Business Western Daily Press 19 September 2013

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How the influence of the Bristol Pound is spreading west Page 4

Turbulence at the top of airline Flybe BY GORDON RICHARDSON wdbusiness@b-nm.co.uk Three long-serving senior managers have left Flybe as new chief executive Saad Hammad continues to reshape the business. Andrew Strong, managing director of Flybe UK, Mike Rutter, managing director of Flybe Outsourcing Solutions, and Mark Chown, director of corporate strategy, left their positions with the Exeterbased airline last week. The three stepped down from the Flybe board at the

Saad Hammad has shaken things up at West airline Flybe

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k to g beginning of August, but had continued to report to Mr Hammad in their existing roles. Their departures follow a reorganisation of Flybe’s operational structure. Since his arrival last month, Mr Hammad has been conducting a full review of Flybe’s operations. In a statement to the stock exchange, Flybe

said: “While the review is ongoing, it is already apparent that the future direction of the business will be best advanced through a unified and lower cost operational approach. “Consequently, the current divisional structure, comprising Flybe UK and Flybe Outsourcing Solutions, will be disbanded and all operations integrated into a single operating unit. “The board wishes Andrew, Mike and Mark well for the future and also thanks them for their significant contributions at Flybe.” Mr Hammad added: “It has quickly become clear to me that Flybe’s prospects will be significantly enhanced by disbanding the existing divisional structure and integrating all operations into a single, simpler and lower-cost operating unit.” Paul Simmons, who worked alongside Mr Hammad at easyJet, will join Flybe as chief commercial officer with effect from October 28. As part of the newly announced shake-up, Matt Bennett, currently director of internal audit and risk, will, in addition to his current duties, act as director of special projects, while John Palmer, currently director of aircraft maintenance, will become interim director of operations. The trio will report to Mr Hammad and act as members of the operating board. Flybe is reported to be on track to slash its cost base by £40 million during this financial year, while annual savings are expected to rise to £49 million from 2014/15.

Builders claim recovery could be even quicker Housebuilder Redrow has criticised Britain’s planning system as a “bureaucratic mess” that risks causing a housing supply crunch. Chairman Steve Morgan revealed the group had 16,600 plots locked in the planning system that could deliver around 120 new developments, but said only a “minority” were expected to progress in the next year. His warning came as the builder posted a 63 per cent jump in pre-tax profits to £70 million. But Mr Morgan cautioned over the industry’s ability to meet fast-increasing demand

Redrow’s Steve Morgan says red tape is still an issue

South Somerset’s Alice Temperley was one of the West fashion leaders putting the region’s cutting-edge couture companies front and centre during London Fashion Week SEE PAGE 3

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in the face of a “bureaucratic, costly and time-consuming” planning system. “Although we do expect to increase outlets in the current year, the pace of growth is much slower than we would like and the level of planning bureaucracy is an unnecessary barrier.” Meanwhile the property market is continuing to rebound in the West, according to a leading public relations agency that represents a number of property firms. Empica public relations, which has its headquarters in Long Ashton, near Bristol, said its clients are as busy as they have been since 2009. Empica managing director Martin Powell said: “The summer is usually a quiet period for new business but this year it has been noticeable that so many property projects are gearing up for the autumn and that has to be good news for the economy.”

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Family firm wins biggest deal yet at retirement village Page 3

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