Ambition Issue 28 (May/June 2018)

Magazine of Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry

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May/June 2018 Issue 28

Contents NI CHAMBER COMMUNICATIONS PARTNER

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Keeping it in the Family The Henry’s reveal what it’s like working together at their construction company, Henry Brothers, based in Magherafelt.

Editor: Adrienne McGill Publisher: Chris Sherry Advertising Managers: Lorraine Gill & Gerry Waddell Editorial Assistant: Joanne Harkness Email addresses: adrienne.mcgill@northernirelandchamber.com / lorraine.gill@ulsterjournals.com / gerry.waddell@ulstertatler.com Websites: www.northernirelandchamber.com / www.ulstertatler.com Addresses: Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry, 4-5 Donegall Square South, Belfast, BT1 5JA Tel: 028 9024 4113 Publisher: Ulster Tatler Group, 39 Boucher Road, Belfast, BT12 6UT Tel: 028 9066 3311 Printed by: W&G Baird, Antrim Front cover and inside image by: Jamie Trimble Location: Kris Turnbull’s Saphyre Restaurant, Belfast.

NI CHAMBER PATRONS

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At a Glance News: 10 Abacus reaches for the stars 12 Neueda scoops top prize at Digital

DNA Awards 76 Figures fall as frustration builds – QES

Columnists: 14 Jonny Hacking 20 Ian Rainey 24 Carol Malcolmson 28 Mark Haslam 36 Sinead Dillon 58 Maureen O’Reilly 62 Neil McKeown 78 Alan Meban 96 Jim Fitzpatrick

Chamber Chief: 30 Update

Features: 16 Stairway to Seven 18 Volatility in Currency Markets forecast 22 A Good Sport 34 Tanya Talks…

42 My Ambition is to…

64 Word from Brussels 66 Allstate – Building for the Future

as a New Era begins 68 Finding the Right Mix of Funding 72 Top Young Talent

Appointments: 84 New Appointments Line Up Special Section: 43 The Appliance of Science

in Healthcare

10

Lifestyle: 87 Business Class Motoring –

James Stinson 93 On Holiday With…

Paul Terrington 94 Fashion – Spring it on –

Joanne Harkness 95 Dine and Wine – Chris Rees and

Andrea Mola

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66

60 Cover Story

72

87

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editorial

Driving Ambition

The sky’s the limit

W

ith the holiday season on the horizon as spring floats away and the summer beams in (we hope), many of us will be planning our travels to sun soaked destinations. Jetting off may include passing through London’s Heathrow Airport which is set for further expansion including the construction of a third runway.

NI Chamber recently met representatives from Heathrow ahead of a major Business Summit on 20 June at Belfast City Hall at which involvement by Northern Ireland firms in the airport’s expansion will be explored.

Delivering Heathrow’s expansion is a major infrastructure project that will rely on talent from every part of the UK. Belfast is one of a series of Heathrow Business Summits being held across the UK to bring together SMEs with the airport’s procurement team and principal suppliers.

These events connect SMEs to growth opportunities by allowing businesses to network and trade with each other, meet the airport’s supply chain and organise meetings with the Department for International Trade to explore exporting opportunities.

The Business Summits each provide a great platform for SMEs to get a foot in the door and capitalise on the business opportunities available at Heathrow.

The airport is committed to using its position as a national asset for the particular benefit of SMEs around the UK and help them to connect to new opportunities for growth locally, nationally and internationally.

Heathrow spends up to £1.5bn annually with more than 1,400 suppliers from around the UK so there’s plenty of potential

for new deals.

Construction of the third runway will be the UK’s largest privately-funded infrastructure project and SMEs will be critical to delivering the £14bn investment.

By forging connections and winning new business, this is a huge opportunity for Northern Ireland companies to use the airport’s international presence to project their brand and ingenuity globally.

Turning to Ambition’s Special Section, and in this issue we focus on ‘The Appliance of Science in Healthcare’ and the critical contribution of leading firms in Northern Ireland across pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, life and health science, medical devices and technologies in saving lives.

In a series of interviews with CEOs

and senior personnel, we hear how their endeavours, together with global expertise in clinical and health research led by universities and hospitals here, has helped translate the best medical technology into high-quality, cost-effective and marketready solutions.

Then…in Lifestyle, our motoring writer James Stinson puts the pedal down in Audi’s A8 and finds he doesn’t need to – it literally drives itself while Galgorm Resort and Spa’s Head Chef Chris Rees rustles up a delicious starter to get us through the rain and shine of the summer months.

It’s a busy read!

Adrienne McGill Editor Ambition

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DRUMMING TO OUR OWN BEAT

editorial

President’s Perspective

Let’s Export Our Way to Success

R

ecent figures from the Northern Ireland Statistics Research Agency (NISRA) give an insight into the performance of the local economy.

The Agency’s Northern Ireland Composite Economic Index (NICEI), which outlines how the economy has performed in the quarter up to the end of 2017, reveals the region’s total output grew in that period compared to the previous quarter, albeit by less than half of one per cent, but that is mirrored by the other GB regions and cuts across all sectors.

However, when compared with the rest of the UK over the whole of 2017, where growth stands at 1.4%, we actually went backwards, with output down since the start of the year.

Being realistic about it, our economic recovery is at best stagnant.

On a more optimistic note, NISRA has also reported that up to 2016 external sales by Northern Ireland firms are sitting at an all-time high of £24.1bn.

Just over a third of that trade is to markets outside of the UK with the remaining £14bn going to customers in Britain, while £3.4bn of export trade makes its way across the frictionless soft border into the Republic of Ireland. The EU market is currently worth £5.7bn in sales for Northern Ireland.

Given that these figures cover the period right up to the EU referendum, it serves to underline just how important the ‘home’ export market will continue to be for Northern Ireland firms. It is probably natural for local businesses to look for sales to those markets on our doorsteps, be that in the Republic of Ireland or Great Britain.

The same language, same culture, and readily accessible markets geographically all adds to a relatively straightforward means of conducting export business.

We know, of course, that selling beyond the UK market is about to get a lot more complicated, no matter how the ongoing Brexit negotiations eventually conclude.

Both sets of NISRA figures are very valuable in illustrating firstly exactly the shape of our economy (not strong enough), and secondly where the opportunities and challenges lie.

Northern Ireland firms currently sell some volume of goods and services to virtually every single country in the European Union.

That’s the current opportunity. Somewhere in Northern Ireland today a product is being shipped off not only to our biggest EU mainland markets, which are Germany (£569m) and France (£489m), but business is also being

done at a lower level with Romania, Hungary, Finland among others, all ranging in the tens of millions of pounds. Planning for those export sales in a post-Brexit era is the challenge, and one which our businesses must be preparing for at this stage.

As I prepare to step down from the role of NI Chamber President in June and hand over to the new President, the past 12 months – whilst having substantial economic and political challenges – have been a thoroughly

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stimulating experience for me. I leave the post safe in the knowledge that NI Chamber will continue to build on its commitment to boost the local economy.

Ellvena Graham President Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry

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NEWS

Marcon Lands Fit-Out Contract At City of Derry Airport

Lorcan Hegarty, Project Manager, Marcon Fit-Out; Tom Wilson, Accountable Manager, City of Derry Airport; Michael Edwards, ATS Manager, City of Derry Airport; and Andy Priest, Project Manager, Edmond Shipway.

Specialist fit-out firm Marcon has been awarded the interior refurbishment of the City of Derry Airport.

The regional hub will undergo a transformation over a 4-month period which will enhance the airport facilities.

Airport Manager, Charlene Shongo, said: “The airport was extensively damaged following adverse weather and consequential flooding in August 2017.

The effects of the flood in the North West were devastating – the airport and the local village of Eglinton were extensively damaged with flood water. There was over eight inches of water in the main terminal building.” She added: “We are delighted Marcon have been appointed to complete the refurbishment works as part of the flood recovery plan for the airport.”

Marcon will phase the works and liaise

closely with the project team to ensure that the airport is kept fully operational during the project, with minimal disruption to its customers. Airside and landside areas of the airport will be refurbished including the departure lounge, baggage reclaim, car rental zone and staff offices.

Marcon will manufacture all of the joinery in its specialist joinery workshop.

Mark O’Connor, Director, Marcon said: “This project further enhances our credentials in successfully working within live airport environments.”

Andy Priest from Edmond Shipway said as Project Managers and Cost Consultants with experience delivering construction consultancy services for airports throughout the UK, the company was delighted to be working with Marcon on the successful delivery of the refurbishment project.

Abacus Reaches for the Stars Leading recruitment firm, Abacus Professional Recruitment, has invested over £180,000 in the company within the past 12 months in people development programmes, new software systems and the refurbishment of its Belfast City Centre offices. The recent investment has seen the firm appoint 6 new staff and increase sales by more than 20% year on year.

To drive further growth and emphasise its continued commitment to high-quality service, Abacus recently became the first recruitment agency in Northern Ireland to offer complete transparency to its customers via global independent online review platform, Feefo. Generated through voluntary user reviews, Abacus’s star ratings – 4.9/5 in the month of January alone, highlights the confidence the Abacus team have in listening,

advising and assisting its customers.

The local company currently works with more than 70% of the Top 100 companies and all large scale Foreign Direct Investments organisations in Northern Ireland, to place candidates across a range of professional sectors including law, accountancy & finance, information technology, HR and marketing.

Abacus Director, Justin Rush, said: “As we continue to help home-grown businesses and FDI companies grow and attract top employees, we are pleased to be in a position to expand our own team and professional recruitment services in Northern Ireland and across the UK. We are also really excited about our partnership with Feefo; it truly is a powerful tool to showcase the trust that candidates place in us, which subsequently adds to our very strong employer relationships.”

Ewan Lockhart, Abacus’s Senior IT Recruitment Consultant and Roisin Moss, Senior Legal Recruitment Consultant reach for the stars as the leading recruitment firm celebrates significant growth and stand out ratings.

Investing time in London Two hundred business people joined Lagan Valley MP, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson and Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council recently in the Palace of Westminster in London as part of the Council’s most intensive programme of investment activity to date.

Thirty-five Lisburn Castlereagh businesses met with potential customers and investors in a bid to increase trade and to launch new products. Speciality food and drink companies taking part in the Council’s first ever food and drink trade mission to London were also on hand to promote their fine produce to the GB market.

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, an advocate for Lisburn Castlereagh said: “The area has a proven track record as being an industry powerhouse, from being the centre of the world’s linen industry and now home to multinational and fast

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson with the Mayor of Lisburn Castlereagh Councillor Tim Morrow; Chief Executive of Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council, Dr Theresa Donaldson and Chairman of the Council’s Development Committee Alderman Allan Ewart MBE.

growing local businesses and I welcome further investment opportunities throughout the area.”

Chairman of the Council’s Development

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Committee, Alderman Allan Ewart MBE, said the investment event at Westminster was the Council’s biggest to date and was a reflection of its ambition.

Meanwhile, the Mayor, Councillor Tim Morrow, said there were further opportunities for investment in Lisburn Castlereagh.

“There is an air of confidence in our local economy and following on from the INTU announcement recently proposing an investment of £50m into Sprucefield Retail Park, there’s never been a better time to look at Lisburn Castlereagh.”

Summing up the investment programme in London, the Council’s Chief Executive, Dr Theresa Donaldson said: “The Council will work with great vigour in securing investment and getting our area firmly on the map for investment.”

DOES YOUR ORGANISATION

LOVE

A CHALLENGE?

Get your company involved and take on a challenge that will save and support people affected by cancer in Northern Ireland.

Stores across Northern Ireland, local companies supporting a local charity in their local community.

Sign up to the Action Cancer Shops’ Challenge 2018!

For more information on how to get involved email: retail@actioncancer.org or call: 028 9080 3344

Shops’ Challenge 2018

NEWS

Neueda scoops top prize at Digital DNA Awards

St. Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast.

Neueda lifted the Overall Company of the Year title at the Digital DNA Awards held recently in St Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast.

The Belfast firm also took the Best Large Tech Company award at the glittering ceremony hosted by presenter Zoe Salmon and comedian Andrew Ryan and attended by over 400 tech and business people.

The Digital DNA Awards recognise the achievements of the individuals, projects and companies in the Northern Ireland business, technology and IT sectors.

Neueda has been on an impressive growth trajectory over the last few years and counts a raft of blue chip names among its clients.

Meanwhile, Patrick McAliskey from Novosco, a Belfast IT managed service company, took the title of Business Personality of the Year while Aaron Gibson, the founder of mobile app Hurree, was named Young Person of the Year.

Entrepreneur of the Year went to Nuala

Murphy from Moment Health, Startup of the Year to Modius for its Neurovalens device and Developer of the Year to Mark O’Neill from Cayan.

Louise Smyth from principle sponsors MCS Group said: “Right here in Belfast we have local companies winning highly innovative international projects and the DNA awards amplify our strong message that Northern Ireland is building a world class, highly skilled and Agile Talent pool.”

Simon Bailie, Digital DNA’s Commercial Director, said the awards drew a record number of entries and the standard was stronger than ever.

Ellvena Graham, one of the judges, said: “The quality of entrants was so high we had to extend the shortlist from three to six and it was particularly exciting to see smaller companies coming through who have begun to scale up and become big players, adding a breadth of high value jobs to the Northern Irish economy.”

Fast response to environmental emergencies Fast Engineering in Antrim is supplying its patented Fastank containment systems for use in oil spill emergencies in Alaska. The company, an acknowledged global specialist in innovative equipment to protect the environment, is supplying 18 Fastank systems to the remote Alaska Clean Seas (ACS) oil spill emergency response bases across the northern US state.

ACS, headquartered in Anchorage, will use Fastanks in fast response operations against any oil spills from the 800 mile Alyeska pipeline taking crude oil to the marine terminal at Valdez, the most northern port in North America. The pipeline was revitalised last year by the discovery of 1.2 billion barrels of oil on government land in northern Alaska.

Seamus Connolly, founder and Managing Director of Fast Engineering, an SME which has won many prestigious Export Awards, said: “The Exxon Valdez incident established the

CBRE in Top Spot CBRE has once again secured the top spot in Northern Ireland as both letting and managing agents of retail and leisure parks, according to retail and leisure analyst Trevor Wood Associates.

The announcement was made during the launch of the Definitive Guide to Retail & Leisure Parks 2018 at Ten Square Hotel in Belfast.

It is regarded as the benchmark report for all UK-based commercial property agencies and investors. Trevor Wood Associates are the leading independent provider of information on all retail and leisure schemes in the UK. Colin Mathewson, Senior Director, CBRE said: “We are delighted to retain the number one place in Northern Ireland for both lettings

credentials of Fastank as the best available product worldwide for oil spill recovery and containment.

“America now has more untapped oil than any other country on the planet and so provision to protect the environment from oil spills is critical.

Our Fastanks are now regarded worldwide as the best containment option. As a result, Fastanks have been used in every major oil spill emergency.”

Alaska has been a valuable market for Fastank products since 1984. Not just sales to the oil industry but also forest firefighting and aquaculture.

Fast Engineering, established in 1981, has developed a portfolio of highly innovative Fastank clean-up and containment products for oil and hazardous waste in particular. The tanks are highly portable and can be assembled in less than10 minutes without tools.

and management of retail parks. This reflects the breadth of experience and expertise within CBRE in adding significant value to our clients’ retail assets.

“The retail warehouse sector in Northern Ireland continues to perform strongly, with

Colin Mathewson, Senior Director, CBRE; Trevor Wood, Trevor Wood Associates; Liz Williamson, Trevor Wood Associates; and Gerard McCann, Senior Director, CBRE.

12

Fastank in action in Alaska.

Belfast in particular trading well and border locations such as Derry, Newry and Enniskillen all benefitting from the suppression of sterling. We expect this trend to continue throughout 2018.”

Gerard McCann, Senior Director, CBRE added: “CBRE has one of the largest multiskilled property management teams operating in Northern Ireland, which is supported by a global platform bringing industry best practice along with the latest technology, systems and processes to the provision of property management services in Northern Ireland.

“This means that we can offer a suite of services that are unique in Northern Ireland, ensuring that our clients’ needs are fully met.

We are delivering an effective and efficient service that ensures first-rate property and asset management, adding real value to our clients’ portfolios.”

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

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COLUMnIST

Jonny Hacking, Associate, A&L Goodbody

Countdown to GDPR

There is still time to ensure you are compliant.

A

s you are probably well aware by now, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into effect on 25 May 2018. By the time you are reading this you may well have completed your preparations having conducted a data mapping exercise, updated your internal policies and documentation accordingly, satisfied yourself that any outsourced processing you do is done by compliant companies, cleansed your marketing database and ensured you have a team in place who will manage your GDPR compliance going forward.

If, however, you have not yet completed your preparations, rest assured that there is still time to do so. There have been a lot of scare stories in the market around the penalty regime under GDPR and all manner of companies advertising services promising to make your company GDPR compliant.

It is important to remember that there are two key principles behind the legislation: increased transparency and increased accountability. Therefore, before you agree to appoint any consultants, it is important that you fully understand what you actually need to have in place, so that you can determine if you need what is being offered and if it makes you compliant.

GDPR Overview GDPR is essentially designed to give individuals greater control over their personal data by requiring organisations to be transparent on how the collect, store and use data. They are also accountable if they use data otherwise.

In order to be compatible, organisations must understand what data you currently collect and hold, why you hold it, where it is stored, how it is used and who it is shared with.

Transparency & Accountability As a first principle, you need to understand what information you currently provide in your privacy policy. Additionally, check to determine whether you are transparent when you initially collect information – telling customers how long you will keep their data, who it will be shared with and how you keep it secure. Determine as well how clear you are to your employees about how you will use their data and who you will share it with. In many cases it will be a matter of amending what you already have in place and expanding on it to meet the new transparency requirements.

The new regulations require this, and if you do not comply then ‘accountability’ will come into play where a data subject has issues with your processing of their data.

Data Audit The first step is to carry out a data audit to understand how personal data is currently used by your organisation and who has access to it. Remember that personal data is any information from which you can identify a living individual, so you will be processing a large amount of it in your business already.

Outsourced Processing If you have outsourced any processing to a third party, such as data storage, payroll or IT, then you will be expected to have ensured that the third party who you are sharing personal data with is also GDPR compliant. If they are not, then you should consider whether you wish to continue using them.

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Marketing Going forward, ensuring that your marketing is compliant is one of the biggest challenges under the GDPR. You must review your existing databases to understand the legal basis you are currently relying on for marketing purposes. For example, do you rely on the individual’s consent or perhaps your legitimate business interest? You must ensure that you are transparent about this and that you have provided sufficient information when the contact details were first collected. If consent is the basis being relied on for marketing, it is vital that it meets the requirements for valid consent under the GDPR. Check as well that you keep a record of who has previously unsubscribed from receiving marketing communications. You must not contact individuals who have unsubscribed.

Conclusions Any regulator determining whether a company is GDPR compliant will look to see what steps it has taken and how it has amended its internal policies and governance. Ensure that you can do so and can readily explain what steps you have taken to meet your transparency requirements. If you have made attempts to be compliant it is far more likely the regulator will work with you, but if you have not considered and demonstrated steps to comply then the regulator will probably go straight to accountability.

If organisations are concerned, it is important that they refer to their legal advisor or a GDPR specialist.

CELEBRATION OF THE BEST OF LISBURN & CASTLEREAGH’S BUSINESSES

The Mayor of Lisburn & Castlereagh Cllr Tim Morrow; Cate Conway; The Rt. Hon Sir Jeffery Donaldson MP; Alderman Allan Ewart MBE, Chairman of the Council’s Development Committee and Stephen Clements.

16 WINNERS SHOWCASE THE VERY BEST OF LOCAL BUSINESS The winners of the 2018 Lisburn & Castlereagh City Business Awards in association with Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council & Plastec were announced at a sold out glittering black-tie gala awards ceremony at the La Mon Hotel & Country Club last month.

Alderman Allan Ewart MBE, Chair of the Council’s Development Committee, said: “I am proud to have the opportunity to support and work with businesses within the Lisburn Castlereagh area. These business awards are the ideal opportunity to acknowledge the business excellence and innovation being achieved by our local companies. Every business has a role to play in the economic expansion of the Lisburn Castlereagh area; and the Council will aim to do what it can to fully support them and maximise economic returns for the benefit of the whole city. Congratulations to everyone who entered the awards, our finalists and the winners.”

The event also featured an opening performance by the talented Fusion Theatre Company and a sensational after dinner performance by West End and Broadway Star Rachel Tucker.

The full list of winners is as follows: • Business Person of the Year Award (sponsored by GMcG Chartered Accountants) – James Leckey, James Leckey Design Ltd.

• Young Entrepreneur Award (sponsored

by SERC) – Sarah Gallagher, La Bella Vita • Best Tourism Business Award (sponsored

by Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council) – Lisburn Bowl.

• Excellence in Customer Service Award (Non-Retail) (sponsored by Power NI) – Carnbrooke Meats.

• Excellence in Customer Service Award (Retail) (sponsored by Retail NI) – McCalls of Lisburn.

• Best Family Business Award (sponsored

by The Irish News) – Hillmount.

• Best Marketing Campaign Award (sponsored by Inspire Business Centre) – mxb shopper marketing agency on behalf of Bow Street Mall Shopping Centre.

• Best New Business Award (sponsored by Lisburn Enterprise Organisation) – VOJO Media Ltd. • Excellence in Manufacturing Award (sponsored by Montupet Ltd) – James Leckey Design Ltd. • Best Exporting Business Award (sponsored by OCO Global) – Brookvent.

• Business Growth Award (sponsored by Bank of Ireland) – Decora Blind Systems Ltd. • Best Social Enterprise Business Award (sponsored by Social Enterprise NI) – LaganView Enterprise Centre.

• Best Licensed Eating Establishment (sponsored by Phoenix Natural Gas) – The Speckled Hen.

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• Best Non-Licensed Eating Establishment (sponsored by Draynes Farm – The Gardener’s Rest at Hillmount.

• Innovation Award (sponsored by Plastec) – Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company.

• Investment in Health Award (sponsored

by Public Health Agency) – Allen Logistics.

For more details and photos from the awards ceremony please visit www.lcccbusinessawards.co.uk

The winner of the Innovation Award sponsored

by Associate Awards Sponsor Plastec is CocaCola Hellenic Bottling Company. Pictured is Tom Hawthorne from Plastec and Kenny Cowgall and Francie McCann from Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company.

FEATURE

Stairway to Seven My seven steps for business success

Angela Craigan is a key member of Harbinson Mulholland, Chartered Accountants and Business Advisors in Belfast. She joined the firm as an Audit Senior in 2003 before progressing to Associate Partner and will become an Equity Partner this summer.

As a business advisor within the audit and accounts department, Angela has a wideranging portfolio including clients within hospitality, agri-food, manufacturing and professional services. As well as undertaking several secondments to industry during her career, Angela currently sits on the training and education committee of the Ulster Society of Chartered Accountants and is a Director on the board of local charity Action Mental Health.

1. Recognise the strengths of

the people around you

I think the key to success within every business is for the management team to understand the ability of the members within the team and develop this. Not everyone is a sales person; it is better to find the strengths of each individual than force them into a position where they are not comfortable and will never excel.

2. People buy people first

Within all businesses, the personal relationship is as important as the business relationship. If your customers/clients do not feel comfortable with you and trust you to deliver what has been agreed, you will never grow that relationship and they will never refer business to you. The best referrers of work are your existing customers.

3. Planning

A survey conducted by the UK Commission for Employment and Skills in 2015 found that only 55% of businesses in Northern Ireland had a business plan and only 41%

had a training plan. I find that staggering. If you don’t have a plan of where you would like your business to go, how will it ever expand, develop – or worst case – survive!

This also applies to personal progression.

Set targets and try to achieve them; they are a great motivator.

4. Delegation

As you progress in your career, it is key to pass the tasks to others which are no longer productive for you to do. We all have that ‘it is quicker to do it myself’ mentality but this hinders the development of your staff and leaves you spending time doing tasks which are certainly not the best use of your time.

5. Think like a leader

If you are keen to progress, put yourself in the shoes of the manager or partner you are working for and think ‘what more could I do?’

16

on the task I have been assigned to take it to the next level, to help them. Overall, show your ability and willingness to develop as a leader and make headway in your career.

6. Admit when you are wrong/

never try to cover up a mistake

Always be upfront. Quite often it is more important how you deal with a mistake than the fact that you have made a mistake in the first place.

7. Be true to yourself

The decisions may get harder and the consequences of getting it wrong may be greater the more your career develops. You are the one who has to live with it day in day out so make sure your opinion is heard. Even if everyone does not agree and ultimately the path chosen is different, you will be able to sleep at night.

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FEATURE

Volatility in currency markets forecast Sterling could face further volatility before autumn 2018 as policy makers strive to resolve the Irish border and the trade transition arrangements ahead of Brexit, Danske Bank’s Head of Markets, Brian Telford tells Adrienne McGill.

There have been some interesting developments around Brexit recently. Last month MPs approved a non-binding motion saying the UK should stay in the customs union after Brexit following a debate in the House of Commons that suggested the ’remainers’ have enough support to beat Prime Minister Theresa May on this issue in crucial votes later this spring.

The government ordered its MPs to abstain on the motion, and it was passed without a division. But what was significant was that Tory pro-Europeans mounted a show of force. There will be binding votes on the customs union when the trade bill and the customs bill (officially the taxation [cross-border trade] bill) come back to the Commons in the next few weeks.

The main arguments put forward in favour of the customs union are that it would make trade with the EU easier, giving economic benefits, and that it would help resolve the Irish border issue and avoid any possibility of a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

However, the argument against the customs union (and the government’s official position) is that it would limit the UK’s ability to have an independent trade policy and therefore negatively impact global trade opportunities after Brexit.

It is tough for government negotiators just now with the House of Lords also threatening to vote down the Brexit proposals on who actually has the final say, Parliament or the Cabinet.

None of this helps the smooth flow of the trade and border discussions and leaves sterling vulnerable to bad news. The government may need to apply the ‘three line whip’ again to carry these later votes; however, such an action would arguably severely weaken its hand at the Brexit talks table.

The EU is the UK’s largest market for goods with £145bn of exports and £241bn of imports in 2016.

Brian Telford, Head of Markets at Danske Bank, says sterling has been affected because of uncertainty around the form any trade deal will take post Brexit.

“There has been a lot of fall-out politically about the potential for Northern Ireland to remain within the customs union in order to deal with the Irish border question.

“Potentially whatever we decide to call it – whether we say we are still in the customs union or we get a bespoke agreement which means it looks like we are in the customs union – the reason why the issue has hit sterling is because it ties us very much in an on-going basis to the European model which means we have less ability to negotiate trade deals in our own right and that effectively would be a real challenge to the hardline Brexiteers.

“For them, Brexit means being out of the customs union and the single market and anything less than that will not be acceptable.”

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Brian Telford says he expects to see further volatility in the currency markets between now and autumn 2018 when Brexit talks should conclude – in time for ratification or approval by the European Council (by a qualified majority vote), European Parliament and Westminster ahead of March 2019 (when Article 50’s twoyear deadline will expire).

“The Irish border question and the transition trade deal have to be agreed by the autumn in order for them to be effective on 29 March 2019,” says Brian.

“It would appear from anecdotal evidence that the EU has pretty much discounted any of the suggestions so far put forward about the Irish border situation… so there is still a lot to work to be done and time is running out.

“Between now and the autumn there is every chance that we will see quite a bit of volatility in the currency markets especially if significant issues such as the customs union or the border remain outstanding and the government and EU can’t get agreement. Whilst currency forecasting is far from an exact science, significantly positive news for sterling has been in short supply lately, with many commentators who had been strongly bullish about the pound having now paired back their expectations.

It’s by no means all doom and gloom for the currency but some kind of Brexit ‘windfall’ does seems a little less likely in the medium term.”

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Ian Rainey, former international Banker and current non Executive Director at 4c Executive

South Africa 50 Years Later

The Rainbow Nation has lost its former radiance.

I

n March I visited South Africa some 50 years after I had emigrated there from Northern Ireland.

Memories flooded back as I was returning to Cape Town from Robben Island, having gone there to see where Nelson Mandela had been incarcerated for 18 years. The sight of Table Mountain reminded me how excited I was to see its beauty and splendour when, all those decades ago after sailing from Southampton, I first got a view of the country in which I was going to spend my next 10 years.

Seeing where Mandela was housed in a room nine feet by six feet, with a hair mat on the floor for his bed, was something I will never forget. I would have been cramped if I had to spend fifteen hours in that room, not to mention the time he was required to spend elsewhere breaking rocks in the confines of the prison to keep the inmates fit and healthy. He was eventually released in 1994 and elevated to the presidency of the new Rainbow Nation of South Africa.

This was a very special time for the new Rainbow Nation but to say that Mandela was a great president would be stretching the truth too far. He never fully understood the job of governing and there was a large hole in the middle of government where there needed to be hands on executive experience and leadership. His successor as leader of the African National Congress Party (ANC) Thabo Mbeki was not much better and spent his time aspiring to be the leader of Africa, if not the world. Bad as he was, he was miles ahead of what was to follow him – Jacob Zuma.

Zuma has just this year been kicked out of the presidency and is infamous for his corruptive practices and has still to be tried in court for some 741 offences.

Unemployment has risen from 3.7m to 9.4m during the ANC’s rule. Yet South Africa is among the world’s richest countries when measured on mineral resources under the ground and on

its agriculture. The prognosis going forward is both good and bad. In Cyril Rhamaposa, the country has elected a new President who was a confidant of Mandela but lost out to Thabo Mbeki in the race to succeed Mandela. He turned his undoubted skills to business and his company directorships extend to mining, farming, telecoms, the media and food where he is infamous for having the franchise for McDonald’s in South Africa.

The greatest problem South Africa has is the size of families which places a burden on any government to feed its people and give its populace gainful employment. The country faces a miniscule chance of regaining its former status of being a very viable economic entity.

That, in a nutshell, is the task Cyril Ramaphosa faces.

Opposition to the ANC comes largely in the form of the Economic Freedom Fighter Party led by Julius Malema, whose current aims are to have all land transferred to the state ‘without compensation’.

Ramaphosa has given a qualified agreement to this policy most likely as a guise to ensure he continues to have the presidency after the 2019 general election. Then, he will be obliged to call in the IMF, apply for an emergency loan and then take the tough medicine imposed by the IMF. It won’t be a popular policy but it is the only way to guarantee that the growing masses will continue to be fed.

Table Mountain

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FEATURE

A Good Sport Sara Hamill is a Director at the Belfast offices of KPMG, the multi-national business advisory firm.

In her free time she is a soccer coach at Ballynagross FC near Downpatrick in Co Down where she trains two junior girls’ teams.

What’s your favourite sport and why?

At the moment it has to be soccer – I have recently started to coach a girls’ football team at Ballynagross FC in Co Down which I really enjoy.

My job is office/desk-based so it’s great to get out and get moving in the fresh air on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Although some of the mornings were a little bit too fresh this winter!

We run two girls’ teams at the club at both Under 8 and Under 10 level. With 20-25 showing up for training, we have one of the biggest representation of girls at any club in the Newry, Mourne and Down District Council area. The club held its first ever summer camp in 2015 and had an overwhelming response from girls so we set up the teams which have flourished since then.

We’re in the Down Youth League and train and play matches every Saturday and Sunday morning and have had a lot of support from the IFA, while KPMG has given us sponsorship toward our shirts, training gear and in the development of coaches.

Do you encourage other members of your family to play a sport?

Yes definitely. I was a very active child, always on the move so sport played a big part of my life from a young age. I have three brothers

who were all pretty sporty so there was always some sort of sporting activity or game going on in our house.

Are you a spectator or participant?

A bit of both at the moment – obviously I spectate at the matches my children play in and I am a very active spectator at the Ballynagross Girls’ matches! I also enjoy GAA football and like to go to both the local and county matches.

I no longer participate in any team sports but I do enjoy getting out for a run to clear away the cobwebs.

What team (across any sport) do you follow?

We are a Man United house, it’s not optional to follow another team!

Are games we play as children designed to prepare us for life as functioning adults?

Definitely when it comes to team games like football where children learn so much when it comes to discipline, teamwork and communication, all traits which help us in the workplace.

What lessons are there in sport that can be applied to business?

Resilience: even the best sports people in the

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world don’t win all their matches. The key is being able to dust yourself down, assess what went well, what didn’t go well, think about what you can do differently the next time and having another go. Losing is a fact of life but equally it can make you appreciate the next win a little bit more. And then of course there are communication skills, team work and camaraderie.

Do you think playing a sport or being part of a team makes you a better leader?

I don’t think you have to be involved in sport to be a better leader but I think being involved in sport definitely helps you develop leadership skills. Obviously learning to work as a part of a team is a key part of developing leadership skills and understanding that everyone on a team has their own specific skill set and strengths and weaknesses.

In business do you think the phrase ‘play to win’ applies and if so why?

I am a competitive person and on one level I do think ‘play to win’ does apply in business.

However, my more pragmatic self would say that it’s not just about winning at any cost. It’s really important to play fairly and maintain your integrity at all times.

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

The Supreme Court is the final court of appeal for the United Kingdom hearing cases of profound importance to everyone in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and members of the Bar of Northern Ireland regularly and proudly appear in its normal London home, deploying their legal knowledge and advocacy skills on behalf of their clients.

The Resolution Centre has been established by the Bar of Northern Ireland to cater for a different and emerging need where the conditions lend themselves towards pursuing resolution by means of out-of-court mediation and arbitration. The Resolution Centre is therefore a venue within the local Belfast market for skilled mediators and arbitrators to use their specific set of core skills to assist

parties in arriving at alternative resolution options.

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

In addition to handling commercial disputes, The Resolution Centre is therefore available for handling private cases including divorce and family law and in certain situations may be the most appropriate option as it may offer a more timely and cost effective solution with the added advantages of preserving the privacy and relationships of those involved.

Speaking at the official opening, Lady Hale said: “I congratulate the Bar of Northern Ireland for creating The Resolution Centre to cater for those circumstances where an opportunity exists for disputes to be properly settled by means of alternative dispute resolution. The venue has been specifically designed to support the resolution process and to create the potential for skilled

23

mediators and arbitrators to find solutions for the parties involved. I wish The Resolution Centre every success for the future.”

Liam McCollum QC, Chairman of the Bar of Northern Ireland said: “The creation of The Resolution Centre is good news for both local and prospective international clients as it provides another addition to the advantages that the jurisdiction can already offer to them.

Clients already have direct access to a wide network of skilled local solicitors and the ability to engage the Bar’s existing expertise in providing trusted and independent advice and representation in court alongside the significantly lower cost of commercial litigation in Northern Ireland compared to other locations. The Bar of Northern Ireland are very grateful to the justices of the Supreme Court for visiting the centre and are honoured that Lady Hale has officially opened the centre as part of the Supreme Court’s historic visit to Belfast.”

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

COLUMnIST

Carol Malcolmson, Partner at BDO Northern Ireland

BDO Northern Ireland sets new record for charitable giving

Ana Wilkinson, Corporate Fundraising Manager at Friends of the Cancer Centre with Carol Malcolmson, Partner at BDO Northern Ireland.

Staff get behind charity and raise record sum.

I

n April, business advisory firm BDO Northern Ireland set a new benchmark for its charitable giving with a programme that raised more than £21,000 for ‘Friends of the Cancer Centre’.

The two-year charitable partnership has been a deeply personal journey for the firm’s staff as the relationship started after the charity provided life-saving and life-changing support to team members directly affected by cancer.

‘Friends of the Cancer Centre’ was nominated and chosen by our people because its work is very close to their hearts. That has been a powerful motivator for all of us.

That close connection undoubtedly helped push individuals and teams well beyond their comfort zones. The many activities organised by the firm included dragon boat races;

mountain hikes; sky dives and mud runs. For the more conservative – Halloween fancy dress, coffee mornings, dress down days, street collections, special client events and family occasions ensured there was something for every comfort level.

In total more than 160 staff answered the call and smashed the previous record of £16,000, which was set in 2015. Beyond generating cash for the charity, each month BDO Northern Ireland team members volunteered time and professional services at the charity to assist with a range of financial and administrative responsibilities.

Active corporate citizenship is a big part of our ethos and culture from our partners down to support staff. It’s a serious part of what we do.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has been in the DNA of the Belfast office since it was established more than 25 years ago. The founding partners recognised the opportunity to energise the business and promptly set up a CSR Committee that has endured to this day and continues to unite colleagues.

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We’ve been pleased with the way our teams come together to generously combine their skills, time and energies. Sometimes that’s personal time, sometimes it’s business time.

We want to involve as many people as possible across the organisation and make it part of a shared goal that everyone can contribute towards and enjoy.

Staff buy-in and sense of ownership of activities has been a critical feature of the firm’s approach, led from the top of the business.

All of the Partners are very supportive in terms of time and financial resources. We have a responsibility to make a positive difference in the communities where we work and it is important for us that we help causes that matter to our people in every way we can.

Even the smallest of efforts can help change lives for the better. We take great pride in what we’ve achieved with ‘Friends of the Cancer Centre’.

• To contact ‘Friends of the Cancer Centre’ telephone: 028 9069 9393 or email: info@friendsofthecancercentre.com.

Northern Ireland’s first Community Fibre Partnership set to turn broadband black spot into hot spot

Local resident Gordon Symington, School Principal Fiona Hampsey, and BT’s Head of Wholesale Sales & Marketing (NI), Frank McManus, with pupils from Clintyclay Primary School in Dungannon. They are (l-r) Saule Dieckute, Cadhla McCann, James McGeown, Matthew Duggan and Clodagh O’Neill.

BT has announced that Northern Ireland’s first Community Fibre Partnership will provide access to ultrafast broadband to a primary school and more than fifty homes and businesses on the edge of Clonmore Village in Dungannon. It’s hoped the new service will be available as early as June this year.

The Community Fibre Partnership scheme has been set up by Openreach to help communities which are not included in any private or publicly financed fibre rollout plans.

This first co-funded deal in Northern Ireland includes financial support from Openreach, in addition to government funding made available through the Better Broadband Scheme, which supports homes and businesses which receive speeds below 2Mbps.

Clintyclay Primary School and residents living nearby on the Clonmore Road say they’re currently living in a broadband black spot with download speeds averaging around 0.5 Mbps.

The Community Fibre Partnership will install ‘Fibre to the Premises’ technology and make ultrafast speeds of up to 330 Mbps available from a number of broadband service providers.

That’s nearly ten times the UK national average speed. Businesses will potentially have access to speeds of 1,000 Mbps.

Frank McManus, BT’s Head of Wholesale Sales and Marketing (NI) says: “This is fantastic news for this small community. It shows what can be achieved

when people work together towards a common goal and we’re proud to play our part in finding broadband solutions for areas like this.

“This is Northern Ireland’s first Community Fibre Partnership but we already have at least fifteen others in the pipeline to bring faster internet access to areas not covered by any private or publicly funded plans for fibre rollout.

“We are committed to making fibre broadband as widely available as possible, working with government and rural communities like this one. Grants are available from BT and government and, where there is still a gap, we will work with the community to help secure the additional funding needed.”

BT offers grants of up to £30,000 to help towards the cost of a Community Fibre Partnership with Openreach, wherever the new infrastructure will serve a local registered school or learning establishment that currently has access to slow broadband speeds.

Gordon Symington became the Community Lead when he contacted BT last July. He says: “My daughter was studying for her A Level in Computer Science and had to go to the local hotel to log on and do her homework. Our internet access at home couldn’t cope with more than one person going online at a time.

“I contacted the Community Fibre Partnership team and discovered that our community of 50 or so homes was eligible for a BT grant. We also received government

26

funding and didn’t need to look elsewhere for funds. I would recommend the scheme to other communities in the same position because it’s provided us with the solution we were looking for. It’s going to be a game changer.”

Fiona Hampsey is Principal of Clintyclay Primary School and hopes to have a new computer suite up and running for the new autumn term. She says: “Right now, we can’t even stream a video without buffering and the children soon lose interest with all the stops and starts.

“We’re living in a digital world and our pupils haven’t had the same access to digital learning opportunities as children living in urban areas.

Faster broadband speeds will offer us so many opportunities and change the way we teach.

“In addition to the computer suite, which is sitting ready to go, we have plans for e-twinning and building links with a school in Europe. Put simply: this Community Fibre Partnership will make a world of difference.”

To find out more, visit: https://communityfibre.openreach.co.uk/

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Mark Haslam, Managing Director of Loud Mouth Media

An effective way to engage with potential customers

Video Advertising is a trend that’s here to stay.

S

taying in touch with current trends is so important in order to remain at the forefront of the ever-evolving world of digital marketing. While the growth of mobile has been the biggest influencer of change in digital advertising in recent years, video is undoubtedly the next huge shift which businesses need to embrace. To put it in perspective - as of 2017, there are now more digital video viewers than smartphone users in the UK. It is fast becoming the preferred ad format across all platforms including YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and most recently, LinkedIn. Due to the effectiveness in terms of audience engagement, creativity and measurability, marketers are now spending twice as much on video advertising as TV - and it’s clear to see why. It is estimated that YouTube reaches 82 per cent of the total online population in the UK, making it the perfect platform to engage with any target demographic. With these figures ever growing, there are a few key reasons why the video trend has skyrocketed.

Video advertising is now more accessible than ever, offering businesses of all sizes a cost effective platform to build awareness and engage with potential customers. When advertising on YouTube, payment is based on a cost-per-view model, meaning the advertiser only pays when an engaged user watches at least 30 seconds of the ad. Even at that, costs can be as low as just 2p per view, offering staggering value for money. Many of the barriers to professional video creative have

also been removed, with many businesses opting for third party video footage, or even using smartphones to create and edit highquality video creative at minimal cost In terms of engagement - viewability and audibility figures tend to be a lot higher than other platforms, as people visit YouTube specifically to watch content. By comparison, attention to paid advertising is 84 per cent higher on YouTube’s mobile app than on TV where customer attention cannot always be guaranteed. With new video formats including six-second bumper ads and the performance focused TrueView for Action, video advertising is only going to become more effective. In saying this, research has shown that 46 per cent of campaigns actually benefit from a combination of TV and YouTube, maximising the reach and overall effectiveness, resulting in improved ad recall, brand awareness and ultimately consideration.

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With a multitude of options, video advertising can be hyper-targeted to a defined audience, meaning that there is maximum reach and minimal budget wastage. YouTube has the ability to reach all demographics from millennials to mature audiences through interest targeting, consumer behaviour patterns and even during major life milestones. Furthermore, with the new Custom Intent targeting, we can now directly engage with users based on the terms they have been recently searching on Google. Although the digital marketing landscape is forever changing, it seems the video advertising trend is one that is here to stay. As YouTube continues to expand its targeting capabilities and other major social channels like Facebook and LinkedIn following suit, it is the perfect time to welcome video into your digital strategy. A quick, easy accessible method to connect with your target audience and grow your business.

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update Chamber Chief’s

From networking events to meetings with government ministers and in-camera dinners with leaders in business, the hectic round of activity spearheaded by NI Chamber for the benefit of members never stops. NI Chamber Chief Executive Ann McGregor gives a taste of what’s coming up and what’s taken place recently with a picture gallery over the following pages.

N

I Chamber is delighted always to showcase major businesses who have made an indelible mark in export markets and who are keen to share their success with others.

We were therefore thrilled that Harry Hughes, CEO at Mayo based Portwest and 2017 EY Entrepreneur of the Year, accepted our invitation to speak at an event connected to NI Chamber’s Danske Bank Export First initiative which seeks to encourage and grow export activity by providing a vehicle to share the inspirational journeys of hugely successful exporters.

The private dinner, which was attended by 25 guests and held at Titanic Belfast, heard the inspirational growth story of Harry’s business which was started in Westport by his family in 1904.

With over 110 years of experience, Portwest is firmly established as a world leader in the design and manufacture of high quality, stylish and comfortable workwear for a range of industries including welding and mining. The company has global distribution bases in the UK, Ireland, Poland, Dubai, Australia and the USA. Meanwhile at another Danske Bank Export First event, Kevin Reid, Global VP of Marketing at Almac Group, shared the

exceptional export growth of the Craigavon based pharmaceutical firm.

The Exporter Forum event, which was attended by more than 50 businesses, also included a tour of Almac Group facilities.

Founded by the late Sir Allen McClay in 2002, Almac Group is an established contract development and manufacturing organisation providing integrated services to the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors, across the globe.

The Group, which exports to 80 countries, is a leader in drug discovery, clinical trials, and the commercialisation of products. * See page 44 Staying with exports and NI Chamber’s Learn Grow Excel conference later this month is aimed at any business who aspires to grow at home or internationally and will focus on key themes including innovation, talent, technology and knowledge.

Guests will hear from Seamus Connolly, Managing Director at Fast Engineering, based in Antrim, who produces the Fastank, a patented liquid storage container that is currently exported to over 80 countries throughout the world.

address looking at how businesses need to adapt to evolving customer expectations.

There will also be a series of lively panel discussions.

The conference is supported by headline sponsor Ulster Carpets and NI Chamber’s SME Partner Power NI, with supporting sponsors Beyond Business Travel, EY and Invest NI. • Registrations for the event, which takes place on 23 May 2018 from 8.30am-1.30pm at the Hilton Hotel Belfast, can be made on www. northernirelandchamber.com Moving onto networking and NI Chamber’s Connecting for Growth initiative, in partnership with Bank of Ireland, attracted over 180 companies keen to do business in the Republic of Ireland.

The primary focus of the event, held recently at Belfast’s Europa Hotel, was encouraging cross border trade, and featured an expert panel session consisting of representatives from Cork Chamber, Limerick Chamber, Mount Charles Group and Bank of Ireland UK.

Nick Coburn (Ulster Carpets); Sandra Scannell (NI Chamber); Donal Durkan (Invest NI); Seamus Connolly (Fast Engineering); Ken McCracken (Power NI) and Shauna Burns (Beyond Business Travel) at the Learn Grow Excel conference launch.

Kevin Reid, Global VP of Marketing at Almac Group.

Meanwhile Lorna Ross, Group Director at Fjord Dublin, a multi-disciplinary research and incubation hub at Dublin’s Dock, will provide a thought provoking keynote

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Evelyn O’Toole, founder and CEO of Contract Lab Solutions (CLS).

chamber chief’s update

Delegates had the opportunity to network, refine their elevator pitch, learn about cross-border business prospects and hear from keynote speaker Evelyn O’Toole, the hugely successful entrepreneur who is founder and CEO of Contract Lab Solutions (CLS).

The Co. Galway based company employs about 140 staff across two labs and provides sampling, analysis and fully trained micro and analytical analysts to clients in the food, environmental, medical device and pharmaceutical industries.

Time to move from innovation to celebration…and NI Chamber held a private dinner attended by 14 of its Past Presidents to mark the achievements of the business organisation over the last 10 years.

its members in Belfast to discuss the opportunities that the building of a third runway could bring to firms in Northern Ireland.

Registration is now open for the Heathrow Business Summit which takes place in Belfast next month and which will offer local SMEs the opportunity to connect and trade face-to-face with Heathrow’s supply chain, forging links with some of the UK’s largest organisations and obtaining insight into their procurement processes.

NEW MEMBERS Agri-Food Causeway Vending Indie Fude Karro Food Group

Hotels & Restaurants Maldron Hotel, Belfast

Banks & Monetary Pension Wise Citizens Advice

Manufacturing Exertis Leckey NuPrint

• Registrations for the Business Summit, which takes place on 20 June 2018 at Belfast City Hall, can be made on www.northernirelandchamber.com

Business Services 5Nines Interim Selling Solutions Paragon Service Point

Finally, we are delighted to welcome BBC broadcaster and media guru Andrew Neil as the guest speaker for the 2018 NI Chamber Annual President’s Lunch. The event takes place at Belfast City Hall on 15 June 2018.

Computer & Related Activities Endeavour Information Solutions OBBI Electricity, Gas & Water Supply AJC Group

Public Relations Corinthian Sports Telecommunications Yellowcom Tourism KLM Lusty Beg

New Growth Members

Past Presidents of NI Chamber.

The event, hosted by current NI Chamber President Ellvena Graham, took place amid the spectacular surroundings of Mouth Stewart in Co. Down, the family seat of the 6th and 7th Marquis of Londonderry, both of whom were past Presidents of the Chamber. It was a wonderful evening of conversation recalling the past and looking forward to the future.

Talking of the future…that will involve further collaboration with Heathrow Airport on its plans to expand. We were delighted that a group of representatives from the Airport, led by Maya Jani, Head of Expansion Procurement, Heathrow met with NI Chamber and a number of

Professional Services Bibby Financial Services

Andrew Neil, will be guest speaker at the up-coming NI Chamber Annual President’s Lunch.

The Daily Politics and This Week presenter is a well-known figure in the word of publishing and media. He has been the UK Editor of The Economist, Editor of The Sunday Times, Executive Chairman of Sky TV and Executive Editor of Fox TV News USA. The event is supported by NI Chamber’s Communication’s Partner BT and supporting sponsor Cleaver Fulton Rankin Solicitors.

• To secure your place go to www. northernirelandchamber.com – but hurry – tickets are being snapped up.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Agri-Food The Good Food & Wine Co.

Real Estate, Renting & Business Activities Killultagh Estates Ltd

Business Services FinTru Ltd

Telecommunications B4B Group

Public Administration and Defence RFCA NI

Wholesale, Retail & Trade Donnelly Group

New Corporate Members

Construction Tobermore

Tourism Barrhead Travel

Higher Education Southern Regional College South West College

Transport, Storage & Communication Foyle Port

Local Government Causeway Coast & Glens * To become a member of NI Chamber join online at www.northernirelandchamber.com or phone the membership team on 02890 244113.

Joanna Robinson (Pinsent Masons); Ian Henry (Henry Brothers); Maya Jani (Heathrow Airport) and Chris Morrow (NI Chamber) who attended the roundtable discussion on expansion at Heathrow Airport.

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Connecting for Growth Cross Border Networking

1.

2.

1. Katy Carlin (Titanic Belfast) and Kieran Donnelly

(Morrow Communications) taking part in structured networking.

2. Evelyn O’Toole, Founder and CEO, Complete Laboratory

Solutions shares her experience and business

development expertise with guests.

3. Stephanie Wilson (Malone Lodge Hotel) and Bridie

Burns (Advantage Control NI) putting to use their new

found sales pitch skills.

3.

4.

James King (Limerick Chamber); Conor Healy (Cork Chamber); Paul McClurg (Bank of Ireland UK); Gavin Annon (Mount Charles Group) and Clodagh Rice (BBC NI) debate on the ‘Cross Border Business Development’ panel.

5.

Gavin Annon (Mount Charles Group); Catherine Moonan (RTE’s Dragons’ Den Pitch Coach); Evelyn O’Toole (Complete Laboratory Solutions); Paul McClurg (Bank of Ireland UK) and Sandra Scannell (NI Chamber).

6. The packed event.

4.

5.

6.

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NI Chamber Past Presidents’ Dinner at Mount Stewart

2.

1.

1. NI Chamber Past Presidents gather together.

2. NI Chamber President Ellvena Graham OBE. 3. Denis Galway and Colin Anderson OBE. 4. Dr Mark Sweeney, Owen Brennan, Dr Ben Wilson

and Dr William McGinnis CBE DL. 5. NI Chamber President Ellvena Graham OBE and

NI Chamber Chief Executive Ann McGregor MBE.

3.

4.

5.

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FEATURE

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ill automation and the future of work have a practical impact on the way I run my business in the short term?

Technology impacts every area of our lives – how we communicate, how we co-operate and even how we relax. We have seen more progress in artificial intelligence and robotics in the last 10 years than in the last 50 and, whilst we all accept that continual advances in automation impacts the way we do business, the current pace of change is more than simply automating fairly routine work – it is actually about working in a different way. There are significant upsides in terms of productivity gains from things such as reduced error rates and discovering new ways of doing things, thus to remain competitive SMEs need to look at their processes and explore ways of doing them differently as opposed to simply using technology to augment current practices.

What impact will artificial intelligence and automation have on my workforce? Can I prepare my workforce for the changes that automation will bring?

The important distinction that is drawn out in any discussion regarding the future of work is that activities will be automated as opposed to jobs (being made up of numerous activities). Jobs will be deconstructed into their component activities / tasks and it is then up to the business to decide which of these tasks lend themselves to automation – i.e. tasks involving complex problem solving, critical thinking, creativity and emotional intelligence are less likely to be automated. As a result, the workforce will move to a “task-led environment” and become experts in a number of tasks. We also foresee a shift in culture whereby ongoing training and reskilling will be at the core of any business as they seek to match skills to new tasks to remain agile in their market. This shift is likely to require reskilling of workers who are accustomed to using a certain set of skills and who now have to move into different tasks or alternatively skill-up to a higher level to continue to be effective. A school of thought is that this task-led environment may lead to the rise of “non employment” working where there will be a shift away from full-time workers to individual and on-demand workers i.e. increased reliance on short-term temporary contractors rather than on full-time employment.

Tanya talks...

Innovation

What should I be doing today to get on the right track and ensure my business is capable of taking full advantage of automation trends?

All businesses should be fully informed and up to date with current thinking in this area; - Catalyst Inc is very active offering the following access to information: a weekly blog showcasing innovation breakthroughs in Northern Ireland – http://connect.catalyst-inc.org/techwatch – this blog has previously detailed SMEs that are embracing innovation such as Willowbrook Foods.

The “future of work” has become one of the hottest topics of 2018. Technologies such as automation, robotics and artificial intelligence will change how we work and the skills that businesses need. In order to stay competitive and attract quality staff, SMEs need to understand how technology will impact their business and, indeed, how they can harness it to their advantage. Tanya Anderson, Head of SME Development at NI Chamber, answers a few key questions being posed by SMEs as they seek to plan for the future of their business. She also reports on a recent Scaling for Growth workshop at which SMEs were given expert advice on taking their business to the next level.

LEARN GROW EXCEL

- 4IRC is an annual series of monthly headline debates on how our everyday lives will be disrupted by accelerations in technologies (sign up via meetup. com).

- CEOs Connect is a new peer to peer network supporting CEOs of high growth potential innovation companies in Northern Ireland as they scale and grow. http://connect.catalyst-inc.org/programmes/ceos-connect

Furthermore, if a company wants to invest in their information systems, they should take specialist advice in ensuring any new systems are congruent with the shift that automation is bringing. There has been a notable swing to cloud computing, which is a low cost and scaleable IT solution, whilst delivering flexibile access (in terms of location Improving scale and driving excellence and time) – a key component of the future for business growth workplace. Businesses should also look at IN PARTNERSHIP WITH their research and development strategy to EXCEL ensure it is focused in the right areas.

SCALING FOR GROWTH

GROW

LEARN

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Moving to the next level

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I Chamber’s Scaling for Growth initiative, supported by Bank of Ireland, assists our SMEs in achieving their growth strategy whether it simply be through sharing market knowledge, connections to chambers or companies in-market, learning from peers or introductions to funders.

The common challenges faced by our SMEs have driven the themes of three key Scaling for Growth workshops being delivered in 2018: • Managing people as your company grows • How to devise and deliver a successful export strategy • Successfully managing your brand on the digital platform.

These events are exclusive to NI Chamber members involved with the Scaling for Growth initiative. They are small, interactive workshops allowing the SME participants to learn how successful Northern Ireland corporates have managed their growth, as well as affording them the opportunity to drive the agenda and get practical answers to the specific concerns facing their business.

The first workshop on March 6th this year, which took place at Bank of Ireland Head office in Belfast, was attended by a wide cross section of SMEs within NI Chamber membership. The event saw contributions from the HR Director of Magherafelt-based Henry Group Julie McKeown and the HR Director of Ulster Carpets in Portadown Caroline Whiteside. There was also the sharing of technical knowledge from the Tax Director at BDO Northern Ireland Angela Keery and Employment Law Partner at Carson McDowell Rachel Penny.

The workshop covered a wide range of topics including how to motivate and retain nonfamily members of the senior management team in a family-owned business and the importance of fostering the correct culture when a company is seeking to drive growth.

The presenters also shared their experience of what makes a successful performance management system and how their internal structures evolved as the business grew. This was a very interactive session with questions from the participants sparking some lively discussions. Each company, irrespective of their sector and stage in the business life cycle, faced slightly different versions of the same key challenges and this commonality paved the way for an interesting exchange of ideas and experiences, triggering new thought processes for the participating companies.

As with every NI Chamber event, the opportunity to make connections with peers and companies in diverse industries is

extremely valuable and this workshop was no exception. The companies all forged new connections and raised their business profile which, we know from experience, often leads to future information exchange and opens the

Lisa Sweeney, Head of People and Culture at Neueda and Gareth Morrison CEO of the Lava Group attended the March workshop and share their key learnings from the session.

WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO ATTEND THIS WORKSHOP? Lisa: The topic and themes identified were highly relevant.

Gareth: The proposed content of the workshop appeared to be relevant to current issues faced.

DID THE SCOPE OF THE WORKSHOP DELIVER PRACTICAL ADVICE/ASSISTANCE FOR YOUR BUSINESS? Lisa: Yes. It was encouraging to hear the commonality amongst the diverse businesses represented, along with solutions and approaches being adopted.

Gareth: Yes. There were some excellent points to take away for further thought and investigation.

DID THE PRESENTATIONS IDENTIFY ANY NEW PROCEDURES/PROCESSES/IDEAS THAT YOU MAY NOW SEEK TO EXPLORE FURTHER AND POSSIBLY IMPLEMENT WITHIN YOUR BUSINESS? Lisa: It was certainly thought provoking re. gaining insight into other businesses outside

possibility of doing business together.

Whether it be the new tips for managing growth or connections made, this workshop is a stepping stone in the growth process for our SMEs.

the tech industry. It reinforced the fact that in Neueda we are actually doing many ‘good things’ that we perhaps take for granted.

But the discussions encourage wider thinking – areas that may not be relevant to us now, could be relevant down the line.

Gareth: Yes. Exploring options around incentive schemes.

There were also interesting points around the visibility of shareholders.

DID YOU MAKE ANY NEW CONNECTIONS WITH COMPANIES OR ADVISORS AT THE WORKSHOP? Lisa: Yes. Gareth: There are some potential connections to follow up.

WHAT RECOMMENDATIONS IF ANY, WOULD YOU MAKE REGARDING THE TRAINING CONTENT OR DELIVERY? Lisa: Continue to keep the content and themes relevant. Common to all appeared to be skills shortages and what people/ companies are doing to combat this. Also recruitment approaches – how to be more savvy in the digital space especially. The Scaling for Growth workshop was ideal and genuinely interesting.

Gareth: None – it was a good event.

Gareth Morrison, CEO of the Lava Group and Fred Smyth, Head of Commercial Finance at Bank of Ireland at the Scaling for Growth workshop.

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COLUMnIST

Sinead Dillon, Principal Consultant at Fujitsu

Cyber Security for the Digitised World

The security market is one of the fastest growing and evolving technology sectors around today, meaning businesses and industry alike constantly need to have their fingers on the pulse of the latest trends.

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he digital world has transformed modern business but where there is opportunity, there is also risk.

Cybersecurity is, in no uncertain terms, one of the biggest threats companies face with the cost of cybercrime to the Northern Ireland economy estimated to be £100m per year according to the Criminal Justice Inspectorate of Northern Ireland. As these threats evolve, the need to exercise regular data security checks is vital.

The first step for any organisation should be to conduct an information security and risk assessment. Organisations can continually improve their resilience to cybercrime by applying security risk assessments to the people, processes and technology to help prevent gaps creeping in. Importantly, it should not be treated as a ‘fit and forget’ exercise; security audits should form part of your essential maintenance schedule. Looking ahead, we predict many companies will fall victim to cybercrime if they don’t address the blind spot that exists – with attacks over encrypted channels being missed due to the lack of SSL inspection capabilities.

As cybercriminals become savvier, there has been a rise in attacks being made through programs such as Microsoft PowerShell – default software installed on Windows computers – where malicious attacks are

hard to detect. Performing an audit is a great way to identify such blind spots, discover any vulnerabilities and ensures that a more secure network can be implemented before an attack occurs. Businesses should also focus on educating employees on IT security protocol and encourage them to gain a firm grasp of the good scripts currently in use across their networks to decrease the chances of a malicious attack going unnoticed.

As we move further into a smart world and see the growing use of connected devices and the rise of smart cities, cybercriminals will continue to try and target the mobile market and develop more sophisticated attacks against mobile platforms. On average, each household has seven connected devices many of which hold vast amounts of personal and business data, so it’s no surprise that attempts to attack will continue to be a trend throughout 2018. To avoid the risk of a data breach, mobile device management will need to be supplemented by robust security controls.

The best defence against these emerging threats will be to take a two-pronged approach of employee training, paired with investment in

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security controls and technology. The majority of successful cyberattacks an organisation suffers from are avoidable, with an estimated 90 per cent a result of human error. A wellinformed workforce will significantly reduce risk and decrease the amount of attacks a business could suffer.

Given the speed of change in the security market, and in order to stay abreast of local and global challenges, we need to partner and share knowledge with industry, government and business as much as possible. Events like the Centre of Secure Information Technologies (CSIT) World Cyber Security Technology Research Summit in Belfast, therefore, are of paramount importance to facilitate learning and progress. This summit brings together the international research community alongside industry leaders, government policy makers, start-ups and SMEs from around the world. Northern Ireland is now the number one location in the world for cyber security investment with the highest percentage of qualified IT professionals in the UK and Ireland so it’s an attractive hub of innovation for the world’s research community.

FEATURE

The Henry family (back row): brothers Nigel, David and Ian with (front row) sisters Julie McKeown, Hazel Young and dad and mum Jim and Ray.

Keeping it in the family

Henry Brothers, the Magherafelt-based construction company was set up in 1976 by Jim Henry as a small business. Since then, the firm has grown to become a titan in its sector comprising a number of manufacturing companies ranging from external construction to interiors fit-out and is involved in projects throughout the UK. Jim, who has been married to his wife Ray for 58 years, is Chairman of the company which is now led by their sons David, Ian, Nigel and daughter Julie. Another daughter Hazel has recently retired and now sits as a Non-Executive Director on the Board.

Son:

Nigel Henry Some of my earliest memories of growing up are of my father driving the McLaughlin & Harvey bus where he was Foreman at that time. Construction was always part of our lives and a short time later he left that position and started up his own company. From that time on I always knew I would be working in the family business as I had no interest in school and was not interested in any other type of career.

Most school holidays were spent working on the building site apart from when I could get skiving off to do what young lads do.

Looking back, I firmly believe my schooling only started when I began working in the construction industry. Over the years, I learnt all aspects of construction which gave me a firm grounding for the position of Contracts Director that I hold today.

My father always encouraged me to do more and the old saying is correct – you’re never too old to learn, which continues to this day. In the early days my father worked 6 days a week and very long hours which meant we didn’t see much of him at home. Our family is a very tight-knit family and you can depend on any one of them at any time. Yes there is no doubt there are times (like in all families) we irritate each other and we have disagreements; however, they never affect the family bond.

There are times when we disagree on business decisions. However the majority vote at the boardroom table carries through and everyone accepts the outcome whether it was their individual choice or not.

I am definitely proud of the fact that my father started in very humble beginnings and has achieved so much but I am even prouder to be following in his footsteps. Along with the other family members, we continue to operate a business that has an excellent reputation and retains a large workforce. We must be doing something right!

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Daughter:

Julie McKeown

I’m not sure that I fully expected to join Henry Brothers but in the end it was just a natural progression. At one stage I had wanted to join the police but I wasn’t the right height and that put paid to that idea. I was 6 years old when my father formed the company so from those early days I was always aware of it, the only down side being that my father worked long hours and we didn’t get to see much of him. I can remember in the early days being plonked in the back of the car and taken to a site to lift men that needed to be taken home. My father has been a real inspiration to us all and if I have learnt nothing else from him, it’s to always keep your feet firmly on the ground and also not to be overwhelmed by very successful people as we are all the same at the end of the day.

From an early age we worked over the school holidays and I firmly believe that this provided the basis for the work ethic that we all have today – I didn’t think that at that time though! Jim has shown us that you can do anything providing that you are willing to work hard for it and we all do. I have worked through the company to the role of HR Director and each of us has earned the titles we hold, it was not an entitlement.

The business has faced all sorts of adversities over the years, and has had to adapt to different situations but that is no bad thing. I am extremely proud to work in the family business. I don’t think we are a stereotypical family, we see each other most days at work and therefore don’t tend to socialise much outside of that, our time at the weekends is spent with our own families.

In saying that, we have a very tight bond and we do rely on each other at work as we all head up different departments and often need advice from each other. To me, the benefits of working in a family company are that I am working with people who I can trust with my life and we all have only the best interests of the business at heart.

Son:

David Henry My very first memory of business was going to work with my father at an army base in Kinnegar whilst he was working for McLaughlin & Harvey. I would say that from the age of 10 I knew that all I wanted to do was to join the family business. If the teachers asked me at school about my career I told them I was going to work for my dad! I spent my school holidays on building sites from the age of 10 doing anything that was asked of me, brushing and cleaning up, just whatever was needed. I joined the business straight from school and I have been here ever since – I can’t imagine ever working anywhere else. I have learned and worked from the bottom up and now hold the position of Managing Director.

My father has mentored me throughout my entire working life and I still often seek his advice and knowledge. I firmly believe that the work ethic and commitment that he has shown over the years has been instilled in each one of us. The company has faced many challenges over the years ranging from the direct effect of the troubles on our business and various recessions, but each situation required me to adapt and learn from it, and on a positive note it also provided the opportunity to work with some really good people. There have been times during our 40-year history where turnover has fluctuated but over the past few years the growth of professionalism within the business has been outstanding. As a family we get on very well and treat each other with respect. We all have different roles within the business and we learn from each other but it is important for each of us to perform to our strengths. We have all very different leadership styles but ultimately these styles blend well together. The family works together as a team and whilst we may not always agree, no single individual has an overall say and all decisions are made jointly around the boardroom table in a professional business-like manner. I would love the company to stay in family ownership, however I am also realistic to the fact that the Managing Director may not always be a family member. I am extremely proud to be leading the business that my father started more than 40 years ago and we are very excited about the future of Henry Brothers.

Son:

Ian Henry

I was quite young when my father started his own construction business but still recall the effort and the hours that he put into getting this up and running. From an early age most of my spare time and holidays were either spent sitting in my dad’s office or with him out on sites as he sometimes had to take Julie and myself with him as my mum was working also. This then led on to working all of my school holidays and Saturdays up until I left school. Seeing how he conducted his business installed a good work ethic in us all and I am very grateful for that as it has set us all in good stead for the positions we now hold within the company.

Being the youngest in the family I probably wanted to try a different career path and decided to join the army but this was short lived when dad found out and I was soon to be a new start in Henry Brothers as a steel erector. Over the years I have progressed to become Contracts/Corporate Responsibility Director.

I can honestly say that I learned more from working on the sites than I ever did in the class room as I had the opportunity to gain as much experience as I could from the trades and different personalities that I came across on a daily basis out on site.

My dad and the rest of my family have played a big part in steering me in my career as I didn’t have any qualifications on leaving school and learned most of my business skills from them by seeing how they managed different situations and the advice they gave me on business and personal matters.

We have always got along well and respected each other’s thoughts and decisions and understand that any business decisions are not personal and that we just have to get on with the issue at hand whether we agree with it or not. The fact that all the family members have worked in the business is testament to how we get on and shows that being part of a family business can work if you have the correct chemistry.

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Why Retail Landlords Must Remain On Trend Lizanne Jones, Property Partner at leading law firm Arthur Cox, examines the evolving nature of the high street, and outlines how landlords and investment purchasers must be flexible in order to manage their assets effectively.

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quick scan through recent media headlines might suggest that it hasn’t been a particularly stellar period for major retail chains with a presence in Northern Ireland and throughout the UK. Landlords have seen a number of their tenants, well-known high street brands, agreeing to enter into Company Voluntary Agreements, which have allowed these retailers to close nonperforming stores while negotiating rent reductions on those stores which the retailers wish to keep trading.

Other major retail names have gone into administration, initially hoping to attract a buyer, but, in the end, having to close their stores.

However, as detrimental as these losses are to the Northern Ireland commercial property market and retail sector in general, there are also a number of positive developments that are breathing life into the market, both in Northern Ireland and Great Britain.

Philip Bier, co-founder of the Tiger chain, will be opening the UK’s first ÏD Kids store in London, with a further 50 stores planned nationwide. Bier hopes to mitigate against the challenging retail climate by trading on the ‘destination shopper’ success of Tiger, as the ÏD Kids store will only sell its own label clothes and toys.

Locally, big-ticket brands are continuing to open stores in Northern Ireland. Although Marks & Spencer has recently closed eight stores across Great Britain, in February this year it re-located its Newry store from the Buttercrane Shopping Centre to larger, 30,000 sq. ft. premises a short distance away in The Quay’s Shopping Centre.

Meanwhile, The Boulevard in Banbridge (formerly known as The Outlet) welcomed three new stores in December 2017 - including Jack and Jones and the Beauty Outlet - following significant investment at the mall, which included the construction of a sheltered walkway.

Other regional high streets in Northern Ireland have also looked to investment to provide a boost for retailers, with Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council advertising for a contractor to carry out £1 million improvements to Ballymoney town centre.

Such a move is reflective of how shopping centres and town centres need to become places of experience – a community for people to gather

and socialise with each other. Across Europe, owners of shopping centres are reacting to this changing culture and it is vital that landlords of local retail spaces do the same.

All of these developments serve as a reminder that – amidst the ongoing challenges – high street changes can present opportunities for landlords.

A high-profile example of innovative asset management is the novel approach being taken at the new John Lewis store at Westfield London Shopping Centre.

Managing Director, Paula Nickolds, has spoken publicly about how there is still very much a role for bricks and mortar shops despite the continued growth of online retail.

Ms Nickolds’ key point is that customers’ expectations of physical stores is changing and that the new John Lewis store reflects how shops are “moving from being fulfilment destination to being somewhere where you experience a brand”.

She goes on to explain the company’s view that customers are now carrying out research for their purchases in store

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with a view to ordering them online from home, meaning the new store is acting as a ‘3D catalogue’ and that its success wouldn’t be judged by sales figures alone.

Although this is just one store, if this continues as a trend then it may have an impact on the value that landlords will place on ‘turnover rent’.

Looking ahead, the challenges faced by the high street in recent years – such as the growing demand for online shopping, the economy’s slow recovery from recession, rating revaluation and the uncertainty caused by Brexit – are likely to remain.

However, the market can still thrive if landlords and investment purchasers display the required creativity and agility to ensure their assets perform to the highest possible levels.

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

FEATURE

My Ambition is to...

JARLATH MALLON TECHNICAL ARCHITECT FOR EIR BUSINESS NI

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ike many other people working in the telecoms industry, I didn’t grow up thinking I was going to be a ‘Technical Architect’, the job simply didn’t exist! Given the ongoing pace of digital and communications change, young people today face a similar challenge. It’s estimated that 65 percent of the children entering primary school now will ultimately work in a job that doesn’t currently exist, so the need to develop and hone a diverse skillset is more important than ever.

Originally from Newry, I attended St. Colman’s College and while I had a keen interest in science and technology subjects at school, it wasn’t until I was studying physics at Queen’s University, Belfast, that I considered a move into computer science. I enjoyed learning about programming and analytics and as part of my course, I was writing scripts to help analyse data and was fascinated by how IT programmes could be used to solve problems.

Once I graduated with a BSc (Hons) degree in Physics with Astrophysics, I moved into computer science and electronic engineering and completed an MSc in Telecommunications.

The rest, they say, is history!

Whilst at Queen’s, my passion for physics led to me joining PAMSOC, the official physics and maths society. Sparking and nurturing my interest in the topic even further, this is an active community of students and scientists who have a passion for the subjects and allowed like-minded folk to socialise, share scientific ideas and gain more insight into the areas of most curiosity. I’m not ashamed to say this is as geeky as it sounds, but it was a fantastic forum to relax, have fun and discuss the latest trends in our respective fields.

I’ve been with eir Business NI for over 10 years, joining the company early in 2008 initially as a Network Operations Centre (NOC) Engineer. In my current role as a Technical Architect for eir Business NI, I work closely with customers to design and deliver solutions across their wired and wireless company networks, datacentre and firewalling environments – ensuring companies can deliver the critical applications for their ongoing business growth.

Alongside technical knowledge and expertise, attention to detail and strong communications skills is a must in my role.

Our customers often have varied, complex requirements. It’s crucial that the network solutions we create match those needs and are integrated seamlessly. Being able to think outside the box is important, so if you are the type of person who can solve problems when others are stuck or is known for their creative flair, then a career in telecommunications could be for you! No two days are ever the same, and the best part of my job is the variety of work – the differing projects and the ability to operate across several technology fields.

It’s extremely rewarding seeing a design come into production and deliver a positive impact.

While networking has predominately remained quite static, our industry has been experiencing somewhat of a metamorphosis in the past five years. What happened in the computer world 10-15 years ago – when everything became virtualised – is now

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happening to the network world. If we don’t keep abreast of the latest technological trends and innovations, we risk being left behind.

Another important issue is the growth of cyber-attacks. With an ever-evolving digital landscape, it is imperative that businesses and individuals invest in time and resources to ensure they protect their assets.

Reflecting on my career journey and highlights so far, I would say my overarching ambition is to ensure we harness the benefits of digital transformation. This is an exciting time for our industry – in the next number of years how networks are designed and controlled is going to fundamentally change.

As such, there is a wealth of opportunities for young people to enter and flourish in the telecommunications sector. Digital technology is creating growth in Northern Ireland, enhancing the way businesses work, so there are plenty of opportunities out there for anyone willing to grasp them.

AMBITION SPECIAL SECTION

The Appliance of Science in Healthcare

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orthern Ireland is home to a world-leading life sciences and health industry and has at its fingertips a wide range of startups, SMEs and international businesses developing products and services to support the healthcare of patients.

Science is making cancer treatments more precise in many different ways and

Northern Irish companies are leading the way in research and development by focusing on clinical breakthroughs and drug discovery.

The development of treatments to prevent disease in animals is also vital in ensuring a healthy human population by protecting the supply of food from animals which ultimately ends up in the

food chain. As the unprecedented wave of investment and innovation continues in the industry, Ambition talks to the CEOs and senior personnel in some of Northern Ireland’s leading diagnostic, veterinary, pharma, medical services and devices firms who are world renowned in their specialist fields and hears about their role in advancing treatments and saving lives.

Inside this Issue: 44

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Leading the way from laboratory to market Almac

Customising patient care Clonallon Laboratories

World Class Provider of Veterinary Pharmaceuticals - Norbrook

A small part of a bigger life TG Eakin

Putting life into healthcare Invest NI

Earlier Diagnosis is a ‘game-changer’ Randox

The appliance of science in healthcare

Leading the way from laboratory to market

Dr Robert Dunlop, President and Managing Director, Almac Clinical Services; Alan Armstrong, CEO, Almac Group; and Graeme McBurney, President and Managing Director, Almac Pharma Services at the new cold store facility at Almac's global headquarters in Craigavon.

New drug discoveries for the treatment of diseases are crucial in saving lives. Adrienne McGill talks to Alan Armstrong, Chief Executive of the Almac Group and hears about the essential services it provides to the biotech and pharma industry.

The Almac Group has been to the forefront of drug discoveries since the company was established by the late Sir Allen McClay in 2002.

The Craigavon-based pharmaceutical giant is a world leader in providing a range of services to take a drug from development right through to global distribution.

It partners directly with clients (large and small pharma, biotechs, academia and virtual companies) to support the development of their drug product – from early stage research and development through clinical trial testing to commercial drug delivery.

The continuum of services provided

by Almac is unique within the biopharma industry and is advantageous for companies to have continuity of service provision, all under one umbrella – almost a “one stop shop” offering which saves time and money. Almac ‘s main aim is on advancing human health.

The Group employs almost 5,000 staff across the UK, Republic, US and in Singapore and Tokyo with over 3,000 people based at its headquarters in Craigavon. It works with all the top 25 biopharma companies in the world and provides services to over 600 companies in the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors.

The Group comprises a number of closely integrated specialist business units offering a broad range of services from R&D, product development, clinical trial supply to commercial-scale manufacture divisions and continually invests in the

development of state of the art services in order to support clients across the product development lifecycle.

Its most recent investment has been a £20m new production facility at its base in Craigavon with the creation of 100 new posts. The 95,000 sq ft premises will allow the organisation to strengthen its supply of temperature-sensitive drugs. The cold chain facility can provide an environment of up to minus 25 degrees. The store, one of the largest of its kind in Europe, has been purpose-built in response to client demands for drugs that address rare diseases, as well as changes to regulatory compliance and a more stringent focus on data across the supply chain.

Alan Armstrong, Chief Executive of the Almac Group, says the cold chain store would enable the company to better serve clients.

“We have a pipeline of projects all of which are exciting but the cold store has been particularly exciting.

“Our business is very capital intensive and the cold store is a major development for us. We have, once again, set the industry standard with an additional £20m investment in our comprehensive global clinical and commercial supply chain offering. This new facility expands our cold storage capacity by 300% and our frozen storage capabilities by over 50%, enabling us to better serve our clients, and ultimately patients, worldwide thereby maintaining our position as a global leader in the life sciences sector.”

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The cold store facility contains pharmaceutical products which are then delivered to investigational sites, clinics and hospitals across the world for clinical studies.

“We can get orders for products to be sent to Australia, the Philippines, in fact anywhere across the world. They are packaged in a controlled environment to ensure the integrity of the product within an Almac Pod which ensures their safe and secure delivery to patient centres and hospitals,” says Alan.

Tests developed by Almac have been vital in progressing diagnosis in a number of health conditions but especially in cancer.

Just last summer, Almac Discovery, announced the US Federal Drug Administration (FDA) granted Orphan Drug Designation to its drug candidate ALM201 in the treatment of ovarian cancer.

In another project, Queen’s University, Belfast has led the world’s largest research study using a diagnostic test developed by one of the Almac Group businesses – Almac Diagnostics – to better understand the biology of prostate cancer tumours, which could lead to a transformation in how prostate cancer is diagnosed and treated.

“Whether a prostate cancer patient has a slow-growing or aggressive tumour will affect the type of treatment required. It is only through understanding the type and genetics of the particular cancer tumour that clinicians will be able to put an effective treatment plan in place,” says Alan.

“Almac’s diagnostic test has been

biopharma companies in this area.

“We have a team of world renowned scientists in Almac Diagnostics who work on developing companion diagnostic tests to help predict a patient’s likelihood of responding to a certain type of drug used in their care. If we can work out which type of cancer patients will benefit from a certain drug, then not only does it mean there will be no wastage of cost, of time and of hope - but it will also help the drug get results immediately which will get through the clinical trial process quicker which will then get to market to save people’s lives quicker.

“There are cancers that will mutate, that won’t mutate, mutate from one organ to another – there is a huge variety – but whatever cancer is out there, we will devote our scientific skills to it and then big pharma companies can produce products that are going to address them.”

Scientific excellence is core to the Almac Group and it is keen to enhance STEM knowledge and understanding among the next generation of budding scientists through interactive learning. Over £1m is therefore being invested (over the next 10 years) through a partnership agreement between Almac and W5. The partnership includes a new 4,000sq ft exhibition area that explores the physical, chemical, genetic and medical aspects of the body

and showcases Almac’s history. The new exhibition area is expected to open in autumn 2018.

Meanwhile, the ‘Sloane McClay Award’ commemorates the lives of both Sir Hans Sloane, the celebrated physician and scientist and Sir Allen McClay. It is awarded annually to the top student at GCSE obtaining the highest combined marks in biology, chemistry, physics and maths through a partnership between Almac and the Hans Sloane (Memorial Fund) Trust, with National Museums NI. Another prestigious award, the ‘Almac McKervey Award for Excellence in Organic Chemistry’, was launched in March as a commemoration to the life and work of Professor Tony McKervey who worked with Almac for over 25 years. Open to students studying Chemistry or Medicinal Chemistry at the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at Queen’s University Belfast, the award will be presented to a student selected on the basis of academic achievement and performance at an interview with Almac’s chemistry experts.

“Our unrivalled range of services, innovative approach and proven quality record makes Almac a major player in drug development both now and we believe for generations to come,” says Alan.

“That is what motivates us.”

Customising Patient Care

Single-use medical instruments are becoming increasingly popular and widely used, and the range available is growing year on year. Adrienne McGill talks to Dermot Dempster, founder and Managing Director of Clonallon Laboratories and Tiarnan Conway, Business Development Manager and hears how the firm’s customised packs are proving to be cost effective for hospitals and crucial to patient outcomes.

Clonallon Laboratories which supplies procedure packs for a variety of medical situations – including the delivery of babies in hospitals in Kuwait in the Middle East – is continuing to grow as demand for its services increases.

The company, based in Warrenpoint, is a leading supplier of customised sterile procedure packs, surgical instruments and other equipment to the healthcare industry in countries across the world.

In 2014, the company, which employs 17 people, scooped a contract to supply £250,000 worth of procedure packs to hospitals in Kuwait, specifically medical equipment used in the delivery of babies.

But its sterile equipment packs go far beyond this.

A customised surgical pack contains single-use devices that are necessary when surgeons are carrying out procedures. All

these devices are packaged in a sterile pack that is delivered into hospitals and surgeries.

A pack has a selection of components that includes: drapes, surgical swabs, sutures, surgical blades and wound dressings.

Clonallon Laboratories founder and Managing Director Dermot Dempster, is a microbiologist who established the firm in 2002.

He was inspired to set up the company after visiting the US while working for Johnson & Johnson subsidiary Ethicon which manufactures surgical sutures and wound closure devices.

The use of customised sterile procedure packs was already well established in hospitals and clinical facilities in the US whereas in Northern Ireland and in the rest of Europe, a paper-based card index system was still being used detailing the

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instruments that a surgeon needed for a particular operation. These then had to be collected by theatre staff from stores which meant the system was slow and costly.

“The average time taken to gather all the instruments was 30-40 minutes and very often some of the components weren’t available so the surgery had to be cancelled,” says Dermot.

“I came back to Northern Ireland and went around the hospitals and asked their opinion about using sterile procedure packs.

They all answered yes – it was a great idea.”

The method in which the packs are assembled is similar to an assembly plant.

Clonallon Laboratories buys in the medical components and puts together the procedural pack based on clinicians’ requirements.

The equipment firstly goes to the company’s cleanroom where gowned-up

The appliance of science in healthcare

commercially validated and we are looking for a partner to take it out into the market place.

“The services we provide to clients help save lives as we try to shorten the timeline of getting them into the market as quickly as possible.

“Due to our experience and having all our services on site in Craigavon, we can do it faster and better than any of our competitors.”

Almac Diagnostics is a stratified medicine company specialising in biomarker driven clinical trials.

The division partners with biopharma companies to provide solutions ranging from pre-clinical biomarker discovery to companion diagnostic development including regulatory submissions and commercialisation.

“Almac Diagnostics is the part of our business involved in Clinical Trial Diagnostics and companion diagnostics,” says Alan.

“There has been a marked increase in the use of companion diagnostics to effectively treat patients in the most appropriate manner. The division has been involved in the research and development of companion diagnostics since the establishment of Almac Diagnostics in 2003 and has made significant progress by supporting multiple

The appliance of science in healthcare Clonallon Laboratories’ Dermot Dempster and Edward Henry at the company’s stand at the Arab Health 2018 exhibition held in Dubai earlier this year.

operatives assemble the packs and seal them. The packs are boxed and sent to be sterilised before coming back to Clonallon and then dispatched to customers (hospitals and clinics).

The equipment is stored ahead of an operation and then collected by nursing staff who bring it into theatre for use by the surgeon during the procedure.

“That makes the process a lot more efficient,” says Dermot. “In addition, the fewer items that you open in theatre, the less likelihood there is of infection.

“This is of critical importance in healthcare. All those involved in the industry want to reduce the number of patients who go through surgery and end up with a postoperative infection.

“Our initial success was in other parts of the UK, RoI and in export markets. It took some time to gain traction in the NHS in Northern Ireland but once we did we managed to build a very solid business platform.

“Our strapline is ‘Customising your patient care’.

“It is all about efficiency and reducing infections in theatre and allowing surgeons to tailor the pack to suit their patients’ needs.

“Providing procedural packs for the NHS has given us great insight into the items required for best medical practice and as a result of this experience we were able to secure a substantial contract with the Ministry of Health in Kuwait.

“Crucially, surgical packs deliver the right equipment, at the right time, in the right configuration and to the right place.”

Most studies have shown that medical institutions that have switched to using surgical packs have increased their daily operations by 30-40%.

Furthermore, by enabling health practitioners to work more efficiently and therefore carry out more procedures, surgical packs are essential when it comes to generating cost effective measures. The management of cost is also made easier since hospitals do not have to keep a large stock of medical equipment which may lead to the expiry of slow moving lines.

The customised packs help managers calculate delivery costs more accurately.

Clonallon Laboratories exhibits frequently at health exhibitions in countries across the globe and Dermot Dempster and the firm’s Clinical Director Edward Henry attended one of the biggest, Arab Health 2018, earlier this year in Dubai.

Tiarnan Conway, Business Development Manager at the company says export sales are continuing to grow and most recently it has secured contracts in Iceland and South Africa.

“We have a strong foothold in Northern Ireland, RoI, Malta, France, Switzerland, and the Middle East and are moving into other countries such as Iceland and South Africa.

“We explore markets by undertaking research, talking to other suppliers who have experience in those markets, meeting clinicians in hospitals and talking to industry professionals. This has worked very well for us.

“Everything we do is centred on patient safety which is why we invest heavily in R&D.

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“We are in hospitals on a daily basis listening to doctors and nurses about the clinical challenges. We take those challenges and have a brainstorming session to see if we can come up with a solution to a particular problem.

“All of our senior management team have a clinical background – their knowledge is crucial in solving certain challenges of a hospital and building a product around that.”

Tiarnan says that as the healthcare market in the RoI prepares itself for the new European Medical Device Regulations which are mandatory, Clonallon has taken a number of innovative steps to provide services which will allow for a smoother transition.

“Working with a North American medical device company, we have been instrumental in offering state of the art technology within radio frequency identification. It allows the passive recording of all the items used in surgery. It is a huge task which is normally undertaken by clinicians and nurses. There is a clinical side to knowing what equipment is being used. The technology is about managing a smart bin – theatre staff can take a medical device which has been used, put it in the bin and the bin will know exactly what has been put in, where it was bought from, how much it was, how many, what the lot number was. It means if there are any issues going forward, there is a record associated with the patient.

“The ease of use is the really innovative part and Clonallon was keen to be involved with the technology.”

Norbrook marks 50 years in business next year as it continues to be a global leader in the development and production of high quality veterinary pharmaceutical health products. Adrienne McGill talks to Norbrook’s CEO Liam Nagle and hears about the company’s plans for further growth and its innovative treatments for animals.

Animals, like humans, are prone to illness and need medicine to treat and prevent disease. From indoors-only cats to freerange chickens, animals – no matter where they live – they all benefit from today’s veterinary medicines. Better animal health is an important part of an animal’s welfare.

On average, the world spends only about one-fortieth of the amount it devotes to human medicines on animal medicines. But that investment is used to cover animal health innovations for the world’s 253 million dogs, 270 million cats, 1.3 billion cattle, sheep and goats, 1.4 billion pigs and 64 billion poultry birds.

The time, care and investment put into the research and development of animal medicines ensures a steady stream of new and innovative products that improve the health and wellbeing of all of these animals.

The animal health industry contributes to public health by providing vets with medicines needed to keep animals healthy.

One of the best-known and largest veterinary pharmaceutical companies in the world is Norbrook which was established in 1969 in Newry by the late Lord Ballyedmond.

The family-owned business produces a huge portfolio of animal health products which are distributed in more than 100 countries across the world through a regional sales team and a network of longstanding distribution partners.

The aim of the company is to be the first to market with generic veterinary pharmaceutical products with differentiators or enhancements in comparison to pioneer products.

Liam Nagle, Norbrook’s CEO who took up the role three years ago, following the death of Lord Ballyedmond, says healthy animals are critical to maintain health in humans.

“Our pharmaceutical products for large animals, which account for 80% of our revenue, are regulated by the same regulatory body that regulates human healthcare so we have to abide by very strict codes.

“We also produce Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs). A lot of the APIs we use today to develop medication for animals are similar APIs used in human medical products.

“We are managed and regulated by the same standards as a human pharmaceutical

Norbrook’s CEO Liam Nagle.

business because a lot of the animals that we treat wind up in the food chain.”

Norbrook operates three facilities in Newry, where the company is headquartered, and one in Monaghan. It also has facilities in Kenya and Uganda in East Africa. There are 2,100 people employed by the company globally with 1,600 based in Newry.

With a portfolio of more than 300 products for animals, including antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, pain management and parasite control, 80% of Norbrook’s veterinary pharmaceutical products are used on traditional farm animals, such as cattle and pigs, and almost 20% on companion animals, such as dogs and cats. The remainder is used in the equine industry.

“If you look at the global business, in the

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past 60% of products were used on large farm animals while 40% went towards companion animals. That has now moved to a 50:50 split,” says Liam.

“The traditional large animal sector is growing at 2-3% a year, while the companion animal sector is growing at 5-7%, particularly in the developed world, and especially in the US, so that opens up huge opportunities for us.”

Norbrook has a history of product innovation and invests significantly in research and development to the tune of £10m a year.

However, while the development of new products takes time so does getting them to translate into sales.

“Our business is quite intensive in terms of R&D and innovation. Our investments

The appliance of science in healthcare

World Class Provider of Veterinary Pharmaceuticals

The appliance of science in healthcare

have also involved upgrading manufacturing facilities and constructing new laboratories.

However, product development is both costly and takes time,” says Liam.

“It is a not a quick process, requiring around five years or more from initial product concept through to a successful launch of the product onto the market.

“The investment is quite heavy. The research and development phase is a multistage process which begins with the product concept. Due diligence is then extensively carried out on the commercial viability of the product. The product proposal then moves through to the series of development stages, before continuing on to production and testing. This progresses to securing successful regulatory licences to allow for the launch of the product for sale in markets around the world.

“We have an active pipeline of 25-30 products over the next 5 years which means we will probably bring to market between 4 and 6 products every year.

“Our product offering is broad which is good because we can solve lots of animal health issues.”

Norbrook’s products are sold across the

world with one third of business in the US and the same amount in Europe and in the rest of the world. Liam Nagle expects the US market to grow substantially in just a few years.

“I would expect that within the next couple of years, greater than 40% of our business will be in North America. We have experienced double digit growth in the US in the last 2 years and I would expect the same this year. This is being driven by successful new product launches in the US for both large and companion animals.

“It is a big market. We are one of the top 15 veterinary pharmaceutical companies in the world and last year our revenues topped £270m. The biggest player in the market did $5bn in revenue so we have lots of opportunity to gain share. The market is growing at a rate of 4-6% and we are also winning share through product launches.”

In the last two years Norbrook has launched 2 new antibiotics for animals in the US – Enrofloxacin and Norfenicol – and has seen very good growth in those and in the companion animal side. In 2017 the company launched Carprieve, a flavoured chewable tablet for dogs which vets can

easily administer and is designed for the relief of pain and inflammation associated with osteoarthritis.

“At the end of the day our customers are the animals, the vets, the clinicians and our distributors,” says Liam.

“Norbrook across the world is a wellrecognised brand, renowned as an innovative healthcare specialist, and is a reliable supplier.”

At home, the company is also a significant contributor to the economy of Northern Ireland. Last year it spent £57m in salaries and £32m on goods and services in the region, in addition to a further £20m in the Republic of Ireland. Overall, with the global veterinary pharmaceutical sector worth $28bn and growing at 5-6% a year, the opportunities are considerable.

“The core of what we want to be is a successful veterinary pharmaceutical business,” says Liam.

“We have a clear strategic plan to make sure there is a sustainable long-term business, and to grow it so that drives profitability which we can continue to invest back into the business. It is as simple as that.”

A small part of a bigger life The Eakin Group, of which TG Eakin is part, is one of the world’s leading medical device manufacturers which produces high-quality skin care protection products for use in stoma and wound care. Adrienne McGill talks to TG Eakin’s Commercial Director Janet Fairlie-Vogt and hears how unique products are transforming people’s lives.

When Tom Eakin developed a revolutionary pharmaceutical product almost 40 years ago, he knew it would improve the quality of life for countless numbers of people and in many cases save lives.

As a result of having a close family member with a urostomy and listening to customers with ostomy problems visiting his Dundonald-based pharmacy, Tom felt a strong desire to help improve their quality of life. He was determined to find a way to help post-surgery patients living with ostomies – an opening in the body for the discharge of body wastes – as many were experiencing problems on a daily basis with disposable ostomy pouches.

Issues included skin irritation and wound (stoma) infections which could lead to life-threatening emergencies such as septicemia.

Tom set about mixing adhesives to protect the skin around the stoma from infection. He made a completely new adhesive – to attach pouches to the skin – with a small mixer that was normally used in bakeries that he had modified himself.

Hours invested in trial and error saw the innovative Pharmacist produce a dermal protective adhesive that was soon in demand and which became a forerunner for what is today the Eakin Cohesive Seal, launched in 1980.

The formula for the seal, which has not changed since its development almost 40 years ago, is a closely guarded secret. The unique quality gives the seal the ability to be highly absorbent and easy to mould so that it will keep its shape and stay in place on the person using it.

Once Tom had formulated his successful adhesive he started working on developing other products.

It led to the creation of TG Eakin, the award winning family business which has grown to become a world leader in the development and production of specialised medical products.

The company, based in Comber, has annual revenues that fall in the £25m to £50m band and has expanded extensively over the years. It supplies specialist wound care and ostomy products to

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business partners, wholesalers, hospitals, pharmacies and home delivery companies in at least 40 countries across the world. In excess of 15 million Eakin Cohesive Seals are sold annually worldwide.

The firm has won numerous awards over the years and in 2010 scooped one of the most prestigious – the Queen’s Award for Enterprise for Exporting Achievement.

Janet Fairlie-Vogt, TG Eakin’s Commercial Director says the company’s reach across the globe is extending all the time.

“We have a very good international footprint across Europe, North America, the Middle East, Australia and now Japan which is a big new market for us and where we have set up a subsidiary.

“We want to make sure those markets are optimising the presence of Eakin and that people with stomas are getting the best possible product they need and the service and support they require.

“It is a complete minefield for someone who has just had a stoma. There are 3 different types – a colostomy, urostomy

The appliance of science in healthcare TG Eakin’s Commercial Director Janet Fairlie-Vogt.

and ileostomy – and people have to navigate the complexity of the many products for each one depending on the type of stoma they have. However, they will have help from a specialist nurse.

“We want people with stomas to feel perfectly comfortable with managing them and feel safe in the knowledge that Eakin products will give them the security they need.

“Stomas will be slightly different for each patient which is why we have developed products which are flexible so that the shape can be changed for each type of stoma.

“The Eakin Cohesive Seal is soft and mouldable and fits snuggly around the base of a stoma to provide a leak-proof seal while Eakin wound pouches collect wound exudate and offer complete skin protection and a secure fit.

“Eakin Cohesive seals work in three ways to combat the main causes of sore skin around a wound area – they effectively bind harmful digestive enzymes which dramatically reduces the effect they can have on skin; they absorb more moisture

and therefore skin will be protected against leakage; and they block chemical and biological irritants so they cannot come into contact with skin.”

Exports have been central to the success of TG Eakin and in 1992 as sales overseas began to grow, Tom’s son Jeremy joined the firm as Marketing Manager.

Tom’s other son Paul joined the team in 1995 as Operations Manager and the firm moved from its original premises in Dundonald to a purpose-built factory in Comber which has been extended several times since to accommodate growth.

Tom retired as MD of TG Eakin in 2003, handing over the reins to Jeremy, but remains on the board.

While the manufacturing side of the business may have started life as a fourperson concern in a house next door to Tom’s original pharmacy, today, in addition to the state of the art factory in Comber, there is another in Cardiff.

Around 80 employees are based at the facility in Comber while more than 300 are employed across the Group which includes a number of acquisitions.

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In 2008 the Eakin Group acquired Pelican Healthcare Ltd, a Cardiff-based ostomy manufacturer; Pelican Feminine/Single Use Surgical also based in Cardiff; and Respond, a home delivery company. The three companies are headed by Paul.

Research and development is central to the creation of new products. The company’s latest innovative product is the ‘eakin dot 2 piece stoma bag’ that offers comfort and flexibility, has extended wear time and can be ‘peeled down’ on removal meaning total control and ease for the wearer.

Looking to the future Janet says: “We will continue to be a highly innovative company and ensure that our products excel in terms of innovation and quality.”

She adds: “We have had a massive amount of feedback across so many different countries from people, nurses and other health professionals who all say Eakin products have changed lives. They are a small part of a bigger life.”

The appliance of science in healthcare

Putting life into healthcare Ground-breaking scientific research is helping to raise the standards of public health and healthcare but critical to this is collaboration as Adrienne McGill hears from Grainne McVeigh, Invest NI’s Director of Life Sciences.

Northern Ireland has a strong and internationally recognised life and health sciences sector which has become one of the fastest growing areas of the local economy and boasts a host of globally renowned leaders among its members.

The sector comprises dynamic, private sector companies in pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, life and health science, medical devices and technologies, and digital health with strong exports to Europe and beyond, combined with global expertise in clinical and health research led by universities and hospitals here.

These areas are inextricably linked to the public health system and brought together in interconnected, place-based clusters that stretch across Northern Ireland from Londonderry’s Clinical Translational Research and Innovation Centre (C-TRIC), where the Northern Ireland Centre for Stratified Medicine is also based, to Belfast’s Connected Health Innovation Centre (CHIC) at Ulster University.

These facilities are leading transformational research which aligns care needs with technology providers, researchers and clinical experience.

The latest to join these specialised clusters is the new £10m Centre of Precision Medicine based at the Centre of Cancer Research and Cell Biology (CCRCB) at Queen’s University, Belfast. The facility, spearheaded by Invest NI and Queen’s University, will develop an internationally accredited laboratory focusing on diagnostics which can be used to predict a cancer patient’s response to treatment.

This will allow potentially costly drugs to be used more effectively by being prescribed only to those who can benefit from them.

The new centre will provide access to R&D facilities for both local and international companies. It has the potential to develop ground breaking treatments for cancer patients and will further enhance the personalised medicine and oncology research sector in Northern Ireland.

“Life and health science is an area where there are opportunities for companies to develop, export and grow,” says Grainne McVeigh, Invest NI’s Director of Life Sciences.

“It is an area of research strength in our universities. People recognise the importance of precision medicine. We have world class research, world class opportunities and some world class companies and Invest NI together with

Grainne McVeigh (right), Invest NI, with Aiden Flynn, CEO Exploristics.

Queen’s wanted to underpin that by establishing the new centre which will contribute to the continued international recognition of Northern Ireland based research in precision medicine.”

According to Invest NI, a total of 170 companies operate in the life and health sciences sector in Northern Ireland (including those involved in health data analytics and systems). They have a combined turnover of almost £1bn, employ 8,500 people and account for 13% of exports from the region. In the last 5 years, the agency has offered support to firms across more than 280 areas of assistance including R&D, marketing, training and funding.

One of these is Exploristics, the Belfast-based specialist in statistical and data analytics which is headed by Aiden Flynn. The company provides firms in the life science, health, pharmaceutical and diagnostic sector and personalisedmedicine market with the data they need to conduct studies and develop new healthrelated products.

Grainne McVeigh says Invest NI is very supportive of companies in the sector because it is R&D intensive, export focused, innovative and growing.

“Any science-based company is looking at the next innovation. What is the next big thing? What is the next drug or diagnostic test?

“A lot of the companies we work with are involved in developing drugs or products or methodologies to help patient outcomes – it is about extending life and giving better diagnoses – it is about getting drugs to

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work better, faster and smarter.

“Our diagnostic and pharma companies are focused on getting the science right to help the patient. They are trying to make it easier for the clinician to diagnose what is wrong with a patient, thereby making treatment easier and recovery faster.”

However, maximising the potential of Northern Ireland’s health innovations and scientific research and development, requires engagement from the public sector and more precisely the NHS. “If healthcare can’t absorb a new drug or health product into clinical practices then it becomes very difficult,” says Grainne.

“You will have companies innovating who have, for example, developed a new diagnostic test or pathway that will give patients a better response to treatment of a medical condition but if our health service is not able to adopt that and create awareness and pay for it – then a company may well have to sell it overseas. There are two halves to the innovation question – there is the innovation that companies do together with research and funding and then there is the issue of how to get it adopted by the NHS. There is a continuing need to support joined-up thinking across academia, industry large and small and the NHS.” Grainne points to the Life Sciences Industrial Review Strategy for the UK, written by Professor Sir John Bell and published last year, which provides recommendations to government on the long term success of the life sciences sector.

The report says: “Any credible life sciences strategy in the UK

Earlier Diagnosis is a ‘game-changer’ Three new Randox Centres of Excellence will accelerate the development of new technologies to identify the early stages of illness writes Adrienne McGill.

A record £50m investment which will deliver cutting-edge technologies to diagnose conditions like cancer, heart conditions and infectious diseases was announced earlier this year by Northern Ireland diagnostics company Randox Laboratories and Invest NI. This major project involves the establishment of three Centres of Excellence, enabling Randox R&D scientists to work collaboratively with colleagues from Queen’s University Belfast and Ulster University. The centres were officially launched in February at the company’s new state of the art R&D and manufacturing facility housed at the former Massereene Barracks site in Antrim which has become the Randox Science Park.

The ceremony included a keynote address from Sir John Bell, who chaired the UK Government’s Life Sciences Industrial Strategy Board.

Advanced diagnostics have been identified as key to delivering sustainable improvement to healthcare systems struggling to cope with increasing levels of chronic and preventable conditions.

Having been focused in this field for over 36 years, Randox, which is headquartered in Crumlin, has a successful track record of developing new and innovative tests – examples include assessing those at risk of Alzheimer’s disease and genetic cardiac conditions, to promote and enable preventive treatment, and a new clinicallyapproved test to diagnose prediabetes.

Founder and Managing Director of Randox Laboratories, Dr Peter FitzGerald, said: “When almost a quarter of the deaths of people under 75 in the UK are considered preventable, we need to ask ourselves what can be done to improve healthcare outcomes. There is an undeniable case for radical change in the way healthcare is delivered, and sophisticated diagnostics will be at the fore of this revolution.

“Enabling earlier and more accurate diagnosis, to identify those at the earliest

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stages of illness, ideally before the onset of any symptoms, is a game-changer.

Through early intervention we can restrict the development of chronic conditions and improve people’s lives. Our view of the future is one where people are empowered through earlier diagnosis to stay healthier for longer, and where healthcare systems are freed to deliver quality services to patients. Our announcement demonstrates our continuing commitment in this field.

“We are grateful for the support offered

by Invest NI and look forward to addressing these pressing healthcare needs.”

The Centres of Excellence will focus respectively on clinical diagnostics, engineering for biosciences and quality control. The project, which will strengthen collaborative partnerships between Randox, Queen’s University, Belfast and Ulster University, will accelerate the development of new technologies and drive healthcare improvements regionally, nationally and across the globe.

Of the £23m of support offered by Invest NI, £5m will go toward research projects at Ulster University and Queen’s University.

Welcoming the investment, Alastair Hamilton, Chief Executive of Invest NI said: “Randox has a long history of investing heavily in innovation and R&D which has enabled it to create a globally competitive export driven business, capable of developing world leading research. This major investment will enable Randox to perform cutting-edge R&D which has the potential to revolutionise the global healthcare industry. This is excellent news for Northern Ireland’s life and health sciences sector. Northern Ireland is enjoying a growing international reputation as a region of expertise and knowledge in key areas such as Diagnostics, Precision Medicine and Advanced Manufacturing.

The three new Centres of Excellence will help build on this and enhance Northern Ireland’s credibility, provide supply chain

The appliance of science in healthcare

must have the NHS as an active participant.

Not only is it a monopoly purchaser of commercial health-related products, but it is also potentially an enormous asset for those attempting to discover and develop new, innovative products and to properly test their utility in a healthcare system.

Adoption by the system of innovation is key to improving outcomes for patients.

This Strategy, however, should not only recognise the importance of the NHS to successful economic growth in the life sciences, but it needs to recognise the importance of active NHS engagement with commercial innovators in ways that could enable significant transformation in the way healthcare is delivered in the UK.” It adds: “The arguments for more interaction between industry and the NHS in the evaluation of products are clear. UK patients and clinicians would benefit from innovative product use in the clinical trial setting knowing that, should the value be proven, the medicine would rapidly become more widely available, helping drive the spread of these innovations at pace and scale. The NHS would benefit from clinical trial revenues, early clinical experience and setting a global trend by using best standards of care, supporting improved planning and budgeting. Industry would benefit from improved predictability and early conditional reimbursement of a new innovation in the country where trial and early clinician and patient use has taken place.”

Ground breaking developments are taking place all the time. For instance, CCRCB at Queen’s University, has forged ahead in developing cancer treatments and pioneering advancements in patient care. One of these is a computer programme which allows scientists to examine tissue from tumours very quickly and to a very high level of detail which means huge amounts of data about lots of different types of cancers can be gathered. The hope is that patterns can be identified in the data that could help identify groups of patients who might benefit from new treatment strategies which ultimately will lead to a better outcome for them.

“You can’t have companies, universities, clinicians, healthcare professionals and government all working in silos. Information exchange has to happen and collaboration needs to show results,” says Grainne.

“A researcher in a university with a brilliant idea should be able to work with a company to develop a great product that can be used by a clinician to treat a patient effectively and therefore improve his/her health outcome. It is all about having a joined up approach – that is where the future of healthcare and the life and health science sector lies.”

The appliance of science in healthcare

Randox Managing Director, Dr Peter FitzGerald, Sir John Bell, Chair of the UK Government’s Life Sciences Industrial Strategy Board and Alastair Hamilton, Chief Executive of Invest NI.

Ireland’s credibility, provide supply chain opportunities, and encourage knowledge transfer with our universities.”

Sir John Bell, commenting on the potential for the UK Life Sciences sector said: “The life sciences industry represents one of the dominant economic sectors in the UK, and one with considerable potential for growth. However, whilst we have many natural strengths we cannot afford to be complacent. We must strive to optimise our science base, to encourage collaboration across academia, industry and the NHS, and grow our industrial capabilities. To do so we need to use our extensive data sets to best effect, and have in place a strong skills strategy. Success requires vision and drive.

To that end I would like to congratulate Dr FitzGerald and Randox in the establishment of these three R&D collaborative Centres of Excellence – these are assets of national standing and will have a meaningful impact in enabling earlier and more accurate diagnosis, driving improvements in patient

care, regionally, nationally and globally.

They are leaders in this field, committed to innovation, and I wish them every success.”

Today more than 5% of the world’s population – in excess of 370 million people across 145 countries – receives medical diagnosis using Randox products each year. Randox is the largest diagnostic company in the UK and exports over 95% of products worldwide. Its products and services are used in hospitals, clinical, research and molecular laboratories, food testing, forensic toxicology, life sciences, and veterinary laboratories. With a major focus in R&D, Randox scientists work in pioneering research into a range of common illnesses such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer’s disease. With around 16% of turnover reinvested in R&D, Randox has more new tests in development than any other diagnostic company.

At the end of last year, Randox opened its new central laboratory, Randox Clinical Laboratory Services (RCLS), at the Randox

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Science Park.

The RCLS accredited lab now houses Randox’s latest blood screening equipment – the pioneering Evolution machine.

This new technology enables the labs to conduct a full range of niche and standard research testing, as well as current health testing for the company’s Randox Health division, which offers the world’s most comprehensive full body health analysis.

Research areas at the newly accredited laboratory include but are not exclusive to cancer, fertility, heart, inflammation, stroke and kidney health, both in-house and collaboratively with external organisations.

According to Dr Fitzgerald: “As an innovation-led company, Randox’s revolutionary facilities are fundamental to enabling the company to develop more accurate and sensitive diagnostic capabilities and promote preventive healthcare globally.”

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Research Focus for MS Week

M

ay is a month when the MS Society focuses on research. With MS Awareness Week at the end of April and World MS Day on 30th May what better time to get loud about the fantastic advances that have been made over the past number of years.

NI Chamber’s Charity partner, the MS Society, is shining a spotlight on the exciting and ground-breaking research which they fund across the UK and across the world.

The Society has made huge advances in MS Research over the past 20 years. Research remains at the very heart of the work that the MS Society is doing and the research programme has been built around what matters most to people living with MS. The research is carried out by brilliant scientists all around the UK. Thanks to support from the MS community, the MS Society is able to fund around 70 projects at any given time – that makes the Society the biggest funder of MS Research in the UK.

Not only that, but the MS Society is also setting the global agenda for MS Research, as a managing member of the International Progressive Alliance. The Alliance is working to speed up the development of treatments that can tackle the progression of MS. Tom Mallon from the MS Society says: “The MS Society has supported multiple major breakthroughs over the last two decades.

We fund transformational research at an international, national and local level, and are investing in projects across the whole of the UK. All of our research projects are driven by and involve people affected by MS. We believe it is possible to revolutionise MS treatment in our lifetimes. As well as dramatically improve symptoms, slow progression and could even bring progression to a halt.

“We would love individuals and companies, big and small to get involved in supporting our research programme. Throughout the month of May we are also inviting people to show their support for MS research by getting involved in

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our Kiss Goodbye to MS campaign. They can get sponsored to give up or Kiss Goodbye to a guilty pleasure, be it chocolate, alcohol, tea, coffee or watching their favourite soap. It’s a bit of fun and we hope people will get involved.”

Another way to get involved is to sign up for our MS Run for Research event. The inaugural Run for Research took place in April 2017.

The event attracted almost 600 runners. The 2018 event will take place on 7th October 2018 at Holywood Exchange, Belfast, and the Society is planning an even bigger event.

“The Run for Research offers a 10k, half marathon and also a 20-mile run and we are hoping to add a Family Fun run as well in 2018,” adds Tom. “All of the funds raised will be used to help fund our research programme.”

To find out more about Kiss Goodbye to MS or the MS Run for Research visit www. mssociety.org.uk or give Tom a call on 028 9080 2802.

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A TRULY BESPOKE SERVICE FROM 4c EXECUTIVE Following the placement of Extern’s new Director of Finance and Corporate Services, 4c Executive caught up with the charity’s CEO, Charlie Mack, to hear his thoughts on the process…

What were the key factors that Extern considered before deciding to partner with 4c Executive?

There were three key factors that led us to working with 4c Executive. Firstly, Extern recognise that 4c take a multifaceted approach to searching the marketplace, fully understanding the Private, Public and Notfor-Profit sectors and as such being able to uncover the best candidate irrespective of industry or sector. Secondly, the Director of Finance and Corporate Services is not a traditional front-line role, and we were able to rely on 4c’s strong reputation in working with leading, commercial businesses across Northern Ireland. Lastly, what struck me about the business was how interested they were in us. They took the time to get to

How do you think the process with 4c differed, in comparison to recruiting in-house or working with a recruitment agency?

4c is not a business that have a solution and go looking for a problem, but rather they are a truly bespoke service that listen to their client’s problems and then create the tailored solution. That is what we felt from the very beginning. Their search function sets them apart from the market, with an impressive 73% of their candidates being uncovered via search, rather than more traditional routes such as advertised response. Extern are driven in our mission of ‘Changing Lives Every Day’ and to do so we must surround ourselves with the best talent – we felt a benefit of 4c approaching the best to highlight this exciting opportunity to them and know that we have attracted the right person for the role.

What do you feel are the synergies that exist between 4c’s values and Extern’s values?

Extern provide a truly holistic approach when working with service users, to ensure we effectively meet the needs of a wide range of people. We felt this synergy between ourselves and 4c, who we could rely on from the assignment kick-off right through to present day, even though the successful candidate has started in his role.

We also pride ourselves on delivering quality, exceeding expectations. The Third Sector can often have a reputation of being third rate, but Extern are driven to be the leading charity both locally and internationally. 4c also reflected this in their dedication to get the absolute best talent, to get ‘under the skin’ of the role and our business and really

understand what we needed. 4c didn’t present us with the usual suspects, that would be uncovered if you were to fish in a small and local pool. 4c fishes in the ocean and brought us a whale.

Now that the process is complete, how would you summarise your journey with 4c?

I would summarise it as being a genuine partnership. 4c were able to challenge our thinking effectively, to listen and understand the diversity of our business and to jointly agree key steps throughout the entire process. There was a clear strategy in place, 4c worked to a planned timeline and kept us informed throughout the entire journey.

This was all underpinned by professionalism and Gareth Hanna, Search Consultant, was always sincerely interested in seeking out the best person for the role, and so we are fully confident that we have filled the role to the highest standard.

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Arlene O’Connor and Marie-Louise Connolly.

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COLUMnIST

Maureen O’Reilly, NI Chamber Economist

What next for the ‘Walking Dead’?

‘Zombie’ companies – already dead but still keep going.

1 in 10. That’s the estimate of the share of companies that exist today that are classed as ‘zombies’ or the ‘walking dead’. In simple terms, these are companies that continue to exist but can only meet the interest payments on their debt. They survive by refinancing that debt without getting to the point of actually being able to pay any of the debt back. It is a phenomenon that has been on the rise across the US, China, Japan, Australia and Western Europe.

Typically the term ‘zombie’ refers to listed companies. However, the OECD would argue that the problem is much bigger because a large proportion of smaller non-listed companies are still loss-making. In the Eurozone, the ECB estimates that around 30% of SMEs are still in the red, in the US around 20%, and the UK

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close to 25%.1 R3, the Association of Business Recovery Professionals, however, puts the share of zombie businesses in the UK at just 3% although this had been as high as 8% little over a year ago.2 It isn’t clear how many zombie type businesses exist in Northern Ireland. However, the sense I consistently get from working with various business surveys is that there is a small but significant core of businesses in Northern Ireland that have continually struggled to recover from the ‘Crash’. They might not be ‘zombies’ in the strictest sense of the definition but are only just surviving.

What’s the problem? In hard-nosed economic terms, these are not the kinds of businesses that an economy wants. They are generally associated with lower productivity because they tend to be more inefficient. They

stifle business start-up and growth because they take up space that should be occupied by new and more productive businesses. They are associated with lower investment and job growth. They suck up credit that should be focused on supporting better firms. In effect, they stifle economic growth and are believed to have held back recovery across the globe and have been used as part of the explanation as to why UK (and global) productivity has been in decline.3 What keeps them alive? If a market were functioning properly, then the creative destruction process would mean that these businesses couldn’t survive because new businesses/industries would simply come in and put old ones out of business. However, low interest rates and bank forbearance – that is, banks’ reluctance to deal with non-performing loans and realise losses on their own balance sheets – are thought to be the main drivers.4 In fact, OECD research associates a greater share of zombie businesses in an economy with what it defines as ‘weak banks’.

R3 suggest that UK corporate insolvencies have been rising over the last 18 months (although in Northern Ireland have been in decline) and that there are signs that some ‘zombie’ companies have ceased to trade or have gone through a rescue process. It quotes OECD research which found that the UK had the

best insolvency and restructuring framework for dealing with ‘zombie’ businesses, keeping numbers down as a result. R3 makes the point that, while the problem does appear to be marginal, it hasn’t gone away and that “those businesses which have refinanced may not be any more productive and may have put problems off for a later date, while a serious financial downturn could easily create a new group of ‘zombie businesses’”.

The signs are that there will be at least one interest rate increase this year although the Bank of England suggests that any increase will be ‘limited and gradual’ .5 Michael Saunders, member of the Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee, anticipates that the increase will be ‘“limited” because the neutral rate of interest, that is, the rate at which the economy is largely stable, has fallen to around 2% – the pre-crisis level was around 5%. This means that interest rates are unlikely to increase much above 2% in the foreseeable future at least (shocks aside).

The “gradual” aspect really highlights that there is still uncertainty in the economy and in how it might react to any change in interest rates going forward.

The issue is how long these zombie firms can continue to survive. How far do interest rates need to rise to make their existence untenable? Perhaps the ‘“limited and gradual” approach taken by the Bank of England will

mitigate against any significant change in their ability to repay. What is the position with banks – are they more willing to end their period of forebearance and make these businesses start to repay their debt? There are a lot more unknowns and challenges that form part of the equation, not least the fact that, as the NI Chamber/BDO survey has highlighted, Brexit already appears to be negatively impacting on the trade performance of some of our local firms. I think the ‘zombie’ issue is still one to watch and, from an economist perspective, one that needs some form of policy focus to help address our significant productivity concerns.

1 ‘The Rise of Zombie Companies - and Why It Matters’ Daniel Lacalle, Fedwatch, 2017.

2 ‘Zombie companies walk among us’ Tim Hartford,

Financial Times, 2018.

3 ‘The UK Productivity Puzzle’ NIESR. 4 ‘Breaking The Shackles: Zombie Firms, Weak Banks and Depressed Restructuring In Europe’ OECD, 2017.

5 ‘Why raise rates? Why “Limited and Gradual”?’, Michael Saunders, Bank of England MPC, April 2018.

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FEATURE

Good to Great Ann McGregor, Chief Executive of Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry, celebrates 10 years in the role. Here, she reflects on‌and looks forward to‌ the organisation’s development as it helps companies achieve success in the wider world.

I

f there is a good time to take up the reigns at a business representative organisation, it certainly would not be at the outset of a major global recession which would have an impact on the business community in the UK and across the world beyond that which many of us could have predicted, or planned for. However, there are some things in life which are beyond our control and so it was that 2008 was the year I assumed the role of Chief Executive of Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Even in the midst of an economic meltdown it was a position I was delighted to take up and the intervening ten years have been hugely rewarding.

The strategic objectives and aspirational targets that have formed the Strategic Plans over the past ten years have demonstrated our commitment to achieving our vision and continuing on our journey from Good to Great. This includes consolidating our position as a business support organisation through the Learn Grow Excel initiative, growing membership with a focus on our service offering to recruit and retain members, along with continuous improvement throughout the organisation.

Membership Now sitting with a membership of 1,200 businesses representing over 100,000 employees, NI Chamber represents and champions corporates, SMEs and micro businesses, across all sectors, from manufacturing to agri-foods, services to high-tech and all of the professions.

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NI Chamber’s senior management team Funded entirely by our members, our focus is on enabling members to grow their organisation both locally and internationally.

Events & Networking NI Chamber currently provides networking and capacity building events, ranging from private dinners or roundtables for 20 people up to our Annual Networking Conference which attracts 900 people each year. Recently, members have heard from key brands including Lego, Domino’s Pizza and Richard Hammond from Amazon Prime’s The Grand Tour.

We have also hosted high calibre dinners including the first ever event in Titanic Belfast to celebrate 230 years of NI Chamber in 2012 with Brian O’Driscoll and singer-song writer Jamie Cullum, and the first ever event in the newly refurbished Belfast Waterfront with 900 people who heard from rugby legend Paul O’Connell at the Champions Dinner.

Other guest speakers that have addressed NI Chamber events over the past 10 years include AP McCoy, James Nesbitt, Jeremy Paxman and Robert Peston.

Profile enhancement NI Chamber continues to provide members with a range of marketing and PR platforms to promote their business, including a listing in our annual membership directory, advertising opportunities on our website and via our annual Chamber Business Awards which continue to grow in entries year-on-year.

Our website was refreshed in 2015 to provide members with their own dedicated section to share news stories, promote their events and provide fellow members with member-to-member discounts.

In 2013, NI Chamber introduced Ambition magazine, in partnership with the Ulster Tatler, which is distributed six times a year to over 5,000 subscribers each issue. A weekly newsletter edition of the magazine was introduced in 2017.

Business Support NI Chamber launched one of its most ambitious and dynamic programmes to date in 2017. The new Learn Grow Excel initiative, in partnership with a number of select organisations, has been designed to support growing companies at every stage of development and encourage more export activity in Northern Ireland.

To date Learn Grow Excel has supported 697 businesses and featured 17 events including near market trade visits to London and Birmingham and meet the buyers.

Influencing Policy Over the past ten years, NI Chamber has provided a range of opportunities for members and the wider business base to access key influencers and business leaders through events, briefings, our Minister on the Move series and In-Camera dinners.

NI Chamber hosted the first visit of NAMA to Northern Ireland in 2010, and in 2011 and 2017 we hosted 5 Leaders; 5 Days – a series of events with the party leaders of each of the 5 main political parties – ensuring a business voice was heard in the run up to the election. We continue to carry out a number of meetings with key decision makers.

Quality & People NI Chamber has established itself as a quality assured organisation, holding British Chambers of Commerce accreditation, Investors in People Gold and ISO 9001:2005.

The organisation has also won a number of awards over the past decade including the Chamber of the Year award from the British Chamber in 2013. Over the next number of years we aim to continue to attract ambitious and growing companies and deliver an increasing number of member services. We want to build upon the strong foundations of Learn Grow Excel and increase our impact on business growth and export activity.

I look forward to working with members along the way as we move from Good to Great.

“Over the next number of years we aim to continue to attract ambitious and growing companies and deliver an increasing number of member services.”

Innovative and enterprising people have ensured that NI Chamber has become – and will continue to be – central to the business, economic, political and social development of Northern Ireland. As we look towards the next few years, with a growing membership, a highprofile Board and a strong financial performance, we will continue to invest in the team to grow the organisation.

Tanya Anderson, Head of SME Development

Valerie Gourley, Head of Business Development

Christopher Morrow, Head of Policy and Communications

Sandra Scannell, Head of Business Services

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COLUMnIST

Neil McKeown, Head of Consulting at Neueda

Understand your ‘digital readiness’ Going digital – why, when and how?

D

igital transformation or, put simply, ‘going digital,’ is high on the corporate agenda across every sector.

That said, less than 20 per cent of organisations have a clear understanding of what digital transformation really means, how it can help drive efficiency and where to begin the process.

Digitising systems and processes will mean different things to different organisations – it could be building an entire web-based ordering system – or a basic change like moving administrative requests online.

Often there are barriers in the way to addressing the topic of digitisation. An organisation may become stuck in its traditional thinking towards IT or there may be a reluctance to embrace change.

There may be confusion around which area of the company ‘owns’ digital, often falling

between two stools of the Marketing and IT departments.

In Neueda’s experience, the most effective approach is for digital transformation to be driven from the top.

But before you work out what you should implement, you have to assess your objectives and capability to achieve them digitally – in other words understand your ‘digital readiness’.

Firstly, an organisation should have a clear picture of what its ‘digital ambition’ looks like – how far do you want to push the scale and scope of digitisation? To do this, you can consider four key areas and how digital can affect these: - Planning How can digital solutions help you plan, manage and measure your business’s objectives?

- Making Can your products or services be enhanced by digital technology?

- Selling Would you be able to interact with your customers better digitally?

- Operating Would digitising your operations help you function better as an organisation?

Whilst you consider each of these themes,

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remember that digital transformation needs to represent a value for money investment that makes good business sense. An organisation shouldn’t switch to doing something digitally simply because it can.

Equally, you need to consider the data privacy implications, particularly if making a digital change involves putting data online. This is particularly significant with the introduction of GDPR in May. Neueda has a system in place to help its customers analyse its level of digital readiness – the Digital Accelerator. Partnering with the Innovation Value Institute (IVI), we adopted its IT Capability Maturity Framework (IT-CMF) tool to help organisations meet the digital challenge quickly and efficiently.

The Digital Accelerator uses online surveys, industry-standard practices and benchmarking data to help organisations identify any barriers in place of digitisation.

Most importantly, digitising any element of your business must create better services or products; realise significant financial benefits and cost savings; and put your customer at the centre of the services you deliver.

But it is worth remembering that no matter what an organisation’s ‘digital ambition’ turns out to be, a failure to explore and embrace new processes, technology and innovation will mean that you struggle to keep pace with competitors.

Think ahead, think digitally.

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FEATURE

Word From Brussels Ambition looks at recent developments in Brussels as the UK prepares to leave the EU.

Commission strengthens EU consumer rights and enforcement The European Commission has proposed a New Deal for Consumers. While the EU already has some of the strongest rules on consumer protection in the world, recent cases like the Dieselgate scandal, have shown that it is difficult to enforce them fully in practice. The New Deal for Consumers will empower qualified entities to launch representative legal actions on behalf of consumers. There will also be stronger sanctioning powers for national consumer authorities. Furthermore, the New Deal will extend protection for consumers when they are online and clarify that misleading dual quality practices (marketing products of different quality in different Member States while using the same branding and packaging) are prohibited.

Unfair trade practices in the food supply chain tackled A proposal to ban the most damaging unfair trading practices in the food supply chain has been put forward by the European Commission. This will ensure fairer treatment for small and mediumsized food and farming businesses, who are vulnerable to unfair trading practices.

Smaller suppliers often lack bargaining power and alternatives to get their products to consumers. The practices banned include late payments for perishable food products, last minute order cancellations, unilateral or retroactive changes to contracts and forcing

the supplier to pay for wasted products.

The Commission proposal includes effective enforcement provisions, so, for example, sanctions can be imposed by national authorities where infringements are established. €2.1 billion to boost venture capital investment in Europe’s innovative startups The European Commission and the European Investment Fund (EIF) have launched a Pan-European Venture Capital Funds-ofFunds programme called VentureEU to boost investment in innovative start-ups and scale-up companies across Europe. The Commission and the EIF have announced six participating funds to receive EU support in their mission to invest in the European venture capital market. Backed by EU funding to the tune of €410 million, the funds are aiming to raise up to €2.1 billion of public and private investment. In turn this is expected to trigger an estimated €6.5 billion of new investment in innovative start-up and scale-up companies across Europe, doubling the amount of venture capital currently available.

New measures proposed to ensure that digital companies pay fair tax in the EU New rules to ensure that digital business activities are taxed in a fair and growthfriendly way in the EU could be introduced.

The measures would make the EU a global leader in designing tax laws fit for the

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modern economy and the digital age. The recent boom in digital businesses, such as social media companies, collaborative platforms and online content providers, has made a great contribution to economic growth in the EU. But current tax rules were not designed to cater for those companies that are global, virtual or have little or no physical presence. The change has been dramatic: nine of the world’s top 20 companies by market capitalisation are now digital, compared to one in 20 ten years ago. The challenge is to make the most of this trend, while ensuring that digital companies also contribute their fair share of tax. If not, there is a real risk to Member State public revenues: digital companies currently have an average effective tax rate half that of the traditional economy in the EU. Two distinct legislative proposals proposed by the Commission will lead to a fairer taxation of digital activities in the EU. The first initiative aims to reform corporate tax rules so that profits are registered and taxed where businesses have significant interaction with users through digital channels. The second proposal responds to calls from several Member States for an interim tax which covers the main digital activities that currently escape tax altogether in the EU. This package sets out a coherent EU approach to a digital taxation system which supports the Digital Single Market and which will feed into international discussions aiming to fix the issue at global level.

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FEATURE

Allstate – Building for the Future as a New Era begins With the pace of technology continuing to accelerate, software developers must be able to react quickly in a digitally dynamic world. Adrienne McGill talks to Allstate NI Managing Director John Healy as the company heralds the latest stage in its investment in Northern Ireland and leadership in innovation.

T

he formal opening of Allstate’s glistening new Northern Ireland headquarters will take place next month alongside celebrations to mark the US insurance giant’s 20th anniversary here.

Allstate’s Executive Vice President of Technology, Suren Gupta, accompanied by a group of senior executives from the Allstate Corporation in Chicago will be jetting to Belfast to lead the ribbon cutting ceremony at the end of June and to further underline the company’s commitment to Northern Ireland after making its initial investment 2 decades ago.

The impressive new £30m headquarters, towering six storeys and covering 140,000 sq.ft. hold a commanding position on the banks of the River Lagan at Mays Meadow close to Central Station.

The building, developed by architects WDR & RT Taggart in partnership with Newry construction company O’Hare & McGovern, boasts sociable work spaces, software development laboratories, restaurants, an outdoor terrace… and most importantly the latest in state of the art technology.

Further capacity for growth has also been factored in with the first floor of the new building left fallow.

The new offices also include a floor dedicated to financial and investment accounting services and a user experience lab to ensure the optimum use of software.

Allstate’s 1,300 employees in Belfast relocated to the Mays Meadow offices from their nearby base in Lanyon Place in February this year.

“The new offices are amazing,” says Allstate NI Managing Director John Healy.

“We have designed and built the space to be a lot more collaborative with breakout areas and the place is flooded with video conferencing. The whole idea is to make the space a lot more progressive and allow our designers and engineers to work creatively and to bring forward the innovation that is needed by the business.”

The company was set up in 1998 as Northbrook Technology, before being rebranded 10 years later under the Allstate banner.

In addition to Belfast, Allstate also has operations in Derry where it employs 400 staff and in Strabane where it has 500 on the payroll

– and there are plans for further expansion in the North West in the coming months.

“We are looking at expanding in Derry and securing new premises. We may do something there similar to our transformation in Belfast,” says John.

“We have just spent around £700,000 on refurbing our offices in Strabane so with that and our new Belfast office we have made a solid investment in our real estate and that is a sure sign of Allstate’s commitment to Northern Ireland. Allstate is here to stay.”

The Northern Ireland operations provide high quality software services and business solutions for its parent firm, Allstate Corporation, in the form of critical technology for use in the car insurance market in the US covering the full software lifecycle of design, development, maintenance and support.

“Allstate is fuelled by technology and what we have here is a fantastic technology company that is delivering the technology that is needed by the business to service customers,” says John.

“The Northern Ireland operations are involved right across the architecture of Allstate both in terms of the established core business but also the emerging businesses. Allstate NI is central to the delivery of technology for the Allstate organisation particularly in the area of telematics which is revolutionising the motor insurance industry.

“Telematics is the technology which sits as a device in your car or an app on your phone and captures information around how you drive. Allstate takes that information and gives a very accurate picture to calculate the insurance risk associated with a user/driver and the technology that we are delivering from Northern Ireland enables that.”

To underline this, Allstate has named Belfast as the global hub for a new standalone division which has been created in the US called Arity to sell analytics products to third parties.

Arity is a technology company that analyses billions of miles of driving data to generate insights and scores that help insurance companies better evaluate risk and revolutionise driver safety. The risk modelling involves analysing more than 25 billion miles and 85 years of driving insurance data to ensure drivers are kept safe, secure and on the road.

John, who holds a Bachelor’s degree in

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Allstate NI Managing Director John Healy.

Engineering and a Master’s in Computer Science from Queen’s University, Belfast, has held the top position at Allstate NI since 2016 having previously headed Citi’s Belfast Service Centre.

He’s proud to lead Northern Ireland’s largest IT company as it continues on a journey which started 20 years ago to set up an operation in the region and create 250 jobs. Since then, as its growth has continued, the company has made a series of multi million pound investments and created hundreds of jobs.

“Over the last 2 years since I have been with Allstate, I have taken what has been always a super company and developed it to get it ready for its next 20 years – that has taken the guise of expanding the businesses in which we operate, bringing in new and more senior roles into Northern Ireland and developing the infrastructure like the new building which is fit for the 21st century.

“The technology that we deliver from Northern Ireland enables the business in North America to operate. If we didn’t write, develop, implement and test the software here in our operations in Northern Ireland, Allstate would be without a core component of how it services customers.”

There’s no doubt that leading change in a fast paced, technological workplace takes serious skill and effort with the pace of innovation constantly accelerating.

“The pace of change in technology is phenomenal – you look out into some of the big challenges of the future – automation, artificial intelligence and machine learning are huge and I want to be sure that we are right at the forefront of that from here in Northern Ireland,” says John.

“I have always been a futurist. I have always been thinking about how technology is used to solve business problems.

“When I started in technology 25 years ago, people were working with standalone PCs which weren’t networked, had low processing power and with standalone databases on each machine. Today you are talking about people with immense computing power in their pocket – on their phones – always connected, always on, and there are huge data sets that you need to bring together and present to the user who has a heightened expectation around how applications should operate. We have to be sure that as we build those applications for our customers they hit the mark.

“Everyone expects their software to work in a particular to way. It is our job as software engineers to make sure that we deliver that user experience and by having a user experience lab here that will set us apart. It again allows us to be sure that we are delivering the type of technology from here that the Allstate Corporation wants for its customers.

“My job is to empower the engineers who work here to bring all of their knowledge and their intellect to solve technology challenges. The values of Allstate are all about the people, freedom of action, agility of purpose, being a catalyst for change and leaving things better than they were. All of those are totally aligned with being a technologist.”

“The pace of change in technology is phenomenal...”

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FEATURE

Finding the Right Mix of Funding Mezzanine finance has been instrumental in helping SMEs in Northern Ireland expand as Ambition finds out.

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ive years ago, mezzanine finance was something of a foreign concept in Northern Ireland. For most businesses it came down to a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ from their bank manager and that often left them in limbo with no other options to fund growth plans or expand working capital requirements.

While it was an established alternative to traditional bank lending elsewhere, there was a lack of knowledge about mezzanine finance and some scepticism from the local banks, with many initially seeing it as competition.

That has all changed. Along with an acceptance of the need for businesses to source funding from other providers such as equity partners, there is also a greater understanding of the role that mezzanine finance can play in the local market. The banks and their customers know there will always be a place for traditional bank lending, but there is now an acceptance from both sides that alternative finance can complement existing banking facilities where risk appetite goes beyond the bank’s comfort zone.

WhiteRock Capital Partners’ Growth Loan Fund is working alongside the banks to help SMEs grow and reach their potential. The £50m Growth Loan Fund has been provided by Invest Northern Ireland and private investors, Northern Ireland Local Government Officers’ Superannuation Committee (NILGOSC). To date, the Fund has provided 120 loans totalling in excess of £47m to Northern Ireland based SMEs. Loans ranging from £50,000 to £1.25m have been provided to business from sectors including manufacturing, IT, leisure and construction.

Two of the first companies to benefit from the Growth Loan Fund when it launched were Vita Liberata and ConveyorTek. Both have significantly expanded their businesses since receiving a mix of funding from their banks,

equity partner Broadlake and the Growth Loan Fund. In fact both have been so successful that all loans have already been paid back in full.

Ballyclare-based skincare and beauty tanning company Vita Liberata benefitted from two separate investments from the Growth Loan Fund in 2013 and 2014, following significant investment from Broadlake. Earlier this year, Vita Liberata was sold to Crown Laboratories, a US pharmaceutical firm in a multi-million pound deal.

Johnny Choda, Chief Operating Officer at Vita Liberata, says the company needed to look beyond just the traditional methods of funding working capital to help grow the business.

“We knew we had to find the right partner who bought into our vision...”

“At the time, we were trying to break into the American market and in particular (the cosmetics chain) Sephora. Our challenge was trying to find a way to raise funds to both purchase stock and invest in our people.

“We knew we had to find the right partner

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who bought into our vision and could help take the business in the right direction. We had conversations with Broadlake and they told us about a new local partner who they thought could help us achieve our ambitions.

The idea of mezzanine funding was daunting and it wasn’t something that was common in the local market. Those reservations were put to bed when we met the WhiteRock team and from the outset it was clear they understood our needs and could complement what our bank was offering.”

As well as the additional funding boost, having Broadlake back the business brought added benefits.

“Having a venture capitalist like Broadlake anchor the business helped us in various conversations with suppliers and banking partners to give them comfort on our financial stability and help understand our growth ambitions,” says Johnny.

“The business is starting an exciting new chapter with Crown Laboratories.

“We’re going to further grow our market share in the USA and use Crown Laboratories’ sales channels to strengthen our foothold in that market. Also, we will provide Crown with our own expertise and contacts to help introduce some of their products into the European market. We wouldn’t be in this position though without the support of the Growth Loan Fund and we can’t speak highly enough of the WhiteRock team.”

From the world’s first completely non-toxic and odourless tanning product to a business making conveyor belts, the WhiteRock portfolio is broad thanks to its team travelling many miles across the country to meet SMEs with ambitious growth plans. ConveyorTek, based in Lisburn, is one of these. The company manufactures and services conveyor systems for the logistics, recycling and material handling industries.

Picture by David Cordner. www.david cordner.com

Paul Millar, Chief Executive Officer, WhiteRock Capital Partners; Tom Smyth, Director at Broadlake; Johnny Choda, Chief Operating Officer at Vita Liberata; and Philip Trimble, Managing Director at ConveyorTek.

Since receiving the loan in 2012, the company has had tremendous success, growing at a rate of 35% year on year. In the last two years, the business has acquired two rival companies, one in Belfast and one in Scotland.

“At the time, banks were still smarting from the recession and it was very difficult to get access to finance. Our balance sheet was quite weak but we had ambitious plans to grow the business. We needed the additional working capital to help progress our R&D and bring new products to market,” says Philip Trimble, Managing Director at ConveyorTek. Although mezzanine funding presented the company with the right tools to expand, there was an initial uncertainty as to whether it was the right approach.

“We were introduced to the WhiteRock team through our accountants Grant Thornton.

We were apprehensive initially, but we had confidence in the business and a real belief

in the opportunities we had identified in the market,” says Philip.

It turned out to be the correct decision as the business broke into new markets including Australia, Germany, Poland and the USA. This growth helped the business attract equity funding, again from Broadlake and to obtain additional bank funding. It’s another example of a business using a blend of funding sources to enable growth aspirations to be achieved.

“The business has gone from strength to strength and we now have a foothold in the recycling sector and our Scottish operation continues to grow,” adds Philip.

“The WhiteRock team took time to get to know our business and helped us develop our backroom processes, which to this day are still benefitting the company. Our experience shows that for ambitious companies looking to expand there is definitely a strong case for using a combination of funding.”

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With 120 loans made, the appetite for funding shows no sign of slowing down, according to Paul Millar, Chief Executive Officer of WhiteRock Capital Partners.

“We continue to help numerous local SMEs with their growth aspirations and often work alongside their primary banker, equity partners and asset-based funders to ensure plans can be executed.

“Vita Liberata and ConveyorTek are prime examples of businesses who have been open to and successfully implemented the mix of mezzanine, equity and traditional bank lending.

Such has been the success of the Growth Loan Fund, Invest NI have recently extended the current fund by providing additional finance and are hoping to launch a successor fund later this year. Never before has Northern Ireland been able to offer such an extensive range of alternative finance options.”

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Key trends in the housing market

By Terry Robb, Head of Personal Banking, NI, Ulster Bank.

Whether it was the Beast from the East, or the Pest from the West, house-hunters and businesses in Northern Ireland will both be glad to see the end of the bad weather. For all the increase in the things we do online, sometimes to get something done you need to head outside and battle the elements.

One of the most important – and one which is a lot easier to do when the sun is shining – is buying a house. So with that in mind, what are some of the trends in the market?

According to our research with RICS, the most recent survey saw a drop of new buyer enquiries, with the weather believed to be a factor. However, looking ahead there is more optimism in the sector, with surveyors expecting prices to continue edging upwards.

The continued lack of supply in some aspects of the housing market is one of the things causing upward pressure on prices. There has been some pick-up in the number of properties that are coming on to the market – something that would be positive for those seeking to buy or move home. And it’s around this time of year that we traditionally see more applications for mortgage finance.

In fact, after suffering one of the biggest peak to trough house price falls during the crisis, the Northern Ireland mortgage market has been

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steadily making progress – activity has risen for the last six years, and encouragingly first-time buyers make up c.60 per cent of the market.

This is in contrast with the rest of the UK, but there’s still some way to go until the level of transactions has fully recovered – there are currently under 10,000 loans a year going to this group, compared with over 18,000 in 2006.

Greater levels of transactions and housebuilding – which is sitting close to 1980s level, would also be welcome in improving the dynamics of the local market.

Ultimately, while there is some uncertainty, there is a reasonable amount of confidence among surveyors about an increase in sales and prices. So it will be interesting to observe how government and other stakeholders respond to the potential impact of Brexit on the dynamics of the private rental sector, and how to help more people to own their own home. Addressing these issues will be an important part of building confidence in the housing market and the broader economy.

FEATURE

Top Young Talent

Pupils Lauren Chambers and Ben Gibson with BTYSTE ambassador David Meade at Fort Hill Integrated College in Lisburn.

Great ideas to STEM from students

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V star and mentalist, David Meade, who is an official ambassador for BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition (BTYSTE), is calling on Northern Ireland secondary school students to take part in the event and start developing their ideas for an award-winning STEM project (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).

He recently joined students at Fort Hill College in Lisburn to promote the 2019 BTYSTE, which will take place next January at the RDS in Dublin.

David said: “This is my fourth year supporting the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition and I’m thrilled to be part of this exciting event once again. I’m passionate about anything that inspires young people and encourages students to challenge themselves and to explore new ideas and this exhibition allows them to do just that.

“BTYSTE is the perfect place for students to push the boundaries and use their imagination and it can also be the starting point of a bright future for many young people seeking careers in STEM. I would strongly encourage young people from across Northern Ireland to get thinking about possible projects now and I’m looking forward to seeing what they come up with.”

To mark the announcement of the dates for the January exhibition, BT commissioned

a survey of 300 workers in Belfast to identify current sentiment and attitudes towards sectors of employment. The research revealed that 61% of STEM employees in Belfast were either satisfied or highly satisfied in their job.

Further positive results for the STEM sector showed that nearly 70% of respondents said they were inspired by their work and a quarter expected a salary increase of 10-20% in the coming few years. In addition, 50% of STEM employees found that the work they are doing is ‘pioneering innovation’. This is in stark contrast to the Humanities sector where only 18% found their work to be pioneering and 3% of those in Health and Education.

However, the research also revealed that only 2% of those working in STEM roles had completed an apprenticeship or internship to get into their current role in comparison to other industries such as Finance where 31% had entered the workplace in this way.

With demand for STEM employees on the increase, the findings indicate more entry level opportunities are needed to increase the pipeline of people training to work in the STEM industry.

Garret Kavanagh, Acting Managing Director of Networks for BT in Northern Ireland, said: “As a leading technology company, we are proud to organise and sponsor this world-renowned

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exhibition, which allows young people to explore the world of STEM. “Our survey results show that, for many people, a career in STEM can be very rewarding, with employees experiencing job satisfaction and feeling inspired by their work.

“The theme for BTYSTE 2019 is ‘It Starts Here’. We’re promoting our home-grown talent and want this to be the starting point of a new journey and a fulfilling career in STEM. “It really is a place where they can explore new concepts, develop their interest in STEM and demonstrate creativity. We are keen to see more students from Northern Ireland enter this year so they can showcase their talent.”

The BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition recently announced that it has teamed up with the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE). BTYSTE participants are now able to use their project work to count towards the Skills section of their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.

• The BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition 2019 will take place from 9 – 12 January and the deadline to apply is 25 September 2018. For more information, log onto www.btyoungscientist.com or follow @ BTYSTE on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat. You can also call 0800 917 1297.

TOP YOUNG TALENT

New apprentices join Fujitsu following course revamp

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ne of Northern Ireland’s largest ICT companies, Fujitsu, has appointed 12 new apprentices as part of the firm’s strategy to help boost the local technology talent pipeline.

Fujitsu apprentices are part of the Department for the Economy’s IT and Telecoms Professional Apprenticeship Programme studying at Belfast Metropolitan College and the North West Regional College (NWRC). Through the programme, apprentices gain a Level 3 apprenticeship or a Higher Level apprenticeship with many successful participants going on to complete a Foundation

Degree from the Level 3 course. The latest intake of apprentices will enjoy a revamped programme that includes a focus on emerging trends such as the Internet of Everything and cybersecurity.

Louise Hull, apprentice programme manager at Fujitsu, said: “It’s well known that Northern Ireland is facing a technology talent deficit with the sector expected to create an additional 4,000 jobs in the next ten years. It is therefore essential that we not only inspire the next generation of technologists, but we equip them with the necessary practical and transferrable skills needed to thrive in the fast

The apprentices are (back row) Steven Guiney; Stephen Dawson; Shauna Dornan; John Mallon; Flora Barnes; Stephen Curry; Adam Caldwell-Harper; Owen Bradley and (seated) Georgia McGonigal; Valerie Lam and Adam Donnell. Missing from photo, Gary Martin.

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moving and ever-evolving ICT sector.

“Students and young people today are likely to end up working in jobs that don’t currently exist, so our course is designed to spark creativity, innovation and problem solving – attributes needed in any technology or digital field. Our apprentices also work closely with various teams in the company to gain handson, practical experience as well as mentorship and on-going learning opportunities and we are delighted to welcome our latest apprentices to the team.”

FEATURE

Brian Moreland from Moy Park with Jade Harrison, Remi McAnearney and Michelle Hamilton from Poppin’ - a team of entrepreneurs from Banbridge Academy.

Ruling the Roost: Young students land first major order with Moy Park

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team of savvy young students from Banbridge Academy has landed its first major order with a Northern Ireland company after coming top in their regional heat of the Young Enterprise NI ‘Company Programme’ competition.

Leading food company Moy Park has purchased 400 products from the student-led enterprise, Poppin’, which sells poppin’ sockets.

These small, lightweight expanding grips can attach to most smartphones to offer protection against falls, aid grip to allow users to better access applications and take selfies, and act as a useful stand for mobile devices.

The group of ten Year 13 pupils are competing in the Young Enterprise Company Programme which aims to help young people deepen their understanding of how businesses

work, while developing their team-building skills and confidence.

Commenting on the order, Brian Moreland, Corporate Responsibility Manager, Moy Park said: “We were very impressed with the Poppin’ team’s business and commercial acumen, creativity and enthusiasm – traits which will stand these students in good stead as they embark on their respective career journeys.

Programmes like this are a great way to help young people understand how business works and the role of companies in the community, while helping them appreciate how supply chains work. We are delighted to continue our support of Young Enterprise NI and its initiatives and we wish the Poppin’ team every success as they embark on the next stage of

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the competition.”

Following its first successful order with Moy Park, Poppin’ is now in talks with other local businesses, building on its consumer campaign which has seen the team already sell 800 individual poppin’sockets.

Banbridge Academy student and Poppin’ team member Michelle Hamilton added: “Competing in the Young Enterprise Company Programme has been a fantastic experience and we are grateful to learn from some of Northern Ireland’s most successful businesses like Moy Park. It’s been great to find out firsthand what it takes to start and run a company – from carrying out market research and financial planning to devising engagement strategies and we look forward to the final in to be held on Thursday 14th June in Belfast City Hall.”

TOP YOUNG TALENT

Search for Pilots of Tomorrow Takes Off

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er Lingus has launched the ‘Aer Lingus Future Pilot Programme’ – a fully-sponsored, fully-mentored training platform, run by the airline, for aspiring pilots.

Aer Lingus, Ireland’s only 4 Star airline, has a rich history of supporting first-time pilots and over the last five years has trained and mentored over 50 pilots, all of whom are working for the airline which continues to expand and develop new routes. Aer Lingus now flies to more than 100 destinations across UK, Europe and North America.

The successful candidates must excel during an intensive 14 month training programme. The recruits of 2018 will begin their aviation career as a First Officer in 2020 on Aer Lingus’s brand new Airbus A320 and A321neo long-range aircraft.

Aer Lingus is making a concerted effort to attract more female applicants to its Future Pilot Programme. It has a strong track record

in supporting female pilots. In fact, Aer Lingus was the first airline in Europe to employ a female pilot, Gráinne Cronin. Currently, Aer Lingus employs twice as many female pilots when compared with the international airline industry average.

Speaking at the announcement, Mike Rutter, Aer Lingus Chief Operating Officer said: “This is a unique opportunity for aspiring pilots. At Aer Lingus, we are extremely proud of our rich heritage in training programmes specifically geared towards first-time pilots and we are one of very few airlines globally who provide this degree of support. It’s an exciting time to join Aer Lingus as we remain committed to growing the network which creates attractive opportunities for our pilots.

“We are looking for candidates from diverse backgrounds; strong team players who demonstrate leadership skills who will ultimately join us in delivering the 4 Star guest experience that positions Aer Lingus

as a leading value carrier worldwide.”

Aer Lingus has embarked on significant network expansion in recent years having added six new transatlantic routes to its long haul network in the last two years which include Hartford, Los Angeles, Newark, Miami, Philadelphia and Seattle which will begin on 18th May this year.

This summer marks Aer Lingus’s largest ever long haul programme boasting 2.75 million seats across the Atlantic. It is this unprecedented expansion and future growth plans, including plans to acquire new Airbus A321neo long-range in 2019, which has created the requirement for additional pilots to join the airline.

• Applicants are invited to apply online via the Aer Lingus careers website http:// careers.aerlingus.com. The closing date for applications is 5pm, Sunday 13th May 2018.

Trainee pilots at the controls.

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news

Figures fall as frustration builds

A slowdown in growth, a dip in business confidence, and sluggish performances in both the manufacturing and service sectors all add up to make it a poor start to 2018.

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he Northern Ireland economy has started the year with growth continuing to slow and domestic (UK) sales balances at their lowest level since 2013.

These findings form part of the latest Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) published by Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NI Chamber) and business advisors BDO. The survey, which covers the first quarter of 2018 and analysed by economist for the QES Maureen O’Reilly, also reveals that Northern Ireland’s regional position is very weak, ranking lowest across the UK regions for most key balances. The manufacturing sector is a particular standout with only 1 of the 14 key balances ranking above the UK average.

Export balances remain positive in manufacturing (although lowest of the UK regions) while in services export balances are negative.

The survey also reports that 1 in 4 members have made changes to their business model due to Brexit and 76% are experiencing pressures to raise wages in their business/ organisation.

Manufacturing Growth in the manufacturing sector showed definite signs of slowdown during Q1 2018.

Sales in the domestic (UK) economy slowed considerably with more manufacturers expecting UK sales to fall than rise over the next 3 months. Export balances weakened from a strong regional position in Q4 17.

Employment expectations have been falling since the start of 2017 and fewer manufacturers are trying to recruit (48% vs.

64% Q4 17). The sector’s cashflow position is extremely weak in Q1 with the lowest balance on record (-33% points).

export balances (export sales -2% vs. +20% UK). Employment expectations are subdued and the sector’s cashflow position is also very weak. Pressure to raise prices in Northern Ireland is highest across UK regions.

Business Confidence Businesses are less confident around turnover and profitability growth over the next 12 months. Manufacturing confidence has taken a particular hit during Q1 2018 with a balance of +8% expecting turnover growth during 2018 compared to +46% for the same quarter last year. Profitability is a real concern with a balance of -9% of manufacturers and +7% of services expecting profitability to improve over the next 12 months.

Brexit Watch The latest Brexit Watch suggests that 1 in 4 members have made changes to their business model as a result of the EU referendum. Almost 1 in 10 have established a presence outside Northern Ireland, with a further 20% considering doing so. Others have changed, or are considering changing their trade partners and suppliers, recruitment plans and/or target markets. When asked to provide one question or concern to put to the UK government in its negotiations with the EU on Brexit, concerns largely focused on crossborder trade issues between Northern Ireland

Services The service sector also showed signs of sluggish growth. Almost all key balances are positive, with 5 out of 14 above the UK average, suggesting some growth. However, turnover and employment balances have been falling. The domestic sales and orders balances continued the downward trend experienced since Q4 2016. Northern Ireland remains the only UK region with negative

and the Republic of Ireland, particularly the border, along with issues around governance, the impact on free movement of labour and trade tariffs.

Wage Prospects Members were asked about wage pressures and prospects for pay rises during 2018. Most members are experiencing pressure to raise wages in their business/organisation with over half (52%) facing some pressure and one quarter (24%) significant pressure.

Key issues include competition to retain existing and attracting new staff along with workforce pressures due to cost of living increases. One in 3 members (34%) state that they are facing growing competition from other employers to keep staff.

Wage pressures are greatest in recruiting and retaining skilled workers with 41% of members experiencing significant pressure to offer higher wages to this group. Around two-thirds of members are expecting to award some form of pay rise in 2018 with 34% expecting to award pay rises of 2% plus.

However, 7% of members expect wages to fall over the next 12 months.

Christopher Morrow, Head of Policy at Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said: “It has been a poor start to 2018 for the local economy. There are still some signs of growth but overall this

Christopher Morrow (Head of Policy at NI Chamber); Maureen O’Reilly (Economist for the QES) and Brian Murphy (Managing Partner at BDO) present the latest NI Chamber/BDO Quarterly Economic Survey findings.

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has slowed and there are concerns for both manufacturing and services sectors. Northern Ireland is the weakest performing UK region across many of our key economic indicators, particularly manufacturing.

“We are seeing a growing sense of frustration among our members at the lack of progress on major issues including Brexit and the lack of Executive which are impacting on businesses’ bottom line. We can’t accept this

any longer – it is damaging the economy. In what is a tired plea, we must see an Executive back up and running in order to safeguard the future of the economy amid a troubling domestic economic backdrop.”

He added: “Also, with 76% of our members feeling pressure to raise wages, this could prove challenging when so many are already facing wider cost pressures and a squeeze on profitability.”

Quarterly Economic Survey

northernirelandchamber.com

By Brian Murphy, MANAGING Partner, BDO northern ireland

Q1 2018 Survey Findings

Growth slowed during the first quarter of 2018.

NI’s regional position is very weak, ranking lowest across the UK regions for most key balances.

Most key balances fell over the quarter, particularly in manufacturing.

Only 1 of the 14 key balances in manufacturing ranks above the UK average and in services 5 of the 14.

Sales and order books are not strong, particularly in the domestic (UK) market.

Pressure to raise prices eased during Q1 2018.

Around two-thirds of those trying to recruit are finding it difficult to attract the right staff, largely professional/managerial in services and skilled trades in manufacturing.

The domestic sales balances are at their lowest recorded since 2013.

Exchange rate pressures also eased during Q1.

37% of members state that exchange rates are more of a concern now than 3 months ago. This was 55% in Q4 17.

Inflation and interest rates are growing concerns for members. The share of members citing interest rates as a concern increased to 28% in Q1 (13% in Q1 17).

Brexit Watch

One in four members have made changes to their business model due to Brexit.

Almost 1 in 10 members (8%) have established a presence outside Northern Ireland and 20% are thinking about doing so.

Wage Prospects for 2018

76% of members are experiencing pressure to raise wages in their business/organisation.

ANALYSIS

Competition to keep/attract staff and pressure due to the rising cost of living are key drivers.

Almost 270 members responded to the NI Chamber of Commerce & Industry Quarterly Economic Survey, in partnership with BDO, during the 1st quarter of 2018. Together they account for over 19,000 jobs.

Note: The ‘balance’ refers to the difference between the % of firms reporting an increase in a key indicator minus the % reporting a decrease.

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Unemployment in Northern Ireland is currently at its lowest rate in a decade, and this coupled with the findings of this report, that local businesses are still recruiting, is a demonstrable indication of the confidence of local businesses to continue to grow despite the challenges that exist.

The absence of the Northern Ireland Executive and the lack of clarity regarding the arrangements for Brexit is clearly a matter of concern for many. However, this report shows there is also an increase in investment intentions by local businesses. This is a welcome sign that companies are willing to continue to invest their money and resources in the local market.

The fact that around two thirds of employers are finding it difficult to attract the right staff is a matter for concern. Although the reasons for this are not quite clear, the lack of certainty regarding the plans for Northern Ireland post-Brexit may have an impact on some workers who otherwise may have sought these roles. Some further clarity regarding the post-Brexit arrangements and a functioning Executive or a Ministerled Economy Department with a skills agenda could help resolve this issue.

Businesses in Northern Ireland are resilient. We have been without a decision making Executive for over a year and we have been awaiting a post-Brexit plan from Westminster for over eighteen months, and yet we are continuing to invest and to recruit.

This is a strong sign that despite the current uncertainty at a government level, businesses in Northern Ireland will persevere and continue to plan for future growth and success.

COLUMnIST

Sync NI’s Alan Meban

Techie Talk Time

Tackling chronic pain with VR/AR while robots get to work in agri-food and flat pack construction. It’s all happening in the tech world.

Breathe In, Breath Out A total of 28 million adults in the UK suffer from chronic pain. Lost productivity is estimated to cost the economy £5 billion annually on top of the emotional, physical and psychological cost to each person, their families and friends.

Local start-up NEON is using virtual reality headsets and its BreatheVR app to help patients relax and focus on their breathing. Asked to inhale deeply through the nose and then out through the mouth, the headset’s microphone detects the exhalation causing the leaves in a colourful animated meadow scene to rise up encouraging a pattern of diaphragmatic breathing. The VR environment maximises the feeling of immersion and distraction from pain.

CEO and founder Deepa Mann-Kler has also developed a “Whack a Mo” game using augmented reality to remove fear and stress from children undergoing medical procedures like chemotherapy treatment and canula insertion. These procedures can be stressful, and failure delays treatment and increases the cost to the NHS. The play element within the game captures the children’s attention and distracts.

Deepa says that VR and AR “give people choice” rather than purely relying on medication that is often addictive. He says: “New technology is not to be feared. New technology can be empowering.”

Asparagus Tips for Robotic Harvest A family farm in the Netherlands has built a machine to harvest ‘white gold’ asparagus.

It’s a boring, back-breaking job for humans to harvest the plants before they turn green. Ad Vermeer set out to help his brother by inventing a machine that can sense the plants growing underground and pluck out the vitamin-rich vegetable.

An electrical signal is run through the sandy soil, and the high water content of the asparagus helps conduct the current, allowing the robot to detect the plant underneath the surface. The prototype picker grew into Cerescon, a robotic start-up which has recently sold the first ever commercial selective harvesting machine to a French farmer.

With a combination of sensors, electronics and robotics, Vermeer says that the accuracy means “fewer damaged asparagus and a bigger yield”.

The whole agri-food sector suffers from monotonous tasks and a scarcity of a labour.

Closer to home, Kilkeel-based Willowbrook Foods Ltd use electronic sorting equipment on their salad production line to push lettuce leaves marked with black spots off the conveyor belt with blasts of air, replacing a tedious manual job.

Flat Pack Robots The use of robots is growing in parallel with the increased application of Artificial Intelligence and machine learning in business.

Scientists at Nanyang Technological University have used open-source software libraries and two off-the-shelf robotic arms to assemble a wooden IKEA STEFAN chair.

Students unpacked the box of parts and the robots’ cameras identified the components and built a construction plan.

Much like human flat pack furniture builders, over half the time was spent computing the sequence of actions required to complete the assembly: the robotic equivalent of scratching your head and twisting the instruction leaflet

around to interpret the frustrating drawings.

On its fourth attempt, it took just over 20 minutes for the robots to finish building a chair. Exerting too much force on the flimsy wooden dowels damaged the first three chairs. Other challenges remain. The small holes and dowels cannot be accurately detected by the 3D cameras so the robot arms have to line some pieces up by jiggling them around until they nudge into place. And the robots haven’t yet been taught to use screwdrivers or hex keys to properly secure the assembled wooden structure.

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Assistant Professor Quang-Cuong Pham says the next step is using AI to figure out the sequence of instructions.

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Store Challenge for a Good Cause Business volunteers from various sectors across Northern Ireland will be coming together to take over Action Cancer’s retail stores for a one day challenge in October. Companies will be tasked with increasing donations and sales on the day while raising awareness of the charities lifesaving screening services delivered across Northern Ireland.

The organisations signed up so far include South East Regional College, Youth Justice, Holley Optometrists, Coleraine, Bank of Ireland, Andersonstown Branch, Dept. of Economy, Marks and Spenser and Andersonstown News.

The charity are still interested in companies coming on board to take over their Cookstown, Newry, Enniskillen and L/Derry stores, so if you have an interest in helping a local charity and getting your teams involved in a challenging but motivating activity then get in touch by emailing Katherine Young, kyoung@ actioncancer.org or call on 02890803344.

Youth Justice Agency, Chief Executive, Declan McGeown Paula McAuley, General Manager from event and the team from the YJA Newtownards, Office. sponsors All-Tex Recyclers said, “We have been proud to sponsor this event in the past are we are delighted to be involved again in 2018. Over the past five years companies from all over Northern Ireland have taken part in the challenge helping to raise over £370,000 for children and family counselling sessions, breast screenings and health promotion services delivered at schools and workplaces and on board Action Cancer’s mobile unit the Big Bus.” “We are delighted to be working with a leading charity like Action Cancer, helping to raise vital funds for their cancer services through recycling and sponsorship initiatives. At All-Tex Recyclers we have a commitment to invest time, energy and resources into all of our charitable partners, “added Paula.

For more information on signing up or sponsorship opportunities please email plynch@actioncancer.org or kyoung@actioncancer.org or call 02890803344.

Bank of Ireland Open Farm Weekend 2018

By Richard Primrose, Agri Manager NI, Bank of Ireland UK.

Save the date Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th June for the Bank of Ireland Open Farm Weekend. It is a weekend focused on providing communities and families the opportunity to visit farms across Northern Ireland, for free.

We are delighted to announce three new farms will open their doors to the public including the star of UTV’s recent Rare Breed series, Geoffrey Ringland of Churchview Farm in Co Down. Mossbrook Farm in Carryduff, home of the Farm House Treats bakery, is also participating for the first time, along with Gareth Murray’s poultry farm in Co Armagh.

Bank of Ireland Open Farm Weekend Chairman and UFU President Barclay Bell said: “Now more than ever farmers need to be telling their story and this initiative is a great way for us to engage with the public and show them the industry up-close. Bank of Ireland Open Farm Weekend is a fairly new initiative with the UFU’s 100 year history but it has become an important part of our work for the past seven years, allowing us to reach out to the non-farming community to promote the vital work of farmers across Northern Ireland. Many farms have been handed down through the generations,

passing on skills and looking after livestock and the land, and so the event this summer allows us to celebrate the individual farm’s story both in the present and in the past.

“This important and unique initiative gives the general public an insight into the industry and we are proud to see it grow in popularity and success. These dedicated farmers are to be commended for taking the lead in communicating their story to a wider audience and we are grateful for all the effort

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and commitment they put into hosting our visitors. We look forward to welcoming our local communities to Bank of Ireland Open Farm Weekend in June – it is a great day out for all the family.

“An important part of the preparation is the training day we hold at CAFRE Greenmount for all participating farms. This year we had visiting speakers from NFU Mutual, HSENI and Mash Direct, who helped farmers to plan ahead and think of interesting, informative and safe ways to engage with the public on their farms and via social media.”

Visitors can plan journeys to the farms with the help of the website, which lists opening times and activities that are unique to each farm. In the UFU’s special Centenary year, farms will also be raising money for the nominated charity, Air Ambulance NI. For more information, visit the new website www.openfarmweekend.com, follow on Twitter @BOIopenfarm and like Open Farm Weekend on Facebook.

NEW INDUSTRY FOR NEW INDUSTRY FOR NEW INDUSTRY FOR NORTHERN IRELAND NORTHERN IRELAND NORTHERN IRELAND

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ULSTER TATLER GROUP TERMS & CONDITIONS Opinions expressed in Ulster Tatler Group publications are those of the individual contributors and do not necessarily represent the views of the publishers. NI Chamber of Commerce and Ulster Tatler Group do not accept responsibility for the views of the correspondents or contributors. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that all the material within is accurate at the time of going to press, Ulster Tatler Group cannot be responsible for mistakes arising from clerical or printing errors.

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are you ready for GDPR? The GDPR compliance deadline (25th of May 2018) has crept up on a lot of businesses, however, it has been on the horizon for quite a while. When New Paradigm Consulting initially researched the legislation, they realised that many of the GDPR requirements could be met using tools they have developed to help their clients achieve compliance to ISO/IEC 27001:2013.

Listening to the market over the last year, it became quite clear, most organisations weren’t sure how to take the first step towards compliance.

This prompted New Paradigm Consulting to create their ‘GDPR Compliance Package’, specifically developed for non-IT professionals within SME’s that have been tasked with achieving compliance. They believe their solution will provide the user with the knowledge, tools and confidence to embark on the journey toward GDPR compliance.

Testament to this is the positive documented feedback that they have had to date;

“Excellent workshop, made GDPR requirements very clear” “Overall, very good. Gives us a systemised way to prepare for GDPR” “This session was the most useful & practical I have attended so far” If you are interested, please get in touch as they still have spaces on their upcoming workshops.

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Pinnacle Awarded ‘Sage 200cloud Partner of the Year’ for the 4th Consecutive Year James Spencer, MD of Pinnacle, receiving “Sage 200cloud Partner of the Year 2017” Award received at the historic Titanic Belfast.

The Sage 200cloud Partner of the Year award is a reflection of highest sales in the Sage channel of Sage 200cloud software across the UK. The announcement came at a recent visit

to Northern Ireland by Sage’s UK & Ireland MD Alan Laing and VP for Partners and Accountants Lance Gilmour, where they were meeting with local customers, partners and accountants.

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James Spencer, MD of Pinnacle, is honoured to receive this coveted accolade from Sage UK, commenting “The combination of being able to deliver sophisticated and powerful software in the marketplace, coupled with Pinnacle’s strong sales and marketing delivery teams has put us in prime position to establish ourselves as the leading provider of Sage 200cloud software in the UK and Ireland.

We constantly flex our business strategy to service our markets geographically and by sector to ensure sustainable growth. We plan to accelerate further growth of Sage 200cloud in 2018 and beyond through organic growth and through acquisition.

It is fitting Sage made the announcement in Northern Ireland as Pinnacle celebrates its 25th year in business. Since its inception in Belfast back in 1993, the company has grown to 10 further office locations across the UK, employing 120 staff.”

ArcGIS for Water Utilities APPS

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ArcGIS is the go-to technology for making better decisions about location.

ArcGIS enables you create a deeper understanding, allowing you to quickly see where things are happening and how real world information is connected. ArcGIS will help you answer questions and solve problems by looking at your data in a way that is quickly understood and easily shared – on a map!

With ArcGIS you get a set of maps, apps and services that support the needs of Water Utilities and Contractors.

Dublin | Block B | Ashtown Gate | Navan Road | Dublin 15 | D15 NP9Y | T +353 (0)1 869 3900 Holywood | Twisel River Studios | 18 High Street | Holywood | BT18 9AD | T +44 (0)2890 767336

appointments

New Appointments

Siobhan Lavery, who has been appointed as Commercial Director with digital advertising agency Loud Mouth Media, alongside the firm’s Managing Director Mark Haslam.

Aideen Conway has been appointed as Compliance Director by Willis Insurance and Risk Management.

Barry McIvor has been appointed as Sales Executive, Northern Ireland Public Sector by Fujitsu.

Ryan Bell been appointed Business Development Executive at Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Temporary | Permanent | HR Consulting www.graftonrecruitment.com 84

Tracy Flannigan has been appointed as Director, Advisory & Transaction Services at CBRE.

Trends in construction recruitment

By James Francey, Grafton Recruitment.

Stephen Staerke has been appointed to the new role of Business Development Manager for Selective Travel Management.Â

Over the last 12 months Northern Ireland has seen its fair share of ups and downs within the construction industry.

An increase in both private and public sector housing activity showed positive results during the final quarter of 2017, paired with strong activity in areas such as commercial and hotel development which continues into 2018.

In contrast, several well renowned companies have now gone into administration during the first quarter of 2018, resulting in hundreds of employees being made redundant during challenging times.

On a more positive note, Northern Ireland companies continue to excel in many areas, within both the UK and Ireland.

2018 has already seen significant contracts being awarded across sectors such as Commercial Refurbishment, Fit-Out, Design and Build and Water Infrastructure.

One significant factor for

Lauren Bishop has been appointed as a Solicitor in the Corporate and M&A team at A&L Goodbody.

Rob Tubman has been appointed as a Solicitor in the Employment and Incentives team at A&L Goodbody.

Temporary | Permanent | HR Consulting www.graftonrecruitment.com 85

Northern Ireland Construction recruitment trends is the success that is enjoyed outside of Northern Ireland. It is estimated that almost 50% of the work conducted by Northern Ireland companies is outside Northern Ireland. This is backed by our current requirement for strong professionals within mainland UK and Ireland.

Grafton Recruitment Specialist Construction Division has experienced a strong start to 2018 with successful placements in Quantity Surveyor, Project Manager, Site Manager and Contracts Manager roles. Current requirements include a number of highly bespoke and exciting projects for Main Contractors and Fit out firms based in both the UK and Ireland.

To discuss these opportunities or your hiring needs, contact James Francey. jfrancey@graftonrecruitment.com

Mark Foley has been appointed as the new CEO of EirGrid Group.

WLTP: GET THE FACTS

WLTP (Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure) was developed with the aim of being used as a global test cycle across different world regions, so pollutant and CO2 emissions as well as fuel consumption values would be comparable worldwide.

In the UK, car types approved before Sept 2017 using the old NEDC (New European Driving Cycle) tests can still be sold. WLTP type approval testing will be mandatory for new car types from this date. Some cars will have ‘old’ NEDC values, while others will already be certified under the new WLTP conditions. During the period of transition (up until the end of 2018), only NEDC values should be used to enable consumers to compare different cars. It is expected that national tax regulations will continue to be based on NEDC values.

From Sept 2018, all new cars must be certified according to the WLTP test procedure, and no longer on NEDC. An exception should be made for end-of-series vehicles to allow for a limited number of unsold vehicles in stock that were approved under the old NEDC test to be sold for one more year.

From Jan 2019, all cars should have WLTP-CO2 values only, to avoid any confusion among consumers. The Government needs to adjust vehicle taxation and fiscal incentives to WLTP values, respecting the principle that WLTP should not have a negative impact on consumers.

For any further information, please contact Agnew Corporate on 028 9038 6600.

FAST MOVING, ENGAGING AND FUN BESPOKE SESSIONS, DELIVERED ALONGSIDE FACILITATED DISCUSSION.

Corporate Away Days East Coast Adventure have been developing and delivering corporate team building for over 24 years. Use your event to assess additional training required, type of training required, help improve performance and productivity, address employee concerns over Brexit, a staff motivation day or simply to assess employer-employee relations.

They are totally bespoke and designed to address your aims and objectives. This can pay an important role to help implement employee development and help develop a strategy for the future.

Their trainers bring with them a wealth of subject knowledge and are handpicked for their ability to recognise strengths and potential areas of development. They deliver motivational and constructive feedback during and at the end of all programmes as well as highlighting the importance of transferring learning back to the workplace.

Company Fun Days are the perfect way to reward any hardworking team. East Coast Adventure provide a wide range of Adventure Challenges. Conference Breakout Sessions are designed to liven up and inject energy into your audience. They provide a range of fun tasks and games that will get your audience out of their seats, laughing and having fun. e.g. Giving you the opportunity to change delegate seating arrangements.

A DVENTURE EAST COAST

East Coast Adventure has been developing and delivering corporate team building for over 24 years. Whatever your objectives you can expect fun, captivating and flexible activities. Each session designed to keep everyone entertained, engaged and motivated.

Taking into consideration your team comes in all shapes, sizes and fitness levels East Coast Adventure cater for any fitness level to ensure a fully inclusive programme.

34 Lower Knockbarragh Road, Rostrevor BT34 3DP T: 028 41738516 | info@eastcoastadventure.com www.eastcoastadventure.com

For more information visit www.eastcoastadventure.com

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LIFESTYLE

James Stinson

Audi’s time machine

A car that drives itself means the future is closer than you think.

N

ewsflash: this new Audi A8 is officially the most advanced car yet built. Thanks to a new range of artificial intelligence (AI) driving assistance systems, it can literally drive itself.

Under certain conditions, the driver can switch on an autopilot and focus on something other than driving. The laser-guided system called Traffic Jam Pilot can take control of accelerating, braking and steering at speeds of up to 37mph while you focus on something else… whatever that might be.

It is cutting edge stuff. So much so that you can’t even use these clever features… at least not yet. And that’s because the legislation around driver aids hasn’t yet caught up with the technology.

It will come. The German government has

changed its regulations already, making it the first market to benefit from the A8’s selfdriving ability while Audi expects to roll-out these features in the UK from 2019.

And that’s just the start of it. Autonomous or self-driving vehicles, combined with electric motors, are going to be big news over the coming years. It is reckoned that by 2035, self-driving ‘robotaxis’ will be commonplace in cities and by 2030, a quarter of passenger miles travelled on America’s roads will be in shared, self-driving vehicles.

What this new level of artificial intelligence inspired features shows is just how seriously Audi and other manufacturers are taking these new technologies.

The inevitable demise of the internal combustion engine and the rise of softwaredriven vehicles mean that cars will eventually be nothing more than computers, batteries and four wheels – exposing them to competition from tech giants like Alphabet (owner of Google), Uber and others.

We’ll save that for a far off issue of Ambition. In the meantime, best to focus on the technological feast that is the Audi A8 of 2018. As the luxury limo in the range, the A8 is a showcase for everything the car maker is capable of.

Aside from the aforementioned pioneering driver aids, the new A8 is more powerful, more economical and bigger than the previous model. The A8 L (long-wheelbase) is longer still.

There’s a choice of two engines: a 3.0 TDI diesel developing 282bhp along with a 3.0

TFSI petrol developing 335bhp. The new car is actually 95kg heavier than before, but performance remains strong, with the petrol version accelerating to 62mph in 5.6 seconds and the diesel in 5.9 seconds. Top speed is limited to 155mph.

Whichever engine you choose, though, you get a standard smooth-shifting eight-speed automatic gearbox.

Audi’s quattro four-wheel-drive system comes as standard on all models and provides supreme all-weather traction and reassurance compared to rear-wheel-drive only rivals from Mercedes and BMW. There’s also the option of four-wheel steering.

The level of standard specification is generous and includes LED front and rear lights, adaptive air suspension, Virtual Cockpit, high-definition colour head-up display, Internet-based Audi Connect services, MMI Navigation Plus, wireless smartphone charging, dual-zone climate control and an LED interior lighting pack.

Upgrade to the long-wheelbase version and the spec is even more luxurious, especially for passengers in the back. Heated rear seats, four-zone climate control, two additional USB ports, electric sunblinds for the rear windows, comfort rear headrests and the ability to control various functions via a removable tablet deliver a limo-like experience.

It’s brilliant but comes at a price, with entry level versions coming in a whisker under £70,000 and that’s before you factor in the chauffeur, which is an expense driverless cars will at least do away with…

Your fleet in our hands

We’ll manage your fleet while you manage your business

T: 028 9038 6600 agnewcorporate.com

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Your fleet in our hands

We’ll manage your fleet while you manage your business Call us on: 028 9038 6600

18 Boucher Way, Belfast, BT12 6RE W: agnewcorporate.com

lifestyle

Cheap 4X4s Sales of 4x4s rise after every poor winter and this year will be no different.

But what if you haven’t got the money to fork out on a big SUV costing twentyfive grand or more? Well, here are five of the cheapest 4x4s around.

Dacia, the Renault-owned Romanian car maker, has come from nowhere to respected budget car maker in just a few short years. The Dacia Duster 4x4, priced from £11,495, is a decent looking no-nonsense car with a 1.6 petrol motor and four-wheel drive.

Suzuki has no less than three budget 4x4s in its stable. The funky little Swift comes with a fourwheel-drive option (£16,499), which makes getting to the shops a doddle whatever the weather.

The Suzuki Jimny was the original cut-price 4x4 (£12,999) and it’s still doing the business. It’s a bit agricultural compared to the others but it’s got a proper old-school four-wheel-drive system, which means it goes places others won’t.

The last of the Suzuki trio is the little Ignis. It’s a high-riding

city car, whose looks divide opinion, but you can’t fault its practicality. The four-wheel-drive version provides sure-footed traction and costs from £15,499.

The last of our unlikely bunch of cut-price mud pluggers is the Fiat Panda 4X4 (£14,605). It’s a firm favourite on continental Europe and for obvious reasons. Frequently seen plying their trade around Italian ski resorts… it’s a simple, quirky, refined city car that keeps you moving in all conditions.

THIS TIGUAN IS ALL SPACE Look – yet another small SUV! Only this one’s from Volvo, which we’ve got a soft spot for. That’s because the two other SUVs in the range – the XC60 and XC90 are really rather good. On a par with German rivals but just that little bit cooler – better looking inside and out.

This new XC40 is the smallest and cheapest of the bunch but it

isn’t just a slimmed down version of the bigger cars. It has distinctive, more angular styling, which is sets it apart from those larger siblings.

The range is limited, at first, with a choice of 2.0-litre petrol or diesel motors in different states of tune from 150bhp250bhp. Initially available with four-wheel only, two-wheeldrive versions will be available later in the year as, eventually, will a hybrid-powered version.

It’s got plenty of kit. Entry-level Momentum trimmed cars get LED headlights, automatic wipers and lights, rear parking sensors, 18in alloy wheels, cruise control plus a wealth of Volvo’s safety technology fitted as standard. Inside, you will find dual-zone climate control, keyless ignition, electric windows, and Volvo’s Sensus infotainment system complete with a 9.0 inch portrait touchscreen display, DAB radio, satnav, and Bluetooth and USB connectivity.

One of the neatest features is the Volvo On Call smartphone app and emergency assistance package, which also comes as standard. This allows you to control various functions remotely from your smartphone or smartwatch, such as locking and unlocking the doors, and, on automatic versions, even starting the engine in order to pre-heat or cool the cabin. It can also automatically alert the emergency services if your car is involved in an accident, and use the car’s inbuilt GPS to direct them to your precise location.

It’s spacious with a big boot and, as with other recent Volvos, boasts decent built quality. Prices start from £28,000.

Your fleet in our hands

We’ll manage your fleet while you manage your business

T: 028 9038 6600 agnewcorporate.com

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President of the NI Chamber, Ellvena Graham; Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Northern Ireland Office, Shailesh Vara MP; Mayor, Councillor Tim Morrow; NI Chamber Chief Executive, Ann McGregor and Mike Brown, Transport for London.

The Mayor, Councillor Tim Morrow; Head of Hillsborough Castle, Patricia Corbett; Chief Executive of Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council, Dr Theresa Donaldson and Chairman of the Development Committee, Alderman Allan Ewart MBE.

london calling Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council certainly left its mark on London in April when it embarked on its most ambitious programme of investment activity to date promoting investment, tourism and the region’s speciality food and drink sector. The events included the ‘Treasured Opportunities’ dinner in the majestic Tower of London, in partnership with Historic Royal Palaces; a joint networking event with Sir Jeffrey Donaldson in the Palace of Westminster and the first-ever Food and Drink Trade Mission to London. www.investlisburncastlereagh.com

Head of Hillsborough Castle, Patricia Corbett; Mayor, Councillor Tim Morrow; Hua Jiang, China Holidays Ltd and Bonny Cooper, China Connections.

Alderman Allan Ewart MBE addressing the guests at the Treasured Opportunities event held in The Tower of London.

Declan Gormley from Brookvent joins Dr Theresa Donaldson and Alderman Allan Ewart MBE at the Tower of London event.

Lagan Valley MP, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson at the Westminster Investment event.

Pictured with Sir Jeffrey Donaldson MP are the Communications & Community Investment Manager of Coca-Cola HBC, Gillian Shields; Mayor, Councillor Tim Morrow; Chief Executive of Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council, Dr Theresa Donaldson and Chairman of the Council’s Development Committee; Alderman Allan Ewart, MBE.

Local companies on the Food and Drink Trade Mission pictured with Alderman Allan Ewart MBE.

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DUBLIN AIRPORT OFFERS MORE DESTINATION CHOICE Dublin Airport is an essential piece of infrastructure and the main international gateway for the island of Ireland with connections to 195 destinations in 42 countries operated by 56 airlines.

A record breaking 29.6 million passengers travelled through Dublin Airport in 2017, which was the seventh consecutive year of growth at the airport. Passenger numbers have increased by 58% at Dublin Airport since 2011. The airport has welcomed 11.2 million extra passengers, 113 new routes and services and 22 new airlines in those seven years.

Northern Ireland is an important market with more than 1.2 million residents using Dublin Airport annually. The numbers travelling from Northern Ireland has increased year on year due in part to the continued expansion of Dublin Airport’s route network, which offers a great choice of destinations as well as high frequency connections on many routes.

Dublin Airport is expecting a record summer this year with four new airlines and a total of 14 new routes/services.

More than 1.7 million extra seats have been added across the airport’s route network, which is an 8% increase in capacity when compared to last summer. New airlines, Cathay Pacific, Croatia Airlines, Hainan Airlines and Icelandair will join Dublin Airport’s growing list of airline customers.

The new routes/services comprise five long-haul and nine short-haul destinations which are being added to Dublin Airport’s flight schedule for this summer. Of the five new long-haul routes, Aer Lingus has already started services to Philadelphia and the airline will launch its Seattle route in May. This June will see the start of Air Canada’s new summer service to Montreal, Cathay Pacific will fly direct to Hong Kong and Hainan Airlines will commence a new direct service to Beijing. Dublin Airport has nine new continental European services to choose from this summer. Ryanair has started new services to Marrakesh and Paphos and the airline will add Dalaman, Frankfurt and Luxembourg to its route network later this year. Icelandair will commence a new service to Reykjavik, British Airways will fly to Manchester, Croatia Airlines will launch services to Zagreb and Loganair will operate flights to Carlisle Airport in the Lake District.

More than six million passengers have travelled through Dublin Airport in the first quarter of this year, representing a 4% increase, or an extra 248,500 passengers, compared to the same period last year.

Visit www.dublinairport.com for more information.

Today`s Fire Safety is Digital, Online & Mobile Managing your fire safety can be a real headache and very time consuming - Fire Safety Solutions NI’s new online solution changes that.

Company owner Dave Thompson explains: “More and more businesses are installing Fire Safety NI.Net, our web-based fire risk management system. We’ve designed it with one aim in mind – to take the hassle out of fire safety management and let our customers focus on managing their businesses.

It’s being used by organisations of all sizes, across multiple and single sites and we’re getting excellent feedback. ” “We’ve spent a long time developing Fire Safety NI.Net and it is widely considered the leading fire risk management system on the market. Here’s what our customers have to say.”

“With multiple sites the task of managing fire safety was very labour intensive. The system has radically changed that. It gives us immediate access to real time information for any site, at any moment. I feel our premises are now on top of their fire safety.”

“The system has significantly enhanced our safety standards. It’s quick and easy to use, with photos and plans of the assessed site. The control panel also alerts us when servicing / checks are due, enabling us to schedule them in good time.”

To arrange a Demo of our Fire Risk Management System call today on 028 9045 2297.

Fire Safety Solutions NI’s Dave Thompson

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On Holiday with...

lifestyle

Paul Terrington, Regional Chairman of PwC in Northern Ireland and PwC UK’s Head of Regions.

W

hen Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s New Year message promised a motorway between Dublin and Donegal, I had a moment of near panic - only partially lightened by his commitment to spend €100bn on improving Ireland’s rural broadband network.

You can spend years searching for the perfect holiday location then, when you find it, the last thing you want to do is share. That’s me and Donegal. Our family holiday hideout is a wonderful, quirky house on the spectacular, unspoiled edge of Lough Salt Mountain, just a turf sod-throw from the Old Glen Bar and its great local cuisine and superb beef.

I’m a serious, serious - but unenthusiastic traveller; a typical working week often includes four flights and all the associated paraphernalia of taxis, hotels, queues and dodgy mobile and iPad connections. So, when it comes to holidays I’m a dedicated and determined don’t-mover. Nothing beats a drizzly Donegal dawn and a seriously long walk around Ards forest with Hugo our boundlessly-energetic family dog and Lucy, my occasionally less boundlessly-energetic daughter.

Somehow the necessity to stand on a given spot to experience patchy mobile or iPad reception – a source of foot-stamping, teethgrinding fury in a European city – becomes bearable under the influence of Donegal’s relentless calm. Although, that should in no way dissuade Leo from investing the promised €100bn to give the local broadband a bit of a boost.

But, as the only male – apart from Hugo – in a predominately female household, the Donegal drizzle and occasional sunshine has created a two-centre holiday household, with the Terrington clan decamping in the summer to Portugal and the Tivoli Marina Hotel in Vilamoura. We’ve done that so often now that it’s become an extended family destination, where we settle seamlessly back into the hotel, the local restaurants and the local community.

Family teenagers who have morphed into twenty-somethings and still insist on taggingalong, suggest that we’ve not got too much wrong with Portugal as an alternative family destination.

It’s a great centre for just mooching around the marina and golf courses or for more serious exploration. Local attractions like Loulé with its 13 century castle, Saturday gypsy market and Brazilian carnivals, or Faro, with its

Paul Terrington with daughter Lucy and ‘Hugo’ in Donegal.

wonderful Cathedral and Bishop’s Palace and the network of cobbled streets and squares, offer remarkable visitor experiences. The Ria Formosa Natural Park is one of the most amazing places in the Algarve. Covering an area of about 18 000 hectares, its home to more than 20,000 birds including flamingos and is a key stop-over point in the migration routes between Europe and Africa.

I’m unapologetic about our love of both Donegal and Portugal. I fondly imagine that

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recent genetic research revealing similarities between the Y chromosome of Portuguese and Irish males, hints of Bronze Age Celtic tribes migrating across Europe and forming the first nations of today’s European countries.

And, of course, as any regular Donegal visitor knows, the occasional tropical maritime air, and warmer waters, sees Donegal fall victim to occasional infestations of the Portuguese Man-of-War – truly a relationship that for me, cuts both ways.

lifestyle

Joanne Harkness

SPRING IT ON McElhinneys

New Look Sunglasses, £12, Topman.

With such a bleak winter behind us, let’s hope that the months ahead will bring glorious weather to make the most of our spring/summer wardrobe. This is the time to wear florals, bright colours and enjoy being slightly less covered up.

Orange skirt, £49.50, Oliver Bonas.

White blouse and floral trousers, available from Dorothy Perkins.

Striped mustard t-shirt with floral embroidery, available from Miss Selfridge.

Houndstooth blazer and trousers, River Island.

Short sleeve shirt, £25, Marks and Spencer.

White sandals, £85, Dune.

Brown loafers, £39, Burton.

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LIFESTYLE

As the highly changeable weather continues with rain and shine, Chris Rees, Head Chef at the River Room Restaurant at Galgorm Resort and Spa shares one of his delectable starters which is a delight to enjoy whatever the sky brings.

Dine & Wine

Civiche of scallops with green olives radish and a squid ink cracker - SERVES 4

Ingredients 300g scallop meat (frozen then defrosted) Juice of 1 lemon 20g sugar 20g salt ½ cucumber 100g thinly sliced radish 80g sushi rice 1 sachet of squid ink 80g crème fraiche Some leaves and cress (dill is ideal) Olive oil 2tps

Method: First make the squid ink cracker. Do this by boiling the rice with a little salt until very soft and almost overcooked, add the squid ink and spread on a baking sheet thinly.

Dry the sheet of now black rice at around 50˚c for a couple of hours in an oven.

Once dry, simply break the sheet into shards and deep fry in oil at around 200˚c.

Allow to cool and dry on kitchen paper and season more if necessary.

Next, very finely slice and then dice the cucumber and set aside.

To assemble the dish, thinly slice the scallops and place in a bowl with the lemon

juice, sugar and salt, mix gently and allow to rest in the liquid for around 5 minutes. After this time, strain all of the remaining liquid off and reserve the scallops which are now lightly cured and ready to eat.

Mix the scallop meat with the cucumber and olive oil.

With a pastry ring placed in the middle of a

bowl, add a small spoonful of crème fraiche then the scallop and cucumber mixture and finally the sliced radish, season lightly with some sea salt.

To finish, add the squid ink cracker and nicely place the leaves around the top of the dish.

The starter is now ready to serve.

Need the perfect pairing?

Drinking good wine with good food is one of life’s great pleasures. The River Room Restaurant’s resident wine expert, Andrea Mola, recommends the perfect wine to accompany Head Chef Chris Rees’ delicious starter.

Russbach Classic Riesling 2016 Germany This is an off dry style, so neither sweet nor dry, but has obvious hints of sweetness just at the end, that will soften the citrus component of Chris’s dish. It’s great against the backdrop of piercing acidity that the German Rieslings are renowned for and that will cut through the curing of the scallops and cleanse your palate. Expect lots of candied lime flavours, fruit salad and floral notes, while the taste is crisp, fresh and lingers deliciously.

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COLUMnIST

Jim Fitzpatrick, Journalist and Broadcaster

Food for thought…

Time for new thinking as online takes over and high street retailers scale back.

S

ize matters. In the era of the mega corporation, mega mergers are now part of the landscape too. Much of the merger activity is driven by old-school players responding to the exponential growth of the online relative newcomers.

One of the latest to hit the headlines is the potential merger of supermarket giants Sainsbury’s and Asda. Any deal will need to be passed by the competition authorities.

But in the context of what’s happening to retail – even food – by the growth of online operators, the willing parties are arguing that their new combined might is just protection for the real fight with behemoths like Amazon.

Sainsbury’s has itself only settled after its successful acquisition and integration of Argos – proving some of the sceptics wrong in the process. And Asda is owned by US retail beast Walmart, so already enjoys considerable buying clout.

But Amazon is voraciously moving into so many retail sectors that its revenues soared above expectations in recent results, sending founder Jeff Bezos’s net worth up

by $9 billion in just two days.

The knock-on effects of all of this change is hard to measure and even harder to predict, but we can see the results on our high streets and it has profound implications for urban development that demand nimble policy responses.

Retail, as we have known it, is dead. And it won’t come back. If local government can’t respond the knock-on effect will not simply be empty shops, but collapsing rates revenues, a squeeze on local services, a deterioration in the urban environment and a long list of negative economic and social effects.

Local government rates policy is based on the assumption that the rates will always be paid, no matter how big the burden. Unlike corporation tax, rates take no account of profit or loss. That assumption can no longer be made. A smart operator starting today would not invest in bricks and mortar – ask Jeff Bezos.

So, big retailers are scaling back. They’re closing stores. They’re laying off workers by the thousands. They’re trying to be lean and mean like their online competitors. But

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they have to keep paying those huge rates bills, unlike Mr Bezos.

There is something particularly depressing about walking through a major city in the UK or Ireland and discovering whole streets of boarded shops. Gaping voids in the heart of our cities with policy makers devoid of ideas in how to respond.

The local authorities need to collect taxes in some form. They deliver vital public services and are an important part of our democracy. But the rapid pace of change in the economy is demanding a new approach in how that revenue should be collected.

A solution is ultimately going to require new thinking at a local, national and international level. Perhaps the old concept of taxing things locally just doesn’t make sense in the global economy and something much more sophisticated needs to be developed.

And local government must not be scared of making the argument for its slice of the tax cake, nor of demanding solutions from central government and beyond. It bears the cost of this current economic failure – it must ensure it leads on solutions.

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