Ambition Issue 14 (Jan/Feb 2016) by Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry

MAGAZINE OF NORTHERN IRELAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 ISSUE 14 January/february 2016

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contents

January/February 2016 Issue 14

NI CHAMBER COMMUNICATIONS PARTNER

Editor: Adrienne McGill Publisher: Chris Sherry Advertising Manager: Catherine Patton Editorial Assistant: Ashleigh Addis Email addresses: adrienne.mcgill@northernirelandchamber.com c.patton@ambitionni.co.uk Websites: www.northernirelandchamber.com www.ulstertatler.com

Addresses: Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry, 4-5 Donegall Square South, Belfast, BT15JA Tel: 028 9024 4113

special focus:

Publisher: Ulster Tatler Group, 39 Boucher Road, Belfast, BT12 6UT Tel: 028 9066 3311

Making your message matter

Printed by: W&G Baird, Antrim

NEWS 08 HENDERSON GROUP STOCKS UP WITH INVESTMENT 10 CHARITIES BENEFIT FROM AUTOLINE’S 40TH ANNIVERSARY 12 THE LAVA GROUP FIRES AHEAD 14 ASDA INVESTS £3 MILLION IN STORES

NI CHAMBER PATRONS

MAGAZINE OF NORTHERN IRELAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 ISSUE 14

to coMe

LIFESTYLE 86 LITTLE BMW HAS THE X FACTOR 92 ENRICHING THE TRAVEL EXPERIENCE

Magazine of northern ireland chaMber of coMMerce and industry

FEATURES 20 Delta - an indelible name 38 Action Against Cyber attacks 68 A place in the sun 78 An ocean of opportunities

January/february 2016

Columnists 17 TREVOR ANNON 24 PATRICK KEOWN 64 NATALIE GRAY 66 MAUREENobc O’REILLY 74 IAN RAINEY 84 SINEAD DILLON 96 Jim Fitzpatrick

Front cover image: Taken by Aidan Monaghan at the MAC, Belfast.

interview with us consul general Daniel lawton

Delta thinks outside the box natalie gray on latest tech trends

the year ahead ni chamber presiDent anD vice presiDent set out their view

Cover story - Page 34

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editorial

driving ambition Changes

New Year normally heralds ‘Changes’ (which is apt as it’s the title of one of the late David Bowie’s famous songs). Many people make resolutions for changes in their lives starting in January…but while the intention may be there, they often go unresolved. This isn’t due to people’s lack of desire to improve; it’s just the fallout from the fact that change is difficult. However, it can also be exciting! Northern Ireland has already started the year with a significant change in the political arena with former Finance Minister Arlene Foster becoming First Minister. This has been swiftly followed by further changes to the Executive with Mervyn Storey appointed as the new Finance Minister while Lord Morrow is now heading the Social Development portfolio. Change will again be on the horizon in March when the Northern Ireland Assembly breaks up to allow an election campaign to begin ahead of voters going to the polls in May. However, there seems to be no such dramatic transformations on the local economic front. The Northern Ireland economy is expected to expand in 2016 but at a very moderate rate of 1.8 per cent due to ongoing austerity. According to a recent report by Danske Bank, it also looks as though uncertainty ahead of a referendum on the UK’s relationship with the European Union has the potential to drag down investment levels. But one area of the economy

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expected to see a boost is business tourism with the opening in May of the newly extended Waterfront Hall in Belfast which has been significantly transformed to become a truly world class conference centre. The substantial change at the rear of the existing building, involving a £29.5 million build programme, will see the impressive steel structure extending along the River Lagan embankment taking full advantage of the stunning riverside views. NI Chamber is hosting the first event to take place in the spectacular venue and we look forward to welcoming guests to it. Ambition starts the New Year with a buzz across its pages with tantalizing articles of interest and relevance to our members and the wider business community. To give you a flavour, our special focus ‘making your message matter’ looks at the world of PR, Advertising, Marketing, Lobbying and Event Management. These have become increasingly important as a means through which businesses communicate and connect with their audience and thereby grow and achieve success. Returning to ‘Changes’ again – we hope you like the subtle redesign of Ambition which underlines our commitment to keep the magazine fresh and exciting for readers as we continue to highlight the key issues topping the economic agenda in Northern Ireland. Adrienne McGill Editor, Ambition

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editorial

PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE

Let’s hope for a multiyear budget

New Year has dawned and with it much debate about government spending in the months ahead. Just before Christmas the now former Finance Minister Arlene Foster published a one year 2016/17 budget which was wrapped up with and bound to the Fresh Start political deal. A one year budget is far from ideal and especially so when it contains infrastructure allocations such as the A5 and A6 dual carriageways which are likely to take up to 5 years to complete. However, this may be one of those occasions where the fact that a budget has been agreed at all, and with relatively little controversy or indeed fanfare – is to be welcomed. Let us hope that whatever Executive emerges after the May elections, it uses the 2016/17 budget as a foundation for

06 NI Chamber

a longer term budgetary process. There are a number of reasons why this is important. The prize of devolved and reduced corporation tax remains dependent on the Treasury being convinced that the Executive has our finances on a sustainable and long term footing. Let’s be confident though and start planning now for a reduced tax. The anticipated increase in Foreign Direct Investment will require new skills and a flow of employees. In this regard the December 2015 budget is flawed; instead of the new Department of the Economy receiving a cut, it should have the resources required to support the development of the workforce as necessary. This should be addressed through in-year Monitoring Rounds and as part of a longer term budget post May. One of the exciting elements of the budget is the modest allocation set against the NI Investment Fund. That is a signal that the Fund will become a reality and that should lead to a further support model for our SMEs, one which can be built on. Arlene Foster said last month “the oneyear budget will give new departments and new ministers a stable, balanced platform to determine priorities and funding allocations post the May election for a multi-year budget from 2017-18 to 2019-20.” That platform and associated stability is both significant and welcome. As Arlene Foster moves on from her Department of Finance and Personnel post and into the First Minister’s chair, we wish her well and indeed at NI Chamber we hope the multiyear budget becomes a reality in the months ahead. Stephen McCully, President Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry

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COLOURFUL 2016 FOR TITANIC EXHIBITION CENTRE

Tim Husbands, Titanic Exhibition Centre Chief Executive, is pictured with Nisha Tandon from Festival of Colours and Brian Corry, Self Build Ireland.

Belfast’s Titanic Exhibition Centre continues to go from strength to strength and is looking forward to a year of growth in 2016 with 15 shows already secured including Festival of Colours, Self Build Ireland, IFEX and there’s more in the pipeline up to 2019. Tim Husbands MBE, Titanic Belfast’s Chief Executive, said: “With 15 shows lined up already, including significant repeat business, we are pleased that the Titanic Exhibition Centre is playing a key role in maintaining Belfast’s position as a leading events and exhibitions destination.” The 6,000 square metre venue provides space for exhibitions, community and sporting events for 3,000 visitors and also large scale banquets.

Henderson Group stocks up with investment A £25 million investment has been made by Henderson Group, the local business that owns the SPAR, EUROSPAR, VIVO, VIVOXTRA and VIVO Essentials franchises in Northern Ireland. Based in Mallusk, the Group has announced that the investment covers the purchase of new land and the construction of a new distribution centre, trailer park and head office facility. This will replace the original structures that have been in place since 1974. The new main office facility is expected to be fully operational in October 2016. The investment is set to facilitate business growth and secure employment across all four companies within the Group – Henderson Wholesale, Henderson Retail, Henderson Group Property and Henderson Foodservice. The Group currently has a 2,800 strong workforce which has doubled in the last 10 years. Henderson Group Managing Director Martin Agnew said: “This major investment in the development of a new main office and distribution site shows our commitment to providing a better working environment for our employees, as well as a more efficient way of working to benefit our retailers and logistics department.”

Henderson Group’s Managing Director Martin Agnew and Chairman John Agnew.

08 NI Chamber

Environment Minister Mark H Durkan with Moy Park’s HR Director Mike Mullan and Kieran Harding, Managing Director, Business in the Community.

Feather in the cap for Moy Park Leading poultry company Moy Park has achieved Platinum status – the highest scoring level – in the Northern Ireland Environmental Benchmarking Survey. In total 83 organisations from all sizes and sectors participated in the 2015 Northern Ireland Environmental Benchmarking Survey, which is generated by Business in the Community’s (BITC) ARENA Network campaign. The Survey annually assesses top businesses in Northern Ireland for environmental management, performance and assurance. This is the third year in a row that Moy Park has achieved the Platinum status. Mike Mullan, HR Director from Moy Park, said: “Moy

Park is a values led, responsible business and we are committed to sustainable practices which minimise our environmental impact and make a positive contribution to the way people live.” Chair of ARENA Network, David Gavaghan, said Northern Ireland companies had shown they are committed to making progress by managing their impacts effectively. “We are delighted to see major local employers like Moy Park leading the way and fully embracing sustainable practices at all levels across the business. We look forward to more companies coming on board next year and following their example,” he added.

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NI Chamber 09

news Michael Blaney, Autoline’s Managing Director.

Charities Benefit From Autoline’s 40TH Anniversary Forty charities from across Northern Ireland are sharing over £40,000 as part of Autoline Insurance Group’s 40th Anniversary celebrations. In total, £46,000 was raised by customers and staff of the independent insurance broker during a year-long series in 2015 of fundraising initiatives which included golf days, auctions, customer promotions and a gala dinner which alone raised £25,000. Headquartered in Newry and with offices across Northern Ireland, Autoline Insurance had initially set a target of £40,000 – representing £1,000 for every year it has been in business. Michael Blaney, Autoline’s Managing Director, said: “As a Northern Ireland firm, Autoline’s ethos has always been grounded in its local communities and that’s been reflected in the tremendous support which the charity campaign received.” To add to Autoline’s celebrations, the company has also won the UK Broker Innovation category at the recent Insurance Time’s awards. Beating off competition from across the UK, Autoline won the accolade for its ground-breaking ‘ChilliDrive’ smart phone app which analyses driving skills and rewards safer drivers with lower premiums. Among the 40 charities to receive over £1,100 each are the NI Cancer Fund for Children, Southern Area Hospice, Epilepsy Action Northern Ireland, Women’s Aid and Mencap NI. As fundraising efforts exceeded expectations a further 20 charities have also been awarded £100 each.

The new Premier Inn at Worcester Cricket Club.

GILBERT-ASH AND PREMIER INN RECOGNISED FOR INNOVATIVE PROJECT Gilbert-Ash has been recognised with an international Gold Green Apple Environment Award for its innovation in the field of climate adaptation. The construction of a new Premier Inn at Worcester Cricket Club has incorporated features to help mitigate against the risk of flooding – a concern for many businesses as flood damage is forecast to rise five-fold across Europe by 2050 according to research published in the journal, Nature Climate Change. The Premier Inn project, worth £7.2 million, involved the construction of a 120 room hotel on a flood plain. The neighbouring cricket club has suffered over 150 floods since it opened in 1865. The awards, which set out to find the greenest companies, councils and communities, saw more than

500 companies competing for the accolade. Ray Hutchinson, Managing Director of Gilbert-Ash, said: “Our solution involved a concrete transfer slab on level one which would support the hotel’s timber frame above. The hotel was then raised on stilts, lifting it above the ‘at risk’ zone. Electrical features have been installed at raised levels. A goods lift was designed to allow for potential flooding therefore stopping at a higher floor level if an emergency incident occurred. These decisions will prevent damage and any associated impact on the hotel’s ability to continue operating during a flooding incident.” Gilbert-Ash will progress to represent the UK in the Green World Awards, and the European Business Awards for the Environment.

ULSTER COMPANIES SCOOP TOP AWARDS Ulster companies have been named amongst the island’s top achievers, crowned at a glittering ceremony in the Mansion House Hotel, Dublin. Finnebrogue (Downpatrick) came top in the Food & Drink category, AJ Power (Craigavon) was named Small Business champion while the Bryson Charitable Group (Belfast) scooped the Social Enterprise title in the prestigious Ulster Bank Business Achievers Awards against stiff competition from companies across all four provinces. Having already enjoyed success at the Ulster provincial stage of the awards, the three winning firms continued to impress the high-level panel of judges and were selected for all-island awards from a record list of entries. Run in partnership with Invest NI, InterTradeIreland, the Belfast Telegraph and SmallBusinessCan.com, the awards recognise the achievements of companies from across the island in a wide range of sectors. Paying tribute to the winners, Richard Donnan, Head of Ulster Bank Northern Ireland, said: “I am delighted that three Ulster companies have been named as winners in the Ulster Bank Business Achievers Awards, proving yet again the calibre of companies we are producing locally.” In recognition of their success, winners each received an award trophy and significant marketing opportunities including a specially commissioned 10 NI Chamber

Nigel Walsh, Head of Sectors and Specialist Sales, Ulster Bank, with Ashley Piggott, Managing Director of AJ Power, Denis Lynn, Managing Director of Finnebrogue, and John McMullan, Chief Executive, Bryson Charitable Group.

company video and a prominent profile page on the Ulster Bank Business Achievers Awards website. Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Company Chanelle Group based in Galway, was named the overall Ulster Bank Business Achiever and walked away with a comprehensive prize package comprising a $50,000 (just under £40,000) publishing bursary with the Belfast Telegraph, expert business mentoring from Enterprise Ireland, a full-service communications workshop and significant media exposure.

news

The Lava Group fires ahead Belfast-based technology company The Lava Group has announced that in 2016 it will be implementing a new export strategy and building on relationships it has already developed in Australia and Canada. The company, which develops biometric solutions for the high security and health sectors, experienced a significant increase in existing business in 2015 while also benefitting from a targeted strategy which has seen diversification into new markets and industries. The company is set to continue growth and has expanded its team by 50 per cent with employee numbers rising from 13 to 20. The Lava Group’s largest contract has seen it provide access control solutions for a new prison currently being constructed in Cork. The contract, worth over £500,000, will see the company installing Lock Controllers throughout the prison, enabling a one platform system to control access. Gareth Morrison, CEO of The Lava Group, said: “We have two new

The Lava Group’s CEO Gareth Morrison and software engineer Stephen Ringland.

products in the pipeline and we are looking forward to their launch. We anticipate that further recruitment will be required in order to allow us to continue to grow at the same rate and we look forward to building on our list of partnerships to begin more collaborative projects around the world.”

Boost to Business Banking team Danske Bank’s Chief Executive Kevin Kingston (centre) with Shaun McAnee, Managing Director of Corporate Banking and Richard Caldwell, Managing Director of Business Banking.

Danske Bank’s new Chief Executive has said recent changes to the structure of its business unit would further strengthen the Bank’s commitment to supporting its business customers. Kevin Kingston, who took up the role last November after having been Managing Director of Business Banking, made the comment following the appointment of Shaun McAnee as Managing Director of Corporate Banking and Richard Caldwell as Managing Director of Business Banking. Mr Kingston said: “Reorganising the teams across SME and Corporate Banking was a logical move to ensure that we continue to stay close to our customers and maintain our high customer satisfaction levels. Shaun and Richard are both very experienced and each will bring a strong customer focus to their new role. It is testament to the strength of our Business Banking division that I have been fortunate enough to be able to appoint new Managing Directors for the unit from within the existing team.”

Web Company Nets Award Belfast-based Flint Studios was recently named Northern Ireland’s Rising Star in Deloitte’s prestigious Irish Technology Fast 50 Awards. The digital agency scooped the title in the annual awards which rank the very best of the technology sector and recognises those companies that have demonstrated exceptional growth in turnover over the last four years. Flint Studios’ Head of Development Mark McCann accepted the award on behalf of the company at the awards ceremony which took place at the DoubleTree Hilton in Dublin. Mr McCann said it was recognition of the hard work undertaken by the team at Flint Studios. “Flint Studios is on a clear path, successfully growing its core business with development of product offering, geographical expansion and building partnerships with complementary suppliers,” he added. Established in 2011, the company delivers a wide range of digital services to clients including complex systems integration and bespoke development to fluid responsive websites and integrated digital marketing campaigns. The firm employs over 20 staff who include developers, designers and digital marketing specialists.

12 NI Chamber

Mark McCann Flint Studios’ Head of Development with James Greer of sponsors Ulster Business.

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news Asda President and CEO, Andy Clarke.

Nick Gray, Division Director at Liberty IT, with Ulster University placement students, Ronan Burke, Orla Mooney and John Cronin-McCartney.

On course to celebrate placement employers

Ulster University is calling for nominations for Northern Ireland’s number one placement employer to acknowledge their contribution in providing work-based learning opportunities for students The University’s Placement Employer of the Year Awards aim to celebrate the dedication of local businesses across all sectors in providing students with the skills that will allow them to apply their academic knowledge to real-life practice. Seamus McConomy, Work Experience Development Manager at Ulster University, said: “The Placement Employer of the Year Awards is a way for Ulster University to showcase and celebrate the achievements of businesses shaping the future for our graduates. “We are calling on Ulster University students and staff from our employer partners in both the private and public sector to submit nominations that show their exemplary commitment to the professional and personal growth of our students and graduates.” Nick Gray, Division Director at Liberty IT, winner of last year’s over 50 employees category said there were benefits to offering placement opportunities to students: “We have developed a very successful business over the last 18 years and our placements have played a huge part in this. With 90 per cent of them returning this year as graduates, 100 per cent of whom achieved a 1st class honours degree, we very much consider them our future talent.” •Nominations close on 1 February 2016. To nominate a business for Ulster University’s Placement Employer of the Year Awards visit ulster.ac.uk/ placementawards

ASDA invests £3 million in stores Asda has reaffirmed its commitment to the Northern Ireland market and unveiled plans to invest a further £3 million during 2016 to enhance its store network. On a visit to Northern Ireland where he addressed an audience of industry stakeholders, Asda President and CEO Andy Clarke said that after ten years of successful retailing in Northern Ireland, he was pleased with the performance of the region’s 17 stores and paid tribute to colleagues and customers alike for their continued support. Mr Clarke said: “The Northern Ireland market continues to be important, offering great potential, and while the wider UK market context may mean that we have to re-assess our involvement in some developments, we are committed to investing £3 million in eight of our Northern Ireland stores, including £¾ million in a new Petrol Filling Station in Strabane” During his visit, Mr Clarke also highlighted the success of Asda’s local sourcing policy. With over £300 million of produce being annually sourced from 105 island of Ireland food producers, Asda has played a significant role in boosting the local agri-food sector by creating export opportunities. “This also reflects how we are responding to our Northern Ireland customers who have sent the clear message that they want to be able to buy the local products that they trust and enjoy,” added Mr Clarke.

Bringing talent home Abacus Professional Recruitment recently ran a targeted initiative to inform friends and family who were coming home to Northern Ireland for Christmas to ‘Bring their talent home’. The highlight of the event was a meet-up at Belfast’s Ivory restaurant sponsored by NI Connections. Attendees included people from Northern Ireland who are currently working in Brazil, Canada and other parts of the world. Andrew Cowan, Chief Executive of Northern Ireland Connections, said: “Northern Ireland has 10 million first and second generation diaspora, many of whom left home to pursue exciting careers when there perhaps wasn’t the same variety of job opportunities here that there is now. “There are so many talented people out there with a link to Northern Ireland, and attracting some of them back home could be a game-changer for Northern Ireland’s economy.” Justin Rush, Director at Abacus, said the demand for professionally qualified staff in Accountancy and Finance, Legal and IT sectors locally is

14 NI Chamber

Andrew Cowan, Chief Executive of Northern Ireland Connections, with guests at the event.

significant. “Recent job announcements have really boosted confidence within the marketplace. At Abacus we felt the need to generate awareness of this demand to potential recruits locally and those that are based outside of Northern Ireland.”

ACHIEVING IN BUSINESS BY NIGEL WALSH, HEAD OF SECTORS & SPECIALIST SALES AT ULSTER BANK.

he recent all-island Business Achievers Awards were a fantastic celebration of the talent and ingenuity of local businesses. Meat company Finnebrogue, manufacturer AJ Power and Bryson Charitable Group are great examples of Northern Ireland enterprises that have specialised and excelled in their fields – all were well worthy ‘National’ winners in their respective categories of Small Business, Food & Drink and Social Enterprise, following up on the success of Novosco, Amilo, Hannan Meats, and ESF in the Ulster finals. They’re a demonstration of what can be accomplished through a careful focus on product development and investment in long-term relationships with their customers. From my perspective, one of the most enjoyable things about this year’s awards

was that there was a record number of entries this year as 676 businesses competed nationally. This sense of a growing culture of entrepreneurial endeavour, and a willingness for local businesses to seek a platform to share their success, is a really positive sign. At Ulster Bank, supporting entrepreneurship is a part of our DNA, and we strongly believe in putting in place the right people and products to nurture the business achievers of the future. To that end, I’m looking forward to the opening of the Entrepreneurial Spark hatchery, powered by Ulster Bank, early in the New Year. This will provide space for up to 80 entrepreneurs from a variety of backgrounds to develop and test new ideas, building businesses that are exciting, resilient and investable. We support and celebrate these

entrepreneurial ideas as part of our ambition to be the number one bank for customer service, trust and advocacy. We are determined to show those who are willing to take a risk and come up with an innovative idea that we will get behind them and back them with our products and advice – giving them the best opportunity to succeed. I hope that other firms, right across Northern Ireland, will see this as a potential springboard for their ideas – the exposure, the acclaim and the reward to staff for their hard work throughout the year, make this a really important point in the NI business calendar. We welcome the opportunity to speak to any businesses who want to share that stage next year.

Celebrity hosts Keith Duffy from Boyzone and Seainin Brennan from The Fall present Craig Walker with the Rising Star Award.

Prince’s Trust & Samsung Celebrate Success Awards

nspirational young people from across Northern Ireland were honoured recently at the prestigious Prince’s Trust & Samsung Celebrate Success Awards, which recognised the achievements of disadvantaged young people who have succeeded against the odds, improved their chances in life and had a positive impact on their local community. The event took place at Titanic Belfast. Ian Jeffers, Prince’s Trust Northern Ireland Director said: “What an amazing night! Celebrate Success brings our work to life in incredible ways and we are indebted to our finalists for sharing their stories. I’d also like to recognise the exceptional people – their champions – who helped them on their journey.

16 NI Chamber

“None of this would be possible without our generous sponsors, particularly Samsung, who make Celebrate Success possible.” Since 2012, Samsung has supported The Prince’s Trust to enhance the lives of young people. As the partnership now moves into its fourth year, Samsung is continuing to work closely with The Prince’s Trust to introduce technology initiatives, embedding digital and STEM skills across its programme through the insertion of Digital Classrooms at its centres. Among the winners was Craig Walker who scooped the Rising Star Award. One of the event sponsors, Eamonn Whelan, Devenish Nutrition Operations Director said: “Devenish Nutrition wants to take this moment

to congratulate Craig for winning the Rising Star Award. Craig has conquered many of life’s challenges to turn his life around and he should be very proud of his achievements. We are thrilled be to part of these awards and to honour such brave and strong-willed young people who have beaten the odds to change their lives for the better.” Youth charity The Prince’s Trust gives disadvantaged young people the skills and confidence to find a job. Three in four young people helped by The Prince’s Trust move into work, training or education. For more information visit: www.princes-trust.org.uk

columnist

A homegrown recipe for success To celebrate the start of the Year of Food and Drink, Trevor Annon, chairman of the mount charles group, looks at the wide range of local produce and suppliers Northern Ireland has to offer, and considers how this homegrown network has been an integral part of the company’s success for more than a quarter of a century.

ocal is a word that is often overused in the modern business world. Everywhere we look we see brand slogans and advertisements promoting firms that are dedicated to local produce, local staff, and local support. It’s a term that is in many ways synonymous with quality and it’s easy to see why so many companies seek to align themselves with it. When we think of businesses that have a local focus or actively support their communities and suppliers, we see responsibility, we see a firm that is helping to sustain a much wider demographic than just its customers. Knowing where our produce has come from is a much greater consideration for today’s consumers, as our appetite for local produce and homegrown services has grown dramatically over the last decade. In some cases however, and this will come as no great surprise, firms will exaggerate their local connections and try to use it to their advantage. They might appear far more invested in the communities around them than they really are, as the image they manufacture is in fact just a marketing tool. In Northern Ireland though, things tend to be a little different. We may only be a small country but we are fiercely proud of our produce, people and skills, and it’s for good reason. We have an abundance of quality, local produce and resources and we

really are spoilt for choice, so when our businesses talk about local, it’s almost always built on solid foundations. If ever there was any doubt as to the fantastic array of local produce and producers we have, the 2016 Year of Food and Drink is an initiative that will further highlight the finest that Northern Ireland has to offer. At the Mount Charles Group, we have plans in place for the next 12 months to help celebrate the great food and drink made right here in Northern Ireland, but it’s something we’ve been actively promoting through our offering for more than 25 years. When the company was founded in 1988, our focus was on the contract catering sector and a core principle of the business, even back then, was that we would work closely with local suppliers to provide the highest standard of service to local businesses. It proved to be a recipe for success, as today we employ over 1,800 people and the companies and service users we work with have always appreciated the attention to detail and our commitment to local produce. As a business model it has allowed us to build strong relationships with producers right across Northern Ireland, and we believe that those relationships have had significant mutual benefits. And as our offering has diversified, our commitment to local has remained, as it is equally important for our cleaning, vending, retail, and security services divisions, as well as the full

range of business support services that includes maintenance, portering and reception staff that we can supply. As a local company with its roots firmly entrenched in the business life of Northern Ireland, we are committed to sourcing as much produce as possible from local farmers and growers, and building relationships with homegrown suppliers. We take huge pride in the fact that 85 per cent of our fresh food produce is both locally sourced and fully traceable and we believe that it offers a number of key benefits. Firstly, it minimises food miles and reduces our carbon footprint, which should be an important consideration for any business. Secondly, as I touched upon earlier, it meets customer demand for local and sustainable produce. Many consumers actively seek locally sourced food and drink, and that in turn leads on to the third reason, which is that produce made here in Northern Ireland is first class, often of award winning quality. Some of the world’s finest food and drink comes from right here in Northern Ireland, so why would you search for suppliers elsewhere when the best is right on our doorstep? That is the question we have asked from day one at the Mount Charles Group, and as the Year of Food and Drink commences we hope that it gets a greater number of people to think the same too. You won’t look back.

NI Chamber 17

news Michael Jennings, Partner at BDO with Christopher Morrow, Policy Manager at NI Chamber.

Business mood on the up

Challenges remain but businesses are upbeat about 2016, the latest report from NI Chamber and BDO reveals.

ompetition, the performance of the NI Executive and the strength of the pound have been cited as the biggest concerns for businesses in 2016. The findings form part of the latest Quarterly Economic Survey for Q4 of 2015 released by Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NI Chamber) and leading business advisers BDO. The survey, which was completed by over 300 local businesses, who between them account for almost 22,500 jobs in the region, also revealed concerns about the availability of skills to meet the needs of employers, the impact of proposed public spending cuts and the introduction of the National Living Wage in April 2016. Commenting on the findings, Christopher Morrow, Policy Manager at NI Chamber, said: “The survey shows that businesses are trying to be optimistic about the year ahead, however there are a number of challenges facing them.

18 NI Chamber

“Competition has been constantly cited as a key issue for members alongside rising costs. Northern Ireland businesses feel that they cannot be as competitive as their counterparts in other parts of the world with our manufacturers in particular suffering due to increasing costs, issues around exchange rates and global economic conditions. “Members from sectors such as tourism and hospitality are also concerned about the introduction of the National Living Wage and its proposed timetable, with the view that the policy has not been well enough thought through and potential impacts not adequately assessed. “It is also reassuring that as a result of the Fresh Start Agreement, there is now a sense of stability coming from the NI Executive. The majority of members who responded to the survey believed that the instability of the Northern Ireland Executive in 2015 held back international (87%) and local (79%) business investment.” However, despite the challenges facing businesses in 2016, around two-thirds of those surveyed expect their businesses to grow in 2016. Around 15% (one in six) expect their business to contract during the year.

Mr Morrow continued: “Government will be consulting with the business community on a number of initiatives including the reform of business rates which began in December 2015; the development of a new Programme for Government; the new Department of the Economy and an action plan to address Northern Ireland’s low levels of export activity. “Businesses finally have an opportunity to contribute to the review of business rates – an important policy tool which requires careful and strategic consideration. Along with the new Department of the Economy, which will bring skills and the economy closer together, a new Programme for Government and an action plan to boost exports, 2016 can provide the foundations required for businesses to grow.” Mr Morrow added that there was a slightly more positive outlook to the Q4 2015 QES for both the manufacturing and services sectors in Northern Ireland. “Most key balances remain positive and the majority recorded increases after what had been a relatively poor performance in Q3. “However, both sectors face challenges. The continuing slowdown in domestic and export sales particularly stands out for manufacturing. The services sector sales indicators are now quite substantially below the national average. “The Q4 results still point to some economic growth and a sense that businesses are feeling more positive about prospects going forward.”

KEY POINTS OF THE SURVEY:

ANALYSIS BY MICHAEL JENNINGS, PARTNER, BDO.

aving bid farewell to 2015, the majority of local businesses are looking forward to a prosperous 2016. The Quarterly Economic Survey results for Q4 2015 revealed continuing confidence within the market place, with many Northern Ireland businesses anticipating growth in the year ahead. Q4 brought with it many improvements including increased investment appetite, growing confidence around profitability and enhanced cash flow positions. However, some fall off in employment intentions and continued cost and pricing pressures have also been a keen reminder of the challenges within our marketplace. Despite optimism for their own

businesses, only 49 per cent of respondents expect the Northern Ireland economy to grow in 2016 whilst 26 per cent anticipate no change. This reflects concerns regarding the stability of the Northern Ireland Executive, which the majority of respondents believe is holding back indigenous and international business investment. Although the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Fresh Startâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Agreement, aimed at providing a sustainable budget and confirming devolution of Corporation Tax in 2018, should alleviate such concerns and boost confidence, the difficulty of implementing the Agreement should not be underestimated, not least with regard to the pending austerity measures. Having traditionally been dependent on the public sector, the proposed cuts represent significant change for the

local economy. However, with almost half of the higher skilled workforce employed within the public sector, this could prove to be an opportunity for the private sector which has repeatedly noted difficulty in recruiting appropriately skilled staff. Through continued focus on promoting local business, foreign direct investment and economic growth, it is hoped that the private sector will be able to absorb many of the employees being released from the public sector. So 2016 certainly looks set be another challenging year with significant economic changes expected. However, with continued commitment, economic leadership and investment in our marketplace, 2016 could prove to be the prosperous New Year we all hope for.

NI Chamber 19

feature

Delta – an indelible name Thinking outside the box has made Delta Print and Packaging become a world leader in its industry, the company’s Founder and Chairman Terry Cross OBE and Director Neal McCone tell Adrienne McGill.

rom food to tech appliances and from books to medicines almost all consumer products are sold in cardboard cartons and/or plastic packaging making it a multi-trillion pound industry. Leading the field in this area world-wide is Belfast based Delta Print and Packaging which has spearheaded the development

20 NI Chamber

of innovative methods, procedures and equipment in the manufacture of folding cardboard boxes. The company was founded in 1981 by Belfast entrepreneur Terry Cross who has just been awarded an OBE in the New Year’s honours list for services to the economy and voluntary sector. He began the firm above a corner grocery store in the city to manufacture business cards, letter headed paper and civil service forms. From these humble origins, the company has grown over the last 35 years into a massive enterprise with customers across Europe through the development of commercial printing operations in the printed packaging sector.

Delta currently makes packaging for bigname clients such as McDonald’s, KFC and Kelloggs but it also has clients in the consumer electronics, household goods, dairy and food retail sectors. Almost all the company’s sales are exported overseas, with its most important markets being France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria, Germany, Spain and Portugal. Two years ago Delta announced a £40 million investment which included the expansion of its 200,000 sq ft plant in Kennedy Way Industrial Estate and the creation of 100 new manufacturing jobs, in addition to the existing 280 jobs, to meet growth in overseas markets. The new 55,000 sq ft building houses one of Europe’s most advanced carton manufacturing environments, providing flexible, high-speed productivity. Last November as part of the investment and to further meet demand, Delta Packaging opened a 100,000 sq ft purpose built factory in Poland. Operating under the name ‘European Packaging Solutions’, the Gliwice factory will manufacture sustainable, folding carton board packaging products for a wide range of sectors including food, confectionary, beverage and

consumer electronics products and employ 100 people. Terry Cross, Chairman of Delta Packaging says the investment followed the acquisition of new customers, as well as more work coming in from existing clients in addition to the fact that the firm has customers in Europe who need security of supply that the two sites provide. “Setting up an operation in Poland is about supporting our facility in Belfast and allowing it to grow. It means we can grow volumes by having more capacity and be geographically closer to customers in Europe. “By 2020 we aim to position European Packaging Solutions as the default carton supply choice in the region, employing 100 people with sales of €30 million. “We looked at a number of countries but Poland stood out – it is well positioned geographically, it has a very well developed packaging industry with skilled people and a well-developed supply chain. Furthermore, the Polish government were keen to have us and they helped us to build the factory in a special economic zone in Gliwice – that was the determining factor.” Delta’s plant in Belfast manufactures 2.2 billion cardboard cartons annually which equates to more than 15 container loads each stretching 40ft leaving the facility every day. The factory uses the very latest flexographic and lithographic printing technologies to provide safe and responsible packaging supply for some of the world’s largest brands.

A total of 4 standard and very-large-format, high speed Heidelberg presses and one huge Flexo CI press – the largest of its kind in Europe, which can print 36 km of cardboard length in an hour – operate at the Belfast site. The firm has enjoyed year-on-year growth for the last 10 years with turnover last year topping £50 million. The plan is to grow turnover to £100 million over the next 4 years between Belfast and Poland. The firm’s commitment to reinvesting profits into production technology and knowledge, people, systems and a core focus on R&D and inventive design has allowed it to become a stand-out company in the printing and packaging industry. Neal McCone, Delta’s Director says packaging is necessary for lots of reasons. “You have to protect the product and the marketers want it to have shelf impact so they can sell it and it must function as intended, but there are also environmental considerations. Packaging is often seen as extraneous material – waste waiting to happen. For us innovation in packaging is critical. You have to be able to manufacture it at a price the customer is willing to pay and it needs to be able to work. We divide new ideas into 2 streams – process innovation and product innovation. “We acquired a stake in a product design business a year ago (as opposed to a packaging design business) and we have integrated that into our offering to our customers. We have strong expertise in terms of process innovation internally and we

have specialist expertise in order to bring new concepts to the market which have not been seen before.” For instance for a leading fast food chain Delta has just developed a bag inside a box which comes flat and folds up. It is a paper and board combination which makes storage easy and cheap and offers exceptional operational performance. “The packaging is a premium product and is innovative from a business perspective. It is natural, it is sustainable, it is recyclable, it is compostable – it is great. It is a real brandenhancer for the client,” says Neal. “All of our packaging is recyclable – everything we do is carton board based – it is cellulose natural fibre. The majority of the packaging have been through a recycling process before we convert them. Others have not been recycled but are sustainable from managed forests and can be recycled downstream from us.” The company also uses water based sustainable inks which are environmentally safe and meet the standards laid down by European regulations. Both Terry and Neal are supremely proud of the company’s achievements over the years and attribute its success to speed, quality, innovation, flexibility, innovation and engineering. Terry Cross says: “We have a ‘can do’ attitude. That is what sets us apart from our competitors.”

NI Chamber 21

feature

2016 – a year of ‘interest’

Exchange rates, global growth, Brexit, the price of oil – there are many issues for Northern Ireland’s exporters to face this year as Danske bank’s chief economist angela McGowan tells adrienne mcgill.

T Danske Bank Chief Economist, Angela McGowan.

“We don’t see any big gains in the euro in 2016. Europe will reap the rewards from that from an export perspective but for Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK the exchange rate is going to place downward pressure on exports.”

22 NI Chamber

he year ahead will continue to pose challenges for Northern Ireland’s exporters because of the strong pound against the euro and weaker global demand for goods and services. That is the forecast from Danske Bank’s Chief Economist Angela McGowan who says a strong pound provides a double whammy for companies. The first is a hit to exporters as their goods and products become less competitive overseas while the second is on companies with a substantial presence overseas who take a hit when foreign earnings are converted back into sterling. “We don’t see any big gains in the euro in 2016. Europe will reap the rewards from that from an export perspective but for Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK the exchange rate is going to place downward pressure on exports,” says Ms McGowan. “Here at Danske Bank we are fairly optimistic that European growth will see a healthy rebound during 2016 with stronger economic activity in countries like Germany and Ireland. Overall growth in Europe should reach 1.9 per cent next year. While that is good for our exports we have to caveat European opportunities with those ongoing FX pressures. In the UK around 45 per cent of exports go to Europe and in Northern Ireland the figure is around 48 per cent. “Last year export levels were disappointing because of the strong pound and weaker global demand – but hopefully world demand will strengthen next year; indeed private consumption remains solid in Europe.

Unfortunately though, our exchange rate disadvantage is not expected to go away any time soon.” However, Danske Bank has forecast global growth over the next 12 months at 3.6 per cent mostly driven by advanced economies such as the US, UK and Euroland. “There will probably be a new normal for the world next year with slower growth in China which will set the pace for global demand and impact upon emerging markets as well,” says Ms McGowan. “In recent years China has dominated world demand for many commodities such as aluminium, iron ore and steel. Lower demand from China for these commodities has had a huge impact on many emerging economies that have in recent years been supplying them. The year will also be characterised by a divergent monetary policy in Europe relative to the US. Again, that has implications for exporters. You will see the dollar remain quite strong because the US has started to normalise interest rates.” On the issue of the slide in the price of oil, Danske Bank thinks that oil prices will stay under pressure in the short term as OPEC sticks to its market-share-preservation strategy. However, in the medium term, the non-OPEC producers will pull back supply on a large scale. “That said, we have taken down our 2016 projections as we have to acknowledge that cost reductions have let non-OPEC suppliers stay in the game for longer. “While we think there will be some kind of supply reaction in 2016 from non-OPEC suppliers. We don’t see a huge hike in oil prices again – it will be a slow climb and prices will remain low. We now expect Brent to average USD50 (previously 59) in 2016.” Looking at economic growth in the UK in 2016, Danske Bank has forecast this to top 2.5 per cent as result of rising consumer confidence, low inflation, strong domestic demand and a more conducive business investment climate. Any drag on UK growth in the year ahead will most probably come from a Brexit debate and the strong pound. “With strong growth and an improving labour market, the Bank of England may be tempted to introduce a small hike in mid2016. However, commodity prices next year could pose a risk to the UK’s ambition to start normalising monetary policy,” says Ms McGowan.

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columnist

Choosing your battleground Cross-border litigation in the UK and the EU involves issues around the jurisdiction as Patrick Keown, Partner at Bigger & Strahan solicitors explains.

Cross-border trade is an essential part of business in today’s world and wherever there is business, there is scope for dispute. When a dispute arises with a party in another jurisdiction, it is essential to know where Court proceedings should be pursued. The harmonisation of legislation within the EU has made crossborder litigation and debt recovery more straightforward. The Brussels Convention which now forms part of UK law within the Civil Jurisdiction & Judgments Act 1982 regulates proceedings between member states, this Act also sets out a modified version of the Jurisdiction Rules of the Brussels Convention to regulate proceedings between the different legal jurisdictions within the UK. General Principle Under the Brussels Convention the general principal is that a person domiciled, or normally resident, in a member state shall be sued in the Courts of that state. Following this principal, proceedings by a plaintiff based in Northern Ireland against a debtor based in (for example) the Republic of Ireland would usually be issued in the Republic. There are exceptions to the general principal. For example: • A plaintiff who is a “consumer”, defined as a party acting in relation to matters outside their profession

24 NI Chamber

as a plaintiff, has the choice of issuing proceedings either in the state in which the defendant is domiciled, or in the state in which he is domiciled (ie in this case Northern Ireland). This provision offers protection to individuals of limited means who cannot be expected to take on the burden of instituting proceedings in a foreign jurisdiction. • In matters relating to contract, proceedings can be issued in the Courts for the place of performance of the obligations in question. The German vendor of a motor vehicle, for example, could be sued in Northern Ireland for breach of contract if that is where the vehicle was due to be delivered. The place of performance can of course be contentious and each case will turn on its own facts. • In matters relating to damages for tort, proceedings should be commenced in the Courts for the place where the harmful event occurred. For example, if a tourist from Northern Ireland is involved in a road traffic accident in Spain in which a Spanish individual is injured the Spanish Plaintiff can issue proceedings in the Spanish Courts. • The parties to a contract may also agree by a jurisdiction clause in the contract which jurisdiction

shall determine any dispute. Such clauses are often passed over without much thought as standard provisions, but in the event of dispute can be vital. The Civil Jurisdiction & Judgments Act applies similar principles to proceedings between Northern Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales within the UK. Practical Considerations In considering in which jurisdiction to issue proceedings, it may be that a plaintiff has a choice of jurisdictions. For example, a defendant might be pursued in England as the jurisdiction in which contractual obligations were to be performed or in Northern Ireland as the jurisdiction in which they are domiciled. In such case, a plaintiff may wish to consider their own convenience, the likely costs in each jurisdiction, and the likely damages which might be recovered. Has the Correct Jurisdiction been Chosen? If the wrong jurisdiction is chosen, the proceedings can be challenged on this basis and potentially struck out. Whilst fresh proceedings can then normally be brought in the correct jurisdiction, there may be a costs order against the plaintiff. A recipient of proceedings which emanate from outside of Northern Ireland would be well advised to seek advice on whether such proceedings were issued in the correct jurisdiction. If not, the proceedings can be challenged on this basis and the plaintiff forced to bring proceedings in Northern Ireland. Enforcement Under European Regulations, a judgment obtained in one EU state can be enforced in another state. This may be necessary if the defendant has assets in a state other than that in which the judgment is obtained. The judgment is registered with the Court in the country in which enforcement is to take place and enforcement is then pursued in line with that country’s procedures.

news

BT extends partnership with Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition The BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition will be organised by BT Ireland until at least 2018, following an extended agreement between the leading communications and IT services company and the YSE charitable trust. Close to 80,000 secondary school students from across the island of Ireland have entered science and technology projects into the exhibition since it was established in the 1960s by Dr. Tony Scott and the late Fr. Tom Burke. It is a major success story that has grown into one of the world’s leading school science events, and provides a platform for participating young people to shine on both national and international stages. Its alumni have progressed to secure EU and global awards for their ideas, launch commercial enterprises as well as using the skills to enter careers in the critical subject areas of science and technology. Shay Walsh, BT, said: “We’re honoured to extend our partnership with the exhibition which is a great match for a company like ours. We need talent, as do our private and public sector customers, and this exhibition is one of the biggest stimulators of STEM engagement in schools in the world. We have formed what we believe is without

BT signs £15 million data centre deal

Arlene Foster, former Finance Minister with Paul Wickens, CEO Enterprise Shared Services; Chris Conway, CEO Translink; Peter Russell, General Manager, BT Business in Northern Ireland and David Bingham, CEO Business Services Organisation.

Shay Walsh, BT and Dr. Tony Scott, founder of the Young Scientist Exhibition.

doubt one of the finest examples of like-minded organisations and individuals working together on the shared goal of driving skills and opportunities in STEM – schools, colleges, businesses, government, academia – all aligned to foster home-grown talent.” BT is in its sixteenth year as organiser of the exhibition which is held in the RDS in Dublin and is proud of how it has evolved under its stewardship. Highlights include: - Record number of schools entering projects (396 secondary schools for 2016 exhibition) - University bursaries for senior category winners (with seven universities in the Republic of Ireland) - BT business bootcamp for students with projects with commercial potential Dr. Tony Scott, co-founder of the exhibition, said: “BT has always embraced the YSE Board’s vision to engage as many people as possible in science and technology, and we are excited that we can build on this success for years to come.” *For more information on the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition, visit www.btyoungscientist.com or Twitter @btyste. BT recently signed a major deal with the Department of Finance and Personnel (DFP) to provide it with two new shared service data centre facilities. The facilities will house much of the IT services, not only for the Northern Ireland Civil Service but also the wider public sector. BT will manage the centres operations including continuity while the public sector will continue to manage the IT systems within them. The contract, valued at £15 million over 10 years, was secured following a tender process. Peter Russell, General Manager, BT Business in Northern Ireland said: “This contract strengthens our long established partnership with our public sector colleagues and BT in Northern Ireland has committed to invest £4 million over the coming months to ensure that the new facility will be in place to support the Stormont House Agreement’s ambition for public sector wide shared services and to provide those enhanced services at significantly reduced costs.” Arlene Foster, who was Finance Minister when the deal was announced, said: “The new data facilities will also offer high levels of security and operational stability, providing a strong and secure foundation for the IT systems used by Northern Ireland citizens engaging with the public sector.” Anchor tenants for the new centres will include IT Assist, Business Services Organisation and Translink. The Centres are scheduled to be in operation by Autumn 2016.

NI Chamber 25

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 taken place recently with a picture gallery over the following pages.

t’s great we can start the New Year by reporting that NI Chamber members are optimistic about the year ahead. In the latest Quarterly Economic Survey (QES), which has just been published by NI Chamber and QES partners BDO, the majority of NI Chamber members surveyed said they believe their business will experience growth in 2016, with 14 per cent predicting strong growth and 51 per cent slight growth. The prospect of the devolution of Corporation Tax Powers by April 2018 with the rate set at 12.5 per cent is another positive prospect for members and means that with a date and rate now in place, businesses can plan for growth. With such an uplifting forecast therefore, NI Chamber is looking forward positively to a year where we can further help our members grow their businesses. We can assist them enhance their profile, share their business success stories and promote their firms via a number of channels including eshots, Ambition magazine and a variety of digital platforms i.e. NI Chamber’s website and through social media. NI Chamber is the network for business in Northern Ireland, enabling members to grow their organisations both locally and internationally and drive the development of the economy. We host a multitude of events including Meet the Buyer, a Regional Networking Series and large scale networking conferences enabling members to make new contacts, seek out new customers and suppliers and to help create the opportunities for them to grow their businesses. Providing export support is also a hugely important part of what we do. We are dedicated to supporting exporters – or those exploring export markets for the first time – through our suite of programmes which

26 NI Chamber

enable members to learn more about trading internationally, hear from those who are successfully established in overseas markets and inform those already engaged in export activity how to take it to the next level. For instance in the year ahead, we have our networking series with First Trust Bank, the Danske Bank Export First programme, NI Chamber Connections in partnership with Ulster Bank and Connecting for Growth in partnership with Bank of Ireland and of course our acclaimed Growing Something Brilliant (GSB) Leadership series. Later in the year, we have a showcase event which will be the first to take place in the spectacular newly extended Waterfront Hall when it opens in May. That’s all coming up – but looking back over the last couple of months we have been busy meeting with many local councils across Northern Ireland including Mid Ulster, Lisburn and Castlereagh, Ards and North Down, Belfast City Council, Causeway Coast and Glens to discuss their upcoming community development plans. It is important for businesses in each of these areas to get involved and we urge them to do so. We were also delighted to have the opportunity to discuss with the respective councils NI Chamber’s GSB Action Plan to grow the Northern Ireland economy which was launched last year. The GSB Action Plan also came under the spotlight at a meeting with former First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness who both welcomed NI Chamber’s recommendations on how to strengthen the local economy and support business. Meanwhile at the final in-camera dinner of 2015, which was sponsored by SSE Airtricity at Belfast’s Europa Hotel, a group of 40 NI Chamber members were provided with the

opportunity to network and engage with Enterprise Minister Jonathan Bell. The

Minister Jonathan Bell.

Minister spoke about his role, Northern Ireland’s economic challenges and how he could assist businesses. The DUP’s Annual Conference in November at Belfast’s La Mon Hotel, which was sponsored by NI Chamber, also

Pictured at the DUP’s Annual Conference are Arlene Foster, Stephen McCully, Peter Robinson, Ann McGregor and Nigel Dodds.

provided an opportunity for key business issues to be addressed. The highlight of the year is always the President’s Banquet which this time was supported by BT, Power NI, First Trust Bank and A&L Goodbody. The 2015 event at Titanic Belfast was, as ever, dazzling with acclaimed actor James Nesbitt enthralling 550 guests with his entertaining insight into acting, business and, in his role as Chancellor

chamber chief’s update

Actor James Nesbitt with NI Chamber President Stephen McCully.

of Ulster University, academia. Turning to two of our most successful programmes, Environment Minister Mark H Durkan joined over 50 businesses at the Kilroot Power Station in Carrickfergus as part of the business-led ‘Minister on the Move’ initiative by NI Chamber in partnership with American Airlines and British Airways. AES UK & Ireland is Northern Ireland’s

recognised as the leading supplier of washing equipment for quarries and mines on the global market. Also joining Peter Craven at the event was David Caulfield, Sales & Marketing Director at BA Components who have been manufacturing trade kitchen doors & bedroom doors since 1990. The Cookstown company’s doors feature in homes, hotels and cruise ships across the world. One of the last events of 2015 saw Aideen McGinley, BBC National Trustee for Northern Ireland, host a roundtable discussion, organised in partnership with NI Chamber, to discuss the future of the BBC at Aideen McGinley.

Peter Craven and David Caulfield.

Agri-food Cullen Allen Ltd Business Services 4c Executive Search Excite Exhibition & Display GES Group ProfitBees Construction Lignum Interiors Ltd Green Sectors Kingspan ESB Ltd Suez Recycling and Recovery UK Hospitality and Tourism Millennium Forum Theatre and Conference Centre ICT Bottletop Media Etain Limited Voice Engineer Ireland (VEI)

Minister Mark H Durkan.

largest electricity generator, owning and operating the Kilroot and Ballylumford Power Stations. The Minister and guests heard from AES UK & Ireland President Carla Tully who gave an overview of the business. CDE Global in Cookstown also opened its doors to over 30 members of the local business community at an event which formed part of the NI Chamber and Ulster Bank Connections programme. Held at the company’s site in Ballyreagh Industrial Estate, Peter Craven, Head of Marketing at CDE Global provided advice to businesses on how to execute region specific marketing and brand strategies in order to develop and grow their businesses globally. Over the last 20 years CDE Global has grown to be

NEW MEMBERS

Broadcasting House in Belfast. The BBC’s current Charter comes to an end in 2016 and a Government-led review into the future of the BBC is underway. The BBC Trust, the governing body of the BBC which represents licence fee payers, is playing a key role in the Charter Review process. As National Trustee for Northern Ireland, Aideen is especially keen to make sure that views from Northern Ireland inform these important decisions about the BBC over the next ten years. Finally NI Chamber’s Council members were provided with an update at their last meeting on the Export Action Plan which is being produced by DETI and Invest NI in consultation with NI Chamber and others. Details were delivered by DETI’s Diarmuid McLean and Invest NI’s Olive Hill. Declan Kearney, National Chairperson of Sinn Fein also addressed the gathering to discuss the Fresh Start Agreement which was finalised between the Northern Ireland Executive and the UK and Irish governments last November and commits to attracting foreign direct investment and supporting indigenous businesses. We look forward to an exciting year ahead with our members and assure them that we are by their side as they seek to grow their businesses. NI Chamber President Stephen McCully and Vice President Nick Coburn on priorities for the year ahead - page 32.

Manufacturing Brocagh Precision Engineering Globe Energy SFM Engineering Professional Services Coface McClune Financial Services Limited Testing Talent Retailing ProSafe Training Eye4training Utilities Powerhouse Generation *To become a member of NI Chamber join online at www. northernirelandchamber.com or phone the membership team on 02890 244113

NI Chamber 27

In-camera Dinner with Enterprise Minister Jonathan Bell

2. 1.

3. 1. Natasha Sayee (SONI) with Minister Bell and Angelina Fusco. 2. Alex Crossan (BT) and Stephen McCully (NI Chamber). 3. Marian Troy (SSE Airtricity) and Diane Ruddock (National Trust NI). 4. Mukesh Sharma and Susie Osborough (Selective Travel Management) with Andrea Hayes (Flybe). 5. Ann McGregor (NI Chamber) with Brendan Gribben (Greenfields Ireland) and Stephen McCully (NI Chamber).

28 NI Chamber

NI Chamber Presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Banquet

1. 1. James Nesbitt delivers his speech. 2. Guests enjoy the drinks reception. 3. Dr. Samina Dornan

and her husband Dr. Jim Dornan with James Nesbitt. 4. US Consul General Daniel Lawton and his wife Paula Hawkins. 5. Colm Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Neill (BT), James Nesbitt, Stephen McCully (NI Chamber) and Minister Jonathan Bell.

5. NI Chamber 29

NI Chamber and Ulster Bank Connections event

1. Gary McLorn (TES NI) and David McEwen (Agnew Group). 2. Sean Paul

Wylie (TES NI) with Shauna Burns and Shane O’Hanlon (Ulster Bank). 3. Andy Mills (Ulster Bank), Sandra Scannell (NI Chamber), Peter Craven (CDE Global) and David Caulfield (BA Components). 4. Peter Craven (CDE Global). 5. Katrina O’Dowd (Karro Food Group) and Roisin Rafferty (Heron Bros Ltd). 6. David Caulfield (BA Components).

5. 30 NI Chamber

Ian Henry (Windell), Mike Lawler (from sponsor NFU Mutual) and Rodney Hassan (Windell).

Northern Ireland firms in the spotlight at prestigious awards Two Northern Ireland firms took centre stage as the very best of British businesses were celebrated at the British Chambers of Commerce’s annual Chamber Awards ceremony in London recently. Windell Ltd scooped the national award for Small Business of the Year and young entrepreneur Katie Waddell picked up the national Young Person in Business award. The Chamber Awards, is now in its 12th year, is one of the showpiece events in the business calendar, highlighting the role of business in delivering growth and prosperity for the UK and local communities. Businesses from across the country came together at the gala dinner, hosted by BBC Breakfast Presenter Stephen McGovern, to mark the outstanding achievements of both UK firms and Chambers of Commerce. Windell Ltd, a leading manufacturer of high security and commercial glazing systems based in Magherafelt and Katie Waddell, coowner of Northern Ireland’s first self-serve frozen yoghurt bar Spoon Street which has outlets in Belfast, were crowned winners on the night having faced competition from over 70 companies from across the UK.

Windell Director Ian Henry, said: “We are totally delighted about the award win. It is recognition of the fact that we are a leader in our field and we pride ourselves on being able to draw on 30 years of expertise to deliver innovation and value engineering to projects throughout all industry sectors. All our staff work very hard to make the company the success that it is and we look forward to achieving further success in the future.” Windell services regional and global markets and projects have been successfully completed in Great Britain, Ireland, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Sudan and the USA. Nora Senior, President of the British Chambers of Commerce said: “Windell is a fantastic example of British business at its best. This award not only recognises the focus, passion and innovation of the company but also acknowledges the contribution it is making to the local and national economy.” Meanwhile, Katie Waddell of Spoon Street who scooped the Young Person in Business title was rewarded for developing clear growth potential for her self-serve frozen yoghurt business and her staff focused ethos.

Ann McGregor, Chief Executive of NI Chamber said: “The Chamber Awards are considered one of the UK’s most hotly contested and prestigious business awards and provide the perfect platform for local businesses to establish themselves on a local and national stage. “We are delighted that Windell and Spoon Street’s Katie Waddell have received the recognition and profile they deserve by seeing off competition from a number of firms across Northern Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales. “It is companies such as these who will play a crucial role in helping the economy move from being good, to being great, in the months and years ahead.” The 2015 Chamber Awards also presented a runner up honour to Henderson Retail for ‘Business in the Community’ – highlighting the firm’s commitment to corporate responsibility. For more information on the 2016 Chamber Awards (launching in April 2016) email christopher.morrow@ northernirelandchamber.com

NI Chamber 31

NI Chamber President and Vice President

cover story

32 NI Chamber

Stephen McCully and Nick Coburn.

NI Chamber 69

cover story

NI Chamber President Stephen McCully, Managing Director of Power NI, and Vice President Nick Coburn, Managing Director of Ulster Carpets, outline NI Chamber’s priorities for 2016 to enable members to grow their businesses and strengthen the Northern Ireland economy.

s we begin another year, it is an

proposition in relation to the devolution of

appropriate time to look ahead at

Corporation Tax and to continue to support

what is possible, or achievable, in

high value job promotion.

the 12 months to come. At Northern Ireland

The provision of skills is a crucial element

Chamber of Commerce and Industry there

in this. Maximising the potential of young

is a real belief that we can be positive about

people and the wider population through the

2016, with the convergence of a variety of

effective development of skills is fundamental

economic and political factors meaning that

to the building of a successful economy.

the foundations for sustainable economic

The NI Skills Barometer is a welcome

growth could finally be in place.

development for future skills requirements;

NI Chamber shares the view of the wider business community in regard to the political

34 NI Chamber

however, the current draft budget allocation to skills is disappointing.

settlement reached late last year. The ‘Fresh

Also, given the competition for labour

Start’ Agreement provides the prospect

in certain key sectors and occupations like

for the kind of political stability required to

ICT and engineering, shortages are likely to

foster economic growth, and allow our

appear relatively quickly in Northern Ireland.

member businesses to plan growth with the

NI Chamber welcomes, and we stand ready

expectation that our institutions are settled.

to work closely with, the new Department

Key among the provisions of the ‘Fresh

of the Economy. We hope that this will bring

Start’ is the intention to reduce Corporation

skills and the economy closer together and

Tax to 12.5 per cent by April 2018, the same

that the skills budget will be reinforced as a

rate as that levied in the Republic of Ireland.

result.

Knowing the new lower rate and the date

We need to increase the size of our

will help to attract new high-end foreign

workforce to meet the demands of many

investment. However, we have always

industries and that means that 2016 is

maintained that reduced tax alone is not the

certainly not the time to reduce the number

whole answer to fostering business growth.

of students in our universities. To attract

It is good news also that the recent budget

quality overseas investment we have to be

allocated to Invest NI includes resources

able to offer quality employees in the right

for marketing the new inward investment

quantity.

cover story

We have worked with a range of incoming

Alongside this, as more inward investors

companies to Northern Ireland and we know

and large corporations continue to locate in

that the mix and ability of our employee pool

Northern Ireland, demand for new Grade A

is absolutely vital to them. This will require

office space and industrial space is evident and

an ongoing liaison between higher and further

is likely to intensify but there is still a lack of

education and the business community.

appropriate supply in place.

On the issue of growing exports, NI

Infrastructure investment in transport hubs,

Chamber has always championed export

airport access and better and faster links to

as the key to economic growth. However,

Dublin must also become a priority. Our

Northern Ireland’s export base is small and

members have long called for improvements

heavily dependent on a few large firms. We

in the strategic road network with a particular

are, however, hopeful that the forthcoming

focus on addressing bottlenecks, such as

‘Export Matters’ Action Plan to be released by

the York Street interchange in Belfast, along

DETI during 2016 will provide a route map

with the other projects such as the A5 and

to increased export activity. The Department

the A6. Northern Ireland also needs to

is committed to putting this proposal out to

invest in public transport services to enhance

consultation in early 2016 and NI Chamber is

connectivity and mobility (including the rail

part of a panel involved in the process to move

link to Dublin). We hope 2016 is the year that

forward on the ‘Export Matters’ Action Plan.

such developments occur.

A long standing concern for our members

A key determinant in the success of the

is business rates, which hit companies of

economy over the next year, and beyond,

all sizes long before they have a chance

will be the new Programme for Government

to make a profit and impact on business

(PfG). The Executive declared that the

growth and investment. A rates review is

economy was at the heart of the PfG but it

therefore long overdue. Last year, in the

was an aspiration which was too often slowed

NI Chamber Quarterly Economic Survey

down by political disagreement. All parties

(QES) in partnership with BDO, it emerged

and the incoming Minister for the Department

that almost 80 per cent of businesses believe

of the Economy must use this new Assembly

that rates should be reformed to make them

mandate to make this pledge a reality.

more reflective of economic conditions. It

NI Chamber is confidently optimistic as we

is an important policy tool which requires

enter 2016. The QES Surveys (QES) for the

careful and strategic consideration throughout

first three quarters of 2015 showed that our

the next few months.

members had a determination to grow and succeed but were frustrated by the stalled

“NI Chamber welcomes, and we stand ready to work closely with, the new Department of the Economy. We hope that this will bring skills and the economy closer together.”

political process particularly regarding the impact on business investment. However, closing on a positive note, the results in the last quarter of 2015 shows that the majority of members believe that their business will experience growth in 2016 with 14 per cent predicting strong growth and 51 per cent slight growth. The NI Chamber Executive Team led by Ann McGregor working in partnership with a strong and committed Board (who are listed on the following page) will continue to support the development of our members and drive forward Northern Ireland plc. That is our commitment to our membership and to the wider Northern Ireland business community.

NI Chamber 35

Michael Kidd, Audit Partner, EY Belfast.

The Board of NI Chamber oversees the day to day operations of the business organisation. Its eleven members are prominent figures in Northern Irelandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s business community who hold leading positions in industry. They are:

Owen Brennan, Chairman and Chief Executive, Devenish Group. Janet McCollum, Chief Executive, Moy Park.

Kevin Kingston, Chief Executive, Danske Bank.

Stephen McCully, Managing Director, Power NI.

Ellvena Graham, Non-Executive Chairman of ESB and Chair of Economic Advisory Group (EAG).

John Healy, Managing Director, Allstate Northern Ireland. Nick Coburn, Managing Director, Ulster Carpets.

Ann McGregor, Company Secretary, NI Chamber.

Peter Russell, General Manager Business, BT.

Patrick Hurst, PHC Ltd.

The Board of NI Chamber 36 NI Chamber

feature Describe your Business We are a branding and graphic design agency. It is our task to take the client on a journey – via creativity – which will increase market share, raise brand awareness and ultimately improve the bottom line. Our expertise takes the client through the necessary steps to create a sustainable, impactful, hard working brand that will be pivotal to growing their business, increasing sales and having them represented in the best way possible across all marketing channels. What makes your Business stand out? Page Setup offers the best of both worlds…we present new and innovative ideas that will work in today’s constantly changing world, yet at the same time our 30 years’ experience keeps everything and everyone grounded and on course. No matter which channel you are designing for (print/online/video), the same fundamental rules apply. The design must be clear and accessible, with the ability to engage the audience and evoke a response. You must sell the company or organisation through the story of the brand. “Tell me a fact and I’ll learn. Tell me a truth and I’ll believe. But tell me a story and it will live in my heart forever”. This is a North American Indian quote. In other words – you can say the right thing about a product or company and nobody will listen. You’ve got to say it in such a way that people will feel it in their gut. Because if they don’t feel it, nothing will happen. My job is to make sure this will happen. We understand how to craft and engineer the brand and apply it to all channels, from print to web. Fundamentally, we believe that design and all

forms of communications can and will make the difference in helping businesses achieve their sales targets. Yes, we get results. How has NI Chamber helped your company achieve its goals? By attending Chamber events we have been able to gain access to decision makers who would normally be unavailable to us. It has given us the drive and confidence to funnel potential leads in to our sales pipeline. What would your advice be to other NI Chamber members to help get the most from their membership? Just remember that Rome was not built in a day! (It would have been if not for the tendering process!) It will take time to get

to know people and gain an understanding of how the Chamber operates. Don’t meet people and immediately hit them with your sales pitch. Have normal everyday conversations, get to know people and enjoy the company of like-minded business individuals. The Chamber is a long-term proposition and will pay dividends for those who stay the course to eventually build sustainable relationships and gain excellent contacts/leads. How has Chamber membership helped you and your staff develop a professional skillset? The Chamber has been pivotal in improving our sales technique, how we talk, how we act and how we approach problems.

what’s in it for me? HOW NI CHAMBER HAS HELPED MY BUSINESS…WITH ALAN MCNALLY, CREATIVE DIRECTOR, PAGE SETUP.

NI Chamber 37

feature

Action against cyber attacks A data breach is the biggest crisis threat to Northern Ireland businesses a survey by NI Chamber and Pinsent Masons has revealed. Adrienne McGill reports.

Pinsent Masons Litigation & Regulatory Partner Laura Gillespie.

orthern Ireland businesses fear a data security breach as the biggest corporate crisis threat according to a poll released by NI Chamber and international law firm Pinsent Masons. With TalkTalk’s incident fresh in the public mind, over four fifths (83%) of respondents identified a breakdown in information security as the corporate crisis they feared the most. The survey asked people to compare the scenario against a health & safety accident; a bribery allegation; or an environmental breach, in order of which they viewed as the greatest threat. The results of the survey were unveiled at a joint Interactive Crisis Workshop by NI Chamber and Pinsent Masons at the law firm’s Belfast headquarters. Over 70 attendees were guided through real-life scenarios in a group session and then asked how they would react if their organisation experienced such threats. Experts from

38 NI Chamber

Pinsent Masons’ Compliance Team were onhand to provide step-by-step practical advice. Delegates at the breakfast seminar also had the opportunity to hear first-hand from key industry regulators, Ken McDonald (Deputy Information Commissioner Scotland & NI) and Marian Cree (NI Competition & Markets Authority NI Representative). These presentations unveiled how organisations can minimise the risk of a crisis unfolding, as well as the latest key policy developments. Speaking at the event Pinsent Masons Litigation & Regulatory Partner Laura Gillespie said: “Obviously data breaches generate considerable headlines, as we have seen in recent times with the TalkTalk example. The expanding role of e-commerce and big data in businesses of all shapes and sizes could also be factor in bringing this to the fore. As Northern Ireland’s only full-service international firm we have the experience and knowledge to support clients with the

specialised services required when the worst happens. Although there are a wide variety of incidents that can hit a business, the response to minimise the impact follows common principles.” NI Chamber Chief Executive Ann McGregor said: “The digital economy is growing which is why businesses remain an attractive target for cyber attacks. Businesses should take this threat seriously in order to not only protect themselves but also their customers’ data. “All businesses, irrespective of size, should have a robust, fully tried and tested and regularly revised contingency plan in place. Planning is important for small businesses especially since they often lack the resources to cope easily in a crisis. Failure to plan could be disastrous – at best you risk losing business whilst you recover from the crisis – or at worst your business may never recover and may ultimately cease trading.”

Laura Gillespie answers key questions on cyber security. Which are the most concerning cyber threats for private businesses and government organisations? Hacking is the big concern. The Data Protection Act requires organisations to have appropriate technical measures to guard against unlawful access such as hacking but the cybercriminals are extremely sophisticated. With millions of records relating to individuals held online, a breach can have devastating effects on a business. TalkTalk have estimated that the cost of dealing with the breach that it suffered last October could total up to £35 million. Are there certain industries more exposed to cyber attacks than others? Every business is at risk but clearly, hackers see value in financial information and therefore, online retailers and banks clearly are more exposed if their systems are compromised. However, it is clear that hackers are often indiscriminate in who they target. The British Pregnancy Service, a charity, was fined £200,000 by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) after its server was hacked and the cybercriminals threatened to leak information relating to users of their website. What can businesses do to counteract cybercrime? Business must ensure that the IT systems have adequate security to protect against hacking and malware. IT security must then be updated regularly. Cybercriminals are devising new methods of attack daily and so, unless IT security systems are updated, they will very quickly be out of date and almost certainly not “appropriate” as required by law. As a victim of a cybercrime, does the “victim” company have any legal risk? Yes, both in terms of fine from the ICO for not protecting its IT system sufficiently and also in relation to potential compensation claims by those affected. Fines of up to £500,000 can be imposed by the ICO for failing to have appropriate technical and organisational systems in place. Should all firms have an incident response plan? Absolutely – TalkTalk came under scrutiny over the length of time it took it to notify the ICO of the breach.

It is not a legal requirement to notify but if a serious breach has occurred, the ICO expects it. Therefore, the initial hours and days following an incident are crucial in minimising the risk of criminal proceedings, compensation claims and managing the adverse PR and reputational damage. What are the key issues within an incident report plan? First, you must ensure that there is a very clear line of communication to avoid confusion or duplication of effort. Second, usually such incidents can result in legal proceedings and as such, it is always recommended that the investigation which is followed is on the recommendation of legal advice. Third, for cyber incidents, it is essential that IT experts are on hand to plug any holes created but also to ensure that the integrity of any evidence is also maintained. Fourth, a communication strategy should be in place for notification to any regulatory bodies and persons affected. Finally, after the dust has settled, it is always essential to learn from any mistakes made to avoid a recurrence in the future. Businesses are reliant on technology, can they avoid the risk? Frankly, no. The risk will always exist, therefore businesses must assess the risk and take steps to guard against it – this is needed more than ever as I think supersized fines could be on the way. In America last year, AT&T was fined $25 million following the unauthorised disclosure of almost 280,000 US customers’ personal details. A new European Directive is currently being negotiated which is likely to be finalised early in 2016. Current predictions are that businesses will be forced to notify of a serious breach within 72 hours of becoming aware and the maximum fine will be increased from £500,000 to 4 per cent of global turnover. With the risks looking set to increase, your New Year’s resolution should be to make sure your IT systems are up to scratch and you know how to respond if a breach occurs.

face to face with...

Banking embraces the digital age Customers are quickly adopting digital banking as a way to manage their finances Edel McCooe, first trust bank regional director tells Adrienne McGill.

merging banking technology is giving banks a new way of interacting with their customers and attracting new customers like never before – this in itself is driving customer expectations and behaviour. Digital technologies in particular offer banks the opportunity to save costs and deepen customer relationships. Consumers increasingly demand an endto-end experience and greater consistency when accessing their bank accounts via a variety of technologies such as their mobile, their iPad, their PC, or even their Smart TV. With increased attention being put on mobile financial solutions that can be used by consumers whenever they want and wherever they are, it is a form of technology that has become critically important to banking. Inventions such as the ATM and credit cards launched in the 1960s, internet banking services in the 1990s and now mobile banking and payments, have all fundamentally changed how the work of banking is done. A major driver in the change in the banking industry is the consumer demand to be better connected to their money. This demand is now supporting a new breed of digital banking services that is coming to the fore. One of the leaders in this is First Trust

40 NI Chamber

Bank in Northern Ireland, part of the AIB Group. First Trust Bank Regional Director Edel McCooe says: “Over recent years we have seen footfall decline in our branches and transactions across our network have fallen by about 30 per cent. That is a result of a change in consumer behaviour and the way in which consumers want to bank. The digital age has therefore started to grow rapidly to run alongside this change in consumer demand. Customers like to use digital channels but they also like one-to-one interaction probably more for important transactions such as negotiating a loan or buying their first house. “We find our younger customers in particular want to be part of the digital age but we give all of our customers the choice of how they want to bank – either by traditional methods or through our digital offering.” There has been a steady uptake of mobile banking solutions amongst UK consumers and the number of registered mobile banking users has grown year-on-year. Mobile banking represents a new way of interacting with banking customers. Where desktop based internet banking moved the relationship from the branch to online, mobile takes it on the move. The refurbishment investment in both Donegall Square North and the University

Road branches in Belfast is the start of First Trust Bank’s investment programme in the branch network. The transformation is part of a branch and online channel investment programme which puts cutting edge technology at the centre of services and offers customers a variety of ways to engage. “We have staff on hand to take customers through the technology channels and show them how to use the digital offering,” says Edel. “It means they can become familiar with the different applications we have so they are comfortable using them at home.” “We are a customer-facing people-focused organisation and the customer experience is key to what we do. It would be wrong not to listen to what they are telling us and react to their demands. Statistics tell us that customers who choose both physical and digital channels are much more loyal and more likely to buy a product from us. That is why it is important that we invest in our branches.” Modern banking is about connecting people to their money more quickly, accurately and efficiently than ever before. As banks begin to place the focus more firmly on what customers want from digital services, banking will continue to evolve into a very different business model from what exists today.

sponsored feature

Are you confident your enterprise network is ready for what’s next? We are living in a time of unprecedented change. Whole industries are being transformed as the rise of mobile, the automation of processes through machine-to-machine communication and the shift to the cloud become mainstream. While this empowers businesses everywhere, it puts an everincreasing strain on the enterprise network, the underlying superhighway connecting people, data and things.

According to IDC, by 2020 more than 40% of the data an organisation needs will be stored or processed in some way by the cloud, up from 20% in 2013.

Change is here and the pace is getting faster. In 2010 12.5 billion devices were connected to the internet; Cisco says this will have doubled to 25 billion by the end of 2015, and in just five years will double again to 50 billion. As technologies like wearable devices and the Internet of Things become mainstream, Gartner expects that employees will use five or six devices, up from an average of three today.

Keeping your network in a condition where it can support the new way of working could become a full-time job for your IT team, if it’s not already. The digital universe is doubling every two years but the number of IT professionals on the planet may never double again – or at least not for 20 years.

With more devices and apps, comes increased data. IDC predict that the digital universe will grow by a factor of 10 – from 4.4 trillion gigabytes in 2013 to 44 trillion in 2020 – more than doubling every 2 years. Data from embedded systems, a major component of the IoT, will grow from 2% of the digital universe in 2013 to 10% in 2020. Just like we flick a light switch and expect light, workers of today expect to connect to their enterprise network from any device anywhere without having to think about it. The enterprise network is expected to run email, internet access, customer communications, printing needs, meetings and cloud services.

But clogged with devices, overloaded with applications and data, the average enterprise network may be experiencing more than a few cracks.

We’ve seen some enterprises realise the value in outsourcing their network; handing the management of this utility to experts who can make sure it runs at peak performance whilst shifting their IT teams’ focus to high-value tasks that achieve their business’ strategic goals. We design, build, manage and continuously monitor a network solution that fits your individual needs and one that your future business deserves. If you believe your IT team have got better things to do than manage your network, let someone else help. Matt McCloskey is Sales & Marketing Director at eir Business NI. Connect with Matt at uk.linkedin.com/in/mattmccloskey or call 0800 039 2000 to find out more about eir Peerless Networks. www.eir.co.uk

NI Chamber 41

news

business bites from brussels EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation (PEACE IV) The European Commission has adopted the new EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation (PEACE IV) worth almost €270 million with €229 million coming from the European Regional Development Fund. PEACE IV is a unique Cohesion Policy programme aiming to reinforce a peaceful and stable society by fostering reconciliation in Northern Ireland and the Border Region of Ireland. Commissioner for Regional Policy Corina Cret u said: “The ` PEACE programme is at the very core of what the European Union is about. It is a concrete example of the Union’s longstanding commitment to peace and reconciliation. This new programme will help support the consolidation of peace within the region and tackle remaining challenges, through investments in education, shared services and projects that will bring people together.” The PEACE IV Programme will focus on shared education projects, the future of the next generation, the creation of new shared services and spaces and local projects that will build mutual trust and understanding.

Consultation on consumer financial services For the next three months, the European Commission will be consulting on how to create a stronger European market for consumer financial services. The aim is to find a system that works for consumers across the EU, giving them access to the best financial service deals, with more suitable products, a bigger choice and more competitive prices. The consultation looks at the retail market across Europe for products such as insurance, mortgages, loans, payments and bank accounts. It will seek to identify the unjustified barriers that consumers face when they want to use such services across borders and find answers on how best to remove these barriers. The Commission’s goal is to make it easier for those companies that so wish to offer financial products at retail level in other EU Member States, which would give consumers access to a far greater range of products.

42 NI Chamber

Action plan for the Circular Economy The European Commission has adopted an ambitious Circular Economy Package, which includes revised legislative proposals on waste to stimulate Europe’s transition towards a circular economy which will boost global competitiveness, foster sustainable economic growth and generate new jobs. The Circular Economy Package consists of an EU Action Plan that establishes an ambitious programme of action, with measures covering the whole cycle from production and consumption to waste management and the market for secondary raw materials. The proposed actions will contribute to “closing the loop” of product lifecycles through greater recycling and re-use, and bring benefits for both the environment and the economy. The revised legislative proposals on waste set clear targets for reduction of waste and establish an ambitious and credible long-term path for waste management and recycling. Key elements of the revised waste proposal include a common EU target for recycling 65 per cent of municipal waste by 2030; a common EU target for recycling 75 per cent of packaging waste by 2030; a binding landfill target to reduce landfill to maximum of 10 per cent of all waste by 2030; and a ban on landfilling of separately collected waste.

Modern digital contract rules Recent proposals by the European Commission introduce for the first time consumer rights for faulty or malfunctioning digital content. A second initiative will allow Europeans to take their legally purchased content while travelling within the EU. The two sets of provisions are the first proposals under the Digital Single market strategy launched in May which aims to improve access for consumers and businesses to digital goods and services, to create the right conditions for digital networks and innovative services to flourish and to maximise the growth potential of the digital economy. The first set of ideas deals with the supply of both digital content and traditional goods online. It introduces for the first time provisions for returning or being compensated for digital content that is malfunctioning (ebooks, games, music). It envisages that consumers will be able to request that problems are fixed and, if this is not feasible or not done properly, to obtain a price reduction or terminate the contract and be fully reimbursed.

Making your message matter PR, Marketing and Advertising exists in most businesses across all sectors to help organisations to connect with their audiences and promote brands, products and messages. Lobbying and event management also have an important role. The industry is broadly divided into those who work in-house for an organisation and those who work for an agency and provide specific services to clients. Our range of writers look at this dynamic sector which is constantly responding to changing consumer habits and the use of digital channels.

making your message matter

no time to stand still Managing the spread of information between an individual or organisation and the public is at the core of Public Relations (PR). Samantha Livingstone, Chair of The Chartered Institute of Public Relations (NI) provides an insight.

he Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) last year marked 50 years supporting and cultivating Northern Ireland members; it is clear that since 1965 PR has changed significantly, not just regionally but globally. It’s no secret that ‘traditional’ PR has gone through a period of significant change. Many have even argued that PR is dead! I disagree. Whilst methods of delivering press releases and media packs to journalists via post or fax are long gone (sadly I am old enough to remember), the future is a still-being-defined conglomeration of public relations, digital strategy, media relations, marketing and what we will call “direct engagement”. Today, PR campaigns aren’t standalone vehicles with their own set of goals, strategies and objectives. Effective PR should be integrated into marketing campaigns and overlap with both social media and on-line content to provide a combined method of achieving tangible business objectives that can be measured and evaluated. Thanks to the on-line and social media revolution, stories are now issued and often published almost immediately, offering audiences fresh news and the opportunity for media relations managers to ensure that their client’s content is hitting audiences faster

44 NI Chamber

and more efficiently than ever before. In this digital age, PR managers have to respond faster than ever to keep up with the increased demand for 24/7 news and social media output, and we now have many new platforms from which to communicate through including blogs, video and mobile as well as a vast number of quality on-line magazines. In the past, on-line coverage was often seen as the poor relation to print and broadcast media, but today it’s paramount. Digital coverage allows us to reach audiences quickly and allows us to measure and track the effectiveness of an article against our clients’ website viewing figures, which is vital in helping to evaluate the effectiveness and impact of the articles that we place. The truth is that most of these changes have merely impacted the syndication of a good message and the different audiences it can reach. It isn’t the hit, creative viral video that is going to bring automatic business success. It’s the hit viral video that links to engaging Facebook and Twitter accounts

with interesting articles, blogs, competitions and company endeavours. It’s the ability to easily use these sites to find a product, peruse user reviews and recommendations, or voice customer service concerns. It’s the TV commercial that drives excitement over a new mobile app, and the mobile app that leads a customer to the nearest store location. The entire puzzle is a complicated one that demands calculated integration, and PR will most certainly continue to change and evolve as traditional media roles become outdated. Companies that have the most initiative to integrate effectively will ultimately be the ones to reap the benefits. The best way to continue reaping the benefits of PR is to engage with the industry and its professionals in an effective manner. Whether you work closely with a PR agency or you’re a communications manager with a team inside your organisation, it’s important to engage with your PR function in an effective manner. The best way to do this is to collaborate. Look at your agency as an extension of your team – don’t treat them like a third party. Embrace their creativity and ideas. Provide them with detailed briefs and set measurable targets. Collaborate and work together. PR campaigns will be better and your communications programme will benefit as a result. The same goes with an in-house team. You may be a small team – perhaps just a communications manager and an assistant, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be as effective as the public relations departments of larger organisations with dozens of press

officers. By collaborating with staff in different departments, you’ll have an understanding of what’s happening in your organisation from grassroots to the boardroom and this will make communications much more effective. It’s also worth working with agencies or staff who are members of the CIPR. CIPR members are bound by the industry’s highest standards, ethics and morals and add an extra level of professionalism to PR. The Institute provides PR practitioners with the opportunity to become Accredited and Chartered through CPD and additional qualifications, offering potential clients and employers total peace of mind that they’re working with the industry’s top talent. Remember, your brand has a value. Whilst it doesn’t sit on your balance sheet – ask yourself what would happen if your brand was damaged in anyway, for example Volkswagen and BP. Bad PR or misrepresentation could cost you more than you think. Invest in good quality counsel, one that helps build a brand and not knock it down. It may cost that little bit more, but if you weigh it against the value that could be lost, it will be worth it in the long run.

NI Chamber 45

making your message matter

PROFESSIONAL APPROACH TO PR Many of Northern Ireland’s leading Public Relations companies are members of NI Chamber. Here, they each spell out what it takes to be a great communications partner to clients.

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A great PR company is one that understands the relationship between setting out strategy and delivering tactics. At MCE we make sure that we spend time with clients to gain insight into the strategic direction their communication should take before we even go near the creative process. The secret to success is getting an evidence based strategy development process in place. Once that is cracked, the knowledge and networks of those delivering the PR programmes create a potent mix. Chris Brown, Director, MCE Public Relations

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The quality of a PR consultancy is the ability to recruit and retain the right people, the capability to deliver across and to all communication platforms and audiences, and knowledge of each client’s business. Quality is also reflected in the ability to develop integrated communication campaigns and programmes to protect and grow the reputation of its clients, all grounded in evidence based research. In

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2016 the breakdown between traditional communication disciplines will accelerate and there will be a stronger focus on producing original content with video the priority. Claire Aiken, Managing Director, Aiken PR

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A great communications partner is one that listens and takes time to understand a client’s business and needs before offering a solution. Far too often we hear about those who only focus on the ‘how’ of communications without asking the allimportant ‘why’ question. It is essential to know where clients are coming from and where they want to get to before we can advise them on the best way to get there. As an integrated communications consultancy we also see great value in offering clients a 360° view of their communication needs, helping them tell their stories consistently across all channels. Kieran Donnelly, Director, Morrow Communications

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Billionaire IT mogul Bill Gates once said: “If I was down to the last dollar of my marketing budget I’d spend it on PR!” – and he’s a man who knows a thing or two about success. Public Relations helps to communicate an organisation’s message to the world and to maintain its positive image. But what makes a great PR company? Firstly, you need a strong team with a good understanding of the needs of every client. Secondly, a great PR team strives to finds the perfect balance – proactive when it comes to generating interesting, eye-catching ideas and reactive in a crisis. It also requires creativity and the ability to think outside the box. And finally, contacts based on trust are also key. Brendan Mulgrew, Managing Partner, MW Advocate

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There is a very strong link between a business’s reputation and its bottom line. A successful growth strategy in any business must be underpinned by an excellent reputation in the market – be it local, national or international. A great PR firm, therefore,

is one which can provide the knowledge, expertise and insight needed to both protect and enhance an organisation’s reputation through strategic communications, helping to ensure that it is positioned at the top of its market at all times. Jonathan Ireland, Partner, Lanyon Communications

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A great PR company consistently delivers exceptional results for its clients by using research, creativity and a deep understanding of the communications landscape. Great PR companies are able to work across traditional, digital and social media, and offer an integrated service model embracing monitoring, planning, channels, communities, content and measurement. The best companies employ a mix of well-trained, innovative people with a variety of relevant skills, and constantly seek to evolve and grow. Great agencies know their clients (and company politics!) inside out and work smarter to manage expectations and deliver quality outcomes. Chris Harrison, Director, JPR

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Everything is constantly changing in our world and our clients’ world so we must ensure innovation and change are part of our culture to guarantee success otherwise we run the risk of being left behind. It’s a very exciting time in our industry so agencies that are armed with the right business insights, develop solid meaningful strategies and have a creative ability and service offering that delivers real results for clients, will be well placed to capitalise on future business opportunities ensuring their continued growth. Leontia Fetherston, Joint Managing Director, Smarts Communicate

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An effective PR company understands its clients’ business, their needs and delivers for them. At Weber Shandwick we view and position ourselves as part of our clients’ team of trusted advisers rather than just being another consultancy as relationships are critical to success. As the only global agency in Northern Ireland, we know that to deliver for clients we need to go beyond traditional PR to offer a truly integrated service including strategic planning, media relations, political and government relations, digital communications, crisis management and planning and community and stakeholder engagement. Ross Williamson, Managing Director, Weber Shandwick NI

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A great PR company works as a trusted partner to get deep beneath the skin of its clients. PR is about listening just as much as communicating: two ears, one mouth. We must become digital detectives – with so much on-line noise, a great PR company works hard to find the audiences and to use the myriad of new channels to reach them. Strategy is vital. Laser-like messaging is essential. However, creativity is what makes the real impact and brings the story-telling to life. Vicki Caddy, Head of PR, ASG

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A great PR company is one that listens, strategizes, operates and delivers. Or that has/is: Nous – be savvy and alert to what is happening around you Accountable – do what you say and deliver results Knowledge – know and understand your client, their product and their needs Engagement – use creative and varied platforms to engage with your clients’ stakeholders Dynamic – stimulate progress within your own company thus underpinning your clients’ work Proactive – look for new stories to promote your client and their product Relationships – manage them well and build them on trust and honesty Jackie Logan, Managing Director, Naked PR

experience across a multitude of industries, but if the PR company is on the same page as your business, really believes in it and understands the attitude and tone of voice of your company, then it can be a great starting block. My company is boutique, unique and petite, so although we’ve worked on projects for global brands we mostly provide very bespoke communications for small businesses who have niche products, projects and markets. And…that’s just how our clients like it. Cathy Martin, Managing Director, CMPR

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There are many factors that make a PR company outstanding – but central to all of this is client chemistry. A client should think of their Agency as a trusted partner, a sounding board for advice and an extension of their marketing team. The Agency in turn should champion the client cause at all times, in all walks of life. It’s more than 9-5. Adrian Beattie, Director, Navigator Blue

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At LK Communications, we have spent the last decade building a solid, experienced and passionate team with a variety of skill sets which accurately meet what the private and public sectors demand. In a fastchanging business and media world, being quick-thinking and adaptive, while clearly understanding the communication challenges or issues, is essential. We have built our success on doing exactly that and by providing First and foremost a great PR company will innovative, focused solutions. Developing take the time to understand their client’s brand new and exciting ideas that communicate messages to the right people at the right time, and audiences in order to both promote in a constantly changing environment, is what and protect their reputation and work as drives us. From corporate and consumer PR, an effective extension of the client’s team. managing events to providing digital marketing When planning and managing a campaign solutions and stakeholder engagement advice, it is important to take a flexible approach we love what we do – and that translates into and carefully select the right medium for the success for our clients. specific audience. A great PR company will clearly communicate with their clients, guide Nikki Larkin, them in terms of effective PR stories and be Managing Director, LK Communications realistic in terms of results. Measurement and evaluation should play a key role so that constant improvements can be made. Julie McCabe, Managing Director, Massive PR

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People, presence and powerful influence are important, as my industry colleagues say, but I think personality and passion also contribute to making a PR company great. As marketers we can apply our knowledge and NI Chamber 47

making your message matter

CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS IT CAN TAKE YEARS FOR A BRAND OR A COMPANY TO BUILD ITS REPUTATION ONLY TO FIND IT TRASHED IF THEY FAIL TO MANAGE THEIR COMMUNICATIONS WHEN A PROBLEM STRIKES. ALAN WATSON OF SMARTS COMMUNICATE LOOKS AT HOW TO MITIGATE THE IMPACT OF A CRISIS.

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“DON’T TRY AND DOWNPLAY THE ISSUE, DON’T BLAME THE MEDIA AND – WHILE LEGAL ADVISERS MAY NEED TO BE CONSULTED – DON’T ALLOW LAWYERS TO DICTATE YOUR RESPONSE.”

any well-known brands have successfully managed their way through a crisis communications challenge but others have failed the test and paid the penalty in terms of lost business or worse. Nothing tests the ability of senior executives more than a crisis. They will be reacting to angry consumers, dealing with unsettled employees, answering calls from elected politicians, explaining to regulators, fending off nervous investors – while a social media storm rages around them. The difference between survival and disaster is usually down to the quality of the company’s leadership and its communications, as well as its awareness of how perceptions are formed and how people will react to your words and actions. A crisis is anything that puts the integrity or reputation of your company at risk. They vary enormously from the obvious such as a fire that damages your warehouse to the loss of personal data through hacking. The comments of an employee can draw you into controversy, or some past behaviour is revealed and judged inappropriate by the different standards of today. What is common to them all is the unrelenting scrutiny of the media in all its forms - newspapers and broadcasters, blogs and Facebook posts, Twitter and so on. The fire may not have been your fault but the crisis can develop from how you react to

it. In the eyes of the public and of the media, it’s all about how well you’re handling things. Do you have thousands of customers who haven’t been told what is happening with their Christmas orders and have taken to social media to rubbish your company? Today big companies and brands have a crisis communications plan in place to deal with major incidents and issues. Planning is essential and, for anyone new to the process, the most appropriate starting point is an audit which looks at where you are vulnerable and sketches out the scenarios and potential resolution strategies. The audit then front loads a plan that is the foundation for your response to an emergency – and in the hours and days afterwards. In broad terms a plan will designate a crisis communications team and will detail to whom you will need to communicate and in what order. It will establish protocols for alerting key management and procedures for dealing with the media as well as for monitoring and responding to social media. It should contain templates to help you draft statements for external and internal audiences. And it should recognise that crises don’t just occur during working hours! But no plan can cover every single eventuality. Adjustments may be needed to meet the circumstances and that’s what the crisis communications team will do in the event of it having to be implemented. You have a plan – so that’s all right then? Well, no, it’s not. A plan is essential but even the best plans, in the best companies, will not guarantee smooth passage. The BP Deepwater Horizon oil rig disaster is a case in point. Published analysis of the episode by academics, theorists and communications experts raised some fundamental issues about the company’s approach to dealing with accidents but it was the communication failures that led to much of the subsequent criticism of BP. Those failures were not unique to that incident. In fact, they are typical of the mistakes that underlie most so-called PR disasters, mistakes which tend to fall into the categories of failing to empathise sufficiently

with victims; delay in responding to the media; and issuing inaccurate or inconsistent information. BP’s case was not helped when its CEO (now former CEO) told a reporter: “There’s no one who wants this thing over more than I do, I’d like my life back.” Our experience in handling issues and crises has taught us many things (although there is always more to learn). One of the most important is that people’s attitudes and feelings are formed from their perceptions of reality. Their perceptions are the reality. The media play the most important role in this. That’s where we get most of the information we use to form our perceptions, particularly on subjects we don’t have direct knowledge of. People’s impressions of you and of your handling of the crisis are shaped very quickly, so acting swiftly is critical. Today the biggest challenge is the speed at which information travels through social media. Images and videos of incidents can cross the globe before you’ve even had a chance to confirm exactly what’s happening. However, while being swift matters, so too does ensuring the information you provide is accurate. What you say in your first statement tends to stick – and if it’s wrong, it will keep coming back to haunt you. Being open and honest, particularly where you are being held responsible for causing the problem, is essential. Don’t try and downplay the issue, don’t blame the media and – while legal advisers may need to be consulted – don’t allow lawyers to dictate your response. Make sure your spokesperson, whether chief executive or not, has been through some pretty exacting media training to see if they can handle media pressure. And, above all, recognise that in a crisis people react emotionally. If you deal first with their emotions, it will enable the facts to be accepted much more easily. Crisis communications is not a reactive function. It should be pro-active and support your company or brand before anything bad happens as well as during a crisis – and, if needs be, during the difficult period that may follow as you re-establish trust.

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making your message matter 50 NI Chamber

Creating a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Wowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; event Planning an event to run smoothly requires precision, organisation and a cool head says Richard Willis, Events Manager at NI Chamber.

“For all types of events you need to have an ability to discretely problem-solve while managing a vast range of tasks.”

vent management is a thoroughly fulfilling, fast-paced and varied job but requires a set of skills which need to coincide to ensure success. You have to work tirelessly to create the best possible event for participants, guests, stars, sponsors, stakeholders and spectators. It involves the co-ordination, running and planning of all the people, teams and features that come together to create every kind of event which take place across all sorts of businesses including entertainment, sport and music. Event management has become increasingly important because as the economy recovers and companies have more money to spend, they are able to hold creative events which drive brand awareness and gets their name noticed. I manage a team who ensure that every event hosted by NI Chamber is enjoyable, memorable, worthwhile, flawless and is ultimately for the benefit of members – especially when it comes to networking. With more than 60 events every year which range from our dazzling annual banquet attended by over 500 guests to intimate in-camera dinners for around 30 guests and addressed by a government minister, it’s a busy schedule. NI Chamber partners a variety of businesses, organisations and institutions for events which are held across Northern Ireland at an array of venues including banks, businesses, hotels, restaurants and theatres. My job is to ensure that every event exceeds the expectations of all those involved

and having a creative spark certainly helps. Among the multitude of elements, it can involve branding for sponsors, backdrops, menus, entertainment, sound and lighting… and even organising name badges. It all has to make an impact. Within NI Chamber there is fastidious attention to detail which is why so much effort is poured into our events. The business community see NI Chamber as a quality organisation with quality staff producing quality events. A good event is an opportunity for people to see how professional we are as a business organisation. For instance, NI Chamber’s annual banquet is the showcase event of the year headlined by a speech from our President and a guest speaker and attended by hundreds of our members as well as government ministers and dignitaries. Last year it was supported by NI Chamber’s Communications Partner BT and A&L Goodbody, First Trust Bank and Power NI. All of the sponsors gain brand exposure and guests are assured of a memorable evening in terms of the entertainment provided and what the guest speaker has to say. Similarly, our ‘Minister On The Move’ events which are hosted by a Chamber member in the company’s facilities require a focus on the visiting Minister, what he/she is saying and what guests will learn from it. You have to be aware of the client’s business objectives in terms of their profile (or come up with different options), and that PR and marketing opportunities can be maximised. Managing the photography is also vital so that the right people are in the right place at the right time for pictures. You also have to take into account the logistics of bringing a quantity of people into another firm’s business premises – they have to be managed for health and safety reasons

as there could be heavy machinery in place. There are a lot of elements to take into account. That is why having a good team around you is vital. Excellent organisational skills are paramount so that each step of an event goes off smoothly. An event management team requires strong leadership as discussions have to be held between clients, suppliers, company or venue staff all of whom have different expectations. Central to this is flexibility, adaptability, initiative and swift decision making. Getting to grips with social media is also important, such is the power of Twitter and Facebook as a way of promoting events before they happen, as they happen and after they happen. Overall, event management has changed tremendously with the availability of technology, so you need to be be well-versed in using it. For all types of events you need to have an ability to discretely problem-solve while managing a vast range of tasks. What happens if the guest speaker is running late or there’s a problem with a power point presentation or the microphone isn’t switched on? Things can change at the drop of a hat so you have to be able to take these in your stride. Preparation is key – which is why we produce a detailed briefing before every event. We have a standard check list which is as long as your arm and we prepare briefing and speaker notes in advance. We also meet sponsors ahead of events, send out e-zines and reminders – it is structured and detailed in a work plan so we know what we are doing. It is a challenging job but fun. Event management gives you the opportunity to be creative. I have worked in event management for more than 10 years at prestigious venues such as London’s Hurlingham Club and have been lucky enough to work on some world class events. These have included the BNP Paribas Tennis Classic and Polo In the Park London and throughout my career I have had the chance to work with big name stars such as Samuel L. Jackson, Rafael Nadal, Tony McCoy and Eddie Irvine. It’s all in a day’s work.

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making your message matter

The marketing of products or services using digital channels has come to the fore as Mark Durkin, Professor of Marketing at Ulster Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Business School, explains.

Forget Digital â&#x20AC;&#x201C; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just Marketing

arketing is all about delivering value to the customer profitably. That value resides in the customer perceived quality of the product or service firms offer, how this is priced, communicated and delivered to the market through logistical processes, services and sales staff support. In our digitally enabled environment that value is now, more than ever, being co-created as empowered customers increasingly become part of the value creation process with companies who wish to solicit and act on their views. However, as marketing professionals we have allowed the advances in digital technology to create a monster in our midst. We are Dr Frankenstein and our monster is ‘Digital’ Marketing. Our relentless focus on new technology and what it can do is evident both in our thought and in our action, in companies both large and small. Indeed in professional marketing activity, digital is often now perceived as something separate and discrete from marketing itself – it gets elevated importance because we believe the mantra that ‘digital is different’, that ‘digital is the new way to connect and engage’. As a result, our focus has moved away from ‘substantive marketing’, as rooted in customers’ needs, to something ‘trappings-led’, as defined by the technological innovation itself. Commercial efforts seem increasingly guided by what technology can do and not by what customers may wish to do with technology. Amazon’s Jeff Bezos recently warned companies ‘not to become addicted to shiny because shiny doesn’t last. Being customer-focused allows you to become more pioneering’. Digital Marketing is the marketing of products or services using digital channels. It extends beyond internet marketing and embraces devices such as mobile phones (both SMS and MMS), tablets and new activities such as social media marketing,

display advertising, search engine marketing, and any other form of digital media platform. Firms can now exploit the capabilities afforded by digitisation and on-line networking to provide unique content of direct relevance to individual customers and to learn from those empowered customers through real-time usergenerated content (UGC) – the cocreation mentioned earlier. It would appear however, that given the speed of its development there are few meaningful insights to the challenges surrounding digital adoption processes within companies. In a range of recent research studies conducted internationally, the channels deemed most important by today’s marketers were the digital media of website, search, social and email. Those channels perceived as least important were the traditional media of TV, radio and outdoor. However, for all the enthusiasm displayed by today’s marketing practitioners for adopting digital and social media platforms in business, the research also indicates that practitioners are actually very weak in how they envision such new technology being deployed in a marketing-oriented way. So while digital is universally recognised as important, professional marketers appear ill-equipped to capitalise on the opportunity in terms of their competencies and skill-sets. The key challenge emerging as we stumble our way towards more effective adoption processes for digital in our companies is this. Realistically, all firms need to examine the extent to which digital technologies and platforms can add value to their market proposition and to see in what ways it might offer competitive advantage or perhaps negate the onset of competitive disadvantage. Having an informed understanding is fundamental. Where digital is argued to add value the issue then is to understand, from the customers’ perspective, the ways in which that can happen. The type of business you are – the context of your business and industry if you like – are key in this process. There will be norms around ‘how business is done’ in your sector, how customer expectations are influenced, where differential advantage may be possible. Where digital engagement can add value in your business context, then the question is how and to what extent? Customer closeness is fundamental in

answering this question. Once engaged in integrating digital into existing marketing activity, the firm will live or die on-line based on the relevance and quality of content provided through these new channels. Companies may find opportunities to enhance their customer relationships through the on-line provision of added-value information relating to, for example, pricing, product descriptors, user reviews, other customer feedback forums and product/service endorsements. Social media naturally facilitates the generation of UserGenerated Content (UGC) where users can contribute their own perspectives of the value proposition on offer. Indeed, with the right organisational culture, customers can potentially play a role along-side the business in minimising relationship costs and can help the provider create a more innovative, entrepreneurial and profitable association based around co-creation. A third area which is an important consideration for all firms is that of competency. To what extent is there competency within the firm’s marketing team to integrate and manage both push and interactive communications through new media such as Facebook, Twitter, Youtube? The potential causes of digital misalignment in business are multiple and internally digital marketing is the concept senior managers often fear to question. However, I think as marketers we must take the time to actually think less about digital marketing, which can so often become a marketing bolt-on, and focus instead on digitising marketing. The latter is about conducting a more meaningful and integrated assessment as to how and where digital technology may help create and exploit opportunities which add value across the overall marketing effort. This is a subtle but critical change of mind-set – from discrete and tactical (digital marketing) to integrated and strategic (digitised marketing). We need to exploit new technology for commercial advantage while at the same time not being taken advantage of by new technology itself. Correctly applied the interdependency between context, content and competency presents a powerful framework through which to gauge your marketing engagement in our increasingly digitised environment.

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making your message matter

Getting smart about social media Social media now exerts huge influence over the way people around the world get and share information and has massive implications for business as Fiona McMahon, Lecturer in Advertising and Digital Communication, Ulster University explains.

t was Erik Qualman, bestselling author of Socialnomics, who coined the phrase ‘Social Media Revolution’, reminding us that Facebook’s user base is greater than the total population of China. Whilst there is little doubt that we have well and truly entered the Digital Age, with Ofcom recently reporting that one in five adults in Northern Ireland are ‘hooked’ on social media, the business impact of social media will very much depend upon the extent to which an organisation actively embraces ‘the revolution’.

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With all revolutions, technological or otherwise, comes the struggle between a new world order and business as usual. Social media can certainly be used as a complement to business as usual, if viewed simply as another channel through which to market sales and promotional messages, or it can be a catalyst for changing how organisations think about and approach marketing. Let’s firstly consider the term ‘social media’. Media are original places to publish thoughts, ideas, views, images and videos. Social is concerned with interacting and sharing – not selling. Indeed, social media is the polar opposite of the one-way communication process afforded by the more traditional channels such as press and TV. Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, for example, were never conceived as marketing tools, but as platforms to facilitate interpersonal communications and connections. However, in order to remain competitive in an increasingly diverse and global marketplace, one which is populated by demanding, well informed and digitally connected customers and consumers, the focus of marketing is shifting.

It is the customer, rather than productcentered, business that focuses on building long-term and loyal customer relationships, share of wallet and lifetime value over market share, and that recognises customer knowledge as a valuable resource, which is best placed to capitalise on the collaborative nature of social media. The customer-centric firm will use social media to engender customer conversations, knowledge sharing and value creation. So, whilst the 4 Ps of product, price, place and promotion are still relevant when it comes to marketing strategy, a social media strategy, which should be used to support a more open approach to business, requires a different set of tools. Developed jointly by American academics and high-profile bloggers, and published in Business Horizons, the 4Cs model, cognize, congruity, curate and chase, provides a good guiding framework for companies interested in developing strategies for monitoring, understanding, interacting and responding to customers on social media. Cognize refers to understanding the social media landscape in the first instance. What social media platforms are customers and

competitors using? How are they using each platform? What differentiates social media platforms in terms of functionality? Are there social media influencers, such as bloggers, within the industry or relevant to it? Consider using free tools such as Social Mention in the first instance to search for and monitor relevant social media conversations. This research should then inform social media activities that are congruent with the chosen platforms and goals of the firm. Firms active on social media must act as content curators and creators. This requires time, skill and a clear brand identity and voice. This is the most challenging aspects of social media, and one that businesses sometimes mistakenly think can be handled by a young intern. Employees with responsibility for engaging via social media need to be tuned into the types of content and conversations that will interest customers. They need the ability to create new content and combine content from existing on-line sources that will emotionally connect. Importantly, they have to have a clear understanding of how often to begin or contribute to conversations, and crucially, how to respond if and when

customers openly criticise the business. The fourth and final C â&#x20AC;&#x201C; chase refers to the fact that social media never sleeps and that companies serious about social media should be constantly scanning their environments (supported by social media management tools such as Tweet Deck) to identify opportunities to engage with and respond to customers in real-time. This leads to more authentic and personal customer experiences. It is worth remembering that positive exposure often results more from inbound than outbound conversations, and real-time is much better than post-hoc. A local example of a firm that has fully embraced social media and as a consequence, their community, is Mexican restaurant, Boojum. With over 23,000 Facebook fans, they are clearly doing something right. A visit to their Facebook page will reveal fun, relevant posts that invite audience participation or promote discounts, gift cards and new ranges of food. Boojum are expert at community engagement, initially running a competition back in 2011 between the Belfast and Dublin stores for the highest number of Facebook â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;likesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; resulting in Boojum

serving up free Burritos for 6 hours at their Chichester Street restaurant in Belfast. This campaign enabled Boojum to reward their regular customers, but also attract people who may not normally choose to try their food. More recently they ran a crowdsourcing campaign via Facebook inviting their fan base to design a Boojum T-shirt, and to vote on the winning design, with the winning entries receiving hundreds of votes. Embracing the revolution and conversing effectively on social media as a business requires creativity, good communication skills, time and resources, either in the form of staff training and recruitment, or working with agencies or consultants to help tease out brand identity and voice, and the most appropriate platforms and activities for the customer base. Any company engaging via social media should also have clear policies and training in place for staff, without these, the organisation can be liable when things go wrong. Remember anything worth doing, is worth doing right.

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making your message matter

Advertising says something short to a lot of people. Dr Aodheen McCartan, Senior Lecturer in Communication and Advertising, Ulster University, looks at its impact.

Why advertising may be the answer

The eye-catching Cadburyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dairy Milk TV advert. Photo by: REX/Shutterstock.

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aybe it’s not the best strategy to announce to students in their first class that ‘this is the most important thing you are going to learn in this module’. But I say that in my first Advertising lecture and that important lesson is: ‘If the problem isn’t communication, then the solution shouldn’t be advertising.’ Advertising gets a very hard time. It’s blamed for making us unhealthy, making us want things we don’t need, making us buy things we can’t afford, making us unhappy with what we have. The list goes on. But while advertising is made to shoulder the blame for so much wrong in society, it is beset by the niggling question: does it actually work? The well-worn adage that ‘half my advertising is wasted, I just don’t know which half’ doesn’t seem to be any less relevant now than when it was reputedly coined over a century ago. Actually, relatively speaking, it has only been fairly recently that there has been ‘proof’ that advertising can work using controlled experiments that rigorously compared the buying behaviour of households exposed to certain ads versus those who weren’t. But returning to that ‘most important’ lesson, it is the case that at best, advertising will work if it is designed to fulfil carefully thought through communication objectives. While there are memorable examples of

highly creative advertising disrupting the industry (such as the Cadbury’s drumming gorilla), and while some have been assessed to have boosted sales (such as the Cadbury’s drumming gorilla, we are told), the campaigns that have been truly successful and don’t just feature on ‘Best Ads of all Time’ lists have been accompanied by well thought through marketing tactics in the form of quality products, appropriate prices and high availability (such as the Cadbury’s drumming gorilla). Advertising won’t fix a product that doesn’t work well, that is too expensive, that is not expensive enough, that is sold in the wrong location or takes too long to be delivered. If half your advertising is wasted it could be because the problem wasn’t communication in the first place. And if your problem isn’t communication, then advertising is not your solution. But assuming that other aspects of the so-called marketing mix are all present and correct, and that it has been calculated that better communication should improve a brand’s performance, is advertising a good strategic choice? There are so many variables that might mitigate against an ad’s success. To an extent, some of these are ostensibly outside the brand’s control such as the competition it faces alongside other ad campaigns and the increasing proliferation of media that carry advertising. Advertising won its place in the communication mix, alongside personal selling, public relations, direct marketing and word-of-mouth, by being the best tool to speak to a mass audience. By its simplest definition advertising is saying very little to a lot of people. Where attempts are made to say a lot, the advertising may go unnoticed. It is completely understandable why an advertiser is tempted to cram as much as possible into an ad execution, but it is the case that the shorter the message the greater the likelihood that people will attend to the ad.

So, if advertising works best when it communicates something short to a mass audience, how can it be that so much adverting seems to ‘say’ so little? Well, two points are worth noting here. Firstly, a casual flick through any lifestyle magazine such as a women’s ‘glossy’, will reveal that upwards on the first fifty pages are devoted to ads notable for a distinct absence of words. Such ads usually comprise a model, handbag/perfume/ sunglasses/dress (delete as appropriate) and brand name. But these ads carry a message, albeit not explicitly. These ads suggest: this is what you aspire to; you’re never going to look like this; but if you buy this brand maybe you’ll get a little closer. But what of those brands that aren’t quite as aspirational and actually have something a little less nebulous to say? Even brands like these seem to spend a lot of time featuring in ads that say very little and many might question why it is helpful for a brand’s logo to appear, alongside a dozen others, behind, for example, José Mourihno’s head in a post-match interview. What communication objective is that fulfilling? In answer to that, a second point is that familiarity of a stimulus, such as a brand, can actually lead to liking through what is known as the mere exposure effect. A phenomenon attributed to social psychologist Robert Zajonc, the mere exposure effect can occur when familiarity becomes misattributed as liking and such familiarity can be caused through advertising. So even if the ad is perceived just enough so that the brand name becomes familiar to the consumer, the consumer may express undue liking for the brand. Perhaps advertising then may be the answer. But of course, only if the question is communication. And what about the really big stories in advertising such as the reputed demise of traditional media, web adblockers, and whether celebrity endorsers are really worth their millions? Well, that’s what the other eleven classes are for.

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making your message matter

Communication in the political arena Business must embrace political and policy engagement, says Dr Conor McGrath, Lecturer, School of Communication, Ulster University.

obbying is an often misunderstood activity, not helped by the fact that many lobbyists prefer to conceal themselves within the more business-like and respectable term of ‘public affairs’. It is certainly true that ‘lobbying’ does not enjoy a good public perception, but in reality it is a crucial function in enabling government to understand how various policy alternatives would impact on business and civil society groups. While many of us instinctively think of lobbying as being about exerting pressure or influence on politicians and policymakers, the truth is that it is much simpler and more straightforward than that. Lobbying is really little more than effective communication in the political arena. It is only through lobbying that businesses – both individually, and

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collectively through business organisations like the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry – can inform and educate government about those official policies which can do most to provide a stable platform for business growth. Devolution here gives business multiple avenues to lobby government – to talk to political parties, local civil servants, MLAs and Ministers at Stormont, MPs, MEPs, councillors, the governments in London and Dublin, the European Commission. In one sense, Northern Ireland is arguably overgoverned in terms of the number of elected politicians per 100,000 population. However, the range of routes by which business here can interact with the policymaking process certainly present individual companies and business organisations with plentiful opportunities to input their expertise and perspectives to government plans. It is, of course, critical that lobbying is undertaken in a professional manner; in 2000 the Ulster University was the first in the UK to establish a Masters course allowing students to learn how to become effective lobbyists. Government – whether at Stormont, Westminster, Dublin, Brussels or beyond – hears from a vast range of interest organisations. Some have compelling arguments which would help to end poverty, cure cancer or eradicate homelessness. To

stand out in the midst of this crowded policy bazaar, and to have its messages understood by government, an organisation’s greatest asset is the number and importance of its members as grassroots advocates who can tell policymakers first-hand about the effect of public policy on the ground. Business people should seek out opportunities to communicate with politicians and civil servants about the ways in which their decisions impact a business. While it was understandable that many businesses chose to keep a low profile politically in Northern Ireland’s recent past, local businesses now operate in a changed environment. Business needs to pay attention to both profit and policy: these are the two fundamental issues which every business leader should be spending most of his or her time on. Policy – such as legislation, regulations, grants and contracts – can put your organisation out of business, or it can enable your organisation to realise new opportunities. Lobbying is sometimes regarded by business as unsavoury or illegitimate, the sole preserve of multinational corporations which can effectively buy policy decisions. This is an outmoded and inaccurate stereotype. Rather, think of lobbying as a bridge between the quite different worlds of business and government.

PUBLICATIONS With a distribution of 5,000 printed copies and an online version issued to 15,000 email addresses, share your news via Ambition magazine. Alongside a monthly newsletter, NI Chamber’s monthly business page in the Daily Mirror also provides the perfect platform for promoting your business.

MEMBERS SECTION OF NI CHAMBER WEBSITE The members section of the NI Chamber website allows members to upload press releases, promote events and provide offers to fellow members. You can also create your own company profile and access the full NI Chamber Membership Directory.

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and regarded within the industry.

For further information on any of the above contact: Christopher Morrow, Communications Manager at NI Chamber by emailing Christopher.Morrow@northernirelandchamber.com or telephone 02890 244113

BY USING NI CHAMBER’S RANGE OF CHANNELS

GET YOUR NAME OUT THERE.

Murali Sitaram, Google Director of Global Partner Strategy & Alliances.

Google and PwC innovate and create Europe’s first PwC and Google Innovation Lab which launched in Belfast is set to revolutionise business solutions as Adrienne McGill discovers.

ow we work through the use of technology is taking a mindboggling step which is best seen at the new Google Innovation Lab which was launched at the end of last year at the headquarters of business advisers PwC in Belfast. The PwC-Google partnership aims to encourage more local companies to make use of Google’s software which combines sophisticated technology with business needs. The Belfast Lab – which joins New York and Sydney, Australia as only the third such facility worldwide – is a key element of the ‘Hive’, a new 11,000 sq ft technology facility in PwC’s Waterfront Plaza offices dedicated to developing digital solutions for businesses worldwide. The Belfast Lab will work collaboratively with companies across the UK and Europe using digital technology to drive innovation and new ways of working. Less than 100 miles from Google’s European headquarters in Dublin, the Innovation Lab will complement PwC’s technology-enabled operations in Belfast, where there are currently more than 1,300 people. Over the past seven years, the company has invested close to £1 billion in developing technology and infrastructure to meet the needs of business, with investments including cloud-based accounting tools for SMEs, realtime assurance technology, Skyval pension analytics platform and global collaboration with Google.

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Although best known as an internet search engine, Google provides a range of Google for Work services including Google hangout for instant messaging and video conferencing, Google Maps for Work and Google Drive, a file storage and synchronization service. At the launch of the PwC and Google Innovation Lab Ashley Unwin, PwC’s Consulting Leader for EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa), said the alliance with Google represented a step change in PwC’s commitment to accelerating business growth through technology. “Over the past two decades, technology has radically changed our lives and, while organisations have tried hard to innovate and reform, most haven’t managed to significantly alter the way their people work. “Technology has transformed workplace tools, but workplace processes have largely failed to keep pace; that means organisations are falling far short of their potential to innovate through real time collaboration across functions, departments and devices. “The PwC and Google Innovation Lab represents an alliance for work where organisations can access the PwC and Google collaborative experience and technology to co-create solutions to their digital and business challenges.” Already a number of major digital transformation projects are being designed, developed and delivered from the Belfast Hive in partnership with clients in Europe and the Middle East – but without the necessity of long and costly travel and secondments to

the client location. Murali Sitaram, Google Director of Global Partner Strategy & Alliances said: “We’re excited that customers in the UK will be able to benefit from the immersive technology experience at the PwC and Google Innovation Lab in Belfast. “The reason why we wanted to create the Innovation Lab is that we want to bring in clients, understand what issues they are grappling with and show them what is possible through our technology expertise to solve their business problems.” Paul Terrington, PwC Regional Chairman in Northern Ireland said the firm’s Belfast technology investment was already delivering real solutions to clients in Northern Ireland and beyond. “Looking to the future, our Google Lab alliance will substantially increase our ability to attract and deliver new global client solutions from Belfast,” he added. Demonstrating its power, Google technology was used at the launch to link up with PwC colleagues in Washington DC and Sydney, Australia, while guests were invited to experience some of the products on display, including Google Cardboard which can turn a phone into a mini virtual reality device.

feature

SUPER SIX The things I’ve learned in business

Anne McReynolds is Chief Executive of the MAC (Metropolitian Arts Centre) in Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter. The venue gives the public free access to world class art seven days a week. She has been in the post since the £18 million building opened in 2012 and was an integral part of the team behind making the MAC a reality from an idea which was planted twenty years ago. 1. Be confident, have faith in yourself and your project. You can’t expect others to believe in you if you don’t believe in yourself. As long as you dedicate the required time and effort to your work, then you should feel confident. Don’t be afraid to show that. 2. Be forgiving when colleagues make mistakes. We’re all only human and they’ll return the favour the next time you mess up. 3. Aim high, don’t settle for anything less. It’s good to be ambitious in business and to set yourself standards. Reach for the stars and you never know what you’ll achieve. 4. Listen to colleagues and those with experience. Surround yourself with people who are excellent at what they do and then get out of their way and let them get on with it. Listening is just as important as having your say. Knowing when to sit back and take advice from others is vital when working in a team. 5. Have fun. Campaigning and eventually opening the MAC was the most stressful, frustrating and tiring thing I’ve ever been involved in, but it was also the most exciting, energising and enhancing challenge to have been a part of. Focus on your work, but make sure you are enjoying what you do. We spend too much time in work for it to be a drag. 6. Don’t give up. Ever. Discussions about the MAC began back in 1996, well before building commenced in 2009. While the idea was there for a long time, there were a number of things that held us back. The post-conflict Northern Ireland society slowed things down as we knew it would take time for people to feel safe to come out and enjoy themselves in places like the theatre or museums. The project took 16 years but it was worth every minute when we opened in 2012.

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appointments

new appointments

Carson McDowell Solicitors have made a significant number of new appointments to their legal team. Pictured with Michael Johnson (Managing Partner), the new members are: Naomi Gaston (Associate, Banking and Finance); Una Mackle (Solicitor); Enya McKenna (Solicitor); Hugh McGrattan (Partner, Head of Professional Indemnity Team) and Eileen Moughan (Legal Consultant).

Declan Leonard has been appointed as a Chartered Surveyor at Lambert Smith Hampton.

Niall Harkin has been appointed as Head of Mortgage Intermediary Business at Danske Bank.

Ciara Jordan has been appointed Account Manager at Duffy Rafferty Communications.

Cliodhna Mulhern has been appointed Account Manager at Elevator Promotional Marketing.

PARTNERSHIP.EXPERIENCE.IMPACT. 32 years connecting talent and opportunity

Banking & Finance | Technology | Engineering | HR | Sales & Marketing www.graftonrecruitment.com ambition strip ad May 2015.indd 1

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17/08/2015 12:22:29

2016 is here already and all the usual New Year conversations are taking place – joining the gym, eating healthily, not going out, saving money, getting a new job, etc. Because of this mind set January is always an extremely busy time in the job markets and 2016 will be no different. At Grafton we have seen the green shoots of recovery turn into flowering trees, with the last few months of 2015 being some of the best in our long history, particularly within our Specialist Accountancy & Finance team. The Finance Directors and Financial Controllers on our books welcomed movement at the senior end of the market and this could have a knock on effect in 2016. These strategic roles also attracted the attention of a high number of passive job seekers which has enriched our candidate pool further for the year ahead. Demand for solid Management and Financial Accountants remains high, particularly in the FMCG, Manufacturing and Engineering sectors. Finance candidates of all levels with shared service centre experience continue to be high on certain clients’ wish lists. We all know the economy is always

Anna Vangrove has been appointed as Associate at TLT NI.

New Year - A Fresh Start By Paul Kenna, Business Manager – Accountancy & Finance, Grafton Recruitment. affected by the political scene. The Fresh Start that has been agreed by the parties in Stormont puts us on a sounder footing for moving forward in 2016. The feeling of a more settled political landscape, plus the announcement of a date for the reduction of Corporation Tax to 12.5 per cent, gives businesses confidence in moving forward with investment and expansion. This growth and expansion invariably means restructuring and, more often than not, hiring additional staff. Grafton Recruitment has been trusted recruitment partners to some of NI’s most successful

Peter McGrath has been appointed as Associate at TLT NI.

companies during our 32 year history. Our specialist offering in Accountancy & Finance, IT, Engineering, Technical, HR and Sales & Marketing complements our extensive branch network to provide clients with a comprehensive service regardless of their requirements. If January 1st has prompted you to consider a new start, for yourself or for your team then get in touch with Grafton! E: pkenna@graftonrecruitment.com

Michael Wilson has joined TLT NI as a Solicitor.

Niall Watson has been appointed as Delivery Executive – New Business and Mobilisation at Fujitsu.

PARTNERSHIP.EXPERIENCE.IMPACT. 32 years connecting talent and opportunity

Banking & Finance | Technology | Engineering | HR | Sales & Marketing www.graftonrecruitment.com ambition strip ad May 2015.indd 1

17/08/2015 12:22:29

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columnist

Tech Scene Round up Exciting new developments are on the IT horizon explains Natalie Gray, Marketing executive at syncni. “There is always a lot of interest in predictions for the year ahead; whether it’s in fashion, retail or tech, people like to know ‘what’s hot?’ and ‘what’s next?’ So let’s explore some of the latest tech trends that Gartner, the American market research and advisory firm providing IT-related insight, believes are set to continue for 2016…”

New IT Reality Bluetooth Beacons Bluetooth-powered beacons are set to be a big trend for 2016, helping to take technology into the ‘Internet of Things sphere’. They are being installed

in various shopping centres, museums, hotels and airports, and can track the exact location of a smartphone or smartwatch user to send them realtime notifications. Until now beacons have been poorly used to send nearby consumers voucher codes, but beacons have greater potential! They can be used to send real-time notifications on transport delays or changes, provide indoor mapping and be used as hands-free payment. Adaptive Security Architecture Cyber security has been a hot topic lately. The combination of digital businesses growing and the emerging hacking industry has significantly increased the threat surface for an organisation. It is extremely important for Tech and IT companies to focus on identifying and responding to threats, alongside traditional measure of preventing attacks.

Smart Machines Digital Virtual Assistants The evolution of software: developments in software are increasing the rate of change, so think of independent vehicles, virtual assistants and smart advisors as the future faces of tech. Alexa and Siri are just the beginning! Over the next few years we will evolve to a post-app world with intelligent agents delivering dynamic and contextual actions and interfaces. Internet of Everything Whether you call it the Internet of Things, the Internet of Data or the Information of Everything, one thing’s for sure – 2016 will produce a lot more big data. However, it’s what we do with it that’s important. Information has always existed everywhere, but has often been isolated, incomplete or unintelligible. Advances in databases and data classification will help bring meaning to the overwhelming volume of information available to us. A.I. Artificial intelligence is another tech trend for 2016. Handling complex datasets requires deep neural nets (DNNs) that allow computers to act both autonomously and perceive the world on their own. These DNNs will enable smart machines to learn their surrounding environment themselves, and through machine learning, a smart machine can change its future behaviour. Understanding how to used advanced machine learning will help give any business a competitive edge.

Mesh

3D Printing Admittedly not a new trend, but 3D printing remains to be an area with vast growth potential. The practical applications for 3D printers are steadily increasing, with major research in bioprinting! The mission here is to eliminate the production chain for food by printing food dot by dot to build up edible meals. I wonder how long it will be before your local takeaway utilises this? Ambient User Experiences Augmented reality and virtual reality are set to make a big impact long-term, but for 2016 it’s about continuity between devices and location. Context comes from the combination of human and physical elements; human elements consist of social interactions, emotions, and interests, while physical elements refer to the position, noise and atmosphere of an area. Hyper-location technologies are different from your standard smartphone sensor-based apps as the device would already know what the user is looking for based on their selected history.

Want to be the first to find out what’s happening in Northern Ireland’s tech scene? Stay up to date with www.syncni.com or follow us on Twitter @syncni Email: natalie@syncni.com

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columnist

Crossing the Threshold There are pros and cons for businesses of crossing the VAT threshold. Maureen O’Reilly, ni chamber economist examines the issue.

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AT registrations and deregistration statistics are the main indicators used to measure business births and deaths in the UK. When a business registers for VAT it is considered a business ‘birth’. When it de-registers it is considered a business ‘death’. When a business reaches a certain size/ threshold, currently if turnover exceeds £82,000, it must register for VAT. This means that a business has to add 20 per cent on to its sales price (unless exemptions apply). However, it can also claim back VAT from its purchases from other registered businesses. The net amount is paid/ recovered from HMRC. In 2014, for the first time in 6 years, there were more business ‘births’ in Northern Ireland than ‘deaths’. Just over 4,800 businesses registered for VAT (counting as a ‘birth’) during that year while 4,600 de-registered (counting as a ‘death’), a marginal difference but still on the right track. The business birth rate was 9 per cent compared to a death rate of 8 per cent. Just to put this in

context, the UK business birth rate in 2014 was 14 per cent and death rate 10 per cent. Unfortunately, Northern Ireland continues to have the lowest business birth rate across the UK regions by a considerable margin with London highest at 18 per cent and an average of 13 per cent for the rest. Northern Ireland has been the last of the 12 UK regions to reach the point where business births exceed deaths since the latest recession began. Northern Ireland’s recovery time using this indicator has been twice as long as the UK, yet another indication of the extent to which the Northern Ireland economy has been so badly affected by this recession. Registering for VAT is an indication of business growth but, whether real or perceived, there are both ‘pros’ and ‘cons’ to it. One of the pros is the status that registration brings, indicating to others that the business has reached a certain turnover size/scale. Also, research suggests that many larger businesses simply will not trade with non-registered businesses so registration is in itself

an incentive to grow. However, there are also some cons. This includes the potential negative impact on sales if businesses have to put up prices by 20 per cent or profits (if increased prices cannot be passed on to customers). There are also serious concerns over the additional paperwork required to be part of the VAT system. This is one of the biggest ‘red tape’ challenges facing business, particularly small business. Also businesses have to collect the VAT and pass this on to HMRC. This requires planning as large unexpected VAT bills can have an impact on cash flow which is a very big issue for many small businesses. A question that needs to be answered is whether reaching the VAT registration threshold creates a barrier to business growth? I was particularly struck by a comment made by one member to the NI Chamber’s latest Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) when asked about the biggest concern for the business going forward into 2016. They said that that their biggest concern was ‘the low VAT registration threshold - this is a glass ceiling for us and many in our industry’. The business employed less than 5 people in the Construction sector. The Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) undertook a piece of research in 2013 to understand growth in micro businesses. These are businesses with less than 10 employees which in Northern Ireland account for 95 per cent of the business base (and 87 per cent of VAT/PAYE registered businesses). They quote a piece of research by Parry (2010a)1 which found that the VAT threshold was the most important tax-related barrier to growth for a micro business. The BIS research, involving a survey of almost 1,000 micro businesses, asked direct questions around the effects of crossing the VAT threshold. It found that around half (47%) of unregistered businesses considered it would be difficult or very difficult to operate their business if they crossed the VAT threshold. Their main concerns were that the business might lose

customers because it would have to put up prices or that there would be a greater administrative burden because of the form filling etc. involved. However, when registered micro businesses were asked in hindsight about the impact of crossing

the threshold the research suggested that the consequences were not as difficult as non-registered businesses feared. Only 13 per cent actually found their business difficult or very difficult to operate as a consequence of crossing the VAT threshold.

Source: Business Demography, ONS

There have always been fundamental concerns about the business dynamic in Northern Ireland including its low business birth rate. The structure of the economy, particularly the large size of the public sector, does play a part in stymieing levels of enterprise. Would raising the VAT threshold make any difference? There certainly appears to be ‘perception’ issues for some micro businesses that the negative impacts of crossing the threshold outweigh the positives. This is something that government policy can address. However, further research is needed to understand the potential impacts of raising the VAT threshold to drive much needed enterprise and business growth. Source: 1 - Parry S (2010a) ‘Does accounting hinder growth in small businesses?’ Newport Business School Working Paper Series; Volume 1, Summer 2007 No 2-3. [online].

Reflecting for the future

here is value in pausing to recognise the achievements in 2015. The overall macro economy has continued to improve with most economic indicators for the region including the Northern Ireland composite economic index, employment levels and residential house prices on the rise in the last 12 months, signalling 2015 as another year of building growth momentum in Northern Ireland. With these more positive economic signs, similarly the business environment continues to improve, albeit there are continuous challenges. Some of the challenges and opportunities include scalability, investment in innovation and exporting including development of skills and confidence for entry into new markets. At Bank of Ireland UK, we believe those companies who continue to invest in growing their export markets through regularly innovating products and services will reap their

BY Ian Sheppard, Regional Director Business & Corporate Banking, NI at Bank of Ireland UK. rewards which in turn, is vital to achieving the scalable growth required in the private sector in Northern Ireland. Bank of Ireland UK’s November Enterprise Week had over 1,700 businesses from across Northern Ireland involved in 50 events focused on providing practical and relevant support and information sharing, making new connections and encouraging business deals to be completed. Cross-border trading and exports were front of mind with; •The Bank of Ireland UK official Northern Ireland launch of the Trinity International Growth Programme. A cross-border programme, providing businesses with an opportunity to invest in their people and develop their capability for entry into new markets and product areas. Including access to experienced mentors and peer to peer insights from across the islands, the ultimate objective of the programme is to support business growth

through exporting. •Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry ‘Meet the Buyer’, a major crossborder event, part of the Connecting for Growth Programme, designed to help increase business between companies from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. •Show Your Business events which had a cross-border flavour as businesses from Northern Ireland showcased in branches such as Dublin and Dundalk. At Bank of Ireland UK, we understand both the value and challenges of exporting but also its critical importance right across the business spectrum in driving economic growth. Throughout 2016 we will continue to provide support and encouragement to Northern Ireland companies with ambitions to expand, from start up through to larger more established businesses planning for new global success.

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feature

Getting burnt by buying a second home in the sun has been an all too frequent occurrence for many people but local company BeckettHanlon works to ensure that any risk is taken away. Adrienne McGill talks to its founder Drew Beckett and Business Development Director Barry Kelly.

A place in the sun

s the economy continues to recover, many people are once again dreaming of owning a second home in the sun and buyers are flooding back to the foreign property market. But whilst buying property in a sun drenched destination is a dream for millions, the reality is that it can be complex and fraught with risk due to cultural, language and legal barriers. Hidden costs may arise and there are plenty of unscrupulous sellers who are intent on preying on innocents and the uninformed. Some who have bought in Spain during the boom have had their houses demolished without any compensation because they or the developer didn’t have the correct regulatory approval to build in

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the first instance and this was not discovered through the use of the proper solicitor. Many of these unfortunate buyers are still fighting costly legal battles today. However, hope is at hand. One Northern Ireland company is dedicated to helping people buy safely abroad. BeckettHanlon based in Belfast was founded by Drew Beckett whose career in international property and investments spans more than 30 years and includes working with blue-chip clients such as insurance giant Zurich. His experience in the investment property sector has involved selling over 200 global lifestyle properties, ranging in value from E150,000 to US$2.3 million. Drew initially set up a company called Locations4U which he successfully led for 7 years, but following a decision to evolve and expand the business, it was rebranded

as BeckettHanlon 3 years ago, with Drew at the helm as CEO. “It is all about selling the right property to the right client,” says Drew who sources property across the world for BeckettHanlon, all of which has been carefully vetted for clients. “Our promise is not to sell anyone just anything – it is to ask them what they want and then find the property which matches what they desire. “Our mantra is ‘Always the Right Decision’. The client has to tell us what they want and we discover this through getting to know the client and listening carefully. “People look for property on our website to buy and if they don’t find what they are looking for we will do everything we can to help them find what they want. However, people have to make the distinction

between buying as an investment and buying for lifestyle – these are two very different issues.” There are two aspects to BeckettHanlon’s business. The main focus through the BeckettHanlon website, is the sale of property overseas. The second aspect of the business is the opportunity to learn how to sell international property through the BeckettHanlon franchise. This franchised system allows the Franchise Partners to set up and operate their own international property business, under the BeckettHanlon brand name. Franchise Partners work with BeckettHanlon’s guidance, support and on-going training, which ensures they are given all the assistance necessary to fulfil their legal and financial requirements, accessing the vetted property portfolio to present opportunities to their potential clients. Currently the company has 5 Franchise Partners, each of whom have undergone dedicated training, delivered by Drew, to acquire the skills required to sell international property correctly. The emphasis is on running the franchise as an individual but with the full support of BeckettHanlon. Furthermore, the company is a member of the Association of International Property

Professionals (AIPP) and Drew sits on the AIPP board in London. The membership ensures that the company acts on behalf of clients by adhering to a code of conduct. Barry Kelly, Business Development Director with Beckett Hanlon, says the company’s focus is on bringing a level of control to the business model through the franchising system. This provides clients with the knowledge that they are buying safely abroad. “Being a member of the AIPP brings another layer of compliance and approval to both international developers who we deal with and international resellers. “The interest in the international property market is well and truly rekindled. However, people are still going abroad and the sun, sea and sangria is kicking in and before they know it they are returning home with a signed contract in a foreign language which they don’t understand and have committed to something. “We do not want to temper the excitement of achieving the dream of owning a property abroad – all we are saying is pause for a moment and ask a few essential questions. “Do you know who you are dealing with and the reputation they have? Are other previous clients willing to testify as to the seller’s service and credibility? If the property is under construction, what are the identified stages in the building process? What is happening to your money during the reservation period? What is happening

to your money during any stage payments? How is your money protected?” “Our responsibility to our clients and our Franchise Partners is to protect them by checking everything. This is vital, especially the due diligence issues to ensure best practice. When we present the opportunity of buying abroad, the client will therefore know all the details have been thoroughly checked and approved by accredited international property lawyers. “Our clients are presented with the opportunity to buy a property abroad to improve their lifestyle and make the most of relaxation time – a beautiful place where they can travel to on a short flight, and can bring their family and friends out to. People are right to be cautious – but they need to know who they can trust. We are here to give confidence to people spending hard earned income on that dream second home that they will be well looked after and that they will be advised and supported every step of the journey. Our vision and purpose at BeckettHanlon is to educate and inform people, through our broad spectrum of services and corporate partners, that when you buy through BeckettHanlon that you do so safely.” Barry quotes the American business magnate and philanthropist Warren Buffett, the most successful investor in the world, who said: “Risk comes from not knowing what you’re doing.” Barry puts this line in context: “At BeckettHanlon we know what we are doing when it comes to international property sales and we also teach, support and train our Franchise Partners so they know how to provide the very best service to their clients. If we are asked something by a client and we need to check what is best for our client then we will call upon our team of partners – international property lawyers, insurance specialists, currency dealers and accountants, so that the risk is taken away. That means that buying a dream home in the sun won’t become a nightmare.”

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feature

bright young business brains Former SERC Professional Cookery student Roisin McKeown celebrating with tutor Michael Gillies after she successfully secured full-time employment as Chef de Partie at Buckingham Palace.

Aspiring chef cooks up new career

former student from South Eastern Regional College (SERC), Roisin Mckeown, is on course for a high-flying career having landed her dream job as Chef de Partie at Buckingham Palace following a ‘grilling’ selection process. Earlier in the year Roisin earned her right as a rising star of the industry wowing the judges with her culinary expertise to finish second place in the Craft Guild of Chefs 50th anniversary Canapé competition which took place in the Palace kitchens where she had to prepare canapés for tasting by HRH the Countess of Wessex, who then selected a winner. A former Care Assistant, Roisin aged 32 from Downpatrick, returned to SERC to retrain and has just completed her level three Professional Cookery diploma and will now work in one of finest establishments in the United Kingdom.

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Roisin, who was a part-time mature learner said: “I am over the moon. Retraining was the best decision I ever made. After speaking with my tutor Michael Gillies he suggested sending off my CV and portfolio to Buckingham Palace and I was invited for a trial which must have gone really well as I was offered a job as a Chef de Partie. “I was elated when I was offered the role. I feel privileged and am excited about this once in a lifetime experience. I am hoping to gain valuable experience working in a flagship kitchen, working under the tutelage of some of the most talented chefs in the industry and the production of a very varied menu. “I am so grateful to the staff at SERC for the high quality training which has opened up this great opportunity and enhanced my practical abilities and my own confidence. I’ve learnt a lot whilst I’ve been at College and I’d like to thank all the tutors for pushing me in the right direction, particularly Michael Gillies for

helping me in securing the job.” SERC Professional Cookery tutor Michael Gillies said he was extremely happy for Roisin who has worked really hard and deserves this excellent start to her career in hospitality. “The experience she will gain will stay with her for the rest of her professional career. She is a great example of how students can embrace what professional cookery has to offer and directly benefit from it,” he added. SERC Principal and Chief Executive Ken Webb said: “SERC is keen to emphasise the importance of integrating industry expertise to enrich students’ studies. This is achieved through specialist workshops with visiting guest speakers and visits to restaurants and suppliers. These experiences enhance the students’ culinary repertoire and make them outstanding candidates when looking for employment. We are extremely proud to see Roisin offered full-time work.”

Ulster Bank boosts Young Enterprise’s Quickstart Programme Ulster Bank’s Sean Murphy and Young Enterprise’s Carol Fitzsimons joins pupil Daniel Spence from Belfast’s De La Salle College to mark Ulster Bank’s £25k investment in the Young Enterprise scheme which is part of round two of its £2.5 million UK and Ireland Skills & Opportunities Fund programme.

lster Bank is investing £25K in youth entrepreneur organisation Young Enterprise as part of round two of its £2.5 million UK and Ireland Skills & Opportunities Fund programme which was launched last year. The funding award will enable Young Enterprise to further expand and enhance its Quickstart programme which supports students from Year 8 upwards in schools and community groups developing their entrepreneurial skills and aspirations and preparing them for life and work. A total of 1,200 young people throughout Northern Ireland are currently involved in Quickstart and the 10 week programme offers active learning opportunities in business research and planning, product development, financial management and marketing combined with the support of a business adviser and mentor. Carol Fitzsimons, Chief Executive of Young Enterprise said: “Our Skills and Opportunities award from Ulster Bank will enable us to roll out Quickstart to more schools and groups giving budding young entrepreneurs confidence and employability skills at an early age, providing valuable business experience and helping them look at potential career paths and jobs for the future. “Like all charity and community organisations Young Enterprise has faced funding shortfalls in recent years and this new cash boost from Ulster Bank will allow us to fully implement our Quickstart scheme

which has proved hugely successful and beneficial for both young people and their teachers. It’s one of our most popular programmes and without the Bank’s funding we simply wouldn’t be able to progress and expand the programme substantially.” Ulster Bank’s Skills & Opportunities Fund supports local and disadvantaged communities by helping people to learn new skills, get into the world of work or set up their own business. Alongside Young Enterprise, other round two winners include Belfast based organisation Co-operation Ireland who was awarded £9,600 to support a youth leadership programme, Sligo Volunteer Centre and Culture Connect who each received £3,000 and Irish Youth Foundation which won £35,000 for its bike mechanic initiative in the Cork region. Overall 790 applications were submitted to round two from across the UK and Ireland with 92 organisations reaching the shortlist. Following the judging process, which included a public vote attracting 28,000 votes, forty-seven groups were selected to receive grant funding of over £1.3 million. Congratulating Young Enterprise and all other award winners, Sean Murphy, Ulster Bank’s Regional Managing Director Branch and Private Banking, said: “Once again we were extremely impressed by the diverse range of high quality entries in round two

of our Skills & Opportunities Programme. We know that the best way to support local communities and to help them grow stronger is to provide people with the skills and resources to help themselves, develop business ideas and ultimately generate jobs and new opportunities within their local community. I would like to wish all our award winners good luck with their projects now and in the future.” Northern Ireland winners in round one of Ulster Bank’s Skills & Opportunities Fund were Lenadoon Community Forum and Ballybeen Women’s Centre in Belfast for their projects on providing training for employment and personal development. Ulster Bank’s Skills & Opportunities 2015 grant funding has been distributed to 113 organisations throughout the UK and Ireland and it is anticipated it will help over 26,000 people to help themselves over the next 12 months. In addition to the organisations supported through rounds one and two, the programme has helped a further 24 groups by providing in-kind support and nearly £200,000 in grant monies. To find out more about the projects being funded visit: www. skillsandopportunitiesfund. ulsterbank.com

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rom my early teens I have had a strong work ethic – I always knew that to get anywhere in life you had to work hard for it. My first taste of working life was when I was 13 and waitressed at the Seagoe Hotel in Portadown. I was there most nights from 6pm to 1am, and was still in school for 8.30am the following morning which, when I look back now, showed a dedication and commitment that was beyond my years. I left school when I was 16 and moved from Portadown to Portrush to complete a BTEC ND in European Hotel & Tourism Administration and then completed a HND in Travel and Tourism. I have always had a very keen interest in tourism so knew from an early age this was the specialism that I wanted to be involved in. Once I had finished my studies I began working as a Marketing Co-Ordinator for Hostelling International Northern Ireland and it was there that I met my husband and business partner Rodney after he poached me to work at his business – McComb’s Coaches. Rodney had an office space in the International Hostel and we still operate our day tours from there today. We worked hard on the business for years and in 2008 we came to a bit of a crossroads. We had to decide if we should sell the business to move to Australia to be closer to Rodney’s brother or to make a real go of the business and put our heart and soul into it to see where it would take us. We decided on the latter and it was most certainly the right choice as McComb’s has just grown from strength to strength over the years. Our growth has been steady over the last two decades and we’re delighted with our progress. We have noticed that over the years, as Northern Ireland has grown in confidence as a tourist destination, the numbers of visitors has increased and our business growth reflects that. Last year, we carried approximately 130,000 passengers – 60,000 of them visited the Giant’s Causeway, 10,000 took a Game

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My Ambition is to... Caroline McComb, Director of McComb’s Coach Travel.

of Thrones tour and our current Kildare Village shopping trip has proved so popular that we had to increase the number of coaches to meet the demand. This is due, in part, to the favourable exchange rates which helps our passengers to stretch their budgets. We have an established and loyal customer base in Northern Ireland including the Irish Football Association, Hastings Hotels and schools with whom we have worked for many years. We also work a lot with transporting Game of Thrones actors and senior personnel and when any major events take place, like the MTV awards, or other filming projects, such as the recent City of Z, our bookings increase significantly. The small luxury coach side of our business is also flourishing with golfers leading the way and following the recent news that The Open is due to take place in 2019, and with four Irish Opens in between, we see the golf tourism sector as a real growth area for us. McComb’s Coach Travel is a family business - Rodney has two grown up sons who are very involved in the business and are great supporters of our ambitions for the company. We have two young girls,

aged 10 and 9, who get as much exposure to our business as they want. I think it’s a great grounding for the girls to see how hard Rodney and I work and it’s hugely positive for them to see that females can be very successful in a male dominated industry such as the world of transport. We have lots of aims and ambitions for the future, the main one being that we would like McComb’s to be the first name that comes to mind when people think of coach travel and day tours in Northern Ireland. Ideally we would like to become a household name throughout the country and even further afield. We want McComb’s to become synonymous with extremely high standards in luxurious travel but at reasonable prices that can suit everyone. It’s our 20th year in business next year and we have some very exciting plans aimed at the local market including new tours and some major business developments and that’s where our focus is right now.

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Can China Be Trusted? The historic meeting in Singapore between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Taiwanese counterpart, Ma Ying-jeou, signals a new era between the two countries. Ian Rainey, former international banker looks at their relationship.

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e live in a very uncertain world and the recent ISIS attack in Paris highlighted a fast changing world where what was a Middle Eastern problem has quickly become a European and world problem. November 2015 was also noteworthy for another event which has all the hallmarks of a problem which could escalate quickly having been dormant since 1949. On November 7th the Presidents of China and Taiwan met formally at the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore. The two countries have been separate entities since 1949 when Chiang Kai Shek lost out to Mao Zedong in the Civil War of 1949 and took his followers off to the Island of Taiwan and set up a separate state. The breakaway has never been recognised by China who prefer to view it the way they see Hong Kong –i.e. “one country, two systems”. In the same way that Hong Kong flourished into an industrial economy under a democratic government, Taiwan has also been a stellar industrial performer and today is euphemistically know as one of “The 4 Asian Tigers” with Singapore, South Korea and Hong Kong, all of which enjoy universal suffrage. You might ask why am I so interested in what is going on in Taiwan. The reason is that for six years (19801986) while I was Vice President Asia with Philadelphia National Bank I was a regular visitor to Taiwan where we had a very profitable representative office which reported in to me. From being part of China up to 1949, Taiwan became an industrialised economy and today it has the world’s 21st largest economy and a per capita income of

$18,570 which is more than four times greater than that of the inhabitants on the mainland. Real growth in GDP has averaged 8 per cent over the last three decades. The country has a substantial trade surplus and its Foreign Reserves are the 5th largest in the world. While managing a number of offices in Asia (Japan, Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Australia, Thailand and The Philippines) the activity was geared towards making money the bedrock of the business in each country. Underlying this was unquestionably our assessment of the political risk in each country. It was the 1990s before we started trade related business with the Chinese mainland largely because of the virtual absence of an industrial economy but also because of the perceived political risk. My twenty-five years living in Northern Ireland and my nine years living in South Africa before moving to the US were seen as excellent training ground in Sovereign Risk Analysis which was a large part of my role with the Bank. It was on my first visit to Taiwan that I was quickly to learn about the perceived political threat from the mainland. After a day of calling on five or six banks I decided to work out in the gym at my hotel. After the work out I moved to the top floor (or roof) of the hotel where there was a running track. I was not far into my jogging session before becoming aware of a noise of marching boots and militaristic commands. Far beneath me and next door to the hotel was a school where the students were being trained in military preparedness at 7 o’clock at night in virtual darkness. My office manager, who was a local, was able to advise me over dinner that this

was standard practice in every school. While I was well aware of the on-going threat of the mainland governments to take over Taiwan again, I was not fully cognisant of how this literally translated to “boots on the ground”. The weaponry aimed across the South China Sea at Taiwan included ballistic missiles, advanced fighter aircraft and anti-satellite weapons. Taiwan for its part spends on average about $10.5 billion per annum (or 2.5 per cent of its National Budget) on defence. This is perceived as adequate to hold the mainland forces at bay until the US forces arrive (whether this is realistic under President Obama’s foreign policy is more than questionable). China’s President Xi used the Singapore meeting to stress his bottom line for cross straits relations. His point was interesting when he said: “We are brothers who are still connected by our flesh even if our bones are broken”. He went on to target President Ma’s opposition in the upcoming elections (the Democratic Progressive Party) who appear to be well ahead in the most recent polls. His statement that “the boat of peaceful development will encounter terrifying waves, or even capsize” was obviously aimed to warn any new leadership of the necessity to tow the line and not rock the boat. The Taiwanese are great pragmatists and the fact that there are an estimated 1600 missiles aimed at them less than 100 miles away across the Taiwan Strait is not lost on any party. Similarly it is unlikely that President Xi wants to enter a bloody war with its nearest neighbour just because he sees a lame duck President in the White House.

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Isuzu D-Max Number 1 in Northern Ireland Latest SMMT statistics for 2015 confirm what many already knew – the mighty Isuzu D-Max is Northern Ireland’s number one retailing pick-up. The three times winner of the pick-up of the year award (every year since it was launched in 2013) is now available on Leasing and Contract Hire from just £215 +VAT on a 3 year rental with 6 up front and 10,000 miles per annum. “We have five independently owned dealers in NI and three (John Barr Crumlin, Eakin Bros Claudy and Gormley Dungannon) are Fleet Centres with extended aftersales opening hours and corporate customer facilities” said Omagh based Isuzu Regional Manager, Alastair Kerr. “Our dealer proprietors are all in their businesses daily, and we think that’s important for customer care and confidence. We don’t sell through brokers or the big motor groups, our customer feedback underlines the value placed in personal service of the highest order – Isuzu buyers like dealing with

Isuzu business owners direct. We might be old-fashioned at Isuzu, but it’s proving a winning formula - Isuzu sales in NI are running at double the growth rate of the rest of the UK.

details there too. And don’t just take our word for how good the Isuzu D-Max is, ask any of our fast growing customer base – you’ll find D-Max users at building sites, trade merchants and farm auctions across Northern Ireland”.

“Check us out at www.isuzu-ni.com and you can find our full NI dealer network

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Why are broadband speeds lower in rural areas? The distance between the premises and the exchange has an impact on the quality of service received, and in particular the speed of a consumer’s connection. Consumers who live in less densely populated parts of the UK are more likely to live further from the exchange, and therefore achieve lower broadband speeds. The resistance of copper wire increases with the length of the wire, so speeds decay as the distance between the premises and the exchange increases. Speeds typically start to decrease between 1 and 2km from the exchange and are reduced considerably at distances more than 3.5km. FTTC-based broadband uses optical fibre to the cabinet and therefore the length of

copper wire is reduced. It can currently support superfast speeds up to 80Mbit/s. However, as some copper wire remains between the cabinet and the premises, there can be some decay in speeds for customers located a long way from a cabinet. Customers further than 300m from a cabinet can expect their speeds to be less than half the maximum possible. However, most consumers who live too far from the cabinet to receive superfast broadband may still benefit from the upgrade at the cabinet, as the reduction in the length of the copper access line will improve their broadband speeds. Source: Ofcom Connected Nations Report

Getting up to speed Ensuring everyone has access to good broadband has become a priority for Ofcom and the UK government, writes Adrienne McGill.

hen it comes to broadband, speed is everything. The faster the connection, the more people can use it and the more you can do with it. The good news is that according to latest Ofcom figures, average download speeds in Northern Ireland have risen again in the last year, by 19 per cent, to 28.3 Mbit/s. And Ofcom says 77 per cent of premises (both homes and businesses) now have access to services that will deliver average speeds of 30Mbit/s or more. These are heady figures for those of us who are old enough to remember the days of “dial-up” internet connections. Better still, in Northern Ireland around half of those that have access to these superfast services have signed up for them, higher than any other part of the UK. So we are in good place then? Well you are if you get these great speeds. 76 NI Chamber

Other Ofcom figures, released as part of its Connected Nations Report, show that significant numbers of homes and businesses still can’t get even a basic broadband service. In Northern Ireland, some 6 per cent of premises are stuck with services that deliver 2Mbit/s or less, higher than anywhere else in the UK. Unsurprisingly, these are mostly though not exclusively in rural areas with the highest proportion in the Fermanagh and Omagh, Mid Ulster, and Newry, Mourne and Down council areas, according to the Ofcom report. This urban/rural split is an area Ofcom, the Northern Ireland Executive, and the UK Government are keen to focus on. James Stinson from Ofcom explains: “There are economic and technical challenges to improving broadband in rural areas. “The speed you get largely depends on how far away you live from a fibre-enabled

Ofcom’s James Stinson.

roadside cabinet or exchange. As a result, average speeds are much lower in rural areas where there are significant numbers who can’t even get a basic service of 2Mbit/s. “It’s important to stress that this urban/rural split exists in England, Scotland and Wales too. However, there are unique challenges in Northern Ireland where our more dispersed rural population, which could be summed up as a ‘house in every field’, means the problems of poor broadband are more acute here. “It’s something we as a regulator and government are keen to address.” In November the Government announced its intention to make it a legal right that everyone in the UK has access to a service that delivers a minimum download speed of at least 10Mbit/s by 2020. This is welcome but providing this kind of service right across the UK is not without its challenges. James Stinson says: “Given the geography

and population densities of different areas of the UK, it is clear that there will be locations where the length of the line to individual premises mean that delivery of even 10Mbit/s becomes very difficult, if not impossible, via fixed means. “Alternative technologies such as satellite and wireless deployments could ultimately form part of the solutions to connect these premises.” Ofcom is assisting the UK Government and we can expect to hear more about these plans next year. In the short term, Ofcom has highlighted some practical steps customers can take to improve their broadband experience and has launched an app for this very purpose. James Stinson says: “We estimate that consumers’ home broadband experience may not be working as well as it could in around a fifth of homes. “This is often caused by something

unrelated to the internet connection, which could be as simple as interference to the router from a lamp, stereo speakers or baby monitor. The app identifies if your connection isn’t performing as it should be, and suggest simple trouble-shooting tips.” Furthermore, next year Ofcom plans to map the actual broadband connection speeds for every address in the UK, telling people what service they can expect from different providers. The information will help them shop around for the best deals. James Stinson adds: “Ofcom wants to see the widest possible availability of communications services in Northern Ireland. There has been good progress in recent years and it’s really important we keep that up, particularly in areas that are harder to reach.” •Ofcom’s Connected Nations report can be viewed at www.ofcom.org.uk

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An ocean of opportunities Political stability, investment and Brexit – the US Consul General in Northern Ireland Daniel Lawton talks to Adrienne McGill about key issues topping the agenda.

he 2016 election for the next President of the United States will take place on Tuesday 8 November with the American electorate deciding on who will take his or her place in the White House. The intense interest in US Presidential elections on these shores illustrates the long-standing and deep ties with Northern Ireland, politically, culturally, and economically. The US Consul General in Northern Ireland Daniel Lawton says his country remains committed to furthering engagement and co-operation with Northern Ireland. “The US has a significant diplomatic investment in peace and prosperity in Northern Ireland. One of the roles I have is to promote a shared pluralistic and strong political future for the devolved institutions of Northern Ireland. Another is to promote

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a transatlantic prosperity agenda with trade and investment going both ways across the Atlantic – our two economies are so closely intertwined. The third is to promote the people-to-people ties between Northern Ireland and the US. We have a very strong foundation but we would like to build on it.” Daniel Lawton took over from Greg Burton last August as the Washington administration’s representative in Belfast after having been Deputy Director of the Office of Southern European Affairs in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs at the US Department of State. The married father-of-two who hails from Syracuse in New York State has also held diplomatic posts in Athens, Caracas, Copenhagen, Lima, Karachi and Mexico City. “I am enjoying Northern Ireland very much both professionally and personally. It is a real privilege to be an American diplomat

“The US has a significant diplomatic investment in peace and prosperity in Northern Ireland.” in Belfast because the diplomatic tradition here is so long-standing. The list of Consul Generals goes back to 1796. The American Consulate in Belfast is the second longest continuously running US Consulate anywhere in the world. It speaks of the importance of the contacts between Northern Ireland and the US. What I hope to be able to achieve in my time here is to build on the wonderful foundation which I have inherited.” Mr Lawton says the US is a strong proponent of having strong and stable devolved institutions in Northern Ireland and has been very active in supporting the range of talks over the years under the auspices of the UK and Irish governments which have included the Stormont House Agreement and last November’s Fresh Start agreement. During the negotiations in the run-up to the Fresh Start agreement aimed at resolving the most recent political crisis at Stormont which focused on finance, paramilitary activity and how to deal with the legacy of the Northern Ireland conflict, Senator Gary Hart visited Belfast in mid-October to support the talks. The Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny also indicated that former US President Bill Clinton had offered his help to resolve the impasse amongst the political parties. “Political stability is important because it is in the interests of all the parties in Northern Ireland to achieve a successful and a viable outcome,” says Mr Lawton. “Senator Gary Hart is playing a formal role as the Secretary of State John Kerry’s Personal Representative – he remains at a political level the person most engaged in encouraging progress. “When President Obama came to Belfast in June 2013 and spoke at the Waterfront Hall, he said: ‘When peace was achieved

here it gave the entire world hope.’ That line captures the reservoir of good will towards Northern Ireland and that opens doors. Nevertheless, we are asked questions by potential US investors such as is the current government stable and well run? Is the current political situation predictable? For the benefit of economic prosperity and for all the people of Northern Ireland, it is important that members of the Northern Ireland Executive are working together to make sure they can answer those questions positively.” The US is the single biggest foreign investor in Northern Ireland and US companies have committed $1.6 billion to the region over the last 10 years. US investment represents one third of the total Foreign Direct Investment in Northern Ireland and in the last 5 years US-owned companies have generated over 4,300 jobs and salaries totalling more than £137 million. They also spent approximately £100 million on R&D. “I have had the chance to visit US firms doing business in Northern Ireland as well as Northern Ireland firms doing business in the US. The transatlantic prosperity agenda has mutual benefits. “US firms that are doing business in Northern Ireland have increased their operations and so there is a track record of success that is attractive to American investors. There are conditions that also make it a favourable location – the world class universities, the skill set and work ethic that people have and competitive cost structures, such as broadband. The combination of factors makes Northern Ireland a very attractive place to do business. It is very important for everyone to pull in the same direction and to generate an attractive climate for future investment.” Among the US investors in Northern

Ireland are Allstate, Liberty Mutual, Caterpillar, CME, Citi and HBO, whose highly popular TV series Game of Thrones is partly filmed in the region and features many of its stunning locations. “Part of continuous diplomatic work is to engage with people who are doing business in Northern Ireland and also people who are looking at Northern Ireland as a potential place in which to do business,” says Mr Lawton. “Northern Ireland also does a very good job of advertising the potential opportunities through Invest NI and NI Chamber and the other trade bodies that look at a global way to promote trade and investment.” Meanwhile America’s stance on the Brexit issue has been made clear by the US administration which last November ruled out a separate trade deal with the UK if it leaves the European Union. “This will be a decision for the people of the UK to take based on all the information which is available. From a US perspective, I can reiterate what President Obama and Matthew Barzun, the US Ambassador to the UK have said – the US favours a strong UK in a strong EU,” says Mr Lawton. “The EU is our biggest trade and investment partner in the world. We do almost $3 billion worth of trade in goods and services on a daily basis with the EU. We have invested $4 trillion in each other’s economies. We estimate that 13 million jobs on both sides of the Atlantic depend on the US-EU trade investment relationship.” With a busy year ahead, Daniel Lawton says he’s looking forward to a packed schedule and playing his part in helping to develop even stronger links between his country and Northern Ireland.

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mums with power Diane Poole OBE is Head of PR and Communications with Stena Line. She is married to Ernie and the couple have one son Jordan (21).

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Describe your job? I have been the Head of PR and Communications at Stena Line for four years now and have worked in the travel industry for almost 40 years. My job covers a range of communication elements including crisis management, internal and external public relations, brand protection, lobbying and media relations. It’s a bit of a cliché to say it but no two days are ever the same. In any given week I could be producing corporate copy for press, responding to media enquiries, meeting with sponsors travelling on our vessels around the Irish sea or attending a meeting in our Head Office in Gothenburg, Sweden and everything in between! What is your favourite part of the day? I truly love my job and enjoy the challenges that it brings throughout the day but there is one aspect that I really do find rewarding – crisis management. The pragmatic and quick thinking needed in a crisis management situation is a particular strength of mine. We have a strong team at Stena Line so liaising with colleagues throughout the day is always good as we are all working towards a common goal – to ensure that we deliver a fantastic service for our customers.

What do you do to ensure a work/life balance? My job is 24/7 so I need to be available at all times for any colleagues or media that may need me so it can be difficult to ensure I enjoy a good work-life balance. My philosophy is that when I do take time off, I make sure to put my family first. I love to arrange holidays and weekend breaks away with my family and friends so I make sure to enjoy this time as much as I can. Christmas is without doubt my favourite time of the year and I love to have my whole extended family round so that we can all spend the day together, that’s precious time that you need to savour. How does having a child impact your personal and working life? I have one son who is 21 so things are different now in relation to my working life than when he was younger. I am lucky because when he was a child, I had a good support network of family and friends that helped me out when I needed it and I have been very lucky to work in family friendly companies which allowed me flexible working where possible. Now that my son is older, things are different but it’s still important for me to spend time with him so I am very grateful for the flexibility my job can provide me with in Stena Line. It’s important to me to be able to manage a successful career and be a good mum as both are key parts of my life. Are working mums in greater need of state support than stay-at-home mums? I don’t believe that working mums are in greater need of state support. Being a mum is a job in itself and I feel that just because I work, doesn’t mean that I necessarily need more support. If anything, mums at home may need more support, especially if they have only one source of income or are a single parent. Do you think you will always remain in employment? I really enjoy my job and as long as I am healthy and have the energy, I will keep going. My job is such a huge part of my life that I just can’t imagine ever not working – not yet anyway. I think that you get back what you put in and because I work hard every day, I also reap the rewards that my role brings.

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Holywood – A Star Location for Esri Ireland With just shy of 10,000 employees scattered throughout the globe, Esri is the largest billion-dollar, privately held software company that you’ve probably not heard of. Esri Ireland is Esri’s official point of presence and they have been working with customers in Northern Ireland since 2002. Their island-wide business employs 53 people with 7 employees based in their Holywood office, looking after the interests of a very strong and loyal customer base.

and sectors in Northern Ireland including Environment, Agriculture, Land & Property, Planning, Utilities, Housing, Education, Insu-rance, Infrastructure, Renewable Energy, Public Safety and the Northern Ireland Assembly. If you’d like to discover ways that you can

leverage geography and Esri’s technology and expertise in your own organisation, why not say hello to the team at mapsmakesense@esri-ireland.ie or connect via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/ company/esri-ireland

“Our business is based on the belief that knowing “where” things happen matters” says Jonathan Irwin, Customer Success Manager – “We are a software and services organisation specialising in the application of geographic information systems or GIS”. GIS is based on the simple principle of attaching a location to every piece of data. The Holywood team are working with many public and private sector customers to help them record where things happen and analyse why to provide greater business insight on which to make better business decisions. Esri Ireland provide geographic information services to a wide range of industries

The Esri Ireland Northern Ireland Team pictured left to right: Philip McLaughlin, Keith Montague, Jonathan Irwin, Adam Glover, Paul Hickson, Caroline Cochrane and John Hewitt.

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a wealth of experience Gordon Martin Financial Services has been trading since 2006 and is a broker working with finance houses to offer the best financial solution available for your asset purchases. They can assist all businesses from agriculture, transport, construction, quarrying, manufacturing, office equipment and offer a range of financial products available to businesses who wish to invest in their business. The following products ease cash flow by spreading the cost. •Hire Purchase •Leasing •Contract Hire •Invoice Discounting for flexible finance Gordon who had some thirty eight years’ experience within the finance and banking sector has a comprehensive knowledge of the industry providing an understanding of not only the equipment being financed but also the industry within which it is being used.

Since starting up on his own he has been joined by his partner and wife Heather and between them they have some 65 years’ experience. Advances from £5,000 to £1,000,000+ can be considered to businesses e.g. sole traders, partnerships and limited companies subject to normal

underwriting criteria. Equipment can be either new or used. The partnership works well with Gordon in sales and Heather in administration and holds an excellent record in customer service.

an inspiring journey Rebecca says, “I became a member of WeightWatchers 13 years ago. At that time I was a very severe asthmatic and was hospitalised on numerous occasions each year. After a particularly bad attack I was ventilated and in ICU. I was sitting in hospital feeling very sorry for myself and decided something had to be done about my weight. My friend came to visit and we decided we would start WeightWatchers together. I was a little apprehensive at first but thought ‘What have I got to lose?’

Name: Rebecca Wilson From: Omagh Class attended: Dungannon

So I took the plunge and became a member. I joined the Dungannon evening class with Lorna and soon found out I could lose weight and still have a ‘life’. After about a year I got engaged and really felt motivated towards getting closer to my goal weight for the big day. I felt fantastic on my wedding day with just a few pounds to go to my goal weight. Within a few years I had two children and all my weight that I had originally lost was back on again. So back to WeightWatchers it was! In June 2002 I reached my goal weight, just after my 30th Birthday. I lost a total of 5st 10lbs! I became a WeightWatchers leader early in 2014. I feel fantastic! I love helping and encouraging people along their weight loss journey”. To find a class near you visit www.weightwatchers.ie or call 028 9042 6812.

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Say Hello... to a healthier, happier, more confident you!

Find your local class now at weightwatchers.ie or call 028 9042 6812.

columnist

With increasing demands on the natural resources of the earth, ICT innovation can play a key role in delivering solutions, says Sinead Dillon, principal consultant, fujitsu.

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Innovation for growing populations

he world’s population is growing fast, while at the same time resources are dwindling. The latest forecasts suggest the world’s population will grow from 7 billion today reaching 9.6 billion by 2050 and the UK’s population is expected to swell to 77 million – almost a 24 per cent increase. All these people will need to be fed, clothed, educated, employed, and have heating and lighting in their homes. As a result, the future is set to be more complex and more competitive than ever, putting immense strain on existing commercial and social systems including the government organisations providing everyday services such as education, transport, health and social care. The speed and scale of the population change will dramatically affect both business and society and necessitate new thinking and new solutions… what role can technology and innovation play? Starting with the human essentials – food and water, even these traditional necessities are prime targets for innovation. It is estimated that we need a 70 per cent increase in food production to meet the global needs of 2050. The only way to produce enough food from the same land area is to improve productivity dramatically. Expert farming knowledge combined with IT skills provides the key to this leap forward. By continuously monitoring and analysing relevant metrics such as growth, light, moisture and nutrients, famers can react in a

timely fashion to maximise yields while improving both crop and livestock quality. Meanwhile, the World Economic Forum sees access to clean and safe water as the number one global risk to society. So what can IT offer? IT can make a massive difference by using a combination of monitoring, data analysis and augmented reality – (digital information optimised for the user accessible via AR marker similar to a quick response code and smart device) – to create the water systems needed to manage water innovatively and make it available in the places that need it most. In Japan, Fujitsu is helping the water industry to identify and fix problems before they escalate, and enabling the industry to respond flexibly to changing consumer demands. For public service delivery, a growing population of the magnitude forecast will clearly put more strain on already stretched systems – whether that is education, access to health or even the frequency of our waste collections. Data analytics holds the key to this challenge – by taking the guesswork out of public service delivery and offering a more powerful means of understanding and responding to population patterns and changing needs. Collecting data from a wide variety of devices in the environment can give communities and authorities a real time picture of environmental issues and use of various public facilities such as transport and parking challenges. In education as class sizes are growing IT can help maximise the use of resources and deliver more

targeted, individualised services. Online access for example can supplement personal interaction while augmented reality systems can offer a great way to automate the teaching of practical skills rather than specialised individual workshops. In the business world, there is an opportunity for emerging economies and companies to exploit digital technologies to leapfrog established players and set new standards for efficiency, effectiveness, quality and flexibility. With the combination of cloud and digital services, they have the agility that more traditional companies often lack and can respond with more innovation to meet new challenges. Existing businesses can of course exploit these effects too. Their data and applications can become dynamic business assets rather than barriers to change if they embrace digitalisation. The world we are building for our children will be a very different place. Population growth is clearly a fundamental force with potentially radical effects; however, as shown, ICT innovation can play a key role in delivering solutions. It can help by improving resource efficiency and effectiveness well beyond traditional standards and by balancing competition with new forms of collaboration. We have the technology and the innovation genes – we just need to marry the best technology with our hopes for prosperity, security and a sense of community – something we at Fujitsu call human centric innovation.

BUSINESS CLASS MOTORING By James Stinson

18 Boucher Way, Belfast, BT12 6RE W: agnewcorporate.com

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Safe Workplaces In accordance with HSENI advice, employers need to make sure that all staff are trained to work safely. All employees should be given initial training when they first start work, covering basic health and safety procedures. However, at some stage you will require the help of a specialised training company to meet Health & Safety regulations in the workplace.

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Training Co-ordinator, Jane Gilmore, Blaris Training Solutions, delivering Emergency First Aid at work.

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They offer an enviable blend of heavy weight experience and innovative thinking. This enables the company to apply their experience to a rapidly evolving media landscape, embracing digital alongside more established channels. Rumour Mill PR get results that matter for their clients â&#x20AC;&#x201C; sales increases, footfall, conversion rates etc Rumour Mill PR successfully launched The Gobbins in 2015 to the global tourism market. Brand strategy lies at the heart of Rumour Mill PRâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s integrated communications offer which combines thoughtful, imaginative ideas with up to the minute consumer insight and sector knowledge.

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Technology keeps us ahead Investing in technology has kept Agnew Corporate ahead of competition. With ever-growing emphasis on software progression, they have identified, developed and maintained a fleet software tool that allows their customers to control their fleet more effectively and to simplify their fleet management experience. The innovative ethos of Agnew Fleet Manager (AFM) is designed around a ‘Dashboard’ homepage. Homepage exception reporting means you’re immediately alerted to what needs to be actioned, instantly and easily, while 3-click control simplifies administration into the simplest, fastest possible process. The system is accessed via a secure, password protected site, accessible via any browser on any internet-ready PC or Tablet. Agnew Fleet Manager will streamline administration of your fleet to the absolute minimum, eliminate paperwork and will automatically help you to fulfil your duty of care as an employer. And that, ultimately, will save you not only time, but also money. A dedicated system specialist will be on-hand to provide you with expert advice and to take you through the process of the initial setup, right through to the aftercare of maintaining AFM. Simply designed, tailored to your requirements and always developing further. For more information on Agnew Fleet Manager call 028 9038 6600.

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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. Advertisements for Ulster Tatler Group publications are accepted only on condition that the advertiser warrants that the advertisement does not in any way contravene the provisions of the Copyright Text and Advertising Trade Descriptions Act 1968. Where advertisements and art work have been specially designed for Ulster Tatler Group, copyright is strictly reserved. The entire contents of the magazine, articles, photographs and advertisements, are the copyright © of NI Chamber of Commerce and Ulster Tatler Group., and may not be reproduced in any form without written consent from the publishers. The publishers will institute proceedings in respect of any infringement of copyright. Please note that whilst every effort is made to ensure that any submitted items which you wish returned are sent back in the condition in which they were received, Ulster Tatler Group cannot accept responsibility for any loss or damage. All items submitted are at the owner’s own risk. Manuscripts and photographs/illustrations submitted should be accompanied by a stamped addressed envelope. If possible do not send original or irreplaceable material - to avoid disappointment please send copies only. The Publishers - Ulster Tatler Group reserve the right to reject any advertisement submitted.

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fair competition

Jill Downing from Magennis & Creighton Solicitors discusses how to protect your business from competition, both externally and internally. 2. extend no further than is reasonably necessary to protect those interests. A balance is therefore to be struck as stated in Stenhouse Australia Ltd v Phillips 1974 â&#x20AC;&#x153;the employee is entitled to use to the full any personal skill and experience even if this has been acquired in the service of his employer: it is this freedom to use to the full a manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s improving ability and talents which lies at the root of the policy of the law regarding this type of restraintâ&#x20AC;?. Establishing and maintaining a business is a constant challenge. Closely linked to the financial success of a business is protecting it from competition, both externally and internally. This may be in respect of technology, processes or client information. It is important therefore to regulate your legal position with your employees from the outset. The starting point is that covenants restricting the freedom of the exemployee are unenforceable, however covenants will be upheld if the employer can show that the covenants are: 1. designed to protect legitimate interests.

There are three principal types of business interest which the employer is entitled to seek to protect:

may be relevant as they may have more opportunity to gain influence over customers. The duration of the restriction is also an important factor: this may be linked to the length of time it will take to recruit, train and establish with customers new employees. By way of example in the insurance industry where most policies are renewed annually, a one year covenant may be more readily justifiable. 2. Business secrets or confidential information 3. Stability of workforce Each case will depend on the particular circumstances of the business and legal advice should be sought in drafting restraint of trade covenants.

1. Trade connection or goodwill for which non-competition or area covenants would prevent the exemployee from carrying on or being engaged in a competing business within a defined area or non dealing covenant prevents the ex-employee from dealing with the customers or suppliers of the ex-employer. In determining the reasonableness of the covenant the seniority of the employee

Magennis & Creighton Solicitors, Newtownabbey, was established in 1997 with five partners providing a full compliment of legal services for businesses including employment law, commercial conveyancing, company formation and litigation. Please consult our web page at www.mc-solicitors.com.

Magennis & Creighton Solicitors 572 Shore Road, Newtownabbey Co. Antrim BT37 0SL Tel: 02890365777 Fax: 02890365999

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lifestyle

Looking at a website is the first port of call for many people planning to travel or go on holiday – but what they see needs to grab their attention as Kathryn Pyper, head of digital success at engage explains.

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Enriching the Travel Experience On-line A

s Head of Digital Success at Engage I work with a number of travel organisations across Ireland helping our clients design beautiful, highly targeted websites. I would like to share my advice on how to enrich the travel experience on a website using data driven design. If you want to succeed on-line in today’s market, data driven design is paramount. All of the digital activities it takes to drive visitors to your website are in vain if you’re not providing a relevant and connected experience for your potential customers. But before you start to critique design you need to understand how your website is

informed changes. Analyse where users exit your website, look at pages with a high bounce rate; these metrics will help you identify poor performing pages on your website. The next step is to review these pages to assess how they can be improved; do they need more content or a clearer call to action? A recent travel survey2 revealed that the top travel design features that customers want are: good photography, third party reviews, clear pricing and a simple booking process. You should critically evaluate your website with these features in mind. Does your photography tell the story? Does it sell your location/destination?

aid conversion, what’s included and what’s not included. Are there any added extras at the checkout stage? Use design aids such as information icons to highlight if there is extra information that the visitor needs to be aware of. Your booking process needs to be simple. Keep forms as short as possible and gather essential information such as email first, this way if the customer does not complete the booking you can contact them. A guided step by step booking process with clear indications of each step will also help to convert a customer to buy. In order to enrich the travel experience on your website, analysis

converting; this is your benchmark for continual improvement and success. The industry average conversion rate for travel and hospitality in 2014 was 2.2 per cent.1 Your current conversion rate relates to the percentage of users who take a desired action, e.g. the percentage of website visitors who buy something on your site. But do you know what your current one is? Understanding your customer’s user journey is an essential part of data driven design. Users expect a lot from the web, they want to be able to easily book on-line from any device. But not every web user navigates your website in the same way or the way you think they should. Identifying areas for improvement will allow you to make

When you are selling on-line, the saying ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’ could not be truer. Your website photography should connect with the visitor to encourage them to proceed to book. Big photos work best, good quality and lots of variety, and don’t forget to caption each photo. Travel reviews are very powerful; with 350 million unique monthly visitors3 to TripAdvisor there is no denying their influence. In fact 92 per cent4 of people believe peer-to-peer recommendations rather than a brand recommendation. Including reviews on your website adds authority and endorsement that will reassure your visitor and could be the deciding factor to buy. Being clear with your pricing will also

is key. Data should be analysed to continually improve your website design and conversion. Data is your friend; use it to make simple changes to your website and test to see if it improves conversion. Sources: 1 http://www.smartinsights.com/ ecommerce/ecommerce-analytics/ ecommerce-conversion-rates/ 2 EPiServer Travel Survey 2014 3 TripAdvisor log files, average monthly unique users, Q3 2015 4 https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/ who-do-you-trust-92-consumerspeer-recommendations-over-joey-little March 24 2015

lifestyle

CULINARY DELIGHTS Beef Short Rib, Scallop and Pea Puree For 2 people: 2 short ribs (rib cap or Jacob’s ladder) Rapeseed oil 200ml red wine 1 litre beef or vegetable stock 100g thyme 10 peppercorns 2 bay leaves 4 cloves garlic, whole 2 scallops 350g peas 1 large potato, peeled and chopped into chunks 60g butter or 50ml crème friache Salt Pepper Pre heat the oven to 160deg C. Start by getting a hot pan and with a little drizzle of rapeseed oil, season the beef with salt and pepper and then place in the pan and sear the short ribs until lightly browned all over. Make sure you have your extractor fan on as it may get smokey. Once sealed, move to a roasting tray and cover in the red wine, stock and herbs and cook for up to 4 hours until the meat is soft, still attached to the bone but will melt in your mouth. Keep an eye on this and

ensure that it is always covered in liquid. The next step is to make the pea puree. I have added potatoes to give the dish a little more starch and to make the peas hold better. Peel and chop the potato into chunks and boil until tender, then drain and mash. Next, cook the peas in boiling water and, once tender, drain. Place in a food processer or using a stick blender mix the potatoes and the peas and a good dollop of the butter or crème fraiche and blend until smooth. You can have a bit of texture to this if you do not want the puree completely smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

in the new year, putting a focus on creating meals with minimal fuss makes sense, like theSE two dishes from acclaimed chef Niall McKenna, head chef at james street stouth.

With the scallops you want to cook through on a hot pan again on the hob. When cooking all fish/shellfish you can see the change in colour from translucent to white, this should only take 2/3 minutes each side, so once cooked, remove. To plate up, place a good spoonful of the pea puree on the plate, place the short rib on top and then place the scallop on top. As I rule I always leave a little stock to drizzle over the dish and serve.

Chicken thigh Curry 2 onions sliced 2 garlic cloves, crushed Oil for frying 2 tsp curry powder 1 large tin chopped tomatoes 1 tsp mango chutney 500g chicken thighs, cooked 100ml single cream 1 bunch coriander, shredded 1 tblsp crème fraiche Start by seasoning the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Gently fry the chicken thighs in a pan with a little of the oil, make sure that you brown on all sides and once cooked remove from pan and place in the oven to finish for 10 minutes at 160deg C. The next task you want to start is to make the curry sauce. You can use the pan you fried the chicken thighs

in. Remove any excess oil then add the onions, garlic and a tablespoon of the oil and cook until soft for about 10 minutes. Add in the spices and cook for a further 3 minutes, keep stirring and do not let the mix stick to the pot. Add in the tomatoes, chutney and cook for 5 minutes, add in the cream and cook for a further 10 minutes. The curry is now ready. This is best served on cous cous as it has more of a Moroccan theme than an Indian curry. To plate up, place the cous cous on the plate with the chicken thighs on top and the curry sauce on top of this. I always like to add a dollop of crème fraiche to all curries as it can take away the intensity of any spices. Place a handful of the coriander on top.

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lifestyle

New year, new wardrobe

Make life simple for yourself and visit The OUTLET, Banbridge for all the latest trends for him and her. Home to more than 50 of the world’s best-known retail brands, it is a shopping and leisure destination like no other. This issue, Ashleigh Addis, women’s editor at the Ulster tatler takes a look at the latest trends for the new year. Top picks include chic coats and accessories for the ladies and stylish suits for the men. With ski holidays also being a firm favourite at this time of the year, you can feel stylish on the slopes with the current range of sportswear available. Paul Costelloe Menswear Collection.

Jaeger Outlet Coat, £249 (£399 RRP). Antler Bag £84 (£120 RRP). Daniel Footwear Boots £97 (£139 RRP). Daniel Footwear Hat £29.99.

Chapelle Jewellery Man’s Chronograph Watch, £150 (£299 RRP).

Paul Costelloe Taupe Check Suit, £199 (£399 RRP).

Jaeger Outlet Leopard Ombre Scarf, £39 (£75 RRP).

Jaeger Outlet Foster Hobo Bag, £49 (£125 RRP). 94 NI Chamber

Skiwear from TOG24.

Trespass Men’s Ski Jacket, £124.99 (£249.99 RRP). Trespass ALDEN Mens Technical Ski Pants, £69.99 (£139.99 RRP).

Skiwear from TOG24. Trespass Ski Gloves, £34.99 (£69.99 RRP).

Trespass Snowsport Goggles, £24.99 (£49.99 RRP).

All items available from The OUTLET, Banbridge

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columnist

sign off... Digital Detox Gadgets can become addictive but Jim Fitzpatrick, an independant broadcaster, has decided to take a break as he explains.

e all make resolutions in the New Year. Maybe it’s the drink, or the chocolates, or a renewed commitment to hit the gym. This year, I’ve decided to make some work resolutions. And one of them is a bit counter-intuitive for someone who specialises in communications and media: I’m going on a digital detox. I love my iPhone. I remember when I got the first one – as soon as they came out. It was like holding the future in my hands. Flying cars may still be a few years off, but the 21st century arrived with this device. With this one beautiful gadget I can do so much. It still surprises me with its capabilities. The email, the calendar, the phone, the camera – all on one device, at all times. The internet on tap, any time, any place. Video calling, word processing, intelligent voice recognition. A myriad choice of applications. My music and videos and film to entertain which I can stream to my TV. Texting is now a misnomer, because often the messages are accompanied

96 NI Chamber

with crisp pictures, sound files or video. I can connect seamlessly with different groups simultaneously with group chat on applications like WhatsApp. Then there’s the social media. I’m a particular fan of Twitter – my neverending news stream where I can find everything from in-depth features on global issues to harmless banter on local politics. I can contribute too, and get immediate feedback, beginning conversations and debates with friends, followers and total strangers. And when it comes to the end of the day, it’s fun to drift off to a good drama or documentary on the BBC Radio iPlayer. But, if truth be told, I don’t switch off enough. Being constantly pluggedin, constantly contactable, constantly responding and checking and exploring is tiring. It’s too much, and that has to be bad for personal relationships and work productivity. So, I’m taking a detox. I don’t want to give up on all this wonderful connectivity, but I want to be digital master not slave. The strategy is simple, but also a bit

extreme. I’m giving up my favourite gadget. As far as phones go, I’m dumbing down and swapping the smartphone for something further down the evolutionary chain. Calls and texts – that’s all I want. My iPhone 6s Plus will become a mini tablet computer to be accessed at certain times and when needed. I will commit time to deal with emails, social media and other messages. I will use the applications when I need to. But I won’t have it with me always and everywhere. I’m going to feel some form of separation anxiety, I know, but I’m also anticipating a kind of liberation. The freedom to think, to read more, to analyse, to engage. This, I believe, will have big productivity benefits. Studies I’ve read, ironically on my iPhone, demonstrate that people are damaging their social relationships, their work effectiveness and ultimately their brains by their addiction to smartphones. My resolution is to ensure that I’m not one of them.

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MAGAZINE OF NORTHERN IRELAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 ISSUE 14 January/february 2016

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