disability, to collaborate on the edit of a film entitled ‘Verisimilitude’. The film is about an unemployed disabled actress who is frustrated at how all the disabled acting jobs go to able bodied actors. Out of work, she is engaged as an adviser to an up and coming British film star, showing him how to be disabled for his latest role. Prior to being shown on BBC2, Verisimilitude had already been screened at 10 BAFTA qualifying film festivals including Slamdance, Palm Springs and London Short Film Festival. Phil said: it is great for the team to be involved in a project such as this to ensure our creativity is stretched.”

Beeb broadcast: Phil Arkinstall

Coach gives firms a boost

Business booster: Clare Whalley

A Sutton Coldfield business coach has had a flurry of new businesses sign up to utilise her expertise during the pandemic. Meta4 Coaching’s Clare Whalley, who is also vice-president of the Sutton Coldfield Chamber of Commerce, says she encountered a record number of firms in 2020 – many of whom she has been able to help achieve growth. In particular there has been a surge in signups from creatives – including interior designers, copywriting agencies, illustrators and video production companies. “It’s the best part of my role as a coach to see people with a business idea and how it comes to life with the right support and structure,” said Clare. Among the start-ups Clare has helped is fellow Chamber member Anita Ellis who left her marketing manager role at the height of the

pandemic to set up her marketing and copywriting business Lexicomm. “We’ve been working together for just over six months and she is already considering her next growth steps as her agency is almost full of ideal clients,” said Clare. Tine Nyland also approached Clare a year ago to help her kickstart her nutrition business Calluna Nutrition. Claire said: “We worked together to create a brand, a website and business processes to attract the right clientele and she now has a healthy young business ready to grow!” Katie Hale, honorary chair of the Sutton Coldfield Chamber, who was worked closely with Clare, said: “It’s hugely encouraging to see how businesses can start in tough times and that new business ventures are not just surviving but thriving!” April 2021 CHAMBERLINK 41

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Solihull All the latest news, advice and events for the Solihull business community Contact: Samantha Frampton T: 0121 678 7488

Employment lawyer takes a new brief as vice-president New president: Tony Elvin

Vice-president: Eileen Schofield

By Jessica Brookes Eileen Schofield, employment lawyer and principal at Schofield and Associates, has been elected as vice-president of Solihull Chamber. It is the second senior Chamber role that Eileen currently holds, alongside her vicepresidential role at the Greater Birmingham Transatlantic Chamber of Commerce. She will support newly installed Solihull Chamber president, Tony Elvin, alongside the Chamber’s other serving vice-presidents, Mick Westman and Stuart Watson. Tony and Eileen’s appointments were rubberstamped at the Chamber’s annual meeting, which took place virtually in March due to Covid19 restrictions. Tony took over the presidential reins from Robert Elliot, who has served as president for two years. On his departure from the role, Robert said: “It has been an honour to serve our Chamber members as president. “In handing office to Tony I wish him the very best of luck, strength and good health. One thing I urge of him, enjoy it. “Tony has been a champion of Solihull and indeed our region for many years. I could not be 42 CHAMBERLINK April 2021

prouder to be passing the Chamber presidency to Tony and would like to wish him, his vicepresidents, and all the members the best of luck, and good health. “Tony joins a list of presidents that have helped guide Solihull Chamber through the good times and the bad. We face some challenges ahead and I could not think of a better champion of our area and a prouder ambassador for the Chamber.”

‘Tony and Eileen’s appointments were rubberstamped at the Chamber’s annual meeting’ Chamber president, Tony, general manager of Touchwood, said: “I am very excited at the opportunity to pick up the baton from Robert Elliot as the next president of Solihull Chamber. Robert has held this position with care, sincerity, good humour and commitment. All values that I hope to emulate during my tenure. “I am also very keen to continue Robert’s good work bringing business and education together, to provide work inspiration for our young people and as winners of several green awards at Touchwood, I’m in a great place to

continue Robert’s work with the Solihull Chamber EcoPledge.” “With the arrival of HS2 and the redevelopment of Solihull town centre on the horizon we have much to be excited for but it won’t be plain sailing in the meantime. Brexit and a recovery from the global pandemic ensure us of some choppy waters ahead but it is at times like these that we need the support of our Chambers and I look forward to doing what I can, with my team, to help those businesses in need around us.” Alongside Tony and Eileen’s appointments, seven business leaders were elected to serve on Chamber’s council. Emma-Louise Hewitt, from Sydney Mitchell, John Callaghan, of Solihull College and University Centre, Kevin Johns, of Prime Accountants Group, Jas Rohel, of Solihull Radio, Brad Parkes, of Specsavers Solihull, Pauline Clarke, of St Basils and Tim Armitage, of Arup, will serve two-year terms on the Chamber’s council as executive committee members. Additionally, Susie Ankrett, of Plum Personnel, Simon Hatton, of Rolls-Royce, Namrita Sharma, of Pink Spaghetti and Vijay Jogia, of Metro Bank Solihull, were co-opted onto the Chamber’s council. They will serve a one-year term as committee members.

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Solihull Solihull Chamber Patrons

Local student’s career swap makes BBC news A student at Solihull College & University Centre has been featured on BBC News, discussing how she has retrained to work in the construction sector after losing her job. Iman Khan, 28, from Birmingham, lost her job because of the pandemic and found herself searching for another career. She had always had an interest in construction and jumped at the chance to retrain with the college and partners RMF. The college and RMF are working together to fill skills gaps on large infrastructure projects in the region with a workforce that is trained locally. Iman has now secured work on a large Lendlease development in Perry Barr. The Government have created a £126m fund to help retrain people affected by the pandemic. Iman said: “Covid happened and I lost my

Customers are enjoying the shopping experience of buying their favourite items from their local stores and getting it delivered to their doorstep. The company was founded by K. Mohammed, who has been a consultant with 25 years’ experience working for large corporations, when he saw a problem in the ethnic supermarket sector. The platform provides ethnic stores an easy, cost effective, and quick option to go online and sell their products. Kloudrop’s team fulfills the orders from various local stores and delivers to consumers with seamless experience.

job. I have a daughter and I wanted to be the best I could be for her – to show the sky’s the limit in what you can do.”

‘The Government have created a £126m fund to help retrain people affected by the pandemic’ Further education colleges across the West Midlands have joined forces to offer free courses as part of the ‘Reignite your future’ programme. More than 5,000 adults are set to benefit from free training over the next year as part of the programme, funded by the West Midlands Combined Authority, to help them gain jobs in one of the region’s growth sectors.

Software business beds into Shirley base Software development firm Matter of Software has moved to new premises in the centre of Shirley. Situated on the doorstep of the proposed Shirley central metro line stop, the new offices offers fantastic transport links to Solihull and Birmingham, with the M42 just a short drive away. Managing director Ryan Bishop said that the move was due to an expansion in the business’ services. He said: “The business continues to expand due to businesses looking to offer digital offerings. We examined the needs of our clients and employees, and having a location that was easy to access and convenient for other facilities was high up on the wish list. Shirley was an obvious choice and we are pleased to be able to bring the team back to support the high street.” Matter of Software is in the process of adding a junior and senior software developers, digital business analyst, two apprentice software developers and two apprentice software testers to their team, as well as additional roles through the Government’s ‘Kickstart’ scheme.

Kloudrop plans to use artificial intelligence and machine learning to understand the demand and offer consumers a better choice and value for money. Currently serving areas of Birmingham, Solihull, Sutton Coldfield and Walsall, with plans to expand to other parts of the UK.

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ABCC Updates and useful information from the largest ethnic support organisation in the UK Contact: Anjum Khan T: 0845 6036650

Fajli Bibi

Sajid Gulzar

Mani Hayre

‘Community is missing out on in-person cultural festivals’ Large venues and communities will miss out on a lack of in-person events, typically hosted to celebrate cultural and religious festivals due to be hosted in April. That’s the view of Fajli Bibi, executive committee member for the Asian Business Chamber of Commerce (ABCC), who was commenting on how usually the cultural spring festival of Baishaki usually attracts large amounts of economic growth – as well as other cultural benefits. Baisakhi, known as Bangla New Year, is celebrated by Bengalis in Bangladesh and many parts of India, West Bengal, Tripura and Assam. The Mughal Emperor Akbar first introduced the Bengali New Year and official Bengali calendar to ease the tax collection process. It is usually celebrated in-person, but this year’s celebration, due to take place on 14 April, will be a more low key affair. Fajli said: “Due to Covid lockdown we’re unable to celebrate Baishaki which will have a detrimental impact on the Bangladeshi community and the businesses as people won’t be spending money on new outfits, food, sweets and savouries. “Also businesses hold mobile stalls in the fun fairs which generate substantial income for small businesses, which they will loose out on. 44 CHAMBERLINK April 2021

“Large venues and community centres generating income from hosting the celebration events which they will loose out on. The entertainment industries and artists won’t be performing therefore they will be loosing an income. These events not only helps with economic growth but brings communities together.”

‘The pandemic has had a huge impact on how face-to-face networking is being affected’ Mani Hayre, founder of Mani’s Madness, shared the same view, and said that usually festivals such as Baiskahi, Vaisakhi and Ramadan are crucial times of the year for businesses to network and learn. She said: “The festival events not only celebrate cultural diversity among individuals, but allow businesses to cross network and learn. The pandemic has had a huge impact on how face-to-face networking is being affected and none more so than the ABCC festival events. To mix with over 100 individuals, to network and make all those all important business connections, while it can still happen online, won't have the same impact as attending a

shared event where you can talk business over great food." Vaisakhi, also taking place on 14 April, is widely recognised by Sikhs as a new year celebration and commemorates the birth of Khalsa. Vaisakhi coincides with the spring harvest, where many farmers in India would reap the rewards of their hard work throughout the year. Celebrations around the Islamic festival of Ramadan, expected to take place on the 12 April or 13 April are also due to be disrupted, with many opting for smaller, perhaps virtual celebrations to mark the start of the month. Muslims observe Ramadan by fasting from dawn until sunset, and is used as a time for spiritual reflection. For Sajid Gulzar, executive headteacher and chief executive of the Prince Albert Community Trust, Ramadan will still be a time for a “spiritual detox”. He said: “The older I get, the more I look forward to the month of Ramadan. It’s almost like awaiting the return of a dear old friend. In recent years, the fasting from food and drink during daylight hours has felt almost incidental, despite the length of the day. For me, it’s a spiritual detox, a time to reconnect with my Lord and what it means to be a Muslim.”

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ABCC Premier+ Partners

ABCC Patrons

Support urged for mental health project

Vaccination centre: Edgbaston Stadium

Flurry of shots at Edgbaston Asian Business Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) patron Edgbaston Stadium has been transformed into an NHS Covid-19 vaccination centre. Having previously accommodated an NHS drive-through testing centre on its car park, delivered a food bank and a Christmas toy appeal from within the stadium, the vaccination centre at Edgbaston will be operated wholly by the NHS. Stuart Cain, chief executive of Edgbaston Stadium, said: “We’re very proud of the community response that Edgbaston and our staff have made since the outbreak of Covid-19 and we are delighted that we can continue to

play a major role in this by accommodating one of the region’s main vaccination centres. “As a venue and major business operating within the West Midlands, we’re committed to playing our part and to supporting the great work of the national vaccination programme and in helping the country fight back against Covid. “Given the success of the vaccination programme to date, we’re very excited at the prospect of welcoming back crowds to Edgbaston in the coming weeks. “To protect the health and safety of everyone, we recommend that everyone who is offered a vaccination that they take it at the first possible opportunity.”

Social enterprise Gro-Organic is urging people to support its mental health initiative, which has been helping people struggling due to the pandemic. The organisation is looking for volunteers, and donations, to take part in its Dig-It project, which has been supporting people since 2011. Following the impact of Covid-19 on people's wellbeing and mental health, GroOrganic is now looking to increase the project's capacity to support more people. The Dig-It programme also requires urgent donations to run more sessions and purchase additional tools and equipment, allowing more people to join our community. Tal Arrowsmith, community engagement lead at Gro-Organic said: “Despite the Dig-It members personal challenges, they contribute so much to the area and now we want to support more people as we come out of this difficult time. We would be grateful for any donation.”

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Feature

46 CHAMBERLINK April 2021

Growing Your Business

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Growing Your Business

Feature

Top tips for

securing new customers To grow a business, you need customers. Chamberlink explores what a new business needs to do to not only reach new customers, but retain them. Know your customers It is crucial that to identity your core customer and the ways in which your product or service can help them, and then focus your marketing strategy directly on this demographic. Think of your ideal customer – what is their age range? What is their location? What are their values, their spending habits and their lifestyle? How will your product or service

improve their lives? Building a customer profile will help you target your marketing and ultimately your selling strategy; while it might be tempting to market to as many people as possible, you don’t want to waste time and money trying to sell to people who aren’t interested in what you have to offer. A targeted marketing strategy is especially useful to smaller businesses, as it can help you carve a niche in the market.

‘It is crucial that to identity your core customer and the ways in which your product or service can help them’

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Feature

Growing Your Business

Focus on relationships You have identified your customer and the ways in which your product or service can help them. But if you want customers for life, you also have to offer excellent customer service and build long-lasting relationships so that they remain loyal customers for life. The best way to do this is to listen to your customers and find out exactly what they want from your product or service; conduct reviews, ask for feedback and demonstrate that you value their opinions. While your customers will appreciate feeling listened to, you can turn your findings into an effective selling too. You can also reward customer loyalty by offering exclusive giveaways and discounts. As well as building strong relationships with customers, it’s also important to foster great relationships with your staff. If your employees feel valued, they are more likely to remain committed to their job, increasing performance and staff retention.

Develop your brand A clean, effective brand will resonate with your customers and help you stand out from the crowd. When developing your brand, consider the following: • Is your brand unique and recognisable? Does it distinguish you from your competitors? • Is your branding consistent across your website and social media? As well as making sure you’re using the same images, logos and colours across your platforms, ensure that your voice is consistent too.

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• Is your branding honest and authentic? Consider that your website or your logo may be your first introduction to potential customers, so it’s important that it demonstrates exactly who you are and what you can do for them. While utilising the services of a design agency to help create your brand can save time, it can also be costly. You can design a logo yourself using free online tools, such as Canva, or develop a website using a lowcost builder such as Wix.com.

The importance of visibility Your customers have to be able to find you, and building an online presence and utilising social media is an easy way to boost customer engagement. Before you set up your profiles however, there are some things to consider. Firstly, not all social media platforms will be relevant to you – and this is why identifying your customer is so important. Does your ideal customer use LinkedIn, Instagram or Youtube? Target your social media engagement on the platforms that are most likely to put you directly in front of the people you want to sell to, and don’t worry about the rest. Secondly, you may wish to consider setting up a schedule for social media posts. Regular posting will keep you at the forefront of your customers’ minds – just make sure that your posts are relevant and offer opportunities for customers to engage with you. Questions and polls can help generate conversations, which can in turn help lead to sales.

‘But if you want customers for life, you also have to offer excellent customer service’

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Growing Your Business

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Hotels, Conferences & Events

Feature

Stepping back in time at The Grand Hotel By Izabella Markall, PR assistant at LGM Limited GM Limited has recently embarked upon the journey of transforming The Grand Hotel, a Grade II listed establishment which is among one the best surviving examples of Victorian architecture in the country. Being the flooring contractors for this refurbishment, it was paramount to intwine the bespoke visions of the designers with the immense proportion of the building. It is with pride that LGM can say that ‘flooring is the foundation of any beautiful room because an exquisite floor allows the rest of the interior to fall seamlessly into place’. The Grand Hotel, situated in Birmingham city centre, is a building which is equally as captivating now as it was in the 1870s, when Isaac Horton launched it as his most striking project. Internationally recognised for its waterways, in the 1800s Birmingham was evolving at a considerable pace and out of the ashes of squalor and decay, rose not only a city of magnificence but also a hotel of splendour. The Grand Hotel was quickly identified as ‘one of the stateliest avenues in the kingdom’ and was coated in terracotta to add status and dignity to the north side of Colmore Row. Following the impeccable architectural transformation in the 1870s and after being furnished with beautiful palatial interior in the

The completed refurbishment

20th Century, the hotel embarked on its heyday. During this period, it hosted individuals of the highest stature - King George VI, Winston Churchill and Charlie Chaplin, to name only a few of the guests dazzled by the exceptional nature of the establishment. The Grosvenor Suites hosted oftenraucous events and it quickly became the most desirable place for the elite to gather for champagne dinners, balls and concerts.

‘Creating a lavish establishment has been at the forefront of the project’ However, the suave reputation of The Grand Hotel meant that it was also a target for militancy and in 1913, after Prime Minister Asquith’s visit, the Women’s Social and Political Union gathered in performing a week of rampant protests. His speech at a formal dinner filled the protestors with such indignation that they launched rocks to smash the hotel windows. With the financial difficulties of many business owners following a tumultuous period, it was with devastating regret that The Grand Hotel ceased trading and consequently fell into a state of dilapidation and disrepair. Nevertheless, recent restorations

Main: The Grand Hotel’s flooring before the refurbishment Inset: Izabella Markall

have completely transformed the hotel to its former glory with the intention of it soon regaining its reputation as the best hotel in the ‘Magic City’ of Birmingham. In a world where people thrive on ‘Instagrammable’ and picturesque locations, and in the words of Richard Markall, managing director of LGM Limited: “Visiting the Grand Hotel is the perfect opportunity to explore a beautiful cocktail of eras, combining decadence and modernisation into one thrilling experience”. As an ever-growing business from the West Midlands also, LGM Limited saw parallels with the diligent and industrious attitude of Isaac Horton and channelled this into their precise planning and craftsmanship when the bespoke flooring was being created and laid. A vast variety of floor coverings were installed across the hotel which were all sympathetic to the original Victorian era, with a new modern twist. Undertaking a project of this nature commands each individual detail to be planned and calculated accordingly and, although the tradesmen were not wearing waistcoats and bowler hats as they were when the hotel was first built, each floor was installed using traditional methods to ensure longevity. At the heart of the renovation sits the ornate Grosvenor Suite and the Grand Staircase where the

carpets were overlocked to create a faultless finish to the carpet. Key to delivering a project of this importance was working in a descending order to complete the hotel in tiered and structured stages, to ensure that the custom flooring was protected from other tradespeople. A multitude of floor finishes were incorporated to create the perfect balance of sophistication and vibrance and the techniques utilised to deliver this outstanding result included a complex panel design in the corridors, Axminster carpet in the ballroom, cove and capped vinyl to ancillary areas and to maintain the echoes of the past, a replica timber floor has been fitted in the hotel bar. Waste was minimised consistently throughout the process and this was achieved by utilising the full width of the carpet loom to apply a high-quality finish with very little excess. LGM Limited has been a passionate contributor in the rebirth of The Grand Hotel and from the very beginning, the vision of creating a lavish establishment has been at the forefront of the project. However, this was not the sole aim as the end result was not only a refurbishment but also has maintained the hotels place in history. LGM saw it as their duty to lay not only flooring but artwork throughout every level of the building. April 2021 CHAMBERLINK 51

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Feature

Hotels, Conferences & Events

Business is heating up for Dalesauna By Steve Taylor, managing director of Dalesauna Ltd. alesauna Ltd has traded since 1973 when it was the first UK based supplier of commercial grade saunas to hotels and the fledgling leisure club market. As the sector grew so did Dalesauna with additional products such as GRP (fibreglass) steam rooms and spa pools being designed and installed. As new materials have become available sauna, steam room and spa pools have been further developed with Dalesauna remaining at the forefront for innovation such as infrared saunas, glass fronts, feature showers, rasuls, loungers, Corion seating, led lighting, essence and salt systems along with more energy efficient equipment. Although still concentrating its effort on designing, manufacturing, installing and servicing new bespoke Spa areas for hotels, leisure facilities and gyms, some of the refurbishments Dalesauna has recently extended its portfolio to include refurbishing existing Spa/ Wellness areas. Refurbishments completed in the last three years are: Four Seasons Hotel (Park Lane), Lucknam Park (Gloucestershire), Mottram Hall (Cheshire), Ribby Hall Spa Hotel (Lancashire), Rockcliffe Hall Teeside) and Thermae Bath Spa (Bath). On these projects the experience of the Dalesauna team has proven essential in overcoming the challenges of refurbishing these high quality existing facilities. In recent years Dalesauna has also helped existing clients such as Ribby Hall and Titanic Mills to further develop outdoor Spa areas, beyond the standard outdoor spa pool, to include luxurious saunas and feature showers. Over the last decade Dalesauna has increasingly worked alongside numerous architects and developers on prestigious installations in exclusive property developments such as One Hyde Park and Embassy Gardens along with a number of celebrity homes also based in London. This trend

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has also been spreading across other UK cities with recent projects completed in Leeds, Liverpool, Newcastle and several in North Yorkshire. Dalesauna is not limited to installing spa/wellness equipment but also has a service department dedicated not only to after sales care on its own products but also those installed by competitors. A full range of services is provided on swimming pool and spa equipment using experienced engineers, based across the UK, who are all electrically trained. The combination of well-stocked spares and the engineers’ experience usually ensures they can repair equipment rather than simply replace it. This approach is not only more cost effective for clients in the long term but much more environmentally friendly. To complete the circle of total care, Dalesauna, through its consumables division, supply specialist water treatment chemicals for pools and spa baths such as liquid Sodium Hypochlorite, Calcium Hypochlorite, Bromine granules, water quality testing equipment and tablets. In addition specialist oil based essences have been developed to enhance the users experience within both sauna and steam rooms. Consumable items and spare parts for all Dalesauna supplied equipment, manufactured by leading brands such as EOS, Nordmann and WDT are held in our central warehouse and can be supplied to be fitted by others. Dalesauna has not been immune to the impact of Covid-19 but remains optimistic that the vaccination programme should enable its partners in the leisure sector to re-open to the general public eager to utilise their services. The management team’s plan to purchase Dalesauna Ltd from its founder (Stephen Hipps), having been delayed due to the pandemic, was finally completed on 2 March 2021, ensuring the ongoing stability of the business for employees and customers alike.

‘Dalesauna has increasingly worked alongside numerous architects and developers on prestigious installations in exclusive property developments’

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Feature

Business Travel

Sector Focus The latest news from the sectors that matter to business Aviation review is welcomed A Government-led review into air passenger duty on domestic flights is ‘long overdue’, in light of how the aviation industry has been hampered by the pandemic, according to the Chamber. Chamber head of policy Raj Kandola welcomed the review, after Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed that a consultation would be launched to reform duty structures across domestic flights, in an effort to boost transport connectivity across the country. The consultation will also explore new requirements to offset carbon emissions and measures to decarbonise the aviation industry. Mr Kandola said that airline operators had long questioned the fairness of duty on domestic flights. He said: “The review into air passenger duty is long overdue and has becoming even more pressing in light of the devastating impact of Covid-19 on the aviation industry and the associated sectors. “It’s clear that anchor institutions such as Birmingham Airport have been crying out for sustained financial support in order to get through the next few months and it was disappointing to see the Chancellor made no such reference in the recent Budget. “Airline operators have long questioned the fairness of the duty on domestic flying, particularly when you compare it to the amount of tax that is paid to travel to the furthest European return destination. “Nevertheless, the review will also need to take into consideration the impact that reforms would have on the UK’s attempts to reach net zero. We would urge the Government to work closely with operators and the wider business community to set out a blueprint on how we can achieve those targets while also revitalising an aviation industry which is central to the success of the West Midlands and beyond.”

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Boris has backed investment package for the bus sector The Government has unveiled a £3bn package of investment for the bus sector. Prime Minister Boris Johnson launched the buses boost while on a visit to National Express in Coventry. The Prime Minister’s plans include ploughing cash into lossmaking rural services, more bus lanes, and a ban on diesel vehicles. There will also be simpler bus fares with daily price caps, more evening and weekend services, integrated services and ticketing options across all transport modes and the ability for all buses to accept contactless payments. The plan includes promises to deliver 4,000 new British-built electric or hydrogen buses, to help transition cities in England to emission-free buses, something which is already happening in Birmingham and Coventry. Mr Johnson said: “Buses are lifelines and liberators, connecting people to jobs they couldn’t otherwise take, driving pensioners and young people to see their friends, sustaining town centres and protecting the environment. “As we build back from the pandemic, better buses will be one of our first acts of levelling-up.” Chamber head of policy Raj Kandola said: “It’s pleasing to see the Government reiterate their commitment to improving bus services across the country.

‘Buses are lifelines and liberators, connecting people to jobs they couldn’t otherwise take’

Bus boost: Boris Johnson during his visit to National Express Coventry

“Questions will be raised as to how this plan will work in practice and whether the rhetoric will be backed by firm action as we emerge from the pandemic. “It’s also fair to say that this top down strategy will only work if local authorities and operators are able to shape the plans – here in the West Midlands, operators such as National Express are ahead of the curve on many of these fronts, particularly as their entire bus fleet will be zero-emission by 2030 and they are working with Birmingham City Council to roll out 20 hydrogen buses in the city next year.”

Ignacio Garat, group chief executive of National Express said: “We were delighted to welcome the Prime Minister to Coventry and show him our newest electric buses in operation. “The National Bus strategy comes at a vital time, and we fully embrace the proposals for operators to work in partnership with local authorities to deliver cleaner, greener services that meet the needs of customers. This is exactly the approach we have adopted across the West Midlands, where we have improved services while keeping fares down.”

Train time: More services have returned to the Midlands rail network

Extra services as schools return West Midlands Railway has introduced a small number of additional services on routes via Birmingham Snow Hill to coincide with the reopening of schools. Six extra trains are now running each weekday afternoon to help provide capacity for students using the railway to travel home from lessons. The Birmingham Snow Hill lines serves the Black Country and destinations such as Stratford, Worcester and Hereford. Passengers are being reminded that the railway

should be used for essential journeys only while the current government restrictions remain in place. Jonny Wiseman, customer experience director for West Midlands Railway, said: “Our routes via Birmingham Snow Hill serve destinations close to a number of large schools. “We encourage pupils using the train to maintain social distancing on board and remind all customers that everyone aged over 11 must wear a face covering by law, unless exempt on medical grounds.”

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Business Travel

Sector Focus

Dynamo: Kenneth Green

EV specialist sparks UK transformation A prominent electric vehicle charging business is set to capitalise on a growing market after securing a number of strategic partnerships in 2020. Adi Vehicle Charging Solutions (VCS) – part of the Birminghambased adi Group – was only launched at the beginning of the year but is already making huge inroads into the world of electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure. In June, the business propelled forward its partnership with EV charging provider Franklin Energy, assuming responsibility to deliver a ‘Recharge Network’ for Merseytravel across the Merseyside and Liverpool City region. This consisted of 52 existing public charge points across 21 sites within Merseyside, setting the scene for rapid growth. And now in conjunction with Franklin Energy, Adi VCS has extended its reach across a further

21 sites in the UK, as part of a farreaching infrastructure roll-out project for leading national car park operators Q-Park. Adi’s Kenneth Green said: “What we’ve found is that EV demand is really growing as anticipated. “You already had a fledgling market, and with the announcement last month of the new diesel and petrol car ban from 2030, you have an industry that has been really solidified as the way forward. “As infrastructure specialists, we’ve been keeping a watchful eye, and to this end we’ve been completing projects across the UK and Ireland, with strategic partnerships helping extend our scale and reach to be one of the leading specialists in the market.” “It’s an exciting period, and one which we look forward to progressing throughout 2021 and beyond.”

DfT HQ for the second city The Government’s plans to establish a second Department for Transport headquarters in Birmingham has been described by business leaders as ‘great news’ for the city. The Birmingham headquarters will include ministerial offices, with ministers expected to spend a significant amount of time at their new premises. The plans, which also include proposals for Department for Transport offices in Leeds to be established, are part of the government’s commitment to diversifying the civil service, and a drive to move 22,000 civil services jobs out of London by 2030. More than 650 roles will be created in the cities by 2025, the government has claimed. Recruitment for roles at the new offices in Birmingham and Leeds has already started. Chamber head of policy Raj Kandola said that having ministers based in Birmingham would help them appreciate how the city has transformed over the last decade. He said: “This is great news for our city. Having ministers based in Birmingham will help them appreciate first hand the fabulous transformation the city has undergone.” April 2021 CHAMBERLINK 55

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Sector Focus

Finance

Know the risks of crypto currency A leading financial adviser is warning people against getting caught up in the latest craze of investing in crypto currency, without fully understanding the risks involved. Mike Jordan (pictured), whose company, Jordan Financial Management, celebrated 25 years in business last year, said social media ‘buzz’ was driving people to invest in crypto, bypassing the checks and measures provided by seeking professional advice. A crypto currency is a digital asset designed to work as a medium of exchange that does not exist in physical form, like paper money, and is typically not issued by a central authority. In recent weeks individuals across the globe have been rushing to buy crypto currencies, spurred on by conversations on social media platforms such as Reddit. Mr Jordan said: “People need to understand what they are getting involved in when they invest their money. “People get sucked in by these types of fads because their experience of investing and investment history – how many times have similar fads led to investors losing money – is limited. Sometimes their only knowledge relates to the tales of the huge gains that people are talking about on certain investments.

“But these online conversations rarely focus on the fact that you can lose money too. Crypto currency is tremendously volatile, often unproven and interest in it short lived. For example, the legal status of crypto currencies varies substantially from country to country.

‘People need to understand what they are getting involved in when they invest their money’ “You cannot understate the value of gaining professional financial advice when it comes to investment, as opposed to following the crowd on social media. You also have to understand that stocks can go down as well as up, something that’s not always communicated properly in the social media world. “Our long experience shows that only investing in conventional markets, with a well-constructed and balanced portfolio, can provide financial security for the future. “When you see a ‘buzz’ like there is at the moment over crypto currency, you do become concerned that people may lose significant amounts of money if they are persuaded to invest in

schemes without understanding the full ramifications.” He said that the current interest in crypto currency had echoes of the many previous fads that had led to investors losing large amounts of money, citing the ‘Southsea Bubble’ and the ‘dotcom boom’. “These examples are 200 years apart but were in reality very similar. What tends to happen in

circumstances like this is that people who invest early and then sell fuel the good news story – but then everybody else who piles in later eventually suffers great losses. “It is more sensible to obtain professional advice, so that a person actually invests their capital to try to obtain steady long-term returns, rather than gambling it on short-term gains.”

The importance of trade credit insurance Most businesses would not hesitate to protect assets like buildings and equipment – however, the impact of payment default by one or more key customers can be just as devastating. Tim Chance (pictured), executive director of trade credit for Birmingham-based insurance broker Gallagher, highlights why, amid the economic uncertainty sparked by Covid-19, there has never been a better time for businesses to purchase trade credit insurance. Despite there being light at the end of the tunnel, 2021 is shaping up to be another challenging year for businesses in Birmingham. After months with limited or no trade due to lockdown restrictions, many businesses may be financially weaker and have less cash to withstand the impact of an unpaid debt on their balance sheet. In research conducted by Gallagher, 63 per cent of businesses said they were expecting an increase in bad debts, with 28 per cent anticipating that supplier insolvencies could be a major threat. Even if suppliers are receiving orders, some businesses will not be able to pay for goods upfront and therefore will be looking for either 56 CHAMBERLINK April 2021

new or extended credit terms. Companies may not be immune to the impact of one of their customers failing to pay them and the ‘domino’ effect that it could have on their ability to pay suppliers. That is why trade credit insurance has never been more relevant for businesses, providing them with protection in the event that their customers are unable to pay for the products or services they’ve ordered, or pay later than expected. With trade credit insurance, businesses are provided with reassurance about extending credit to current customers or pursuing new customers that would have otherwise seemed too risky, knowing that invoices will be paid.

Trade credit insurance can also act as an enabler, allowing businesses to take calculated risks to help them thrive. One key advantage is assisting growth by supporting trade overseas, as companies who do this face the additional threats of nonpayment as a consequence of war, acts of overseas governments, import or export restrictions, and currency transfer restrictions and inconvertibility. As international trade involves buying and selling across oceans, borders, legal systems and regions with very different business cultures and environments, having trade credit insurance in place provides companies with peace of

mind in unfamiliar countries. Trade credit insurance can also help businesses obtain better finance terms. Banks look favourably on it, or actually require it in order to qualify for an asset-based loan, and borrowing costs are also often lower. Additionally, a trade credit insurance policy allows businesses to free up capital that would have originally been set aside as baddebt reserves in case a customer failed to pay – meaning more liquid cash flow is available to invest in other business initiatives, such as new products.

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Finance

Sector Focus

M&A activity in the Midlands is on the rise, says BDO Accountancy and business advisory firm BDO has advised on the sale of two fast-growing businesses, which it says mark an increase in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity in the Midlands. The Midlands team acted as M&A adviser to the shareholders of B38 Group Holdings in one deal, and solar energy firm Prolectric Services (see page 61) in the other. B38 Group – a provider of commercial property support services, which has regional offices in Birmingham and Derby - has been sold to Leicester-headquartered Bellrock, a compliance and risk management company. B38 has clients in the food, retail and student accommodation markets. Satvir Bungar (pictured), head of facilities sector M&A at BDO, said: “B38 is an exciting and fastgrowing privately-owned business, which is a real success story during the pandemic. “This deal represents an excellent partnership with a company of Bellrock’s calibre, thanks to the potential for synergies across a range of service lines. Given B38’s strong market credentials, this represents

an exciting deal in the FM sector. “The FM sector – both in the Midlands and the UK – is rich with innovative companies, such as B38, which are pushing the boundaries when it comes to service offering. “Despite the economic backdrop, this makes them an extremely attractive proposition to larger corporates looking to expand their footprint in localised and global markets. “The FM market, like many, has been compressed as a result of Covid-19, but it is pleasing to see how it has grown in prominence due to the essential frontline role it has played during the pandemic. “As the economy starts to open up, we expect to see an increase in the number of trade and private equity deals being completed as buyer confidence returns. “We anticipate this will gain significant traction as the UK follows the Government’s roadmap to recovery over the coming months.” According to Experian MarketIQ UK & Ireland League Tables, BDO was the most active adviser in 2020, taking the number one spot in the year-to-date M&A financial adviser rankings.

PwC advises on systems integrator specialist sale PwC’s corporate finance team has acted as lead advisor to the shareholders of REPL Group, on its sale to Accenture Plc. Henley-in-Arden based REPL is a systems integrator, specialising in ‘Blue Yonder’ software, which principally supports blue chip customers in the retail, convenience and logistic sectors. Accenture is an American-Irish multinational, Fortune Global 500 professional services company, with more than 506,000 employees and revenues of $44.33bn in 2020. Together REPL and Accenture will be able to use their joint capabilities and Accenture's global resources to help clients transform and reinvent their businesses.

The PwC team advising on the deal was led by partner Sarah Taylor, who said: “We are delighted to have supported REPL on its sale to Accenture and we look forward to seeing the business continue to flourish. This transaction continues the strong momentum for PwC, working with numerous high growth technology businesses across the UK.” REPL chairman Mike Callender said: “The PwC team have been remarkable and provided fantastic support to us throughout the process. Their team has worked tirelessly to help us navigate through the transaction and deliver a successful outcome within an accelerated time frame.” April 2021 CHAMBERLINK 57

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Sector Focus

Technology

Schools must learn lessons about IT security Technology experts have warned that bungling schools are putting children at risk by allowing confidential information to be stolen. Experts from Infuse Technology – the IT arm of accountant Smith Cooper, which has an office in Birmingham – have said that around four out of five secondary schools and nearly half of all primary schools had reported incidents of cyber theft or some other security breach in the past year.

‘There are small, yet effective measures that all institutions can adopt’ Examples of blunders included a primary school mistakenly sending out a confidential letter discussing the redundancy of a member of staff to parents, complete with that individual’s name and address. And another primary school sent a list of children entitled to free Christmas lunches to all parents. In a further incident, a former head teacher was able to obtain personal information about school children – and in another, personal details of examiners were stolen by hackers. Under Government General Data

Protection Regulation guidelines (GDPR), schools must report breaches to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) within 72 hours of their discovery. Infuse managing director Paul Howard said: “The figures published last year by DCMS are a sobering reminder that there is still a lot to be done when it comes to protecting the sensitive data of the youngest in our society. “It should encourage all educational institutions to conduct a thorough and comprehensive audit of their existing cyber security policy and take the necessary action to ensure appropriate measures are in place to assure safeguarding. “Since September 2020, the Department for Education established a continuity directive for mandatory remote education, so that pupils are able to continue learning despite the restrictions imposed to combat the spread of Covid-19. “This in itself presents educational institutions with additional challenges when it comes to cyber security, which is why it is now more important than ever that organisations asses their existing cyber security measures, particularly for remote learning. “Having a water-tight IT

Amazon partner status for multinational firm The UK and French businesses of IT services provider SCC have achieved ‘Advanced Partner’ status with Amazon Web Services (AWS). SCC is a member of the AWS Partner Network (APN), and the AWS Advanced Consulting Partner tier recognises firms that have excelled in providing successful solutions on AWS. This includes providing extensive training to teams, having enough knowledge of AWS to manage projects effectively, and coming up with innovative, revenue-generating ideas. Didier Lejeune, chief executive at SCC France: “SCC France, a key player in the public sector, is 58 CHAMBERLINK April 2021

pleased to achieve AWS Advanced Partner status with AWS as we continue its growth. “As the leading partner of all constructors and certain software publishers, we have the ambition to be an important AWS’ partner in the years to come.” SCC UK chief executive Mike Swain said: “This is a wonderful achievement and just reward for our UK and French businesses, who have worked remarkably hard to earn AWS Advanced Partner status in under 12 months. “We are excited to continue developing our well-established partnership and technical expertise with AWS.”

Cyber threat: School’s sensitive data about students is at risk. Inset: Paul Howard

infrastructure in place is just the beginning. It’s crucial that this is maintained and reviewed regularly, particularly given the speed at which digital threats continue to evolve. “There are small, yet effective measures that all institutions can adopt in the immediate short-term to become more cyber aware and enhance existing security protocols. “These include keeping security software up to date and enabling automatic updates to ensure you’re using the most recent version, using anti-virus protection and

firewalls, making use of a password management tool and enable twofactor or multi-factor authentication and ensuring staff and pupils are aware of phishing scams, and how to identify them. “In order to ensure schools and academies are well equipped to protect and educate, we have developed a process which means they are able to establish and implement mechanisms to identify, intervene in and escalate any digital security threats, all of which is aligned with government recommendations for security governance.”

Agency design new website for producer Digital marketing agency Astute Media has designed and launched a new website for a production company founded by the theatre producer Hannah Elsy. The new site highlights the services offered by Ms Elsy as well as providing information for potential sponsors and investors, detailing the benefits of becoming involved with live theatre and encouraging them to get in touch. James Ebdon-Muir (pictured), Astute digital account director, said: “It was a great project to work on, stretching both our creative and digital muscles as we delivered a website, within a defined budget, that will promote the client well into the future.” Ms Elsy said: “I wanted a website that represented my business creatively and stood comparison with the best sites in the business, Astute Media have delivered this.”

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Retail

Sector Focus

The future of retail is optimistic It feels like an exciting time right now. As I write this, along with 25 per cent of the UK population, I have had the vaccine, the kids have gone back to school, Chancellor Rishi Sunak has shared his recovery Budget and we’ve started our journey through the Government’s Covid roadmap exit plan. I’m approaching the next few months with cautious optimism. Could this really be the last lockdown? I think it could and that gives real hope for the future. Touchwood is not emerging from this latest lockdown unscathed but we’re still in pretty good shape. We have lost ten stores and restaurants but gained three in this time. We have signed terms with five more in as many weeks and have several projects in negotiation. We will have certainly signed some more by the time you read this. We’ve had great success agreeing deals with independent hospitality venues to replace outgoing, overstretched casual dining chains. This is in line with our strategy, to give people more reasons to visit Touchwood than anywhere else. With Cineworld looking to reopen

in the coming weeks, a raft of new dining options and hopes of our four lane bowling centre and cocktail bar coming back on stream, we have much to look forward to.

‘It does appear that the Government have started to listen to the needs of hospitality and retail’ We are seeing huge demand for smaller, more affordable properties and so far, less demand for the larger stores. Tesla and Topshop will be tougher gaps to fill but I am confident that we will find exciting replacements in due course if we can now embark on a period of sustained recovery. Key to that recovery are the measures put in place by Rishi in his latest Budget so let’s take a look at that. It does appear that the Government have started to listen to the needs of hospitality and retail businesses, as such initial feedback on the latest budget is largely positive. The calls for much needed extensions to current

Retail Therapy By Tony Elvin president of Solihull Chamber and general manager of Touchwood

schemes and additional grants have been heeded but with so many otherwise viable businesses lost already over the past 12 months, this remains a perilous time for those still hanging on. The new grants are welcome but do not go far enough. With up to £18,000 available, Rishi’s stated assumption of average rents sitting between £14,000 and £20,000 per annum is naive. Average rents are actually double this and far higher still in city centres and shopping centres. With many businesses carrying significant debt it is hard to think

that more will not be needed later this year, especially with the timebomb of the rent moratorium coming to an end. It is fantastic to see business rates waived for the recovery period and reduced for the rest of the year, along with the five per cent VAT rate but there remains a need for an overhaul of the business rates system. Finally, the extension of furlough until September is vital in preventing further widespread redundancies. Commentators are questioning why furlough has been extended so far when the exit plan says life should be a lot more ‘normal’ by 21 June. But the extension of the furlough scheme, especially the evolved flexible scheme we have in place now, makes it viable for many businesses to steadily reopen, initially trading the most profitable days of the week and building back to a fully trading business model. This is a positive move by the Government but they must remain on standby to support further if required. Here’s to new beginnings and a better year for all of us.

Thousands of chain stores disappear – report Almost 10,000 chain stores disappeared from Britain’s retail landscape in 2020, according to a new report by PwC. In total, 7,655 shops opened, compared to 17,532 closures, a net decline of 9,877. In the West Midlands, 600 shops opened and 1,468 closed, a net decline of 868 – and all of this is before the effects of coronavirus have been felt. PwC said that although a decline was to be expected in a pandemic, the new figures were the worst ever seen since 2015, with an average of 48 chain stores closing every day, and only 21 opening. PwC said that the real impact of the pandemic was yet to be felt, as some stores ‘temporarily closed’ during lockdowns, and were unlikely to return, such as confectioner Thorntons. Retail parks have seen the smallest number of net closures of any location (93) in the West Midlands, compared to shopping centres (285) and, faring worst of all, high streets (487).

Meanwhile, the drop off in highstreet footfall has affected those multiple retailers located on high streets, particularly those in large city centres. Small towns, which have long been in decline at the expense of more populous areas and cities, are now also enjoying a minirenaissance. Consumers now want to shop in these locations, and larger retailers want to be there. Sarah Phillips (pictured), Midlands consumer markets lead at PwC, said: “Location is more important than ever as we see a reversal of historical trends. For years, multiple operators have opened more sites in West Midlands cities and closed units in smaller towns. “As consumer behaviours and location preferences change, partly as a result of Covid-19, retailers are moving to be where they need to be. Small towns will remain important but we can expect recovery in cities as workers and tourists return, albeit in smaller numbers adopting more flexible working models.” April 2021 CHAMBERLINK 59

3. Chamberlink April 2021 51-72.qxp_Chamberlink 31/03/2021 09:39 Page 60

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