North West Business Awards

The FinTrU team after winning NW Large Business of the Year

Return of the North West Business Awards!

After two long years off due to the pandemic, the North West Business Awards returned for its 20th year in June! Celebrating the best in business throughout the Derry and Strabane Council area, the Awards took place at the City Hotel on Friday 17th June.

The North West Business Awards returned for their 20th year in 2022 Find Insurance’s Colin Mullan with Ceara Ferguson (CCI), Peter McVerry (U105), and Anna Doherty (Londonderry Chamber)

Chamber President Aidan O’Kane addresses the North West Business Awards

It was an evening celebrating the strength and innovation in the North West with lots of surprises and recognition for local businesses. The awards were sponsored by Derry City and Strabane District Council and invited nominations from businesses and entrepreneurs operating within the council area.

The award organisers, City Centre Initiative (CCI) and Londonderry Chamber of Commerce thanked everyone who nominated, supported, and attended the event this year and said it was an evening of celebration, respect, and appreciation for some of the most industrious businesses and entrepreneurs within the region. The big winner of the evening in the Business/Entrepreneur of the Year category was Little Acorns Bookstore. Founded in 2010 by Jenni Doherty, Little Acorns Bookstore was borne of a market stall of 100 books. From humble beginnings, the bookstore on Foyle Street now boasts a stock of over 45,000 books and has a strong online presence. During the ceremony, a message was read from Derry Girls writer Lisa McGee, explaining why the bookstore deserved the prestigious title.

“In our industry, reading books is not only our love and joy but also crucial to us as film and tv makers. Creative writers inspire each other and drive our imagination”, Lisa wrote. “Most

successful films come from books and the existence of independent book stores, keep literature alive and are cornerstones for communities.

“Personally, I am delighted that this business is receiving the accolade it deserves. Not only for the business itself but for others working within the arts, this gives recognition to them all, that they can be a vital piece to our economy and tourism. Congratulating the winners, Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Councillor Sandra Duffy, said, “I want to extend my congratulations to all who were shortlisted for the North West Business Awards and all who picked up accolades this evening. These businesses are playing a hugely important role in driving the local economy and adding to the diversity of exciting products and services available here in the North West. They are an inspiration to anyone setting out in the business world. This is an exciting time for Derry and Strabane, with our City Deal plans afoot and the opportunities this will bring for both local business and those who choose to invest in our skilled and talented people.” Jim Roddy, Chief Executive of CCI, speaking on behalf of the organisers added, “I would like to extend my sincere thanks to our main sponsor, Derry City and Strabane District Council and our category sponsors for supporting local business and their achievements, without them we would not be able to host these awards.

“Selecting winners from the nominations we receive is always very difficult and our panel of judges worked rigorously through the nominations to select very worthy winners for these awards. Not only our winners, but those shortlisted should be very proud to represent the best of the North West this year. To those who didn’t make the shortlist, we encourage you to keep applying, 2023 could be the year for you all!”

The White Horse Hotel picked up two awards, NW Restaurant of the Year and NW Hotel of the Year

Jenni Doherty from Little Acorns Bookstore, winner of the Overall NW Nominees of the Young Business Person of the Business/Entrepreneur of Year Year with winner, Ben Sayers (Bearney Nurseries) Mayor of Derry and Strabane Cllr Sandra Duffy addresses the North West Business Awards Contribution to the NW Economy winner Brian O’Neill (Enterprise NW) with Anna Doherty (Londonderry Chamber) and Brenda Morgan (CoDA)

The 2022 North West Business Award Winners Young Business Person of the Year – Ben Sayers, Bearney Nurseries NW Pub of The Year – The Grand Central Bar NW Restaurant of the Year – Best Western Plus White Horse Hotel NW Retailer of the Year Award – Ferry Clever NW Hotel of the Year – Best Western Plus White Horse Hotel NW Creative Industries Business of the Year – In Your Space Circus Award for Contribution to the NW Economy – Enterprise North West Visit Derry Ambassadors Award – IASP Ambassadors: Siobhan O’Neill, Rory O’Connor

and Barry McGale

NW Excellence in Innovation Award – JACE Medical NW Green Business of the Year – Ethical Weigh Best Use of Marketing, Digital or Social Media – Ferry Clever NW Food Hero – Hidden City Café NW Business Hero – John Harkin, Alchemy Technology Services NW Small Business of the Year – Find Insurance NI NW Large Business of The Year - FinTrU Overall NW Business or Entrepreneur of Year – Little Acorns Bookstore

World leaders in accessible election equipment

Our people, our customers and suppliers

Located in Springtown Industrial Estate since August 1981, the company employs just under 20 full time local people, many who have worked for the company for the majority of their working lives. We are specialists in the elections industry and continually endeavour to make political elections accessible for every citizen. We do business with every UK and Irish Returning Officer and have distributors in the USA and Europe. We enjoy a reputation for innovation and reliable problem solving. Our accessible election equipment is regarded as best in class with a dominant presence across all our markets.

We maintain strong working relationships with our key supply chain partners in the UK and Ireland with relationships of mutual dependence that started in the 1980s and continue to grow and prosper. Our Innovation Group

In 2007, Managing Director Patrick McGonagle developed an innovation group of specialists to assist the company with our research and development activities. The disciplines included are general engineering, product design, graphic design, digital animation, and substantial manufacturing process experience and expertise. But the available expertise is not limited to engineering. Business and financial expertise are constantly there to support the board of the company on matters of planning investment and strategy. Our Derry Operation

Our Springtown factory is a world class facility with a sophisticated CNC machining centre providing high quality precision engineering on the hundreds of thousands of metal components that we produce annually. Our specialist RimMix polyurethane injection plant enables us to take comparatively light weight plastic blow moulded components and convert them into high stress and load bearing structures for our MXB Kiosk Range which is offered exclusively by our US Distributor.

Our Distributors

Our exclusive US distributor since 2012 is based in Evanston, Illinois, and as a result of their expertise in the US market, our products are being used in some 1400 counties across all 50 states and three US National Territories.

Our European Distributor is based in Roche La Moliere in the RhoneAlps region of Southern France. We have teamed with them in recent years to take full advantage of the significant benefits of our being in the European Union for goods. Our cargos ship effortlessly from Dublin to Cherbourg with a minimum of red tape, using our white glove courier service where the driver who loads in Derry delivers in France.

Our External Resources

Pakflatt (UK) Ltd has contractual arrangements with several external resources who manufacture some of our patented products under license and provide service to our customers. We have a plant in Hampshire that has historically manufactured our specialist Tactile Voting Devices since 2001.

We have cardboard engineering partners in Yorkshire who manufacture and distribute a range of our products directly to our UK and international customer base. We have a service facility in StratfordUpon-Avon that provides contracted repair and parts replacement services to our UK customer base.

Our Intellectual Property Assets

Pakflatt has multiple Patents in Ireland, the UK, European Union and the United States, granting the company the right to exclude others from making, using, offering for sale, or importing without our authority any of our protected products. These rights can remain in force for up to 20 years from the date of publication. Pakflatt also has multiple Trademarks which are awarded when a mark is deemed to have acquired distinctiveness. Trademark rights can remain in force for the life of the mark, providing it remains commercially active. The United States has two Trademark Registers, the Supplemental & Principal. The much sought after Principal Register has a high bar to entry, being limited to marks with no less than five years continuous use in commerce.

Furthermore, the five year anniversary of a Principal Registration makes it eligible for “incontestability” status. A US Principal Registration is widely regarded as a lifetime achievement. The Pakflatt company has four Principal registrations, two of which have already been accorded incontestability status with another two pending and expected to go to grant later in 2022. constant innovation

The new Elections Act 2022 is now in force, having received Royal Assent on 28 April 2022. This new law mandates assistance in voting for persons with disabilities. The ‘Relevant Persons’ identified in the Act are citizens with visual and cognitive disabilities. Our R&D team is already preparing for the launch later this year of the “McGonagle® Reader’, a new and exciting patented invention that on polling day will enable these previously excluded groups to vote independently and in secret like every other citizen.

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BALANCE

CLARITY

DIRECTION The Power of Reflection: Giving yourself time to think.

Helen McDonnell, Principal Coach, IndigoLife Coaching

Ever sit down to do a piece of work, only to frustrate yourself, get distracted, and achieve little? If that sounds familiar, you are not alone. Far from it. In this modern world, the constant pressure, stress, and disruption can easily leave our thinking spaces in unhealthy, unproductive states. And while we go through the motions of our roles every day expecting things to change, they rarely do. There’s a quote for everything, and Nancy Kline once said, ‘The quality of everything we do depends on the quality of the thinking we do first.’ Each day you might be hit with KPIs, sales targets, and so on. While the emphasis is often on productivity, we tend to measure effectiveness by what is done, not how we did it and our thought process behind it. You may wonder, well, why is that important? I got it done, didn’t I?

For many of the world’s top-performing Executives, just getting it done doesn’t cut it. Instead, they take the time to think, understand, and focus on the task at hand. And that doesn’t mean holding endless meetings. It means giving yourself that reflective thinking space. It means taking ten minutes to yourself during your day to calm your mind. It means empowering yourself and getting the best out of your career. Executive coaching is a simple but effective tool that can transform how you go about your day. But don’t take my word for it. I recently asked clients for their feedback on their experience with me on the course, with one saying, “Meeting with Helen enables me to have a sounding board to work through my business, helping me focus on being the leader my company deserves. Helen brings a certain perspective to everyday life that we often forget.” With space to think and talk freely, these sessions offer the confidential, reflective thinking space that many of us overlook in our professional lives. As things settle down post-pandemic, maybe now is the time you put your best foot forward and ‘think again’ about your daily routine. Contact me for a free no obligation conversation to explore whether coaching is something that could support you in your development. You can email me at helen@ indigolifecoaching.com or call me on 07719302988.

Translink on the road to a better ‘CONNECTED’ North West

High quality public transport is essential for the economic, environmental, and social wellbeing of everyone in our community. Translink, led by Group Chief Executive Chris Conway, is committed to the ongoing transformation of the public transport network across Northern Ireland, including in the North West region. In keeping with its commitment to achieving a net-zero public transport network by 2040, Translink is looking forward to the introduction of its fleet of battery-electric vehicles, both single and double-deck, on its Foyle Metro routes in 2023. The company is delivering its first fully battery electric city bus fleet anywhere in the UK or Ireland, requiring a substantial investment in its infrastructure. To that end, it will be undertaking the installation of electrical charging points at Pennyburn depot in the city to facilitate this shift.

The reliability and improvement of the vital inter-city rail corridor is a priority for Translink, and it is working with the Department for Infrastructure to enhance the track and signalling infrastructure between Derry~Londonderry and Belfast, which has the potential to improve frequency and journey times. The company also await the publication of the findings of the All-Island Strategic Rail Review, with potential impacts on greater all-island connectivity and expansion of the network, including to the benefit of the North West.

The North West Transport Hub itself, in operation since 2019, continues to inspire as a source of civic pride. The Hub has won prestigious awards at all levels, including the National Rail Heritage Award for Best Overall Entry, an EU REGIOSTARS award for Best Regional Project, and Sustainability, Design and Conservation awards from the Royal Society of Ulster Architects.

The project, supported by the EU’s INTERREG VA fund and the Department for Infrastructure, has restored a much-loved 19th Century listed building and linked it to active and sustainable travel across the region. Working with Sustrans and North West Greenways Network, Translink has also facilitated an Active Travel Centre at the Hub, which will see the delivery of a range of walking and cycling projects focused on the site, helping to deliver sustainable transport options at all levels. In the years ahead, Translink’s focus right across its network will be on the role of public transport as an individual’s first choice for travel, today for tomorrow. Translink Group Chief Executive, Chris Conway, said, “The pandemic has made us realise what is important in our lives, as well as shining a spotlight on issues around climate and air quality. Climate change remains the biggest threat we all face, and air pollution is a clear risk to personal health. Public transport will be vital to combat climate change, decarbonise our cities and towns and drive the change towards a healthier, more active, and better quality of life for future generations.” “As our society rebuilds after the pandemic, public transport in the North West and beyond faces challenges. But they are challenges Translink is well placed to meet”, he explains. Its ambition is a better connected future for everyone, and in the years ahead, will seek to make Northern Ireland and the North West a leading location for sustainable transport. For more information, visit: www.translink.co.uk.

The North West Transport Hub has won a series of awards for its innovative design

A fleet of battery-electric vehicles will be introduced to the Foyle Metro routes next year

White Horse Hotel – Natural choice for local businesses

With first-class conferencing facilities for up to 600 guests, the White Horse Hotel has established an excellent reputation for hosting events of all sizes. Our venue has welcomed political dignitaries, TV celebrities, and sporting legends, but we take care to ensure every function - whether it’s a small boardroom meeting or a huge gala dinner - receives the VIP treatment.

We pride ourselves on our professionalism and staff training. Our friendly team can work with your unique requirements and budget, and assist with seating layouts, free high speed WIFI, audio visual equipment, administrative and technical support. Our award-winning restaurant is also at your service to create bespoke menu plans and everything from homemade scones and classic light lunches to hearty hog roasts and oneof-a-kind banquets. With decades of experience staging conferences and special occasions, the White Horse Hotel can provide expertise each step of the way to help make your event a success.

Location Our convenient location is just 1015 minutes’ drive from the historic walled city of Derry-Londonderry, where the Wild Atlantic Way meets the Causeway Coast. We are easily accessible by road from Belfast and Dublin, with many free car parking spaces, and plenty of room for coaches.

We are also the nearest hotel to the City of Derry Airport, just three miles away. Belfast International Airport can be reached in 80 minutes, and George Best Belfast City Airport in just 90 minutes. Conference and event facilities Our flexible range of conference spaces includes two large suites (and one of the biggest hotel suites in Derry-Londonderry) with capacity for hundreds of delegates, a smaller suite for up to 30 delegates, and an intimate boardroom for meetings of up to 20 people. With capacity for up to 600 guests, plus its own private bar, reception area, and toilet facilities, our Willsboro Suite is ideal for large conferences, exhibitions, banquets, and fashion shows.

The hotel has a variety of AV presentation equipment to help your event run smoothly, such as roving microphones and podium microphones, screens, projectors, recording and live streaming capabilities. Staging is also available, and extra equipment can be hired in at additional cost. High speed, complimentary WIFI is also available throughout the hotel with our own dedicated line.

For more information or to make a booking, visit whitehorsehotel.biz

business advice Lorraine O’Malley

Adviser, Cross Border Partnership for Employment Services

Sean McDermott

Owner, LoughTec

HOW SECURE IS YOUR COMPANY NETWORK?

Cybercrime - the new certainty to sit alongside death and taxation. The sooner we accept that its threat is ever-present and not a one-off, the better for everyone. More often than not, the security breaches reported in the media tend to focus on the large multinational corporations which might in some way suggest that they are the most vulnerable to attack. The truth, however, is that your business is just as likely to be subjected to a cyberattack. Truth is, as you read this article, your company network may already be breached and you won’t even know. Scare tactics? Unfortunately not some businesses we have dealt with would bear testimony to that, if they were ever willing to talk about the problems they have encountered openly. According to UK Government figures published in March 2022, almost 40% of UK businesses identified that their business had suffered an attack. Decisionmakers at SMEs, enterprise-scale organisations, and public sector bodies should now be asking different questions at board meetings. Instead of “Do we have a problem?”, the question must now become “How quickly can we find the problem?” Our advice to any business owner is to consider that your business is already under attack or has already been hacked and start from there. There will be no big bang - not even a sniff of a warning. In fact, some of the threats might only make themselves known weeks or months after they have accessed your company network via an email, unauthorised download, open port, or corrupt USB stick. It’s time to start asking some tough questions. Consider the impact that a data breach would have on your business. The average ransoms this year, so far, increased 89% from £6,733 to £12,762. The average number of days to address an attack has risen from 6.2 to 7.3 days. Downtime has risen 47%, resulting in an average downtime cost of £64,645. How would seven days of network downtime impact the productivity of your sales team, your production facility, accounts at month-end, or your overall customer service? What if seven days of downtime was the best-case scenario for your business? Always expect to be targeted. Understand that your company network is already open to attack and just because you can’t see the threat, doesn’t mean it isn’t there. Start asking the right questions about your business and don’t be afraid of the answers - fear will come from doing nothing.

ALL CHANGE FOR THE EURES CROSS BORDER PARTNERSHIP

After almost 25 years in existence, the EURES Cross border Partnership Ireland – Northern Ireland will cease to exist. The partnership had been a member of the European Employment Services family and is one of around ten partnerships across the EU, made up of representatives from government bodies, chambers of commerce, trade unions, and employer organisations from both sides of the border.

The EURES Cross Border Partnership has always supported cross border workers, jobseekers, and employers from both sides of the border. Funded and backed by the European Commission, it has provided a network of advisers to help workers with their queries, jobseekers to find jobs, and employers to widen their net in their search for workers.

The Partnership has supported and facilitated the free movement of workers and jobseekers. However, when the UK exited the EU, funding to support the programme from EURES ceased on 31 December 2021.

The good news, however, is that the Cross Border Partnership will continue to operate, under the new name of the Cross Border Partnership for Employment Services (CBPES). Funding will be provided from the Department of Social Protection (Ireland) and the Department for Communities (Northern Ireland). With the partners remaining the same, the adviser network will continue to be as strong and vibrant as it has in the past and will continue to offer similar services to the cross-border worker, jobseeker, and employer, as it has done for over 20 years. The value of the Cross Border Partnership cannot be underestimated, and it will continue to offer support to employers, workers, and jobseekers in the North West region, as well as across the whole border area.

More details to follow in the coming weeks but keep an eye on our website and social media for further updates.

Selina Horshi

Managing Director, White Horse Hotel

LESSONS FROM THE PANDEMIC

Speaking at a recent Ulster Bank webinar, I reflected on what I had learned about doing business through a pandemic. From the point of view of hospitality, we were certainly hard hit. We had to adapt to operate and enhance to survive. By looking at what we learned I hope I can take some lessons into 2022/ 2023 as we face the uncertainties of inflation, workforce shortages, and war. Inspiration from afar When Covid-19 was first breaking out across the UK and Ireland, it had already established itself in other countries especially across Asia. Simultaneously, TikTok was starting to become popular here, but was already strongly used in Asia. By looking at TikTok videos on how hospitality was operating in other countries, we could see what might be coming and cherry pick strong ideas to help our business survive. We also extended our outdoor offering by adding an uncovered beer garden. We were seeing many images of Nordic countries offering this - and if they can brave their weather we were confident that in living with Covid, we would brave ours.

Ideas from other Industries Hospitality was closed at the start of the pandemic, but other industries were open and finding solutions to problems that we hadn’t even considered yet. I remember listening to a Chamber webinar where George Fleming was talking about how he had identified his clocking in station as a multi touchpoint surface and came up with the solution of giving each team member a stylus to use to clock in instead of using their hands. In a hotel we have multiple tills and screens with touch screen surfaces – a different industry facing the same risks. We took Fleming Agri’s idea and made it work for us, issuing each team member and each hotel guest with a pen that had a biro at one end and a stylus at the other. Your team will have Ideas that never occurred to you The feeling of fear at the start of the pandemic was intense. We didn’t know if our families would survive, never mind our businesses. That panic can be very isolating. You want to protect your team, you want to keep them and support them, but you simply don’t know if it will remain in your power to do so. At some stages of the pandemic, hotels were able to stay open to essential business travelers only. If the decision was made on a spreadsheet, the White Horse would have remained closed. Our Accounts Director pointed out the human cost of being closed. By being even partially open, we maintained the sense of being a team, we kept our staff up to date on Covid-19 protocols, and maintained training.

Michael Rutherford

Partner, TOAST Accountants

WHAT IS CLOUD ACCOUNTING ALL ABOUT?

You’ve probably heard the term ‘cloud accounting’ but what does it mean? And, more importantly, why does it benefit your business? Whilst I have seen quite a range of descriptions, in simple terms, it is accounting software hosted on the internet.

In some ways it changes nothing but changes everything if that makes sense. The power really comes from one word ‘integration’. Once you can integrate with other services, such as banking or payment services, you really start to see the benefits. Here are some of the benefits of a cloud-based approach: Automation – Do you ever perform the same task each month and think “there has to be a better way”? Well, there is. Keeping track of your finances can be quite repetitive but this is where automation can help. You can set up rules, so when an event happens you can tell the software what should happen next, whether that’s raising an invoice, chasing a payment, or marking an invoice as paid. Integration - This is where the magic happens. You can connect everything from your bank account, online payments, stock management, CRM, project management, even crop and livestock management and everything in between. No more duplication of information - your systems all talk to each other.

Instant Access – You can see all sales, spending, reports, and more, instantly, from anywhere. This is invaluable in terms of planning and identifying problems. Get Paid Faster – You can send invoices on the go or set them up to be sent on the same date every month so you never forget to invoice. You can also easily provide direct debit or online payments with a few simple steps. The system will automatically remind your clients they have an amount outstanding so avoids any awkward conversations as well.

Accuracy – Because you are not having to duplicate information and it is coming from the original source, your information is significantly more accurate.

Eco Friendly – The days of duplicating invoices and printing all payment receipts will be a thing of the past. With everything possible online, it makes it faster, better for the environment, and, ultimately, better for your business.

Down Memory Lane

Paul McElvaney Executive Chair, Learning Pool

What age are you? I am 45 years old. Where in the city are you from? I grew up in Monaghan and moved to Derry in 2003 as an experiment. 19 years later we’re still here, so, I guess it worked! Explain what your business does Learning Pool empowers workplaces to deliver extraordinary learning outcomes with our suite of innovative technologies. We support more than 1,400 businesses globally to invest in learning experiences that drive essential compliance programmes, onboard new employees, and develop the next generation of leaders.

What is your title and how long have you been in post? Today, my job title is Executive Chairman, but I prefer to think of myself as Founder. I was part of the team that started Learning Pool way back in 2006 and I’ve been here every step of the way since. In that time my role has changed dramatically but I think it’s safe to say I’ve done most of the jobs in the business (badly you might say) at one point or another. These days, I help the team deliver our ambitious growth plan. It’s been a little over a year since I began my current role after Ben Betts stepped into the CEO seat and took over the dayto-day management of the business. Tell me how your business began We set the business up at my kitchen table around an idea of using online learning to deliver value to some customers that we knew from some consulting work that we were doing. We started by knocking on local authority doors across mainland UK and eventually some people started buying from us. Learning Pool was offering something different – instead of paying fees upfront, organisations would pay an annual fee which reduced their commitment and made our technology and content affordable. It’s been a very personal journey for me to grow the business to where it is now. These days I work hard to sustain the unique culture we’ve built Learning Pool around while continuing to build great relationships with clients. What was the city like outside your windows in that era? How has it changed? Derry in 2006 was a very different place to what it is now. I remember bringing my Chief Operating Officer to Derry from the UK around that time and she showed up to work drenched because she couldn’t get a taxi to the office. These days she and I often reflect on how lively, dynamic, and enthusiastic Derry has become since that time. We love bringing people from our global teams together in Derry and they always have a great time. Derry is home for the Learning Pool team regardless of where they are from and the people, the restaurants, bars, and attractions make it easy for us to sustain that. Of course, that, in the end, comes down to the people who go out of their way to welcome visitors from the Learning Pool team. Has the ethos of the business changed over the years? Growing up as a business in Derry we learned quickly that we’d need to hire talent rather than experience. Our first round of hires were young people, mainly from the local area who’d got buckets of energy but hadn’t built a business before. Most of those people are still with us and performing key roles in our success. I think that set the tone for us as a business to look after our team and each other and to always build for future growth. These days we bring a mix of experience and energy into the team. We expect to hire 100 people in the next 12 months and the values of the company are what we use to make the right hiring decisions. I like to think that although Learning Pool has changed dramatically, especially in recent years, the company is still recognisable for what was good when we were finding our feet. What’s the best bit of business advice you have been given over the years? I’ve benefited from loads of great advice over the years so its hard to call out one example. Something that does stand out though is that when you’re growing a business, especially these days, it can seem difficult to prioritise the important things. I see a lot of founders getting dragged into things like networking in their industry. But the best piece of advice I received was to stick to the only two things that truly matter - your team and your customers. Nothing else matters, particularly when you’re at the early stage of your business journey.

Bank of Ireland hosts ‘meet the team’ event to showcase newly modernised Culmore Road branch

Eighrean Horner, Culmore Road branch manager, and her team recently welcomed customers and local community organisations from across the city to take a tour of the newly modernised branch followed by a reception. Culmore Road was refurbished and modernised at the end of 2021 and the new look branch is now spread across two floors, creating space for two new private customer consultation rooms.

Other new features include an express banking area with three lodgement ATMs, online booths offering customers access to phone/internet banking, and a light and bright cashier area and digital screens for customer and community messages. Customer Wi-Fi has now been rolled out across all Northern Ireland branches meaning that customers and colleagues can use the facility in the main banking hall. “Overall we’ve got such a sense of pride in our modern and bright branch and really appreciate the investment the Bank is making”, says Eighrean. “We’ve always had great people, and now we have a great branch to match!” “Customers are so impressed when they enter the branch, and for those who still find themselves shopping in town, we make sure we explain what they can do at the Post Office, which may be easier and more convenient for them.”

This year Bank of Ireland will continue with its investment in the branch network in Northern Ireland with £2.2M committed to continuing the modernisation at pace.

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

ENGAGE

Directly with current and potential customers, stakeholders and key influencers

ENHANCE

Your profile and deliver some of your key messages to a captive business audience

INFLUENCE

Government policy whilst networking with key influencers and business leaders

appointments

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Londonderry chamber

1. Carolann Doherty

Carolann was appointed Member Relations and Business Development Executive in April 2022. Carolann has worked in the financial industry for 19 years, holding numerous posts including Operations Manager and Business Development Officer. Carolann is passionate about Derry and wants to see the North West thrive. She is very people orientated and will assist Chamber members with any queries they may have.

2. Elisha Kealey

Elisha Kealey is the Accounts Administrator for Londonderry Chamber of Commerce and started this role in April 2022. She has ten years’ experience working in an accounts department within a small number of companies since graduating from University with a Psychology degree. Elisha is responsible for documenting and reconciling the accounts and processing payments from members and to providers.

3. Wendy McDermott

Wendy is the Marketing and Events Coordinator at the Chamber where she oversees coordinating Chamber events and marketing, developing marketing and sales collateral, and interacting with members to offer advice and support as needed.

Dedicated to making an impact, she aims to improve engagement and strengthen the Chamber’s digital presence. Wendy gained experience in marketing and events while employed as the Digital Communications and Events Assistant at Seagate Technologies, where she was also a member of the Smart Nano NI consortium.

Wendy is a proud alumnus of Ulster University where she/he earned a degree in Business and Marketing. She was also recognized with The Department of Global Business and Enterprise Aspiring Marketing Graduate Award and EDGE Award.

ChallengeCurve

4. Cathy Harron

Cathy Harron has recently been appointed as the Office Manager at ChallengeCurve’s new home in the AMP Incubator, Ebrington Square. Cathy has an extensive 20 years of administrative experience, working across a diverse range of industries in NI, GB, and abroad. Until recently Cathy was one of the many exiles working in Australia and New Zealand. However, after having spent four years abroad, she has now decided to return home to the city. Qualified in Business Administration and IT, Cathy is responsible for several functions in the company, but her main responsibility is to assist staff and customers for seamless business operations. ChallengeCurve wanted to appoint someone with a strong work ethic, who could take on a broad range of activities and build good working relationships. Equally, Cathy was open to a role that was varied, rewarding, and offered her real potential for growth.

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5. Gerard Ryan

ChallengeCurve have appointed Gerard Ryan as Sales and Marketing Consultant. Coming from a project management, social media, and marketing background across a vast range of industries internationally, Gerard will be committed to growing the ChallengeCurve brand and helping bring in new business partnerships. Gerard will be key to getting the ChallengeCurve message out there!

6. Cheneen McLaughlin

ChallengeCurve have appointed Cheneen McLaughlin as a Test Consultant at their city location. Cheneen joins the ChallengeCurve team with over thirteen years of leadership experience across the retail and logistics sectors. Having previously worked with Primark Stores Ltd as part of their store management team across four markets including the U.K, U.S, the Netherlands, and Belgium, and with Amazon Logistics UK in an Area Manager for Delivery Operations role at their hubs in Belfast and Portadown.

Cheneen studied at Ulster University and attended the Magee campus here in Derry where she received a BSc in Business and Accounting. Her first project with ChallengeCurve will be within the Financial Crime & Enhanced Due Diligence squad for our banking client.

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NWRC

7. Helen McGonigal

Helen McGonigal has been appointed Skills Development Officer (Training Support) at North West Regional College. Helen previously worked within the college as a lecturer and Senior Learning Support Officer at Learning Link. In her new role, Helen is responsible for coordinating Higher Level Apprenticeships (HLAs), liaising with local employers to create apprenticeship opportunities for new roles, and bridging skills gaps in existing employees. You can contact Helen on

helen.mcgonigal@nwrc.ac.uk

Workplus

8. Lucy Marshall

Lucy Marshall has joined Workplus as Community Manager. Workplus makes it easier for employers to find apprentices, by providing a single place for applicants to apply, as well as offering a simple, thorough selection process for employers. Lucy will be working alongside Workplus’ member companies as well as growing the apprentice community in Northern Ireland. She will also be working with Workplus partners including schools, colleges, and government organisations to promote Workplus in a wider context and grow the apprenticeship culture. Workplus’ latest campaign had over 120 apprenticeship opportunities, which received hundreds of applications. Its next campaign runs in August. For further information or to find out about how to become a Workplus member, visit

www.workplus.app

HURT

9. Leanne Doherty

Leanne Doherty, Business Development and Social Enterprise Manager, for the Charity HURT started her role in December 2021.

This is a new role for HURT as well as Leanne and she is very much making it her own. With a clear strategy in which sustainability for the charity is key, Leanne has been developing corporate training campaigns, more strategic charity partnerships, and engaging business on lots of exciting projects. Her previous role as Business Development Manager, within the education and skills agenda for Ireland with Makematic and 12 years with Business in the Community as NI Employability Manager, prioritised purpose driven business and developing innovative partnerships with stakeholders is high on Leanne’s agenda. Leanne was also an account manager supporting companies through developing their corporate social responsibility plans and showcasing responsible business at its best.

Leanne is extremely passionate about this agenda, as seeing first-hand the difference it can make in communities. Engaging businesses to create positive outcomes is core to Leanne’s ethos and likes to identify new opportunities to engage.

JC Halliday & Sons

10. Shelley Brolly

Shelley joined the team at JC Halliday & Sons in December 2021 as Finance Officer. Shelley joins the team with a wealth of over 20 years’ experience in accounting practice throughout a range of organisational sectors, is also a graduate of Ulster University with a BSc Hons In Business & Finance, a fully qualified Accounting Technician and is currently completing her ACCA, which she is due to complete in 2023.

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McCay Solicitors

11. Andrea McGill

Andrea joined the firm in March 2022 and is an Associate Solicitor within our Private Client department specialising in wills and probate and property matters. Andrea graduated from Queen’s University Belfast with a degree in Law in 2014 and graduated from the Graduate School of Professional Legal Education at Ulster University with First Class Honours in 2016 and was thereafter admitted to the Roll of Solicitors in Northern Ireland.

Andrea previously practiced at a regional law firm in the North West following qualification. Andrea specialises in the drafting of Wills, the Administration of Estates, the execution of Power of Attorney and Enduring Power of Attorney Instruments, preparation and exercise of Controllership applications and all areas of contentious and non-contentious Probate matters. If you would like to arrange a consultation with Andrea please give us a call on 02871 371705 or email andrea@mccaysolicitors.co.uk.

Catalyst

12. Adrian Johnston

The former director of Digital Catapult in Northern Ireland has joined Catalyst as Director of Strategic Business Development, a new role created to help Catalyst develop and strengthen strategic partnerships across industry, academia, and government. Adrian has 20 years of industrial experience in advanced semiconductor manufacturing with a focus on collaborative research, technology innovation, automation and AI.