Ambition Issue 23 (Jul/Aug 2017)

MAGAZINE OF NORTHERN IRELAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

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contents

NI CHAMBER COMMUNICATIONS PARTNER

July/August 2017 Issue 23

Editor: Adrienne McGill Publisher: Chris Sherry Advertising Manager: Catherine Patton Editorial Assistant: Joanne Harkness 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

72 the benefits of company benefits: Mercer PrincipalS Mick O’LOAN AND NUALA JACKSON TALK TO ADRIENNE MCGILL

NEWS: 08 NI’S MOST PROFITABLE FAMILY &

OWNER MANAGED BUSINESSES

10

LAUNCH OF BEST MANAGED

COMPANIES AWARDS

COLUMNISTS: 12 IAN RAINEY 44 Joanna Robinson 50 MAUREEN O’REILLY 70 TREVOR ANNON 78 Conall Keenan and

96

82 84

WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME?

SPECIAL FOCUS: 34 ACTIVITY ON AIR CONNECTIVITY LIFESTYLE: 88 MOTORING – A REAL HEAD TURNER 94 BE BOLD IN BLUE 95 TRAVEL – SAFE TRAVELS

Susan Cleland JIM FITZPATRICK

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FEATURES: 54 MY AMBITION IS TO… 54 SUPER SIX 56 BRIGHT YOUNG BUSINESS BRAINS 59 NI CHAMBER’S CORPORATE

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editorial

In recent months so much has become

to rise with seven new hotels on site in

overcast on Northern Ireland’s political

Belfast and a total of 4,330 bedrooms at

and economic landscape – but at least

all stages of the planning process.

there is light on the horizon particularly in one sector.

good news!

The second quarter of this year saw

Also welcome is the range of new

robust activity in commercial property

air services this summer – from sun

with a number of large transactions

kissed destinations in Spain to the cooler

progressing towards completion, for

climate of Iceland. In the Special Focus

example, the £125 million sale of

section, activity on air connectivity, we

CastleCourt Shopping Centre in Belfast

look at a range of operators in the air

and HMRC’s Belfast city centre office

travel market who are helping Northern

requirement of 100,000 sq. ft.

Ireland’s business and leisure passengers

According to research by commercial

access destinations across the world and

property adviser, CBRE, £18 million was invested in seven separate transactions

driving ambition The climb of commercial property and air travel

All these developments are certainly

attract tourists here.

Direct and convenient air access is

during Q2, and with a total of £220

vital for Northern Ireland’s economy and

million of transactions currently under

future prosperity. The Routes Europe

offer and in legals, a surge of transactions

conference in Belfast earlier this year was

will complete over the next four to six

a great opportunity to show the airports,

weeks.

airlines and key route development

The Northern Ireland office market,

professionals why new services are

which has been marked by a lack

needed in Northern Ireland.

of Grade A office space, turned a

Staying with all things new…and

corner with almost 150,000 sq.ft.

we’d like to welcome to Ambition new

leased in Q2 in nine transactions. The

columnists from Sync NI, Connall Keenan

market continues to be fuelled by

and Susan Cleland who’ll be writing

local indigenous companies expanding

about the futuristic happenings in the fast-

into larger premises along with FDI

paced tech world.

announcements. Refurbishment of

So even if you aren’t flying off to an

existing office space has also proven key

executive level meeting or a sandy beach

in delivering supply into the market.

holiday, just sit, back, relax…. and enjoy

CBRE notes that both the Belfast

the pages of Ambition.

City Centre Investment Fund and the Northern Ireland Investment Fund tender are set to provide additional funding to

Adrienne McGill

the property sector.

Editor

Meanwhile the hotel market continues

Ambition

building interiors building relationships FurniturE • SEating • StoragE • DEsign Partitions • CarpEt • Lighting • Logistics 028 9070 1080

04 NI Chamber

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editorial

PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE

Summer silence

I

have been NI Chamber President for just over a month and during that time the twists and turns in the political arena have become even more tangled.

At the time of writing this, my first President’s Perspective for Ambition, the Secretary of State James Brokenshire speaking in the House of Commons has said Westminster will legislate to give Stormont departments authority over spending decisions but that “critical point’ had not yet been reached.

There is still no resolution to the powersharing talks and is unlikely to be until after the summer.

The government must either allow talks to continue, call a new Northern Ireland election or introduce some form of direct rule.

However, Mr Brokenshire did not indicate what the government will do if the power-sharing talks fail to produce a deal.

It takes a cool head to assess just where we are now that the dust has settled on another deadline passed and on a cash injection which prior to the 8th June election, simply wasn’t on the cards.

It is disappointing that the June 29th deadline for the successful outcome of talks to break the political deadlock did not herald the return of devolution and our own Executive. However, we tend to look for the positives and so far none of the main protagonists have exited the talks process and while harsh words have been exchanged, there is clearly a process still in place. So where there are talks there is hope and in the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry we are absolutely positive that local Ministers, with a fully functioning Assembly, is by far the preferred means of government. The Executive has to realise that the business community want them back at work focusing on the economy.

Northern Ireland’s economy can be a success, and we have seen some significant and very welcome investment announcements in the last few weeks,

06 NI Chamber

but for these to be built upon we need an Executive which is rooted in genuine partnership and commitment to enriching society for everyone. If an extra few days or even weeks of talks can make that happen it is a price worth paying.

Of course the context for the political talks changed on the back of the deal between the DUP and the Conservative Government. Setting aside the political context which both made the deal possible and rendered the arrangement somewhat insecure in the long term, the fact is that as a region we will benefit. Previous financial packages connected to political agreements have too often been defined in smoke and

mirrors but this time round there is a clear commitment to spend £1 billion extra in Northern Ireland.

Projects previously put on the long finger due to lack of finance can now be advanced, including the much needed York Street Interchange in Belfast.

Where there was political uncertainly an advantage was seized.

Let’s hope the same thing can happen at a local level – and happen soon.

Ellvena Graham, President Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry

news

NI’S MOST PROFITABLE FAMILY & OWNER MANAGED BUSINESSES A total of 34 newcomers join the Top 100 Northern Ireland familyowned and owner-managed businesses in 2017, with this year’s pre-tax profit threshold rising to £1.5 million.

Altogether, the Top 100 businesses employ over 51,000 people across Northern Ireland and foot an annual wages and salaries bill of more than £1.5 billion.

The complete list has been compiled by Ulster University Business School on behalf of Harbinson Mulholland accountants.

Top of the league for the second year is W&R Barnett with pre-tax profits of over £36 million – going up by nearly £9 million on the previous financial year. Norbrook Holdings take 2nd place with £35.5 million – up £14 million on the previous year.

Almac takes 3rd place with pre-tax profits at £27.9 million – more than 120 per cent up – while SHS Group and John Henderson take the remaining places in the top 5, with pre-tax profits of +£20 million.

Darren McDowell, Partner in Harbinson Mulholland said: “Our Top 100 list underlines the fact that family-run and owner-managed firms are the backbone of our economy, accounting for a huge proportion of Northern Ireland’s business sector, employing large numbers of people and contributing hugely to the financial wellbeing of local communities.” * To access the full list online, visit NI Family Business at www.harbinson-mulholland.com

Michael McQuillan, Director Ulster University Business School (left) and Darren McDowell, Partner Harbinson Mulholland (right) with William Barnett (centre) of W & R Barnett.

MCS CHAMPIONS DIGITAL INNOVATION AT LEADING INDUSTRY EVENT

Sean Devlin, Head of IT Recruitment and Louise Smyth, Commercial Director, both of MCS and Simon Baillie, Head of Business at Digital DNA.

Belfast was a hot bed of innovation, celebration and inspiration during the recent Digital DNA event at St George’s Market. Supported by its official recruitment partner, MCS Group, Ireland’s leading business and technology event brought the potential of digital technologies to corporations, organisations and individuals over two days.

The event also benefitted from MCS, Northern Ireland’s leader in IT recruitment, as the principal event sponsor for the Digital DNA Awards.

The unique event at St Anne’s Cathedral,

welcomed more than 500 industry leaders, agencies, and entrepreneurs from across Northern Ireland and beyond.

Barry Smyth, Managing Director of MCS Group, said: “These awards in particular provided an unrivalled opportunity for the true visionaries in Northern Ireland’s digital realm to be recognised for their achievements.”

The awards welcomed the tech talented in their thousands from across Ireland and the UK and recognised achievements including Website, E-Commerce Project, Digital Team, Social Media Campaign and App creation.

A FIRST FOR BT IN NORTHERN IRELAND BT has opened a brand new state-of-the-art Network Operation Centre (iNOC) in Belfast following an investment of £1million.

The new Centre of Excellence, a first for BT in Northern Ireland, is a secure 24/7 operation where BT pro-actively manages its customers networks, specifically Managed Wide Area Networks (WAN) to proactively monitor customers’ networks and resolve issues.

The new BT iNOC will serve customers from both the public and private sectors here in Northern Ireland, across the rest of the UK and globally from its new centre in Belfast. Twenty new IT experts were recruited into roles such as networking skills, service relationship management and change

08 NI Chamber

management to help to deliver the service that operates 365 days a year.

Paul Murnaghan, Regional Director, BT Business said: “It is a world class facility, with world class technical capabilities that is run and managed by world class IT specialists. It will allow local, UK and global customers across the public and private sectors to secure their next generation network services that will underpin business growth and economic performance.”

The team of highly skilled IT professionals operate in a secure environment to manage customers’ often complex needs; everything from solution design and delivery to project management and proactive in-life management.

Valerie Wilson, Head of Managed Services at BT (NI)in Northern Ireland, Paul Murnaghan, Regional Director BT Business (NI) and iNOC customer, Gordon Milligan from Translink.

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news

DOUBLE SUCCESS FOR BELFAST MET TUTOR AT PRESTIGIOUS AWARDS A Belfast Met tutor dedicated to helping young people from disadvantaged backgrounds into employment has picked up two prestigious awards at the 2017 Career Ready Awards in London.

Heather Houston from Newtownards fought off stiff competition from Career Ready tutors across the UK to win the Northern Ireland and United Kingdom Santander Employability Champion 2017 Awards.

The award celebrates individuals who go above and beyond the requirements of their role as a Career Ready Coordinator and includes £5,000 prize money for the development of the winner’s Career Ready Programme.

Heather’s student Lucy Drummond, who is working towards her BTEC Extended Diploma in Business Level 3, also won the Sir Win Bischoff Career Ready Student of the Year for Northern Ireland.

Career Ready is a UK wide charity linking employers with schools and colleges to give students from lower income families the confidence, skills and networks to achieve their potential. Students get the opportunity to practice employability skills such as time management, problem solving, CV writing and interview techniques, as well as gaining practical experience in the workplace.

Speaking about winning the award Heather said: “Lucy and I had a wonderful time in London and we both left very proud winners! Winning this award is the ultimate privilege as a teacher – it’s incredibly humbling that I can give something back to others.”

Belfast Met Tutor, Heather Houston (right) and student Lucy Drummond.

NEUEDA IN £12 million expansion Belfast software firm Neueda has announced 165 new jobs in a £12 million expansion with Invest NI offering the company around £2 million in aid.

Neueda has clients in Northern Ireland and further afield, like the United States and Singapore.

The expansion will see its workforce almost double in size over the next two years.

It said the posts, including software engineers and data analysts, will pay average salaries of more than £30,000.

Neueda Chief Executive, Brendan Monaghan, said: “We’ve a great team of committed, talented people and their combined efforts have helped us achieve strong growth over the last five years.

“Together we are building something special and we’re keen to accelerate to the next level. This investment in new people will help us broaden our reach and cement our position with customers in capital markets, utilities and across the public sector.”

Alastair Hamilton, Invest NI’s CEO, said: “As part of our business strategy we are working closely with companies like Neueda that have the ability to scale quickly, supporting them to create jobs and increase competitiveness.”

Invest NI’s CEO Alastair Hamilton and Brendan Monaghan, CEO of Neueda.

10 NI Chamber

Launching Deloitte’s annual Best Managed Companies Awards are Glenn Roberts, partner at Deloitte in Belfast; Mark Cunningham from Bank of Ireland and Damian Barrett from Henderson Foodservice, which holds Gold Best Managed status for being in the programme for four years.

LAUNCH OF BEST MANAGED COMPANIES AWARDS Deloitte has launched the 2017/2018 Best Managed Companies Awards Programme in association with new sponsor Bank of Ireland. This year marks the tenth anniversary of the Best Managed Companies Awards Programme.

One of the primary objectives of the awards programme is to showcase the success of indigenous companies and acknowledge the contribution that this sector makes to the all-island economy.

Glenn Roberts, partner at Deloitte said: “For ten years, we have met and worked alongside some of the finest companies across the island of Ireland. Some were established after spotting opportunities during the downturn, others were faced with the task of surviving during a torrid few years for the Irish and global economies.

In spite of all the challenges, they have grown and developed and

each year they have added to the strength of our ‘Best Managed’ network.”

The Best Managed Companies judging panel considers companies from every perspective using a wide range of criteria including strategy, capability, commitment, financials and management performance and practices.

Mark Cunningham, Regional Business Development Manager at Bank of Ireland NI, said: “The Best Managed companies are drawn from a range of sectors which Bank of Ireland is actively supporting and the goals of the programme very much align to our own enterprise initiatives.” * For further information and details of how to enter the awards, visit www. deloittebestmanaged.ie.

The closing date for entries is 6th August 2017.

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27/06/2017 15:47

columnist

DONALD TRUMP AN ENIGMA

As Donald Trump continues to wage war on his own administration, Ian Rainey, former international banker, assesses descriptions of the US President.

Credit: Xinhua/REX/Shutterstock.

S

ome weeks ago I wrote about former US President Barrack Obama as ‘a good and decent man’.

Following in his footsteps and in power now since 20 January 2017, President Donald Trump has attracted a variety of descriptions.

I have read some very interesting headlines about him, such as: ‘Is Donald Trump mentally ill?’ Trump appears increasingly impatient, he seems to be a man who won’t listen to cautious counsel much less absorb constructive criticism. His recent firing of FBI Director James Comey is a case in point.

As I write this, The Donald has just returned from his trip to the Middle East and Europe where among many other dignitaries he had the pleasure of meeting the Pope.

Just to show how self-deluded he is, Trump’s comment to the Press was: “The new Pope is a humble man, very much like me, which probably explains why I like him so much.”

It may not be possible to classify Trump as mentally ill but he takes a lot of beating on the self-delusional stakes.

Dr Lance Dodes, former assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at the Harvard Medical School with some 34 fellow professionals published a letter in The New York Times stating: “Mr. Trump’s speech and actions make him incapable of serving safely as president”. In their letter, the mental health experts did not go so far as to proffer a diagnosis, but the affliction that has got the most play is to describe it as a form of narcissism, so extreme that it affects a person’s ability to function.

They define this as narcissistic personality disorder. This relates to a programming of the brain that is thought to arise in childhood that either puts a child on a pedestal and superficially inflates the ego or, conversely, withholds approval and requires the child to single-handedly build up his or her ego to survive.

Fred Trump, Donald’s father, always reminded his son “You are a king”. He reminded him frequently that the world was an unforgiving place and that it was important to be “a killer”. His father, years later, sent Donald to the New York Military Academy, where he

12 NI Chamber

could be controlled, while also remaining aggressively alpha male. Reports from the Academy were that he was too competitive to have close friends. In business he moved The Trump headquarters into Manhattan where his buildings always had to be the tallest. He also had to buy up more Atlantic City casinos than anyone else to further project the Trump name. No doubt, if he ever gets permission to build his Mexican wall it will be adorned with the Trump name in some shape or fashion maybe another Mount Rushmore with his own head and hairdo as the centre piece.

Barack Obama and his wife left the White House with a book contract for $65 million. Cantor Fitzgerald have reputedly offered Obama $400,000 to make a single speech at one of their client receptions later this year. At this stage it is highly unlikely to see Trump attracting such literary or financial achievements. It should be noted that President Trump’s proposed corporate tax cut from 35 per cent to 15 per cent has been defined as the biggest individual tax cut in American history. Estimates put the cost as increasing the Federal budget deficit by $7 trillion during the next decade. Paul Answorth, Chief US Economist at Capital Economics, says that the plan is so costly that it is hard to take it seriously. The impression Trump has made on overseas students is such that, since his arrival in the White House, 65 per cent of Business Schools in the US have reported a drop in the number of applicants for their MBA courses.

My former employer, Philadelphia National Bank precluded any of its staff from lending money to any casino in Atlantic City. Furthermore the real estate sector in New York was also out of bounds. These were rules laid down by the majority shareholders who had a Quaker background and would have very little in common with Trump or his ilk. Add the fact that Trump has reputedly been declared bankrupt four times, before he became president, his integrity among the banking fraternity would have been at an all-time low. Maybe that explains some of my apprehensions as to why I am unlikely to be defining Trump in some future article as ‘a good and decent man’.

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Top illusionist David Meade and Year 9 pupils from St Killian’s College Ellen Martin and Rachel McAuley.

IT STARTS HERE! Colm McDaid (Chief Executive of Supporting Communities), Michael McDonnell (Group Chief Executive of Choice Housing) and Mairead Meyer (Managing Director of NI Networks at BT).

BT LAUNCHES DIGITAL SKILLS INITIATIVE FOR HOUSING RESIDENTS BT has launched a new pilot initiative to provide digital skills training for up to 20 residents of Choice Housing schemes in Belfast.

The innovative ‘Get Connected’ programme is a 12-week digital training course to be held at the Skainos Centre in Belfast with the aim of helping to build digital confidence among those taking part, improve their employability and social mobility, and develop the skills they need to engage in a technology led world.

Supporting Communities, an independent charitable organisation which champions tenant and community participation, is delivering the training alongside a team of BT volunteers, who will provide support to the participants throughout the scheme and for up to one year afterwards.

The training programme will cover a range of topics from email and basic typing through to managing finances, preparing CVs as well as tutorials on how to use the internet to access public services online.

Mairead Meyer, Managing Director of NI Networks at BT, said: “We’re delighted to launch this initiative working with Choice Housing and Supporting Communities to deliver invaluable skills training and give real and lasting benefits to those in our community who need additional support.”

Michael McDonnell, Group Chief Executive of Choice Housing said: “This kind of digital inclusion initiative can make a real difference to our tenants’ lives and we’re thrilled that BT has stepped forward with the funding to enable Supporting Communities to deliver the training, meaning that even those with no experience of computers can quickly get to grips with digital life and its advantages.”

Colm McDaid, Chief Executive of Supporting Communities, said he looked forward to the impact that the project will have.

14 NI Chamber

Top illusionist and television mentalist David Meade joined students at Belfast Metropolitan College recently to officially launch the 2018 BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition (BTYSTE).

The launch took place at a SciTech Workshop hosted by David Meade and coordinated by BT, the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) and Belfast Metropolitan College. The workshop was designed to invigorate, inspire, and engage students and teachers alike in STEM subjects.

During the event, David Meade, who is an official ambassador for the BTYSTE, called on young people aged 12-19 years old to create their own project in the science, technology, engineering and maths categories and enter the 2018 BTYSTE. The theme for BTYSTE 2018 is ‘It Starts Here’, signifying the beginning of opportunities for young people at the exhibition, where they can express their interest in STEM and demonstrate creativity by turning their ideas into reality.

David Meade said: “This world class exhibition allows students to use their imaginations to turn what they are learning in class each day into

a fantastic idea and the exhibition can be, and has been, the starting point of a bright and brilliant future for many young people, allowing them to pursue exciting careers in STEM.” Mairead Meyer, Managing Director of Networks at BT in Northern Ireland, added: “At BT, we’re proud to be entering our 18th year as organiser and sponsor of the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition. The BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition is about much more than science. It allows young people to explore the world around them and discover what excites and interests them. This is what the BTYSTE is all about, creating the building blocks for the future generation of STEM leaders.”

The BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition will take place from the 10th-13th January 2018 at the RDS in Dublin and the closing date for entries to this year’s competition is 25th September 2017. The exhibition offers one of the most coveted awards for participants, with a substantial prize fund and the BTYSTE perpetual trophy, as well as over 140 prizes for individuals, groups and teachers.

In addition, the overall winner will take part in the European Union Contest for Young Scientist in 2018.

For more information on the exhibition and for details on how to enter, log onto www.btyoungscientist.com or follow BTYSTE on Facebook and Twitter.

columnist

TIME TO TAKE STOCK OF BUSINESS PLANNING Ahead of unprecedented changes, now is the time for businesses to take advantage of a wider range of professional soundings, says BDO’s nonexecutive Chairman, Stephen Kirkpatrick.

The BDO Northern Ireland Partnership team with Non-Executive Chairman, Stephen Kirkpatrick.

E

arlier this year, I was appointed to leading business advisory firm BDO Northern Ireland as its first nonexecutive Chair.

I’ve teamed up with an already formidable and growing team that has its sights on ambitious growth.

In the year ahead, the firm will accelerate recruitment plans and enrich the range of accountancy, tax and advisory services it provides to more than 1,000 indigenous and international businesses.

As a former banker and with Brexit looming on the horizon, I have navigated through economic changes and challenges at the highest level and so my expertise will be made accessible to clients as they prepare for the years ahead.

This is an exciting and challenging time for business and BDO Northern Ireland recognises that client demands are changing.

Organisations need to respond quickly to evolving domestic and international environments and make decisions despite an uncertain future with European markets.

Having access to a wider range of advice is critical. Our focus is on making it easier to tap the very best insight and knowhow from across

16 NI Chamber

our advisory disciplines.

There are 8 departments within BDO Northern Ireland, but the firm’s approach means clients receive professional advice from partners in all areas relevant to them.

Working across teams is important. Close working between colleagues in accounting, audit and tax and throughout the firm enables us to find solutions that few people would have considered on their own. For some clients, our collaborative partner-led teams have been able to identify new funding or financing streams or find more working capital to help a business survive.

Collaboration runs deep in the firm and forms the basis of deep client relationships. Partners invest time to build an understanding of client needs and their business ideas as well as their individual hopes and aspirations. Trust and partnership are values embedded in the DNA of the firm and that helps sets BDO Northern Ireland apart.

There’s a great culture and set of values here and, at all levels, we have outstanding people excelling and growing inside and outside the business as a result. With clients

and other professional interactions, that makes a difference. People like dealing with BDO Northern Ireland and value the advice and counsel we provide. That personal connection is vital if we are to support and challenge clients in the years ahead.

For businesses considering what Brexit might mean for them, my message is clear. Companies that can react in an agile and well planned way will be best placed to succeed.

The sooner businesses can take independent professional soundings the better they can adapt.

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feature

SERVICES EXPORTS PLAY KEY ROLE IN LOCAL ECONOMY

Free trade in services must be an important priority during Brexit negotiations says Conor Lambe, Economist at Danske Bank.

T

he services sectors are a key part of the Northern Ireland economy and, from a trade perspective, the Broad Economy Sales and Exports Statistics (BESES) show that the value of Northern Ireland’s services exports in 2015 was around £1.55 billion.

This included some foreign sales in sectors that would not typically be considered services, such as construction and manufacturing, while it excluded financial services exports and travel-related spending. The value of services exports in 2015 – the most recent available – represented a fall from the previous year, but was 37 per cent higher than in 2011. Over this five year period, the share of total exports made up by services increased from 12.4 per cent to 17 per cent.

In analysing the data, it must be recognised that services exports are notoriously difficult to measure.

For example, a strategy consultant based in the UK who travels to Germany to work on a project for a week would be an example of a services export, but it is not easy to accurately measure this type of activity. However, the data which is available shows that services exports are gradually becoming a more important factor in Northern Ireland’s international trade performance.

The BESES show that, in 2011, half of Northern Ireland’s services exports went to the Republic of

18 NI Chamber

Ireland. But in 2015, despite the value of these exports being higher, the proportion of total services exports that went across the border had fallen to just over 40 per cent. The share of exports going to the rest of the EU remained pretty much constant over this period at around a fifth. So it was exports to the ‘rest of the world’ countries for which the share of total exports increased.

Unfortunately we don’t have details of the precise countries these services exports went to, but the category includes places like North America, non-EU European countries and some of the emerging markets. The fact that the share of total services exports going to these countries increased is encouraging, particularly given that some of these markets could become increasingly important destinations for Northern Irish businesses looking to expand their exports once the UK leaves the European Union.

For local services businesses which are already exporting to the EU, or have plans to export there in the future, there are some important features of the final Brexit package that could be particularly significant.

The first is the extent of liberalisation of services trade. Most free trade agreements involve the reduction of tariffs on goods. But services aren’t really impacted by tariffs so the reduction of non-tariff barriers, such as regulatory differences or the granting of licences, will be a crucial aspect of any future trade deal.

Another factor will be how easy it

is for people to travel to, and provide services in, EU countries. Services trade can often be reliant on the movement of people, as the strategy consultant example above illustrates.

And organisations in different services sectors will have specific requirements that would make it easier for them to keep doing business. A recent report from the House of Lords European Union Committee on the potential impacts of Brexit on non-financial services trade mentions some examples.

Legal and accountancy firms currently benefit from the mutual recognition of professional qualifications across member states and would find it harder to provide services in the EU without this. For some digital services businesses, the free flow of data and being covered by the cap on wholesale mobile phone roaming charges are areas that they would like to see addressed during the negotiations.

Service providers play an important role in the UK and Northern Ireland economies and so ensuring that a future free trade deal with the EU includes significant services trade liberalisation must be a key priority for the Government during the Brexit negotiations.

sponsored feature

ENTERPRISE SECURITY: THE OVERLOOKED & UNDERESTIMATED

RISKS

The security landscape has changed dramatically in the past five years & cybercrime is now a hot topic. Everyone is talking anti-virus, access control and firewalls but a security strategy goes deeper than that. Gabriel Clarke, IT and Security Manager with eir Business NI, points to the often overlooked and underestimated vulnerabilities of this shifting threat environment and how organisations can be best equipped to deal with them.

Cybercrime has become big business. The threat source has evolved from the traditional lone hacker to large companies dedicated to developing malware for financial gain and statesponsored initiatives aimed at gathering intelligence.

The types of attacks we’re seeing has changed too with the growth in large-scale ransomware attacks such as WannaCry where hackers use emails, social engineering and software vulnerabilities to break into computer networks, locate organisations’ critical data and encrypt it. Whilst such attacks are typically used to make money by demanding a hefty ransom to unlock the data, some evidence points to the recent Petya ransomware-style attack as being a ‘wiper’ with the objective of permanently destroying data.

Ransomware has now become the single largest threat to organisations globally: a company is hit by ransomware every 40 seconds (Kapersky Security Bulletin 2016). While media headlines talk about how organisations like the NHS and Telefonica are being hit, it’s important to note that it’s not just large entities that are being targeted. Businesses of all sizes and in all sectors are seen as fair game. Simply put, the risk has never been higher.

1. Take a ‘Defence in Depth’ approach At eir Business NI we advise organisations to take a holistic view of security. Your security strategy needs to focus on ‘defence in depth’, where multiple layers of security controls are put in place including personnel, procedures, technology and physical security. We’re seeing too many organisations that are focused too much on simple preventative measures with basic firewalls but lack detection and response measures, such as continuous monitoring of security related events and incident plans.

2. Stay on Top of Best Practise In the case of protecting against ransomware in particular, businesses should perform regular backups of their critical data.

Backups should be stored in an isolated environment – either on tapes offsite or on a dedicated, isolated network of its own that can’t be reached from the production environment. Then, if you become the target of a ransomware attack, you can be confident you can access up-to-date data, and will not be conned into paying the ransom.

It might sound basic but we see it all the time when we perform security audits, organisations still aren’t ensuring they have deployed the latest security patches to their systems and applications. Let’s take for example the WannaCry incident: 92% of the machines infected were running unpatched versions of Windows. Microsoft had released a patch for the SMB vulnerability in March 2017, a full two months before WannaCry was released. It’s worth repeating

20 NI Chamber

– patch, patch, patch – and put in place a rigorous vulnerability management program.

3. Don’t Underestimate The Human Factor While WannaCry targeted a software vulnerability, the majority of ransomware and other malware such as Trojans, typically use phishing emails to wriggle their way into an organisation’s IT system.

According to a study conducted at Friedrich-Alexander University, 78 percent of participants said they were aware of the risks of unknown links in emails. Yet 45% of them clicked the link anyway.

With security, it’s not all about technical solutions; people are often the weakest link in the IT security chain. There’s no doubt that phishing emails have become more sophisticated. Long gone are the days when phishing mails were peppered with typos and poor grammar. They’re convincing and make use of social engineering tactics to encourage users to open them. And that’s why raising awareness of this threat is so important.

It’s vital that businesses devise a security awareness programme.

Training is key. We know security can be a boring topic for employees who feel far removed from the impact of cybercrime. That’s why organisations need to drive home the implications of cybercrime: the associated downtime and data loss lead to financial losses, the erasing of customer trust and could result in irrevocable damage to an organisation that could lead to job losses. Any security awareness training needs to reinforce these implications and also outline the dangers of clicking unknown links or opening email attachments.

4. Keep Up-to-Date with Available Security Tools You will no doubt have noticed the move to https across the internet, a more secure version of http. Using https, the computers agree on a ‘code’, and then they encrypt the data using that ‘code’ so that no one in between can read them. Today over 50% of internet traffic is now encrypted (in some industries this can rise to 80-90%).

So far, so good.

Security problems arise though as traditional firewalls cannot inspect the encrypted internet traffic. In order to conduct continuous analysis on internet traffic being sent via an organisation’s network, IT staff need to be able to see the data. This is simply not possible with traditional firewalls. All organisations in today’s threat-laden environment should implement a next-generation firewall (NGFW).

As well as having the capabilities of a traditional firewall, such as packet filtering and url-blocking, NGFWs also includes intrusion prevention, https inspection, deep packet inspection, malware detection and application awareness. Technology like nextgeneration firewalls are a vital tool for any organisation to have in their arsenal.

sponsored feature 5. Assess your Security Maturity A good starting point for any organisation that wants to re-assess their IT security strategy is to conduct a security audit. Engage with security experts like eir Business NI, who can be a fresh pair of skilled eyes. Often these engagements will kick off a process where organisations dig a little deeper into their security setup and ask the necessary questions like “are we looking at the right thing?”, “are we aware of the true risks?”, “are we using the right solution to protect against this risk?”, “what gaps do we have in our defences?” and “where should we be allocating our budget?”. It’s in asking and getting answers to these questions that organisations will begin to understand where they’re falling down and how they can shore up their defences.

hamper progress. But now, with security such a key concern globally, it’s imperative that IT security teams have a seat at the boardroom table, and that any new solution or service is ‘security from design’.

Connect with Gabriel at https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabrielclarke/ or call the team at eir Business NI on 028 9000 2100 to discuss your enterprise security needs.

www.eir.co.uk

Traditionally, security was seen as an innovation blocker. IT security teams were left out of the decision making process for fear they would

NI Chamber 21

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.

W

ith change afoot on the economic and political horizon – so too with NI Chamber which, following the organisation’s AGM, saw the appointment of a new President, Ellvena Graham who succeeds Nick Coburn, Managing Director of Ulster Carpets. Ellvena, currently Chairman of the Electricity Supply Board (ESB), one of the major state-owned utilities in Ireland, and a former Head of Ulster Bank in Northern Ireland, takes up the office at a particularly challenging time for the economy but we are delighted to welcome her to the post and to support her in the priorities she has laid out for the year ahead.

We also welcome John Healy, Managing Director of Allstate NI, elected as Vice-President. Both bring a breadth of experience and are a great asset to NI Chamber.

expand their operations.

The new programme, funded by Bank of Ireland UK, will provide a comprehensive package of support that will include a business assessment, a dedicated business professionals mentoring panel with workshops tackling the challenges SMEs face in scaling up. The programme forms part of the Learn Grow Excel suite of private sector business support provided

by NI Chamber to local businesses.

One example of a local business Bank of Ireland UK is supporting as it invests is Belfast-based GPS Colour Graphics which has moved to a 125,000 sq. ft. facility which will allow the company to have production capacity.

David Bell (Managing Director of GPS Colour Graphics) Gavin Kennedy (Head of Business Banking NI at Bank of Ireland UK) and Ann McGregor (Chief Executive of NI Chamber) at the launch of ‘Scaling for Growth’.

NI Chamber’s new Vice President and President, John Healy and Ellvena Graham.

As always NI Chamber is keen to strengthen partnerships and so has launched a new ‘Scaling for Growth’ programme with Bank of Ireland UK designed to support small and medium sized businesses who have ambitions to 22 NI Chamber

Turning to leadership and two exceptional leaders in business shared their inspirational stories on heading highly successful businesses at an event hosted

by NI Chamber and First Trust Bank at the Ulster Museum.

Cathriona Hallahan, Managing Director of Microsoft Ireland, and Dr Bill Wolsey, Founder & MD of Beannchor Group, outlined how they overcame challenges and harnessed opportunities in order to improve performance, stimulate growth and sustain long-term success.

Speaking at the event, Dr Wolsey made the point that “Leadership is about being passionate, empowering and trusting people. If anyone wants to learn, we teach.

Dr Bill Wolsey (Beannchor Group); Cathriona Hallahan (Microsoft Ireland); Brian Gillan (First Trust Bank) and Ann McGregor (NI Chamber).

If anyone wants to know profitability, we show.” It was a point which resonated with the audience.

Meanwhile Cathriona Hallahan gave an insight into Microsoft, and her various roles within the technology giant and explained how she has built, developed and led highly talented teams within the company.

Then it was onto one of NI Chamber’s biggest events of the year and members certainly whipped up an appetite to attend the President’s Annual Lunch which took place at Belfast City Hall and was a sold out event.

Over 400 people from business and government joined NI Chamber and special guests at the sports themed lunch included Northern Ireland Football Manager Michael O’Neill, GAA Manager Mickey Harte and Ulster Rugby Director Les Kiss, who shared their successful leadership stories with the audience during an interview with sports presenter Adrian Logan.

BT’s Paul Murnaghan; Ulster Rugby’s Les Kiss; The Lord Mayor of Belfast Nuala McAllister; GAA Manager Micky Harte; NI Chamber President Ellvena Graham and NI Football Manager Michael O’Neill.

chamber chief’s update Providing her first keynote speech as NI Chamber President, Ellvena Graham called on Northern Ireland’s politicians to put the Northern Ireland economy first while guests also heard from the new Lord Mayor of Belfast Nuala McAllister and Paul Murnaghan, Regional Director at BT Business NI. The Annual President’s Lunch was supported by NI Chamber’s Communications Partner BT, and supporting sponsor Cleaver Fulton Rankin.

over 250 attendees on the day and advice from key experts on an array of business themes delivered in bite size, round table sessions.

Connecting for Growth is designed to facilitate increased business between companies from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Finally, as an accredited member of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), NI Chamber was delighted to host the BCC Board in Belfast and facilitate meetings with Belfast City Council, Tourism NI and Visit Belfast to discuss a range of issues including Air Passenger Duty and City Deals.

It was a very worthwhile visit with much ground covered and we look forward to the next visit of the Board.

Buyers and suppliers at the Connecting for Growth Meet the Buyer event.

Meanwhile a Connecting for Growth Meet the Buyer event in partnership with Bank of Ireland, at the Canal Court Hotel, Newry proved to be a huge success with buyers including MJM, Noonan, Bank of Ireland and Avondale Foods to name but a few taking part.

A host of pre-arranged appointments took place with buyers who’d indicated the companies they wanted to speak to ahead of the event so suppliers knew the firms they’d be pitching to. There were also networking and business development opportunities with

BOOSTING BUSINESS

By Lisa McCaul, Business Growth Enabler at Ulster Bank Female entrepreneurship has a unique and valuable role to play in growing the Northern Ireland economy and providing substantial opportunities for further employment and export.

Yet the figures tell us that women

Ann McGregor (Chief Executive, NI Chamber); Francis Martin (President, BCC); John McGrillen (Chief Executive, Tourism NI), Suzanne Wylie (Chief Executive, Belfast City Council) and (front right) Adam Marshall (Director General, BCC) with members of the BCC Board.

don’t start businesses at the same rate as their male counterparts. I’m determined to help change that.

As Ulster Bank’s Business Growth Enabler for the North Region of Northern Ireland, my role is to help businesses access relevant experts and resources, benefit from our partnership with Entrepreneurial Spark, and to avail of things like free financial health-checks, one-to-one mentoring, and business planning support.

It’s through our new Boost programme.

And you don’t have to be an Ulster Bank customer to benefit from the service; it’s free and it’s open to all.

While business owners or those starting out often have the appetite to grow, they might not know exactly where they need to go to get the right support. Through Boost, we aim to make this easier. We want to create a pathway to the correct networks and make it easier to find the resources people need at all stages of growth. We will also give businesses access to specialist services provided by partners including Worldpay.

We’re doing this because we know that real business growth is based on trust – trust that you will deliver what you say you will, when you say you will. So with Ulster Bank acting as an honest broker for those growing their business, we’re confident

that they’ll see us as a proactive, positive bank to do business with.

With Lynsey Cunningham as our Entrepreneur Development Manager, activating our partnership with Entrepreneurial Spark – the business accelerator hub based in Belfast – and Cara Taylor as our Business Growth Enabler for the South Region of Northern Ireland, there is a strong women-led presence inside Ulster Bank helping to drive and develop a culture of entrepreneurship. Hopefully, this helps to break down some of the barriers – both real and perceived – that might discourage a woman from engaging with her business ideas and growing it into a fully-fledged enterprise.

A bank that is truly serious about entrepreneurship, and supporting people from all backgrounds to realise their potential, has to go beyond products.

Through this new initiative, we are going to provide immediate, tangible and practical support that helps new businesses start-up and scale-up. www.ulsterbank.co.uk

NI Chamber 23 NI Chamber

PRESIDENT’S ANNUAL LUNCH

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1. Jeff Doran and Shauneen McConville.

2. Paul Murnaghan, Gabrielle Hicks and Sean Nolan.

3. Les Kiss, Ann McGregor, Mickey Harte, Ellvena Graham and Michael O’Neill.

4. Alistair Hamilton, Lord Mayor of Belfast Nuala McAllister and Donal Durkan.

5. Chris Sherry and Dame Mary Peters.

6. Les Kiss, Mickey Harte, Michael O’Neill and Adrian Logan on stage.

7. Robin Swann MLA, US Consul General Daniel Lawton, Dr Andrew McCormick and John Healy.

8. Jonathan Forrester, Michael O’Neill and Ellvena Graham.

9. Gordon Milligan and Michelle McIlveen MLA. 10. Jonathan Forrester, Les Kiss and Stephen McCully.

11. Les Kiss and Adrian Logan 12. NI Chamber lunch guests from Moy Park.

13. Kathy Hargreaves, Craig Smart, Katie Doyle and Pete Feldman.

14. Ian Talbot, Mary Rose Burke, Sinead McLaughlin and Ruairi De Burca.

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NI Chamber 25

CONNECTING FOR GROWTH MEET THE BUYER EVENT

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1. David Barter (Newry, Mourne and Down District Council); David McEwen (Agnew Corporate); Gavin Kennedy (Bank of Ireland UK); Niall Devlin (Bank of Ireland UK) and Sandra Scannell (NI Chamber).

2. Steve Jackson (Ardmore Advertising) and Michael McCarter (NI Water).

3. David Monaghan (PRO Stainless Designs Ltd) and Suzanne Lindsay (Mabbett).

4. Diane McCall (Bank of Ireland UK); Geraldine O’Hagan (Bank of Ireland UK); Clodagh Rice (BBC NI) and Nicola Woods (NI Chamber).

5. Jonathan McGarry (MJM Group) and Bridget Brown (MJM Group).

6. Gavin Kennedy (Bank of Ireland) and Sandra Scannell (NI Chamber).

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26 NI Chamber

6.

New names on NI Chamber BOARD AND Council NI CHAMBER’S RECENT ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (AGM) NOT ONLY SAW THE ELECTION OF ELLVENA GRAHAM, CHAIR OF ESB GROUP, AS PRESIDENT OF NORTHERN IRELAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY BUT ALSO THE ELECTION OF JOHN HEALY, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF ALLSTATE NI, AS VICE-PRESIDENT.

NI CHAMBER VICE-PRESIDENT John Healy, Managing Director, Allstate NI John joined Allstate NI in January 2016 as Managing Director responsible for over 2,300 employees based in Allstate NI’s three locations in Belfast, Derry/Londonderry and Strabane.

Previous to Allstate, John was employed at Citi where he served as Head of their Belfast Service Centre providing IT, operations, HR, legal, finance and risk services to the broader Citi group as one of 27 global delivery centres.

John also has extensive experience in leading teams to set strategic goals and deliver practical solutions to address business and technology issues. These capabilities were built over many years working in senior leadership roles at Grafton Recruitment, Liberty IT, J P Morgan Chase, St George Bank Treasury and Merrill Lynch.

John has developed very strong relationships with the local Universities and Invest NI and serves in a variety of industry, university and community settings including the Board of NI Chamber and the Professional Advisory Board, School of Electrical & Electronic Engineering and Computer Science at Queen’s University Belfast to name but a few.

The following have joined the NI Chamber BOARD: Ian Henry, The Henry Brothers/Windell Limited Ian Henry is Managing Director of Windell Limited and previously held the role of Contracts Director with Henry Brothers (Magherafelt) Limited. Ian is also a Director of Henry Group (NI) Limited, a family owned company.

Ian has worked in the business since leaving school and has experienced supervisory and management positions.

As Managing Director of Windell, a leading manufacturer of high security and commercial glazing systems based in Magherafelt, Ian has ensured Windell must remain forward thinking and embraces new technologies.

Ian is a Council Member of NI Chamber and a member of the Magherafelt Chamber of Commerce. He brings his private business experience to help shape a better town centre through the encouragement of new business and the growth of existing businesses.

Ian is also a member of the Construction Employers Federation (NI) Private Housing Committee and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Building.

Ian sits on the Board of Governors of The Woods Primary School.

Richard Donnan, Regional Managing Director, Corporate & Commercial NI and Head of NI, Ulster Bank Richard represents Ulster Bank within Northern Ireland with all key stakeholders including Government, industry bodies and consumer groups.

Joining Ulster Bank in 1989, Richard was appointed into his current role in June 2015. Previously he held the position of Managing Director, Retail Banking on an all Ireland basis.

In addition to his Ulster Bank role, Richard is chair of the Metropolitan Arts Centre (MAC) Trading Co Ltd and also sits on the Board of the Centre for Competitiveness. He was a member of the NI Chamber of Commerce Council and in May this year was appointed as a member of the NI Chamber of Commerce Board.

NI Chamber 27

The following have joined the NI Chamber Council: Gary Annett, Chief Executive, MJM Group Gary has been with MJM Group, one of the world’s leading specialist marine outfitting companies, since 1998. He was appointed CEO in 2016 and previously held a number of key Director Roles in both Commercial and Project delivery. Gary has hands-on experience of the refit industry, having started his career as an apprentice with another local company before moving up the ranks and joining MJM. His role as CEO requires him to oversee multi-national projects undertaken by 240 staff at MJM’s offices in Newry in Northern Ireland, as well as onsite at locations around the world, including Europe, the Caribbean, US, Asia and Australia. The business has achieved substantial growth over the past couple of years and, under Gary’s direction, MJM is seeking further expansion into new markets and land-based sectors in 2017.

Hilary Griffith, Head of Corporate, Cleaver Fulton Rankin Hilary is an accomplished lawyer with almost 20 years’ experience and has been lauded by clients in UK wide legal directories as a “genuine business leader in Belfast”. Hilary specialises in all aspects of corporate and commercial law and has advised on numerous significant mergers and acquisitions as well as management buy-outs, fund raisings and private equity investments in Northern Ireland. She has unique experience in Northern Ireland of the higher education, life sciences and technology sectors given her in-house experience at Queen’s University.

Jonathan Ireland, Partner, Lanyon Communications Jonathan is a founding partner of Lanyon Communications alongside Katie Doran.

Jonathan has worked with leading retail banks, international law firms, investment funds and real estate clients, as well as a diverse portfolio of blue chip companies drawn from a range of other business sectors in the UK, Ireland and further afield. He advises clients on a wide portfolio of issues to support their business growth and success – including cultural change management and business transformation; business development and stakeholder engagement; media relations and marketing; reputation/issues management; and sponsorship/partnership management.

Nuala Jackson, Consultant, Mercer Nuala is a Consultant in Mercer’s UK Wealth business based in the Belfast office. She graduated from Queen’s University, Belfast with a degree in Finance and is an Associate of the Pensions Management Institute. Nuala is the Client Leader for the Belfast office and in this role she actively engages in growing Mercer’s market presence in Northern Ireland.

Nuala joined Mercer in 2002 specialising in occupational pension scheme services.

During her fifteen years with Mercer she has delivered consulting advice and coordinated the wider Mercer services to a range of corporate and trustee clients.

28 NI Chamber

Shauna Burns, Director, Beyond Business Travel Shauna brings not only an extensive business network but also a wealth of experience of driving business growth, finance and strategic planning to Beyond Business Travel. She is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and has gained extensive commercial experience both domestically and internationally. This has included 5 years with globally respected accountancy firm KPMG and over 10 years of client service experience in various corporate banking roles in the Ulster Bank Group as part of their senior management team.

Jacqueline Kilpatrick, Operation Manager, Royal Mail Jacqueline was appointed by Royal Mail to oversee management of delivery and collection operations for one of two areas in Northern Ireland through leading, supporting and guiding the sector management team to deliver world class results. She has overall responsibility for safety, quality, financial, customer and employee targets for a team of 1200+ people.

She is a skilled leader, with a proven track record of managing turnaround performance and transformational change programmes in highly regulated and complex operations.

Gerry Kindlon, Executive Director, Seagate Technology Gerry has worked in Seagate Technology since 1993.

He has held a number of positions with Seagate across Operations, Engineering, Product Management and Quality.

He is a former President of the Londonderry Chamber of Commerce. He played a prominent role in key Derry initiatives such as ‘CultureTech’ and ‘Digital Derry’. He has served as a governor of Lumen Christi College for over ten years and has a keen interest in promoting the skills agenda in Northern Ireland.

Jonathan Martindale, Sales and Marketing Director, Phoenix Natural Gas Jonathan has been with the company for the past 15 years, with a background in sales and business development.

Jonathan leads the sales and marketing division and oversees strategic campaign development to meet company objectives. With a focus on delivering continual customer growth in all property sectors within the licence area of Greater Belfast, he is also responsible for overseeing the sales and marketing strategy for the new licence area of East Down where the company is currently expanding the natural gas network.

Eugene Lynch, Managing Director, McAvoy Group Eugene joined McAvoy as Managing Director in late 2007 and has 20+ years’ experience in general management and leadership positions across a number of sectors.

After qualifying as a Chartered Accountant in 1985 Eugene has pursued a career in business, first with Hughes Christensen, a drill bit manufacturer for the Oil and Gas Industry, from 1988 to 1999 progressing through the finance function to General Manager in 1993.

He moved to the JP Corry Group Ltd, a Northern Ireland headquartered Builders Merchant Group operating throughout GB and Ireland in 1999 as Group Director of Operations.

Gareth Walls, Partner and national Head of Employment, A&L Goodbody Gareth is a Partner and national Head of Employment at A&L Goodbody Northern Ireland. A&L Goodbody is a full service corporate law firm advising employers, and public sector bodies throughout the island of Ireland. Gareth has been practicing as a specialist employment lawyer since 2000 and has built a strong team around him, which reflects his reputation for excellence in contentious and non-contentious work. The team advises employers in the private and public sectors on all aspects of employment practice, with particular focus on the connection between employee relations/well-being and operational matrices such as productivity, absence management and morale.

BOARD & COUNCIL PRESIDENT Ms Ellvena Graham, ESB Group VICE-PRESIDENT Mr John Healy, Allstate Northern Ireland BOARD Mr John Healy, Allstate Northern Ireland Mr Owen Brennan, Devenish Group Ms Ellvena Graham, ESB Group Mr Michael Kidd, EY Belfast Mr Ian Henry, Henry Brothers Ms Ann McGregor, NI Chamber Mr Patrick Hurst MBE, PHC Ltd. Mr Richard Donnan, Ulster Bank Mr Nick Coburn, Ulster Carpets Group COUNCIL Mr Gareth Walls, A&L Goodbody Ms Andrea Hunter, Aer Lingus Mr Graham Thompson, Agnew Corporate

Mr John Healy, Allstate Northern Ireland Mr Francis Martin, BDO Ms Shauna Burns, Beyond Business Travel Ms Mairead Meyer, BT Mr Brian Lavery, CBRE Ms Hilary Griffith, Cleaver Fulton Rankin Mr Alasdair Kilpatrick, Deloitte Mr Owen Brennan, Devenish Group Mr Alan Lowry, Environmental Street Furniture Ms Ellvena Graham, ESB Group Mr Gerry Carlile, Evolve CPA Mr Michael Kidd, EY Belfast Mr Brian Gillan, First Trust Bank Mr Neil Collins, Glen Dimplex Mr Ian Henry, Henry Brothers Mr Jonathan Ireland, Lanyon Communications Mr Alan Stewart, Marcon Fit Out Ms Nuala Jackson, Mercer Mr Gary Annett, MJM Group Mr Peter Russell, Neueda Ms Ann McGregor, NI Chamber

Ms Jenny Irwin, PACEC Mr Patrick Hurst, PHC Ltd Mr Jonathan Martindale, Phoenix Natural Gas Mr Stephen McCully, Power NI Ms Janette Jones, PwC Ms Jacqueline Kilpatrick, Royal Mail Mr Gerry Kindlon, Seagate Mr David McCartney, Taranto Ltd Mr Eugene Lynch, The McAvoy Group Mr John McGuckian, Tughans Mr Richard Donnan, Ulster Bank Mr Nick Coburn, Ulster Carpets Group CHIEF EXECUTIVE Ms Ann McGregor MBE HONORARY TREASURER Mr John Healy, Allstate Northern Ireland COMPANY SECRETARY Ms Ann McGregor MBE NI Chamber 29

feature

A PRESIDENT WITH PRIORITIES As she takes up the mantle of NI Chamber President, Ellvena Graham tells Adrienne McGill she relishes challenges and is ready for the major changes which lie ahead for business.

E

llvena Graham, the new President of the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry, does not believe in sidestepping any issue.

As she takes up the post at a particularly critical time for Northern Ireland’s economy and political institutions, the former banker is determined to help businesses grow and believes deft moves have to be made by politicians here and at Westminster to ensure the local economy is put first for the benefit of everyone with a focus on job creation.

Ms Graham is one of Northern Ireland’s pre-eminent business figures. She is Chair of ESB, the main electricity company in the Republic of Ireland and is the former head of Ulster Bank in Northern Ireland.

Her skills in diplomacy and negotiation for which she was renowned during her 30 year long career in banking, will be much in demand in her term in office over the next 12 months.

Ms Graham outlined her plans for the year ahead at the NI Chamber President’s Annual Lunch, which took place recently at Belfast City Hall. She emphasised the necessity of having in place a Northern Ireland-specific Brexit plan to ensure the region is not overlooked in negotiations.

She also stressed that getting Stormont’s devolved Assembly up and running again and having an Executive in place that will deliver for Northern Ireland was of paramount importance.

Speaking to Ambition, Ms Graham says: “We need political stability. We need all the parties, particularly Northern Ireland’s two largest parties – the DUP and Sinn Fein – to work together for the good of the region. We believe the best way they can do that is to have a local working Executive in Stormont where they listen

30 NI Chamber

to local businesses and come up with a detailed plan about how they are going to handle Brexit and also to address skill shortages. They are our local voice in order to ensure Northern Ireland is not ignored. Working together for the good of the economy must be a priority.

“We are the only part of the UK to share a land border with another EU country, the Republic of Ireland, and the only part which has a significant migration of labour every day. Workforce mobility has to be addressed in Brexit negotiations – there are 30,000 people who travel across the border to work every day. There is also the movement of goods and exports from Northern Ireland, which bring tariffs associated with trading with other countries. All these issues and more have to be addressed. The UK is leaving the EU – we are where we are – and we have to get on with it. But we need to have local politicians who understand our businesses and the needs of young people and who appreciate the challenges they are facing.”

A majority of NI Chamber members have expressed concern about Brexit which has impacted on local investment plans. Almost one in three members have scaled back and put growth plans on hold.

“My priority for the year ahead is to help businesses grow and flourish during a very challenging time.

“For instance, NI Chamber’s Learn Grow Excel initiative is funded entirely by the private sector, it’s designed to support growing companies at every stage of development and to encourage more export activity. Companies have the opportunity to meet buyers, learn from others, expand networks, scale-up, and much more. It’s an outstanding innovation and we want to build on the strong foundation it has provided.”

Ms Graham also welcomed the recent May/Foster deal, which sees an agreement between the Conservatives and the Democratic Unionist Party which includes an extra £1 billion in public spending for Northern Ireland.

“We welcome the elements to the deal that cover key areas including the economy, infrastructure, health and education.

“The allocation of extra funds to help deliver key infrastructure projects will have positive knock-on effects, as they open up supply chains, generate new contracts for businesses, as well as enhance access to labour and new markets. Road schemes such as the York Street Interchange in Belfast will do much to ease congestion on heavily trafficked roads in Northern Ireland, helping businesses to move products and goods more efficiently and in the process reduce costs. It will also reduce travel time for commuters who won’t have to endure long queues of cars.

“Also the devolution of Corporation Tax is now going to move ahead with a revised timetable for its introduction, details on how it might be flexibly managed and with options being developed for the Autumn Budget in 2017 – this will set the process in motion once again within a realistic time framework. This, alongside the establishment of City Deals, will prove attractive to investors.

“On the issue of exports we welcome the government’s pledge to ensure that Northern Ireland plays a full role in initiatives to boost international sales which means local companies can grow and excel against the background of Brexit.

“However one of the biggest issues consistently facing our members is the shortage of skilled workers and although

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this isn’t referenced directly in the document, it is important that we see dialogues by government on this issue in the near future.”

She also points to the crisis the agri-food sector is facing which will be hardest hit once the UK ends up paying EU tariffs because of Brexit and the #3.5 billion in farm subsidies and structural grants received by Northern Ireland in the 2014-2020 period comes to an end. There are clearly a number of concerns and unanswered questions over support and access to markets.

“Northern Ireland’s agri-food industry is of critical importance,” says Ms Graham.

“It is worth over £4 billion and employs more than 21,000 people. Cross border trade is essential to the sector so a return to border controls and trade tariffs could pose difficulties. We need to maintain the relationship with the Republic of Ireland which accounts for 31 per cent of Northern Ireland exports.”

Ms Graham’s career in banking with Ulster Bank and Royal Bank of Scotland has given her

a thorough understanding and appreciation of the challenges and opportunities which businesses of all size face.

“Ulster Bank is a large organisation which went through enormous change during my time there, as did the whole of the banking industry, so I appreciate the impact of change.

“Companies will now have to change because of Brexit so my knowledge, having worked with SMEs and large companies, gives me a good understanding of what they are going through. I am also familiar with many companies across Northern Ireland so that helps.”

With a huge mountain of change to climb in the year ahead, Ms Graham says it’s a matter of taking things step by step which is highly appropriate given that her favourite pastime is ballroom dancing, a skill she has been enjoying for the past 17 years. She is undaunted by what lies ahead during her term in office.

“I think it is a good time to be President.

I enjoy challenges and I’ve never liked routine. I thrive on change so for me it is a good time to be NI Chamber President.”

Ellvena Graham’s career in banking spans more than 30 years having joined the Ulster Bank straight from school. After holding a number of senior roles, she became Head of Operations for Europe, Middle East and Africa at Royal Bank of Scotland (parent company of Ulster Bank), then Chief Operating Officer for the Ulster Bank Group and finally Head of Ulster Bank Northern Ireland. She has been a NonExecutive Director of Ulster Bank Limited since 2016.

Ms Graham is also Chair of ESB, the main electricity company in the Republic of Ireland, which owns NIE Networks and Electric Ireland and has a further presence in Northern Ireland through the Coolkeeragh power plant near Londonderry.

In addition, she is to the fore in a number of bodies, which are playing a major role in strengthening the Northern Ireland economy and bringing benefits to the business community.

She is Chair of the new Belfast Waterfront and Ulster Hall Ltd Board and Chairman of the Northern Ireland Economy Advisory Group (EAG), which provides independent advice to the Minister for the Economy.

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Credit: RBG Kew.

GRAHAM LANDS

KEW GARDENS PROJECT GRAHAM CONSTRUCTION IS TO DELIVER A £50 MILLION CONTRACT WHICH WILL HELP KEW GARDENS TO FLOURISH FURTHER WRITES ADRIENNE MCGILL.

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he famous Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in London has appointed Northern Ireland’s GRAHAM Construction as sole contractor to deliver £50 million of works at its world famous UNESCO World Heritage site.

Over a five-year programme valued at £5 million to £10 million per year, GRAHAM will deliver projects including new builds, refurbishment of historic Grade I and Grade II listed buildings, as well as the repair and replacement of mechanical and electrical systems. GRAHAM will also deliver roof repairs at the Grade I listed Mansion at Kew’s sister estate, Wakehurst, in Sussex.

The ‘Kew Capital Development Programme’ was established to make significant upgrades to the estate and reflects its vision for the next 10 years. Key areas where the works will be delivered include The Herbarium, Palm and Water Lily Houses, Pavilion, Arboretum Nursey, and the Family Landscape Area.

The success of the programme will require innovative approaches to the delivery and control of projects in order to ensure smooth continuity of the estate, including protection of the collections, uninterrupted public access to the gardens, and maintenance of

32 NI Chamber

horticultural and scientific activities.

GRAHAM Construction, is a division of the GRAHAM Group, which is headquartered in Hillsborough, Co Down and employs more than 1,700.

Rob Joyce, GRAHAM Construction’s London office Director, said: “The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew is a much-loved destination for visitors and tourists and we are committed to delivering the estate’s vision in order to guarantee its long-term future and success. Through our experience of working within heritage environments, we have the ability and expertise to deliver these works in a sensitive manner and to the highest quality.”

In addition to RBG Kew’s own staff and consultants, the team delivering the project also includes Donal Insall Architects (masterplanning), Ryder Architects (lead architect), and Mott MacDonald (M&E). Works began on the site in May this year with sectional completions expected over the next five years.

Kew, which opened in 1759 and stretches across 300 acres of land, welcomes more than 1.35 million visitors per year. It has the largest, most diverse collections of living and preserved botanical specimens in the world.

The landscape contains a great scientific

collection of over 14,000 trees, including rare and ancient varieties. Kew also grows over 30,000 different kinds of plants from tropical, temperate, arid and alpine climates, many of which have a high conservation status. These collections provide a living reference library for scientists, and a dynamic landscape in which to display the beauty and wonder of the natural kingdom on which all life depends.

The Kew contract comes as GRAHAM continues to pick up major infrastructure and commercial contracts across the UK and Republic of Ireland.

Contracts in which GRAHAM is presently engaged include an £18 million school project in Hampstead, London and a 270 apartment, 16 storey residential scheme at the Erie Basin site in Salford Keys, Greater Manchester.

In October last year GRAHAM won a £150 million contract for building projects for Barnet Council in London. GRAHAM will build new schools and leisure and community centres as part of a local government capital projects programme in Barnet – London’s most populous borough.

The project will be spread over the next 5 years with GRAHAM having already started work on a leisure centre scheme and school development.

Ambition SPECIAL focus ACTIVITY ON AIR CONNECTIVITY

“Direct and convenient air access is vital for Northern Ireland’s economy and future prosperity.”

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emand will always dictate the success or otherwise of an air route and direct and convenient air access is a key facilitator of economic development and the future prosperity of a region.

In April this year, Belfast hosted Europe’s premier route development conference bringing together airports, airlines and other key route development professionals to discuss and progress the issue of air connectivity.

Direct and convenient air access is vital for Northern Ireland’s economy and future prosperity. Routes Europe was a brilliant opportunity to show the aviation industry why new services are needed.

In this section we profile a number of those on schedule with air connectivity for Northern Ireland and who are helping the region check-in with more opportunities for export, tourism and investment growth.

Contents: 34 OCEANS OF ROUTES AER LINGUS 36 FLYING WITH CLASS EMIRATES AIRLINES 37 ON THE ASCENT DUBLIN AIRPORT 39 NEW AIR ROUTES TAKE OFF TOURISM NI 40 ENJOY AN EFFORTLESS

JOURNEY BEYOND BUSINESS TRAVEL 41 FLIGHT PATH TO GROWTH GEORGE BEST BELFAST CITY AIRPORT

34 NI Chamber

OCEANS OF ROUTES Travellers have a greater choice than ever before to fly to the US with Aer Lingus, the airline’s Director of Communications, Declan Kearney, tells Adrienne McGill.

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er Lingus has continued to soar since its acquisition by BA owner, International Airlines Group (IAG) in 2015.

The airline’s schedule this summer includes a further expansion of its long haul network with a new Miami to Dublin route, operating three times per week from September 2017.

Miami is in addition to Aer Lingus’s existing transatlantic routes, which include Boston, Chicago, New York, Orlando, San Francisco, Washington and Toronto to Dublin and Boston and New York to Shannon, as well as the new routes from Los Angeles, Newark, and Hartford, which commenced in 2016.

The airline has also increased its Los Angeles flight to a daily service for summer 2017, Orlando to Dublin has increased to four times per week, and

Chicago has also increased to a double daily service in the same period.

“The IAG takeover has made a big difference to Aer Lingus,” says Declan Kearney, the airline’s Director of Communications.

“They have invested very significantly in our growth. We joined IAG in September 2015 and the following month we announced our biggest ever growth phase on the North Atlantic with three new routes as three new aircraft joined the fleet. Subsequent to that we announced that a further two A330 aircraft would join our fleet in 2016. It has been a period of unprecedented growth for Aer Lingus which has been accelerated by joining IAG.” The convenience of US Customs and Border Protection services at Dublin Airport has enhanced the continued

ACTIVITY ON AIR CONNECTIVITY growth of Aer Lingus’s operation. Dublin Airport’s connectivity to North America has grown rapidly over the past six years seeing it move from eleventh position in 2010 to fifth position in 2016 on the league table of European transatlantic airports.

In addition, Aer Lingus was awarded a 4-Star rating from Skytrax, the international air transport rating organisation, making it Ireland’s only airline with such an award and placing it among the top 40 airlines in the world for quality and service.

“Aer Lingus has been performing at a very high level,” says Declan.

“In 2016 we had our most profitable year ever. We are now in the middle of our biggest ever summer schedule – and the challenges at the moment are of delivering on a very ambitious growth plan.

“We have 2.5 million seats crossing the Atlantic this year which is a major milestone for us and we have up to 15 flights in each direction each day across the Atlantic so we are becoming a much bigger player in the market. We are growing our business by more than 20 per cent in the North Atlantic market this year – that is considerable.

“We took ownership recently of a new Airbus A330 and that additional capacity has already started to operate additional Orlando, Los Angeles and Chicago services for the mid-summer period. In September we will launch a three times weekly service between Dublin and Miami using that aircraft.”

The very healthy load factors on Aer Lingus’s transatlantic routes are helped by the fact that not only is the airline getting growth in point-to-point passengers i.e. people travelling between the island of Ireland and the US – but more than a third of Aer Lingus transatlantic passengers begin their journey in Britain or mainland Europe connecting via Dublin.

Furthermore, the airline’s transatlantic and European services from Dublin attract hundreds of thousands of passengers from Northern Ireland.

“Dublin’s connectivity makes it the natural choice for anyone on the island of Ireland in terms of transatlantic travel because there are so many routes served by a number of carriers,” says Declan.

But competition is never far away – earlier this year low-cost airline Norwegian unveiled direct flights from Belfast International Airport to New York and Boston this summer.

The new routes give fliers out of Belfast International Airport the chance to travel non-stop to the US for the first time since United scrapped its daily service in January.

Norwegian is aiming to save money, and keep fares down, by using Stewart International Airport in Newburgh, located around 70 miles north of New York City near Poughkeepsie, and Rhode Island’s T.F. Green Airport in Providence, 60 miles from Boston.

“We are conscious of every new entrant to a market in which we are investing so much – so we take competition very seriously and we have responded in terms of the value we offer,” says Declan.

“We see ourselves as offering a better quality service and better all-round value.

We operate into central airports whereas Norwegian’s services operate into airports that are some distance away from the cities passengers are travelling to. We believe that when you add in all the additional extras you have to pay for on the Norwegian service that we compete very well because we have an all-in price.

“When you travel with Aer Lingus you don’t have to pay extra for baggage, you get complementary meals, soft drinks, pillows, blankets and and free seat selection.

“We are all about giving people choice – on our short haul services you can build your own Aer Lingus product by buying a flexible

ticket which allows you lounge access, priority boarding, extra leg room on board the plane. It’s all about choice.

“Price is the main determinant of whether people travel with you or not – that is why we have been so resolute in keeping our costs down over the years. We offer very attractive pricing on our North Atlantic routes which is why we have been the fastest growing carrier in that market over the last seven years.”

This year Aer Lingus celebrates the tenth anniversary of its Belfast base and continues to operate a high frequency service between George Best Belfast City Airport (BCA) and London Heathrow.

This service enjoys a healthy mix of business travellers and leisure travellers visiting London and travelling onwards using Heathrow as a connection point.

Declan says the Belfast to London route is proving as popular as ever and Aer Lingus is committed to providing that vital connectivity between the two cities.

He also says the airline’s summer sun routes from BCA to Malaga, Faro, Alicante and Palma continue to prove popular with Northern Ireland passengers.

Complementing its long haul offering, Aer Lingus’s shorthaul summer schedule from Dublin boasts an additional 100,000 seats to the sun in Europe and includes a new European destination – Split in Croatia, together with greater capacity on key sun routes such as Lanzarote, Gran Canaria and Tenerife.

Meanwhile beyond 2017, the airline has ordered new aircraft with 188 seats, to effectively replace its Boeing 757s, on routes between Ireland and US East Coast destinations, like Hartford. In March of this year Aer Lingus announced that seven Airbus A-321 LR aircraft would join its fleet in 2019 and 2020. That could open up new mid-size airports for the carrier to offer more routes.

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ACTIVITY ON AIR CONNECTIVITY

sponsorship of the Irish Open Golf Championship which took place earlier this month at Royal Portstewart.

“It is our biggest sponsorship on the island and is a great opportunity to meet and engage with customers. During the Championship we talked to over 700 customers all of whom travel with us or are beginning to travel with us. It was a terrific opportunity to meet with them and develop relationships. They are choosing to fly with Emirates like never before,” says Enda.

An increasing number of companies in Northern Ireland are now engaging in business in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Gulf states many of whom have secured lucrative contracts there. In particular, there are a number of business sectors in the UAE – which has diversified its economy away from oil – that offer good opportunities to Northern Ireland companies.

For instance, The Deluxe An increasing number of people from Northern Ireland are flying with Group, based in Portadown, Emirates on business or leisure trips as the airline’s Country Manager for has achieved huge success after Ireland, Enda Corneille, TELLS Adrienne McGill. scooping a contract to create sets, props and special effects for a new, movie theme park in the Middle East. The company helped to continues to grow. mirates Airlines, based in Dubai, bring life to five attractions in Dubai based “The rate of growth of passengers from is regarded by many as the most around Hollywood movies including Hotel Northern Ireland using the Emirates service luxurious carrier in the world. It is Transylvania, Ghostbusters, The Green is spectacular,” says Enda Corneille, Emirates also one of the largest airlines in terms Hornet, Underworld and Zombieland. of passengers carried as well as the Ireland Country Manager.

Motiongate Dubai, part of leisure and “Our numbers from Northern Ireland are largest operator of the Airbus A380 – entertainment destination resort Dubai tracking at the moment at 51 per cent ahead the world’s largest passenger airliner.

Parks and Resorts, boasts 27 themed rides of where they were last year.

And when it comes to looking after and attractions, 21 of which are indoor, “That is across business, first and economy passengers travelling on business or spread across five zones. leisure, Emirates know how to do it in high class. It’s a mixture of business and leisure In September, Invest NI Trade will deliver passengers. style – from gastronomic food and fine two export focused market events in the “The growth amongst business class is at wines to showers, spas, cocktail lounges, Middle East. The first event is a multia higher rate – a lot of companies across comfortable lie-flat beds, and a multitude of sectoral trade mission to Dubai and Kuwait entertainment across 2,500 channels.

Northern Ireland are using Emirates to and the second event will have a sectoral The airline operates a double-daily flight do business in the Middle East, Far East, focus concentrating on the Middle East Australia and Africa – and we are seeing that from Dublin to Dubai, and onwards to Waste and Recycling Exhibition. coming through on our cargo numbers as around 140 different locations.

“At the end of the day access is the name well.

Around 20 per cent of flights finish in of the game,” says Enda.

Dubai, with 80 per cent going on to other “The Emirates service is helping to “Direct flights from Dublin to Dubai and facilitate a lot of economic development. destinations. onwards is the game changer – that is what Customers are getting visits, new customers Over the last five years since it began its drives commerce and that is what is coming are being prospected – people are doing service from Dublin to Dubai, Emirates has through in the numbers we are seeing.” carried 1.2 million passengers. business because they can get there easily Emirates is one of three Gulf carriers to using Emirates.”

Such is the demand for the Dublin to Dubai operate services from Dublin alongside The close relationship the airline has route from travellers in Northern Ireland Etihad flying to Abu Dhabi and Qatar with customers in Northern Ireland is that Emirates now has a dedicated sales team Airway’s which recently launched a new also key to growth as evidenced by its in Belfast and the number of passengers

FLYING WITH CLASS

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service to Doha.

“We are not fazed by competition,” says Enda.

“The customer will decide which airline to fly with and we have by far the best proposition. We have the biggest network, we have the youngest fleet of aircraft and we have a service that was voted by Trip advisor as the best in the world in 2017.

“Emirates is a trusted brand and we have nothing to fear from competition.

Competition is very good – there are now three carriers promoting the Middle East and the Far East out of Dublin but at the end of the day the customer will choose the one that offers the best value and offers the best service – and that will be Emirates.

“Our load factors are averaging 80 per cent plus – that is 800 seats per day which is a very strong base.”

Emirates uses Boeing 777 aircraft on its twice-daily service from Dublin with excellent onward connections from Dubai to Asia, Africa and Australia on its fleet of A380 superjumbos.

The carrier has the world’s biggest widebody fleet, including more than 95 A380 superjumbos in service and a further 48 on order.

“If you get our lunchtime flight from Dublin – you arrive into Dubai at 24:25 – so for the next 3 hours there is a range of departures to Australia, Africa and the Far East. When you get our evening flight you are in Dubai at 08:50 so it is perfect if you are doing business in the Middle East.”

But what about the perception of Emirates as a luxury airline where comfort comes at a price…a high price?

“The misconception about Emirates is that it is very expensive to fly on – when in fact it is not. We are selling Dublin to Dubai, which is a seven hour flight for about £300-£400 and we sell business class for around £1,900- £2,000. If you were to try and find business class on another carrier to perhaps the US you would pay more than that. With Emirates you are getting a fantastic service including 2,500 channels of entertainment, the most comfortable seating which transforms into a lie-flat bed, wonderful food and wines and a whole range of other luxuries.

“There is no shortage of demand for business class – the reason is that customers recognise the value. We are a long-haul airline and if you are travelling to Australia or China these are long trips and business customers like to be comfortable. But also we are finding that leisure passengers going on holiday or on honeymoon like to treat themselves. Because the fares are competitive – they are not beyond people’s reach.”

Last year Emirates carried a record 56.1 million passengers, up 8 per cent, which underlines passengers’ desire to fly on the airline’s state of the art aircraft, and via efficient routes through its Dubai hub.

“While we react to customer feedback, we are also trailblazers,” says Enda.

“The shower and spa on the A380 is a good example. We always want to offer the next big thing before anybody else.”

on the ascent SUBSTANTIAL GROWTH IS ON THE RADAR AT DUBLIN AIRPORT AS ADRIENNE MCGILL HEARS FROM ITS MANAGING DIRECTOR VINCENT HARRISON.

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ublin Airport is the fastest growing major airport in Europe, voted the third best in Europe for customer service and named the 10th best airport in the world.

That’s quite a triple coup for the facility, which in the best airport international survey, based on 65,000 passenger reviews by travel website eDreams, scored highly for overall airport quality, waiting areas, shopping, and restaurants.

The airport has introduced a wave of upgrades in recent years, including a luxury US Preclearance lounge (T2), a new ‘Marquette’ food court (T1), self-service bag drop machines and a #10 million revamp of Terminal 1’s facade and Arrivals Hall.

Passenger numbers at Dublin Airport increased by 11 per cent to a record 27.9 million in 2016. During the first five months of

this year, passenger traffic was up 6 per cent to 10.9 million.

Dublin Airport has flights to 185 destinations in 41 different countries with19 new routes since last year and additional capacity on 31 existing routes. A total of 47 airlines currently operate out of the airport.

Dublin Airport’s strong performance has been assisted by its growth as a gateway between Europe and North America.

Transatlantic traffic increased by 16 per cent to a record 2.9 million passengers in 2016.

“We strive to offer every one of our 28 million passengers the best possible experience when using Dublin Airport,” says Vincent Harrison, Dublin Airport Managing Director.

“Our growth has been partly due to a resurgent economy in Ireland in the last number of years and that has played its role in terms of the recovery of the overall air travel market. We have experienced growth across all of the major drivers of the business – inbound and outbound traffic, the tourism product, and the general strengthening of the demand profile.

“Also there has been the introduction of a lot of new routes with new airline competition so there is a lot of choice.

“We have had a large number of new airlines and also growth in destinations from many of our existing carriers.

“We have also seen the growth of Dublin Airport as a connecting airport between Europe and the US and Canada. Our largest sector for growth has been among connecting passengers who are utilising Dublin primarily because of its convenience and using US customs and immigration preclearance if they are travelling to America.”

There has also been a significant surge in the number of Northern Ireland residents using Dublin Airport in recent years which in 2015 hit a record of 1.2 millon, a rise of 37 per cent on 2014.

The airport has now become a major gateway for the north of Ireland, with a million overseas visitors using Dublin Airport to travel to and from Northern Ireland in 2015.

The rise has been attributed to a significant increase in the route network, with both NI Chamber 37

ACTIVITY ON AIR CONNECTIVITY extra capacity and new services operating out of Dublin Airport.

According to the airport, just over twothirds of all passengers who travelled by air to the island of Ireland came through Dublin.

“The connectivity that Dublin Airport offers is excellent and is growing every year and that’s underscored by the high level of Northern Ireland-based travellers who take direct flights from the airport,” says Mr Harrison.

“Passengers from Northern Ireland love the choice, convenience and value that Dublin Airport offers with its extensive longhaul and short-haul route network and high frequency connections to a huge number of destinations.

“Our surveys also show that Northern Ireland passengers are impressed with the quality of the passenger experience and the facilities at Dublin Airport.

“Dublin Airport should be seen as a strong selling point for businesses in Northern Ireland who can avail of access to 185 destinations.

“The advantage that Dublin Airport brings to residents of Northern Ireland is that they don’t have to connect via Heathrow or some other airport – our direct services get them 38 NI Chamber

to their destinations swiftly.”

Mr Harrison also says the facility plays an important role in bringing a picture of route demand to airlines.

“We have large airlines who are based in Dublin and know the market but other carriers that are based in other parts of the world are looking at a range of airports to see where there is demand for certain routes.

“People will choose to operate here if they believe they can make more money by basing their aircraft in Dublin rather than somewhere else so we need to be able to show that demand exists and there is an opportunity for you as an airline to grow here.

“We are also very keen to win business that is sustainable. Over the last couple of years the most gratifying element is that virtually every piece of new business that has come to Dublin Airport has grown – whether that is an airline that comes into operate one route and ends up operating a number or a route that starts with 2 or 3 services a week and grows to daily flights.

All of that certainly helps the long term relationship between us and airlines.”

Mr Harrison says Dublin Airport will see

further growth this year but not quite as much as over the last couple of years. He said investment will continue in order to maintain its impact as a key engine of the Irish economy.

According to a study by economic consultants InterVISTAS, Dublin Airport’s annual value to the Irish economy increased from #6.9 billion per year to #8.3 billion per year, as passenger numbers grew by 38 per cent over the past four years.

The 38 per cent growth in traffic at Dublin Airport since 2013 is putting pressure on some areas and the facility is currently investing about #100 million per year in capital expenditure to maintain, expand and improve facilities.

One of the most high profile investments currently being made is the construction of a new runway to the north of the existing terminal at a cost of #320 million.

“We need additional aircraft parking stands, boarding gate areas and runway capacity and we’re working in each of these areas. We also have a major maintenance and upgrade programme underway,” says Mr Harrison.

“We’re investing in Dublin Airport for both for our airlines and our passengers.”

ACTIVITY ON AIR CONNECTIVITY

NEW AIR ROUTES TAKE OFF Routes Europe, which took place in Belfast earlier this year, is the largest regional gathering for all aviation based companies who wish to conduct business to, from and within the European region. Adrienne McGill talks to John McGrillen, Chief Executive of Tourism Northern Ireland, about the event.

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orthern Ireland is welcoming more visitors every year, which is creating scope for further air route development.

Visits to the region’s attractions reached a record high of 17.5 million in 2015, with the most popular sites being the Giant’s Causeway and Titanic Belfast.

The numbers are forecast to grow as tourism is developed into an industry that delivers £1 billion to the economy by 2020.

That is the vision of John McGrillen, Chief Executive of Tourism Northern Ireland, who has been particularly pleased at the degree of interest shown in Northern Ireland by airlines and airports attending the Routes Europe conference in Belfast.

The three day event which took place at the Waterfront Hall on April 23-25 provided a meeting place for airlines, airports, tourism authorities and government bodies that want to plan new flights and increase existing services.

It was attended by 1,100 delegates, 114 airlines and representatives from 370 airports and 40 tourism organisations.

“Hosting Routes Europe has the potential to accelerate route development for Belfast and Northern Ireland and thereby increase the number of tourists visiting the region,” says Mr McGrillen.

“The conference, not only enhanced Northern Ireland’s profile as a tourism destination but also as a destination for hosting large scale international events.

“The reason why Tourism NI, Invest NI, Visit Belfast and Belfast City Council were so keen to have the Routes Conference in Belfast was that it allowed us to showcase the city as a business and leisure destination and gave Northern Ireland’s airports the opportunity to showcase themselves to airlines and other airports who are interested in developing connections.

“A greater choice of destinations would better serve local people as well as visitors – 1.2 million Northern Ireland residents passed through Dublin Airport in 2015. In addition, as many as one million inbound passengers used Dublin as a gateway to Northern Ireland as part of an all-island holiday experience – we don’t underestimate the importance of Dublin for that. New routes from Northern Ireland’s airports would help to meet the demand that already exists in the market.”

So far, low cost airlines are responsible for much of the growth at Northern Ireland’s airports.

Ryanair’s new base at Belfast International Airport has had the biggest impact, introducing flights to Berlin and Milan and a service to London Gatwick that operates four times a day.

Thirteen additional routes will be operated during the summer 2017 schedule.

Norwegian has also launched new transatlantic services to New York and Boston from the International.

During the conference Jet2 announced eight new destinations from Belfast International for summer 2018.

Belfast City Airport’s new routes include Icelandair’s three-times-a-week service to Reykjavik which will provide easy connections to its network of destinations in the US and Canada.

City of Derry Airport also secured a new airline to Northern Ireland – bmi regional. The carrier launched twice daily service to London Stansted at the beginning of May. Mr McGrillen highlights Northern Ireland’s growing reputation as an attractive destination for both business and leisure tourism.

“This year has been a record year for tourists. We have had 2.5 million people coming from out of state which amounts to many millions of spend in the local economy.

“Tourism is a significant export industry because we sell Northern Ireland overseas and people come here and spend their money.

It is a product and service which is consumed by people who don’t live in Northern Ireland so by definition it is an export.

“Tourism is therefore very important and the UK is our key market not least because we have such strong connectivity with every part of it.

“Tourists come to spend money and visit attractions while they are here, they add atmosphere and quite often people who visit will come back for a longer stay.

“Business tourism has also become extremely important. A business tourist spends significantly more than a leisure tourist.

They tend to stay mid week and that creates a degree of constancy in terms of the occupancy levels in hotels which tend to be high at the weekend because of leisure tourists.”

Routes Europe was a unique opportunity to bring influential decision makers to Northern Ireland, showcase the region’s tourism and business potential and open up discussions on future air route networks.

From a Northern Ireland perspective, the fact that it is on the periphery of Europe with no land links to Great Britain, Continental Europe or other international markets only serves to reinforce the need for strong air links.

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ENJOY AN EFFORTLESS JOURNEY The world of business travel can be fast and furious – but it doesn’t have to be.

Adrienne McGill talks to Edel Doherty, Managing Director of Beyond Business Travel, whose company is dedicated to taking the stress and strain out of travel for high-flying executives and their teams.

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usiness travel can be stressful enough without something going wrong. Whether it is flight cancellations or delays or an unexpected crisis or a natural disaster which throws your travel plans into chaos, it’s good to know that there is a person who can sort everything out at the touch of a button.

Edel Doherty is that person. Her company Beyond Business Travel, based in Belfast, is one of the top Travel Management Companies and part of the biggest buying group in the UK, providing corporate travel services for a range of the country’s most prestigious enterprises of all sizes from global corporations to SMEs and across all industries from pharmaceutical and engineering through to the film industry.

For instance recently, when a “catastrophic” IT failure at British Airways (BA) led to Bank Holiday flight chaos, with around 583 flights cancelled from Heathrow and Gatwick alone and an estimated 75,000 passengers affected together with global flight disruption, Edel and her 18 staff swung into action immediately.

“As a team we all gelled on the Saturday and identified our clients who were affected. We were able to contact them, rebook them and get an alert out to them to say there was an additional phone number they could contact us on for information on the reorganisation of their travel plans.

“People had to get to important meetings – and we got them there,” says Edel.

Travel Management Companies, can take

40 NI Chamber

over the stress and strain of travel bookings for a given company. The use of Travel Management Companies has been steadily rising over the last five years for many reasons, not the least of which is taking the burden off a finance manager and giving it to a company that understands and can do what is needed effectively. It also means that the basic oversight processes are also handled by a firm that has the expertise to understand the language and has the ability to negotiate with airlines and hotels for the best rates possible.

“It is about ensuring an executive or his/ her team get to where they need to be, when they want to and knowing that the price is competitive,” says Edel.

“We also give them the reassurance of a 24 hour service so that when things go

wrong and changes have to be made that we are there to make sure they get to their destination and back again.

“Our mantra is – ‘making sure you are at your best no matter where you are in the world’ – and you don’t’ need to worry about the travel aspect of your journey.”

Beyond Business Travel’s clients range from individual executives to teams from companies who need to travel together or meet in a certain country after flying in from working elsewhere.

“We have consultants that travel globally, international speakers, people from manufacturing, fintech, pharma, agri-food – and we have carved ourselves quite a niche in the film industry with Game of Thrones and The Fall flying the stars and production people

It’s essential that those travelling on business arrive at their destination able to function to the best of his or her ability.

“We offer strategic travel management – rather than just travel management. If a company has a strategy to move into other markets then part of our service is to make sure that happens for them. Whether that involves us negotiating with hotel partners in a certain country a client is exploring as an export market or speaking to airlines to ensure we get reduced rates for the client, getting information on visas and ensuring they have all the right documentation or sourcing a translator. We book restaurants, car hire, chauffeurs, train tickets, car parking, meeting rooms – basically everything the business traveller requires. It is all about ensuring the client has all the support they need 24/7.”

Beyond Business Travel also works closely with Destination Management Companies in countries across the world. These are professional services companies possessing extensive local knowledge, expertise and resources in the countries in which they are based and who can provide further support to Beyond Business Travel’s clients.

Business travel in recent years has become a necessity for the modern executive who has become more demanding. A service provider has to offer more than just the basics.

“Today’s business travellers are welltravelled, discerning and savvy, looking for a holistic experience. They are in search of

an efficient, effortless and enjoyable travel experience, not just a room for the night or a way to get from point A to point B. Our ability to come up with unique solutions and meet the growing demands of the frequent business traveller translates into more successful business trips,” says Edel.

“A common demand from our executive client base would be the need to make a change to their travel or amend their flights at short notice whilst on the go.”

The development of new technology is also making business travel easier and helping travel management companies deliver services faster.

Beyond Business Travel technology allows travellers to book on the move via their travel app and is about to launch new software, called “Mobile Messenger” so the clients can see where every single traveller is at any point. This has become all the more important with the upsurge in terrorist attacks in cities across the UK and Europe.

Another piece of technology being piloted involves Artificial Intelligence which will be able to pick out travel itineraries from emails and deliver a range of options within seconds.

“At the end of the day, most business people have to travel at some stage,” says Edel.

“But the key is booking travel time cost effectively and keeping travellers safe and with support.”

FLIGHT PATH TO GROWTH With the backing of new owners, George Best Belfast City Airport, aims to climb to new heights as Adrienne McGill hears from its Commercial and Marketing Manager Katy Best.

I

t’s the start of yet another new era for George Best Belfast City Airport (BCA) following the acquisition last month of the facility by investment firm 3i as part of deal believed to be in excess of £500 million.

The airport’s previous owner Eiser agreed to sell the facility and other assets last December.

The sale was completed after meeting a number of conditions, including approval from the European Commission under the EU Merger Regulation.

It’s understood the airport is expected to announce further investments as a result of the deal in the coming months.

Eiser, based in London, bought the airport for £132.5 million in 2008 when it was sold by Spanish construction firm Ferrovial. Over the last 9 years Eiser invested around £20 million in the facility.

Katy Best, BCA’s Commercial and Marketing Manager says: “3i’s arrival is another important landmark in what has been an exciting period of expansion for the business.

“It is a really positive step. 3i Infrastructure Fund is part of a plc and we have sufficient engagement with them to know that they are keen to invest in the passenger experience

and also to support the community relations activity that we do. We feel very much aligned to the way in which they would like to see the airport move forward.

“We engage with our passengers and carefully track their views around the things they like about the airport and the things they would like to see improve. We have a very clear plan around what sort of investment we would like to make to respond to that and you can expect to see several investment announcements from us before the end of the year.

“As management, we are making proposals about where investments can deliver a return.

Some of that will be around accommodating more passengers, some will be around improving the passenger experience. We want to invest for the future.”

BCA operates 18 domestic routes across the UK, a nine times daily service to Heathrow with British Airways and Aer Lingus, and direct services to Europe including Amsterdam with KLM, Malaga, Palma, Faro and Alicante with Aer Lingus and Reykjavik with Icelandair.

“We have had a very good year with a big increase in our traffic to Amsterdam – there’s been a 40 per cent increase in the number of passengers using the route over the last year,”

says Katy.

“We have a stellar airline portfolio, including blue-chip brands such as KLM, Flybe, British Airways and Aer Lingus, and we are confident of continuing to grow our route network and the profitability of the business in years to come.

“New routes will be announced before the end of the year and there will be more new routes for summer 2018.”

Around 2.7 million passengers pass through the airport annually, a figure which is likely to grow with the commencement of KLM’s daily service to Amsterdam, Flybe’s new services to London City and Liverpool, Aer Lingus’s summer routes and Icelandair’s three times a week year round service to Icelandic capital Reykjavik.

“In terms of our route development strategy, we are looking to increase our leisure network which would be to sun destinations in the summer and ski destinations in the winter,” says Katy.

“Also, we want to look at European cities where we see both a corporate demand and a tourism business case as well. And then there are routes that are underserved compared to some of the other regions within the UK and we want to look at those.”

NI Chamber 41

ACTIVITY ON AIR CONNECTIVITY

to various locations for shoots,” says Edel.

“Our team are really experienced professionals who eat, sleep and live business travel.

“Some travel itineraries may be quite complicated – some executives can do a 10 centre itinerary and then return to base in Northern Ireland.

“We are also very conscious that people have families so they don’t want to spend extra time away from home when they don’t have to. On the other hand, there may be young teams who want to explore where they are and we can arrange an itinerary for them over a weekend so they can find out a bit more about where they are staying and working and that in turn gives them an insight into their customer and other cultures.

“We don’t do a one size fits all – it is very much a personalized bespoke service for each company and for each traveller within that company.

“Our clients range from SMEs to large corporations and the one thing they have in common is their dependence on face-to-face meetings to win new customers, service existing customers, close new deals and develop high-performing talent. We work with them to deliver a managed travel policy that delivers on these aspects whilst driving profitability.

“More importantly we seek to minimize the stress travelling can sometimes bring by ensuring the client has a hassle free journey.

ACTIVITY ON AIR CONNECTIVITY

Katy points to the interest shown by airlines attending the Routes Europe Conference hosted in Belfast earlier this year who were keen to learn more about Northern Ireland’s tourism and business markets.

“We have seen a change in perception of Belfast and the Northern Ireland market across the industry. We had more than 40 meetings across the conference around connectivity and European hubs. Most importantly, the new airlines with whom we are in dialogue understand the Northern Ireland product and market.

“It can take up to four years to close airline deals so patience is critical.

“The aviation industry and the principles of route development are now more widely understood by all of our Northern Ireland stakeholders. We are competing with all regions in Europe and we have to sell Northern Ireland as a destination first.”

BCA will be attending the World Routes conference in Barcelona in September which, says Katy, will allow the airport to keep up momentum on discussions with airlines, airports and tourism authorities.

Katy points to the success of the Icelandair service to Reykjavik, which has benefits for both BCA and passengers. It is a destination that can be served all year round using the right kind of aircraft for the airport’s market, the 72 seat Bombardier Q400.

“Icelandair is also particularly pleased about the volume of traffic the service from Belfast is putting onto its transatlantic services from Reykjavik where passengers can connect with eight direct services to US cities,” she says.

Katy says BCA’s management are very clear on where potential growth lies and what the demands are within the Northern Ireland market.

“The job now is to match up the airlines which can provide the best fit to service new routes. We are very positive and ambitious about what we can best achieve over the next 5 years under 3i.”

42 NI Chamber

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columnist

When plans were unveiled for a new £100m healthcare and supported accommodation facility at the iconic King’s Hall, Belfast, it certainly caught public attention. Joanna Robinson, Real Estate Partner at law firm Pinsent Masons advised and continues to advise on the deal, and reflects on the growth in healthcare investment in Northern Ireland.

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BALMORAL CARE COMPLEX SHOWS HEALTHY APPETITE FOR PROPERTY INVESTMENT

I

n promoting Northern Ireland across the world, Invest NI highlight a thriving life and health sciences sector that benefits from a strong collaborative approach between industry, academia and clinicians.

They identify Northern Ireland as a low risk, pro-business environment with a local government committed to growing this sector.

Indeed, the healthcare sector in Northern Ireland has demonstrated significant recent growth, not least with the entry into the market of MedicX Fund and the proposed development of the Kings Hall, which will offer primary care and state-ofthe-art GP practices.

The Investment Strategy for Northern Ireland 2011-2021 recognised several key healthcare projects such as a new Maternity Hospital at the Royal Victoria Hospital (value £45 million to £50 million) and the Ulster Hospital Phase B Redevelopment (£180 million to £200 million).

Key players in the Northern Ireland healthcare sector include high quality names such as Almac, CV6 Therapeutics, Philips Healthcare, Randox, Terumo and Teva Pharmaceuticals Group.

So what is attracting these new Real Estate investors? Well firstly, timing is a factor.

The post-financial crisis nonperforming loans are coming to the end of their life cycle so Funds are now broadening into other assets. It is widely considered that healthcare is a stable and lucrative investment in an uncertain economy.

Secondly, and more importantly it’s good business.

For companies investing in Northern Ireland in the healthcare sector, there are numerous financial incentives and grants available, which are contributing to increased growth.

Investment in healthcare, particularly in Northern Ireland, has stable and good yields comparative to those for similar type investments in mainland UK. Operating costs in Northern Ireland are on average around 20-30 per cent lower than the rest of the UK and Europe and expectations remain that corporation tax (currently 20 per cent) will reduce to 12.5 per cent, making it the joint lowest with the Republic of Ireland in Western Europe.

Another attraction is the proximity of Northern Ireland as a gateway to the Republic of Ireland market.

With a healthcare sector (medical devices, pharma and biotechnology) in Republic of Ireland exporting more than 39bn euro annually; employing over 50,000 people directly; and expected to create 8,400 job openings by 2020, investors are certainly alive to opportunities.

Octopus Healthcare (the Investment Adviser to MedicX Fund) commented recently that Ireland offers good yields for quality properties let on long leases, generating principally government backed income. The MedicX Fund has also just announced its fourth acquisition in Ireland, having contracted to acquire a new primary healthcare medical centre in Dublin.

The MedicX Fund’s total property

portfolio comprises 157 properties throughout the UK and Ireland and the annualised rent roll for all properties is now £40 million.

Many other large companies are seeking to establish themselves in the Republic of Ireland market, such as United Drug which announced a 40 million euro investment in technology and innovation at its headquarters in Dublin, and Aralez Pharmaceuticals who has recently unveiled its new office in Ireland.

So what has created these opportunities for investment? With an ageing population and longer life-expectancy our health needs are becoming evermore complex.

Advances in medical technology inevitably drives consolidation of resources with more specialised staff required to deliver them.

Those factors combined with our unceasing expectation to access the best healthcare will re-shape our health estate and see many more developments such as the flagship example at The Kings Hall. Already we are seeing appetite for investment in smaller scale facilities.

But as this market matures, opportunities are likely to broaden out into other areas beyond health. For example, student accommodation, hotels, the office market, industrial and logistics and PRS are considered to be the next hot asset classes that funds will be looking to invest in.

Of course having the right experience and advice is crucial, but the opportunities are out there.

Building the future together

Sector: Education Building: University of Ulster, York Street Products: Standard Mortar, Coloured Mortar, Floor Screed

feature

One of the world’s leading scientists in the field of electromaterials, Belfast-born Professor Gordon Wallace (right) from the University of Wollongong, Australia, helped launch Ulster University’s new £2 million Health Technology Research Hub at the Jordanstown campus with Professor Jim McLaughlin, Ulster University.

ULSTER UNIVERSITY LEADS THE WAY IN life-changing

research

A new £2 million health technology hub planned by Ulster University is set to accelerate the development of pioneering healthcare technology, writes Adrienne McGill.

T

rail blazing in the world of healthcare and revolutionising the way in which patients are treated, UIster University recently announced a £2 million investment in a new health technology hub.

The hub, will create four new posts and be housed within the Nanotechnology and Integrated Bioengineering Centre (NIBEC) in the School of Engineering at the Jordanstown campus.

The new facility will centralise core expertise to support the rapid development of new healthcare technology with support from clinicians and will access expertise from the Connected Health Innovation Centre (CHIC), the BioDevices Lab, the Eastern Corridor Medical Engineering Centre (ECME) and the Centre for Advanced Cardiovascular Research (CACR).

Speaking at the launch, Ulster University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Paddy Nixon, said the new hub would add to the £20 million of funding already secured for health technology research.

“Ulster University has a longstanding history of excellence in medical and health-related research. We are one of the top ten universities in the UK for worldleading research in biomedical engineering and in recent years we have secured

46 NI Chamber

over £20 million of funding for health technology research.

“Our research has resulted in the development of wearable medical sensors and implantable devices, and has improved drug therapy and rapid diagnostics. These advances are helping to move care out of hospitals and into the home, reducing pressure on the healthcare system.

“This new health technology hub further enhances our ability to carry out pioneering research which could result in life-changing and life-saving technology and make a global impact on healthcare costs.”

Ulster University has a reputation for its work on medical technology and sciences, so the new hub will aim to build out that position and help to turn the university’s research into prototypes and products that could have very practical and life-saving applications in the healthcare world, rather than leaving the innovation within the confines of research papers.

The new hub will enable doctoral researchers from ECME to collaborate with industry-led researchers from CHIC and clinicians from CACR. The rapid prototyping BioDevices Lab will provide equipment which can facilitate the conversion of ideas into working demonstrators in a matter of hours.

Professor Jim McLaughlin, Director of

NIBEC at Ulster University, said: “Medical advancement in the 20th and 21st centuries has contributed to an increase in life expectancy globally, but that also means an increase in the number of people with multiple chronic conditions. Consequently, to sustain and improve healthcare provision to meet this global challenge, we must accelerate the development of new healthcare technology.

“Ulster University is at the forefront of multi-disciplinary research in nanotechnology, advanced materials, integrated smart sensors, smart computing algorithms and data analytics to provide new technology that is already changing patients’ care-pathways.

“By bringing together knowledge and expertise within the new health technology hub, we hope to improve research outcomes, optimise the potential of collaboration between researchers from industry and academia and put Ulster University in a strong position to bid for new research funding in the international health technology.”

Ranked in the top 3 per cent of universities worldwide, Ulster University is one of the top 150 global young universities under 50.

The university has become renowned world-wide for its impact driven research.

EMPLOYERS URGED TO FIND STRENGTH IN RESERVES’ TALENT Athene Gordon is Regional Employer Engagement Director for Northern Ireland, a Ministry of Defence civil servant in Defence Relationship Management, and one of thirteen such Directors who cover the UK providing an easily accessible interface between British employers and Defence.

O

n the face of it, it’s not a proposition likely to set employers cheering. At a time when many businesses and organisations have been paring down staff numbers in a bid to minimise overheads, the Ministry of Defence is asking for flexibility in supporting employees who choose to join the Reserve Forces. The business benefits of doing so are substantial.

Here in Northern Ireland, many employers have already gone above and beyond the legal requirements to give fuller backing to some of the 2,200 local men and women who have chosen to become part of the country’s Reserve Forces.

Some of those employers view their support simply as a facet of their broad commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility but, according to Defence Relationship Management (DRM established as a single point of contact linking employers with the Ministry of Defence), they can also expect robust return on this investment.

Athene Gordon, Regional Employer Engagement Director for DRM in Northern Ireland, says “Training for Reservists across the three services (Army, Navy and Air Force) is exemplary. It has to be, for today the Reserve Forces are a vital, integral part of the country’s defence forces, contributing manpower and expertise on an equal footing with Regular counterparts … and the Reservists who have benefited from that level of training don’t switch off when they return to their civilian workplaces. They inject fresh ideas into their ‘day jobs’; they are likely to be more physically fit and better motivated than many of their colleagues and they bring not only

the teamwork and leadership skills which are synonymous with military service, but also, increasingly, ‘hard’ skills, CPD and nationallyrecognised qualifications of direct relevance to their work.”

Those benefits are, arguably, nowhere more evident than in the medical sector.

Athene says, “Reserve units based here include one of the Army’s main Field Hospital Units, able to deploy and set up a mobile hospital anywhere in the world. Training and preparedness are vital, and that feeds back into the health sector from which we already draw an exceptional level of employer support.

“Other specialist areas also generate the sort of firmly-focused training and experience which are much prized by employers and which could cost many thousands of pounds to replicate in a purely commercial environment.

We operate a key fuel supply unit for example with all the skills generation that implies and just now we have a small unit of Royal Engineers in the war-torn nation of South Sudan in Africa on a humanitarian mission, using their technical skills to build bridges for communities there.”

Athene Gordon is well used to showcasing the benefits of Reserve Forces training and experience to employers of all sizes across Northern Ireland. While most are receptive to the benefits, and are impressed by the exceptional commitment shown by their employees, business owners and managers can still prove hesitant about giving active support in the form of flexible working hours or additional time off.

She says, “At best, we’d like employees to offer enhanced leave so that Reservists can attend annual training camp or key exercises without having to sacrifice still more of their precious family time. Sometimes a few days’ extra leave or even some flexibility is all that is required from an employer and, in return, their Reservist employee will bring great skills and positive attitude into their civilian workplace.”

Employers can be concerned about the impact on their business in the event of mobilisation but, as Athene explains, that is both less common today than before and better managed. She says, “Mobilisation is very far from the norm and, when it does occur, it is handled with a measured approach which we call ‘intelligent mobilisation’, purposely arranged to give best possible notice and support to civilian employers. If a Reservist simply can’t be spared from their civilian job, we try to be flexible. We’re here to advise companies on their rights as well as their responsibilities and we can help them to draw

down financial assistance to help cover the loss of key personnel.

“People will be aware of the important contribution made by Northern Irish Reservists in Afghanistan in the past while, more recently, Reservists from Northern Ireland have been sent abroad to play important roles in peacekeeping missions. Prolonged absences are not frequent, but they can happen and today’s Reservists understand that, at some stage, their commitment could take them away from home on overseas service.”

While Reservists fully understand what they are signing up to, their employers may not necessarily be ‘in the know’ from the outset.

Whilst in GB, it’s compulsory to inform an employer if you’re serving in the Reserve Forces, that’s not the case in Northern Ireland, largely for historic security reasons. That means that there are hundreds of Reservists out there whose employers who may know nothing of their part time careers.

Athene says, “We are working to build understanding of what it means to have a Reservist on the pay roll which in turn will help individuals to feel more confident about speaking about Reserve service to their employers. I am in touch and meet regularly with all sorts of employers across the public and private sectors, while DRM regularly organises trips to allow employers to see Reservists on exercise and in action at home and abroad. The more employers know, the more benefits they identify for their businesses.

“We have every reason to be proud of our Reservists”, says Athene, “and I am passionate about representing and supporting them in their civilian workplaces.

“It’s interesting to note that, in Great Britain Reservists serve for an average of 3.8 years, while here in Northern Ireland Reservists typically stay for closer to 12 years. In that time they show incredible commitment to their part time careers, undertaking continuous training and turning out for regular weekends on military duty as well as annual training camps – plus they are prepared to step up to the plate should their expertise be required on operations. What employer could fail to be impressed by that level of attainment and commitment … and who can afford to overlook those qualities in an employee?”

If you would like to find out more about how Reserve service could impact on you and your business you can contact Athene Gordon at ni-empsp@rfca.mod.uk or visit www.gov.uk/mod/employer-relations

NI Chamber 47

feature

ANCHORED TO GROWTH B

Belfast Harbour has yet again reported a record performance as profits fund a £105 million infrastructure commitment writes Adrienne McGill.

elfast Harbour is celebrating another buoyant year.

Financial figures for 2016 in the Harbour’s latest annual report reveal turnover grew by 7 per cent to £58.1 million while operating profit increased by 12 per cent to £32.2 million which was driven by improved port throughput – up by just over 1 per cent to more than 23 million tonnes in 2016 – and increased property income.

The freight ferry sector, operated by StenaLine, performed particularly well with over half a million vehicles passing through Belfast, a rise of 60 per cent since 2010. Passenger numbers also grew strongly in 2016, up 9 per cent to 1.5 million, the highest level since 2004.

The Harbour invested £42 million (up from £18 million in the previous year) in infrastructure including new logistics warehousing, quayside cranes, the new Harbour Studios and ongoing urban regeneration schemes such as City Quays.

A further £105 million has been committed to future capital expenditure projects.

Dr David Dobbin, Belfast Harbour’s Chair, said: “This has been another highly successful year for Belfast Harbour reflecting an improving economic background and the benefits coming from our ongoing investment in port facilities and development of the Harbour estate – investments which have totalled £130 million over the past five years.

“Every penny of our net profit is reinvested in the development of the Harbour’s port and property activities, supporting businesses throughout Northern Ireland. As is the case in the Port sector, the scale of these benefits to the wider economy is considerably in excess of the direct economic benefit to Belfast Harbour itself.”

During 2016 Belfast Harbour invested £3 million in 90,000 sq. ft. of additional

48 NI Chamber

Belfast Harbour Offshore Wind Terminal.

warehousing and £4 million in new cranes, including the largest single crane operating in any British or Irish port. Significant investments were made in regeneration projects in the Harbour Estate. These included City Quays 2, a 124,000 sq. ft.

Grade A office which will accommodate 1,000 workers, a 188-bedroom Marriott Hotel and the 66,000 sq. ft. Belfast Harbour Studios.

Dr Dobbin added: “Belfast Harbour has an ambitious investment pipeline which will continue to drive our business and enhance the capacity of Northern Ireland’s economy, creating jobs and maintaining Belfast Harbour as the region’s most important access point to the global marketplace.

“The Harbour’s investment profile has historically been dominated by marine projects, but the opportunity to utilise waterfront sites no longer required for port operations has generated major property development projects.

“Planned in consultation with Invest NI, City Quays has created strong interest among inward investors. The first office,

City Quays 1, is fully let, with City Quays 2, due for completion this summer already generating significant interest. The Board has also approved the development of City Quays 3, a 260,000 sq. ft. office which is expected to be completed by 2019.”

The Annual Report noted a busy year for the Harbour’s Offshore Wind Terminal, which was used by both MHI Vestas and DONG Energy to assemble some of the world’s largest wind turbines for installation in the Irish Sea. Belfast Harbour became the first location in the world for the mass-scale assembly of these 187m high turbines.

Almost 2.3 million tonnes of agri-sector related trades were also handled through Belfast, performing better than expected, as the impact of lower global milk prices did not fully materialise. Cement exports exceeded 200,000 tonnes for the first time since 2007 and coal grew to 2.2 million tonnes representing 20 per cent of all UK coal imports.

In addition, 2016 was a record year for the cruise sector with 82 ships calling at Belfast Harbour with 145,000 visitors.

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BUILDING THE NORTHERN IRELAND BRAND!

M A NEW SURVEY SHOWS THAT INTERNATIONAL PERCEPTIONS OF NORTHERN IRELAND VARY CONSIDERABLY. MAUREEN O’REILLY, ni CHAMBER eCONOMIST, EXAMINES THE FINDINGS.

odern, developing, forward thinking, ambitious, stagnant, isolated, declining. A strange collection of words but taken together these are the words that the outside world most associates with economic and business conditions in Northern Ireland!

Northern Ireland recently participated for the first time in the Anholt–GFK Roper Nation Brands Index. This is a tool, which is used to measure and rank the broad international reputation of nations by asking people around the world to rate a series of statements about a particular country or region. The Index looks at 50 nations across six dimensions of what is called ‘national competence’; Exports; Governance; Culture; People; Tourism; and Immigration and Investment. Taken together they provide an indication of a country’s ‘Brand’ and give a sense of how it is perceived by the outside world.

So how does the Northern Ireland brand measure up? We probably do quite well considering the competition.

It will come as no surprise that the United States, Germany and the UK rank as top 3 in the Index and the top 10 include other Western market economies along with Japan. Overall, Northern Ireland ranks 21st out of the 50 nations in the 2016 Index. This is behind Scotland, which ranks in 15th place, although Northern Ireland’s score is closer to the top compared to the bottom scoring nations, which is a positive. Unfortunately Ireland is not part of the Index, which would have made an interesting comparison.

ranking sounds low but it is important to highlight that tourism has the highest score across the dimensions and the statement that Northern Ireland is ‘rich in natural beauty’ ranks highest across all statements about Northern Ireland in the Index. Northern Ireland was ranked 25th, in the middle in terms of the Exports dimension, not bad considering Scotland was 21st. Agriculture was most associated with Northern Ireland exports followed by Food and Crafts. Only a small proportion of those surveyed associated Northern Ireland with products or services such as High Technology, Film and Television or Automotive.

Who knows and ranks us best?

It is typically the British, Italians, Germans, French and Americans who are most positive about Northern Ireland, a mixture of near neighbour and English speaking nations. For example, Northern Ireland received its highest Export rankings from a number of European nations including the UK, France, Italy and Germany.

Unsurprisingly, countries that know and rank us lowest include India, China and Russia. Distance is an obvious factor. The Index also highlights that people who have visited here generally score Northern Ireland higher across all dimensions. Under Tourism for example, Northern Ireland scores 70.47 by those who have visited the region compared to 62.84 for those who have not.

This is not a large-scale survey. It

External perceptions of Northern Ireland, 2016

Overall 6 Dimensions: 1. Exports 2. Governance 3. Culture 4. People 5. Tourism 6. Immigration & Investment

NI Rank out of 50 nations 21st 25th 20th 29th 22nd 28th 20th

Score out of 100 57.93 53.76 57.96 55.47 61.89 63.17 55.25

Source: The Anholt-GFK Roper Nation Brands Index, 2016.

Northern Ireland’s strongest dimensions in 2016 were Governance along with Immigration & Investment, both of which rank Northern Ireland 20th across the 50 nations. Northern Ireland’s weakest dimensions were Culture (29th) and Tourism (28th).

Governance is an interesting ranking and perhaps one, which it might be difficult to replicate if the Index were to be repeated now. The Tourism

50 NI Chamber

involves the views of around 1,000 people on each country/region so it is important to put the findings in this context. However, what the Index does start to give us some sense of what the outside world thinks of Northern Ireland. Presenting Northern Ireland as a ‘confident, welcoming, outward-looking society’ is one of the NI Executive’s key priorities and the Index will be

used as one of the measures of its success in driving this forward.

This means that we should have an opportunity to see how the outside world’s view of Northern Ireland changes over time.

What I take from the Index is the extent of the contrasts in views on Northern Ireland. For example, words associated with Governance in Northern Ireland swing from trustworthy and reliable to unpredictable and unstable. For Tourism, words include fascinating and relaxing but then risky and boring. It would be great to see a move away from some of the more negative external perceptions of the region going forward, to see a stronger and more balanced image of Northern Ireland as a brand.

There is a job to do, particularly given recent events including political instability and Brexit. Building a good reputation takes time and effort and, as we know all too well, reputation can be severely tainted with just one negative event or mishap. Leaving the EU makes the task of building a positive Northern Ireland brand all the more vital. A potential upside to ‘Brexit’ is that it could make Northern Ireland businesses more outward looking and more willing to trade in markets outside the EU. We have already seen some evidence of this both anecdotally and in findings from the Northern Ireland Chamber’s Quarterly Economic Survey. Promoting Northern Ireland’s brand internationally will make a vital contribution to supporting local businesses in broadening their horizons. The Index also shows that attracting a larger and more diverse tourist base into Northern Ireland will have a positive impact on our brand image internationally. If we get some of this right then perhaps next time Northern Ireland will move into the Top 20 of the Anholt-GFK Roper Nation Brands Index.

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support for your business Whether you are a business start-up or seeking to expand your business, we can help with advice and support on everything from staff recruitment to delivering inclusive and accessible services to your customers.

We provide:

• Free equality training • Telephone advice - free, confidential and tailored to your needs • Website resources - good practice guides,

model policies, case studies

• Equality networks, seminars and conferences • Promoting accessible service for disabled people

For more information, see our website: www.equalityni.org or contact the employer advice team on 028 9089 0888 or email: information@equalityni.org

Follow us on Twitter @EqualityCommNI

SCALING FOR GROWTH By gAVIN KENNEDY, HEAD OF BUSINESS BANKING NI, BANK OF IRELAND UK.

The first half of the year, the last three months in particular, has been a busy time for businesses in Northern Ireland. Whilst uncertainty and accompanying challenges remain, we have seen the renowned resilience and determination of the Northern Ireland business community as they proactively lead the way and get on with the business of doing business.

Take the example of a local business GPS Colour Graphics whom Bank of Ireland UK

is supporting as they invest in growth. The family-owned and managed print business, founded over 200 years ago, is primarily known as a producer of high quality catalogues, books and magazines in medium to high volumes.

They recently moved to a purpose built print facility four times larger than their old premises. For David Bell, Managing Director of GPS Graphics, the new premises represents significant investment to expand and grow the business over the next five years while ensuring they meet the demands of their new and increased customer base.

Part of their investment includes new and innovative machinery and technology – some of it on the largest scale in Ireland, some the first of its type. It crucially provides the business with efficiencies, significantly more capacity and greater flexibility. The overall investment has boosted their offering with huge increases in productivity and quality of product.

We look to provide much more than finance to local companies, with a focus on playing our part to help build confidence within businesses to seize new

opportunities for growth and to meet their expansion objectives.

A key part to this approach is our uniquely designed Enterprise Programme focusing on a desire to nurture local companies to scale and grow. An integral part of the programme is the Scaling for Growth Programme in partnership with Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce & Industry and Bank of Ireland UK’s Enterprise Week which in May had more than 1,200 companies benefitting from over 30 wide-ranging events. In fact, over the last five years, some 14,000 businesses across Northern Ireland have been helped by in excess of 500 Enterprise Programme activities.

We continue to see huge value in sharing our business experience, far-reaching networks and the financial know-how to deliver real and lasting support that will help businesses to grow successfully.

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NI Chamber 53

feature

My Ambition is to...

Danielle Fletcher, HR Manager at Compass Group UK & Ireland.

I

n 2007, I left the close-knit community of Belfast High School, with a strong academic background but was unsure of the career path I wanted to pursue.

Deciding to stick with my strengths, I went to Queen’s University in Belfast and pursued a BA degree in English. During University I wrote articles for a local magazine and gained experience working in a variety of fields including customer service, marketing, advertising and recruitment.

Work experience gained during University, offered an opportunity to sample different careers and I soon realised that my passion lay in working with people. Coupled with my strengths in writing and communication skills enhanced from my studies – HR & Recruitment seemed like the natural choice for me. I embarked on the first step of my career path, beginning as a Recruitment Administrator.

Working within Recruitment was my first foray into the world of HR. I was responsible for various aspects of the hiring process – which, though challenging, was incredibly rewarding. I thrived on being at the centre of a function so critical to the organisation’s success. From here my interest in HR flourished, I had tasted the fast moving recruitment environment – now I wanted to experience the different functions of the HR field – which led me to Compass Group UK & Ireland, which I joined, as an HR Assistant.

Compass Group, the market leader in

contract catering and support services was my first insight of working within the fast-paced, emergent hospitality and services sector. At the forefront of Compass Group’s culture is not only focusing on providing quality through great tasting food and vital support services, but developing the people that power the business, which was evident from the outset.

Shortly after joining the company I was supported to pursue postgraduate study which I completed part time alongside my role as an HR Assistant. I graduated from Ulster University in 2016, with an MSc in Human Resource Management. This allowed me to gain a practical and theoretical foundation in HR, coupled with Associate membership of CIPD. Within 3 years of joining Compass Group I have been promoted to HR Manager.

What I love about being an HR Manager is the variation day to day, with constant opportunities to head up new challenges, while continually developing personally and professionally. One week I could be at the forefront of an employee engagement project or supporting with a TUPE roadshow and the next week implementing a CSR campaign or rolling out learning and development initiatives to increase the skill set of our talent, all while overseeing the daily people processes across Northern Ireland. I’ve

just finishing rolling out and embedding the new Compass Group ‘Great Days at Work’ engagement strategy throughout Ireland, with the ultimate aim of increasing commitment levels across our workforce through creating more great days at work. It’s these exciting and innovative initiatives, aligned with business strategy that add value and inspire our people, enhancing the success of the business, making my job worthwhile.

I am at the early stages of my professional career and ultimately my ambition is to continue developing in the HR profession, perhaps eventually overseeing a whole HR sector or function. I am content currently gaining exposure within all areas of the field, but I guess I wouldn’t rule out going back to the classroom with the view to specialise in a particular area should the opportunity arise. My foot is firmly placed on the first rungs of the career ladder and I look forward to continuing my climb further!

SUPER SIX

The things I’ve learned in business

Colin McNab is the Operations director for the Charles Hurst Group in Northern Ireland.

During a highly successful career, Colin has held a range of positions across the motor industry, and at Charles Hurst, where he joined as an apprentice. Appointed to his current role in 2012, Colin has overseen the company through stellar growth and expansion. Founded in 1911, the Charles Hurst Group is Northern Ireland’s largest car retailer. A division of Lookers plc, one of the UK’s principal automotive retail and distribution groups, they represent 21 automotive brands across seven sites.

54 NI Chamber

1. Always have a Plan B. The best laid plans don’t always work out so remember to have a Plan B. Plan A might not always happen and having a backup plan in place can save a lot of stress and hassle if things do fall through.

5. Seize every opportunity.

In business, it’s about generating opportunities and not every opportunity is planned. You will instinctively know whether it’s right or not for you, and if it is always go for it.

2. Surround yourself with positive people.

Having positive people in the team around you makes the job easier. They encourage you on the days that you need motivation.

6. Plan, measure, communicate, recognise and reward.

Plan thoroughly for every area of your business with short, medium and long-term goals and stay focused. Ask yourself every day if it is working and question the areas that are not.

Clearly communicate your goal and your vision with those you task to help you achieve success.

Recognise commitment and effort. Your people are one of your greatest assets.

Make sure your staff know you appreciate their effort and ensure that this success is shared and rewarded.

3. Enjoy what you do.

I enjoy my work and it doesn’t feel like a job to me. Find your passion and make it your job – which is even easier when you do have a positive team around you.

4. Always be – and always get – value for money.

Value for money – it’s what we all want and everyone demands it. That’s what I want to provide for people and that’s what they expect.

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feature

bright young business brains

Overall winning team ‘Easy Lace’ with Ciaran Sheehan (back row left, Chairperson of YE), Barra Best (back row, third from left, Guest and Compere), Carol Fitzsimons (right, Chief Executive of YE), Mrs Kane (left, Lismore Comprehensive Principal) and Mr McVeigh (second from right, Teacher).

YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS GET ‘FASTENED’ TO AWARD

A

team of students from Lismore Comprehensive School in Craigavon have won a top competition after impressing judges with their entrepreneurial skills.

The group of Year 13 students, who created a company called ‘Easy Lace’, were named Company of the Year at the Young Enterprise Awards which were staged at Belfast City Hall recently.

They will go on to represent Northern Ireland, with their innovative magnetic shoe fastener, in the Young Enterprise UK Finals at the British Film Institute in London in July. The students finished off an exciting year exploring entrepreneurship and developing their business skills with the top award of the night.

Local charity Young Enterprise (YE), with support from professional services firm EY and Ulster University Business School, staged the annual Young Enterprise Awards to recognise the hard work and dedication from students who completed Young Enterprise’s Team and Company Programmes this year.

The Young Enterprise Company Programme runs every year in schools across Northern Ireland, allowing students to develop their entrepreneurial skills whilst connecting with local businesses.

‘Easy Lace’ represented the Southern Area as one of 6 finalists, out of almost 100 companies from schools across Northern

56 NI Chamber

Ireland, who were in the running to scoop the top title. The process involved a daunting pitch and interview at Invest NI Headquarters in Belfast facing a panel of some of Northern Ireland’s top business moguls. With guidance from volunteer business adviser, Martin Hoy from Hoy Dorman, the enterprising students from Lismore Comprehensive, immersed themselves in the programme, building a brand, taking over social media, and even creating a professional advert for their product. They have secured stockists including Northern Pharmacies, pitched their product to Debenhams, and recruited sports stars as brand ambassadors.

Managing Director of Easy Lace, Conall Brady said: “At the start of our journey we couldn’t have ever imagined we would be standing where we are today. We wanted to bring an innovative product to the Northern Ireland market and our loyal customers and followers have allowed us to make that possible. Without their enthusiasm and unforgettable support ‘Easy Lace’ would not be the award winning company that it is today!

“From the Young Enterprise programme, individually we have all developed different skills – such as self-confidence, public speaking, social media awareness, creativity in our presentations, customer interaction and finance. However, one key skill we all equally grasped was impeccable team

work. Without the dedication, ambition and total commitment shown by our six team members, we could not have succeeded in the various areas which we have. We understand that we can rely on each other for feedback and constructive criticism, but also in times of doubt and frustration. We firmly believe that this is a vital quality that must be enshrined in any business’s ethos.”

Professor Mark Durkin, Executive Dean of Ulster University Business School, said: “Experiencing how businesses actually work through the YE programme is an invaluable way of encouraging more young people to actively pursue a business career and ultimately contribute to creating a more entrepreneurial economy within Northern Ireland. Our vision is to be the leading centre for entrepreneurial education in the UK and Ireland by 2021. The young people who have completed this YE programme will now have had a taste of the excitement which business success brings and we look forward to them becoming part of our entrepreneurial vision for opportunity creation across Northern Ireland and globally through our 60,000 strong alumni network.”

• If you would like to find out more about supporting or volunteering with Young Enterprise contact info@yeni.co.uk or 028 9032 7003.

CERTIFICATION EUROPE ON BREXIT

A

s the UK begin Brexit negotiations with the EU the other European Union member states are now preparing for the implementation of the new General Data Protection Regulation (EU GDPR) which becomes active legislation on May 25th, 2018. While the United Kingdom may become exempt from other European legislation and regulations

by March 2019, the expected date of the official resignation, EU GDPR will certainly apply to the many companies holding personal data operating in the UK. COMPLIANCE

Put simply, the legislation states that the personal data of all citizens of the European Union are protected by EU GDPR even if their data is processed by an organisation from a non-member state. By failing to adhere to this ruling, such organisations put themselves at risk of heavy fines – a maximum of 20 million or 4% of the annual turnover.

NOT PREPARED

Despite this, not all UK companies are fully prepared for the new regulations.

Results from a recent survey by Crown Record Managements indicate that 24% of UK-based organisations have cancelled preparations for the regulation while 4% have yet to begin preparations. This contrasts with a report from the International

Association of Privacy Professionals, which states that 94% of companies with privacy professionals are preparing for compliance with GDPR and over 58% are investing in privacy training for their staff. The report also states that UK privacy professionals are 9% more likely to build a relationship with a consultancy as opposed to a law firm.

CHALLENGES AHEAD

Results in the report from both a UKbased survey and a Global Governance Survey from the end of 2016 outlines some of the highest ranked challenges listed by privacy professionals in relation to GDPR compliance. The “right to be forgotten” is named as the number one difficulty for both groups of respondents while data portability, understanding research allowances and gathering explicit consent are the next three biggest challenges for UK professionals.

3RD PARTY COUNTRY

Following Britain’s eventual departure from the EU, this will make them a “third party country”. The UK will require a mutual legal assistance treaty with the EU, as exists between the Union and the USA, to process, transfer or disclose personal data of EU citizens. However, the UK parliament appears to be taking a different approach.

In spring 2016, the UK minister responsible for data protection, Baroness Neville-Rolfe announced that the U.K Government have chosen to opt out of this portion of the GDPR “because of concerns relating to the

integrity of the U.K legal system”. This may cause further tensions in Britain’s relationship with the EU and cause confusion for UK organisations.

THE FUTURE

In conclusion, while Britain will no longer be an EU member it still must comply with the EU GDPR for several reasons. Firstly, the U.K will likely still be in negotiations with the EU when the new regulation comes into force in May 2018 and will still technically be an EU member state. Furthermore, it is expected that the U.K must introduce a new data protection law, which will mirror the GDPR and it is expected that GDPR compliance will meet any new standard required by such a law. Lastly, the GDPR ruling relating to companies from nonmember states or “third countries” that they must abide by the regulation when processing personal data of EU citizens will apply to almost every U.K company. Brexit or not, Britain and British-based companies must prepare for GDPR to avoid those hefty fines.

Contact Certification Europe today and learn how ISO certification can help your organisation comply to EU GDPR.

NI Chamber 57

LOOKING FOR THE RIGHT PERSPECTIVE?

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We provide a wide range of market-leading services across all sectors, including office, retail, investment, industrial and logistics, and many more.

We help companies Build on Advantage.

For more information contact: Brian Lavery, Managing Director t: +44 (0)28 9043 8555 e: brian.lavery@cbre.com

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Build on Advantage 30/06/2017 12:22

NI CHAMBER’S CORPORATE CHAMPIONS In the THIRD in a series, Ambition highlights NI Chamber’s Corporate members who represent leading companies that are powering ahead with investment, innovation, entrepreneurship and job creation and in the process are helping to develop the Northern Ireland economy.

NI Chamber 59

COMPANY NAME: Belfast City Council

produce a Community Plan (our Belfast Agenda) and a Local Development Plan to improve our citizens’ social, economic and environmental wellbeing.

WE EMPLOY: 2,432

OUR BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENTS ARE:

WE ARE BASED IN: Belfast

We plan and work to improve quality of life for everyone in the city, grow the economy of the city-region and connect people to opportunity.

We invest in and support community, cultural, leisure and economic development and promote Belfast as an attractive and competitive destination of choice for investors, visitors and students. We have a statutory responsibility to

The delivery of a £150 million Investment Programme (including Belfast Waterfront extension, Girdwood Hub, Innovation Factory, Giant’s Park and Visit Belfast information centre) and also the delivery of a £105 million Leisure Transformation Programme. We established an £18.7 million City Centre Investment Fund to stimulate development of Grade A office space in partnership with the private sector.

During 2016-17 we helped to establish 584 new businesses, create 900 new jobs from start-ups and business growth and supported 2,200 people through our business support and

COMPANY NAME:

Our travel expertise allows clients to focus on their business, safe in the knowledge that their specialist travel needs will be looked after. Leveraging our £3 billion buying power allows Beyond to negotiate with airlines, car hire companies and hotels to deliver significant savings and value to our customers.

OUR MD/CEO IS: Suzanne Wylie WHAT WE DO:

WE ARE BASED IN: Belfast OUR MD/CEO IS: Edel Doherty WHAT WE DO: Beyond Business Travel specialise in bespoke strategic travel management for ambitious companies. We provide expert travel knowledge and a personalised approach tailored to our clients travel requirements - we do not have a “one-size-fits-all approach”.

COMPANY NAME: BT WE EMPLOY: BT employs 2736 permanent staff in addition to 844 agency staff and contractors in Northern Ireland.

WE ARE BASED IN: Belfast as well as call centres and field staff working in various locations across Northern Ireland.

OUR MD/CEO IS: Mairead Meyer.

WHAT WE DO: BT is one of the world’s leading communications

60 NI Chamber

OUR AMBITION IS TO: Make Belfast a great place to live for everyone, where there’s a thriving economy, vibrant cultural experience, high levels of wellbeing and everyone can reach their potential.

WHAT SETS US APART: Our passion for Belfast, our expertise, and our professionalism. Our commitment to providing equality of access to value for money services and to making Belfast the best that it can be.

FIND US AT: W: www.belfastcity.gov.uk www.facebook.com/belfastcitycouncil T: @belfastcc

customer service and the best value in a travel door to door service.

WHAT SETS US APART:

Achieving 30% growth over the last 3 years by focusing on our vision of being a company that makes life better for people by the way we do business; where our staff love working; where our suppliers want to work with us and our customers believe we are a valued part of their team.

Our service is truly distinguished by a forwardthinking approach and the collaborative nature of our staff who operate as an extension of a client’s team. It’s the combination of strategic thinking backed by in-depth industry knowledge and decades of practical experience that delivers results for clients. We are a local firm with a global reach. Through our purchasing group we have buying power in excess of £3 billion and our reach extends far beyond the UK. With representation in 85 countries we can negotiate with suppliers such as hotels and airlines to deliver savings and value to customers.

OUR AMBITION IS TO:

FIND US AT:

Make sure our clients are working at their best no matter where they are in the world by providing the best technology, amazing

W: www.beyondbusinesstravel.com T: @beyondbtravel

services companies, serving the needs of customers in the UK and across the world, where we provide fixed-line services, broadband, mobile and TV products and services as well as networked IT services.

We are a leading communications services provider to consumers, small and medium sized enterprises and the public sector.

We also sell wholesale products and services to communications providers. Globally, we supply managed networked IT services to multinational corporations, domestic businesses and national and local government organisations.

Impact of BT and EE in the UK’, highlighted that BT added a total GVA impact of over £470 million to the local economy in the financial year 2015/16 and we are one of the largest employers in Northern Ireland.

Beyond Business Travel

WE EMPLOY: 18

networking. We have also delivered world class events including the Tall Ships, Giro D’Italia, MTV EMAs and World Police and Fire Games.

OUR BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENTS ARE:

OUR BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENTS ARE: Delivering world-class digital infrastructure that forms the backbone of economic growth and future investment in Northern Ireland.

The latest Regeneris Report, ‘The Economic

OUR AMBITION IS TO: Use the power of communications to make a better world.

WHAT SETS US APART: BT delivers a great customer experience, employing a highly skilled workforce to offer the latest technological advancements for businesses and consumers.

FIND US AT: W: www.btireland.com/ and www.btplc.com/ T: @BTinIreland

WHAT WE DO: Electricity suppliers OUR BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENTS ARE: COMPANY NAME: Budget Energy

WE EMPLOY: 65 WE ARE BASED IN: Belfast and Derry/Londonderry

OUR MD/CEO IS: Eleanor McEvoy

COMPANY NAME: CBRE WE EMPLOY: 70,000 globally, 10,000 across the UK, with 38 in Belfast.

promises great value combined with excellent customer care and, as a wholly owned local company, we have a continuing commitment to creating more jobs and helping to grow the Northern Ireland economy.

OUR AMBITION IS TO:

FIND US AT:

Ultimately take Budget Energy into the GB market. We are committed to growing our market share in Northern Ireland in 2017 and are currently expanding our offering into the

W: www.budgetenergy.co.uk T: @BudgetEnergy

consultancy in Northern Ireland working with occupiers, investors and developers of office, industrial and logistic, residential, retail and hotel property on both high value portfolios and smaller value assets.

WHAT SETS US APART:

OUR BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENTS ARE:

WE ARE BASED IN: New York, Paris, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Dubai and Sydney across the world and in London, Belfast, Glasgow, Manchester and Bristol in the UK. OUR MD/CEO IS: Brian Lavery

OUR AMBITION IS TO:

WHAT WE DO: CBRE is a leading commercial property

Continue providing an exceptionally high standard of research-led, commercially-focused and strategic advice to our clients in order for their assets to reach maximum potential.

Support Services Company. Our parent company, the FSTSE 30 Compass Group PLC is a world-leading foodservice and support services organisation, operating in 50 countries and employing over half a million people.

COMPANY NAME: Compass Group Ireland

WE EMPLOY: 3,830 people across the island of Ireland in 200+ locations.

WE ARE BASED IN: Belfast and Dublin OUR MD/CEO IS: Audrey Foley WHAT WE DO: We are the country’s largest Catering and

WHAT SETS US APART: Budget Energy

Being the first independent supplier to enter the local marketplace and leading the way in driving down electricity prices over the past 6 years while providing excellent service to the people of Northern Ireland.

We were named as number one Lettings and Managing Agents in Northern Ireland for 2016 and 2017 in The Definitive Guide to Retail & Leisure Parks by Trevor Wood Associates. We were also awarded Property Deal of the Year 2015 and Commercial Estate Agency of the Year 2016 at the Belfast Telegraph Property Awards.

(CBRE MD Northern Ireland)

Republic of Ireland marketplace under the trade name BEenergy.

OUR BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENTS ARE: Becoming a certified member of Board Bia’s Origin Green Sustainability Programme in 2016 and being awarded the Eurest Centre for Excellence status at the Northern Ireland Assembly.

OUR AMBITION IS TO:

We combine the market-making of management consultants with the accountability of professional advisors. Our ability to draw on a global network as well as deliver bespoke local projects makes us unique in this market.

Our valuation capability is first rate, with 12 registered valuers across all sectors. We provide extensively researched reports for the benefit of our clients and businesses in Northern Ireland, e.g. our annual NI Outlook, Hotel Development Map and quarterly market updates.

FIND US AT: W: www.cbre.co.uk T: @CBRE_NI

WHAT SETS US APART: The broad spectrum of our experience – from serving high tea in the Members’ Dining Room of the Northern Ireland Assembly Buildings, pouring creamy pints of Guinness for rugby fans at the Aviva Stadium, and crafting delectable raw cacao and date energy balls for the Googlers in Grand Canal Dock. When it comes to foodservice – we have a finger in every single pie.

FIND US AT: W: www.compass-group.co.uk T: @CompassGroupIRL

Be a world-class provider of contract foodservice and support services, renowned for our great people, our great service, and our great results.

NI Chamber 61

COMPANY NAME: Diageo Northern Ireland.

WE EMPLOY: 345 WE ARE BASED IN: Diageo is an island of Ireland company operating across Northern Ireland.

OUR MD/CEO IS: Jorge Lopes, Country Director, Diageo NI

WHAT WE DO: Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with brands including Guinness, Harp, Carlsberg, Smithwick’s, Johnnie

Walker, Smirnoff, Captain Morgan, Baileys and Tanqueray.

Diageo is an integral part of the community in Northern Ireland both as a major exporter and employer but also in terms of the company’s sustainability and responsibility agenda. The company employs approximately 345 people across three sites – including the global Baileys facility at Mallusk, a bottling and packaging plant in East Belfast and corporate headquarters based in Capital House in Belfast city centre.

Diageo’s Baileys Mallusk facility produces and ships more than four million cases each year of the world’s bestselling liqueur to markets around the world with 70% of Baileys globally originating from the site. Belfast Packaging at Marshalls Road in East Belfast operates a 24/7 canning and bottling line packaging more than 12.5 million cases of beer a year.

OUR BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENTS ARE:

Ireland, Republic of Ireland, England and Belgium.

COMPANY NAME: Fane Valley Group

to clients in the public and private sectors. We work with locally owned companies, multinationals, entrepreneurs, government and local councils across a wide variety of industry sectors such as agri-food, healthcare, energy and renewables and construction.

WE ARE BASED IN: Belfast, Dublin, Cork, Galway. Globally KPMG has a presence in 152 countries, employing almost 190,000 people.

OUR MD/CEO IS: John Hansen WHAT WE DO: We offer audit, tax and deal advisory services

62 NI Chamber

Our people and our brands.

FIND US AT: W: www.diageo.com T: @DiageoIreland

OUR AMBITION IS TO:

WHAT SETS US APART:

The farmer owned Co-operative is now one of Ireland’s most progressive agri-food businesses, with interests in red meats, porridge oats and breakfast cereal, animal feed compounding, agricultural retailing and renewable energy.

The completion of a strategic re-organisation of our dairy and red meat divisions in 2016 creating a strong platform for future growth.

2,600 in Ireland (north and south).

WHAT SETS US APART:

WHAT WE DO:

WE ARE BASED IN: Moira (Group Head

WE EMPLOY: 220 in Belfast with a total of

Create the best performing, most trusted and respected consumer products company in the world.

OUR MD/CEO IS: Trevor Lockhart

WE EMPLOY: 2,000

COMPANY NAME: KPMG

OUR AMBITION IS TO:

Always trying to exceed our customers’ expectations throughout the range of products, services and specialist advice we offer.

OUR BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENTS ARE:

Quarters) with multiple sites across Northern

Our commitment to the economic prosperity of Northern Ireland as an exporter and employer.

Also our sustainability and responsibility credentials which saw Diageo NI named Responsible Company of the Year 2016/17 by Business in the Community and our ongoing work with a range of stakeholders to address the issue of alcohol misuse, alcohol-related harm and anti-social behaviour in Northern Ireland.

OUR BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENTS ARE: Our people – they are our greatest asset. We have a team of dedicated professionals, many of whom have been working with the firm since they were trainees. They uphold KPMG’s values of acting with integrity, providing sound advice and maintaining the highest professional standards.

OUR AMBITION IS TO: Grow the Belfast practice across all areas of the business and be the clear choice professional services firm in Northern Ireland. We already have a very talented team of people but our

Our Co-operative ethos and core values allow us to take a longer-term view within the business.

FIND US AT: W: www.fanevalley.com T: @FaneValley

move to the Soloist building in September 2017 allows us the space to further strengthen our team.

We want to continue to give our clients the support they need to take advantage of opportunities, manage risks and help them grow their business to build a strong economy for Northern Ireland.

WHAT SETS US APART: The service we provide to our clients is unrivalled. Our Tax team is the strongest in this market, working locally and across numerous jurisdictions. Our Audit team works for some of Northern Ireland’s best known companies and a number of government departments. Our Deal Advisory team has been involved in many of Northern Ireland’s largest transactions.

FIND US AT: W: www.kpmg.ie T: @KPMG_Ireland

WHAT WE DO:

OUR AMBITION IS TO: Enable people around the globe to live, work, and retire well. At Mercer, we say we Make Tomorrow, Today.

Over 100 people in Belfast and more than 20,000 employees worldwide.

Mercer is a global consulting leader in talent, health, retirement and investments. We’re in the business of creating more secure and rewarding futures for our clients and their employees — whether we’re designing affordable health plans, assuring income for retirement, or aligning workers with workforce needs.

WE ARE BASED IN: Over 42 countries with offices locally in Belfast, Dublin and Cork.

OUR BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENTS ARE:

OUR MD/CEO IS:

Making a difference in the lives of more than 110 million people every day by advancing their health, wealth, and careers.

FIND US AT:

OUR MD/CEO IS: Gary Annett

staff and continue investment in a greener future.

COMPANY NAME: Mercer WE EMPLOY:

Mick O’Loan (Head of Belfast office)

WHAT WE DO: OUR BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENTS ARE:

FIND US AT:

WE EMPLOY: 185

OUR AMBITION IS TO:

WE ARE BASED IN: Newry

Secure contracts in new geographical markets, maintain steady growth in turnover, increase

WE ARE BASED IN:

Our scope comprises all activities which are non-core to our clients’ business from fully integrated FM solutions, to a bundled service offering or a single service such as cleaning, security, technical & energy services, building maintenance and additional ancillary services.

One key differentiator is that we self-deliver all our core services, providing clients with the confidence that we will take full ownership and responsibility for the delivery of a high quality service.

Belfast, Dublin, Cork, Galway, London, and Manchester. We operate throughout the UK and Ireland

OUR BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENTS ARE:

OUR MD/CEO IS: John O’Donoghue (Group CEO)

WHAT WE DO: NOONAN is a leading provider of strategic outsourcing solutions. We provide services to many of the world’s most prestigious organisations in our targeted vertical markets.

W: www.mercer.com T: @UKMercer

WHAT SETS US APART:

COMPANY NAME: MJM Marine

WE EMPLOY: Over 13,000

We work with clients in 140 markets around the world, helping them continue to advance the health, wealth, and performance of their most vital asset — their people.

Cruise ship and interior fit out.

Continued steady growth over the past several years through securing a number of multi-million pound contracts with world leading customers.

COMPANY NAME: NOONAN

WHAT SETS US APART:

Evolving the business to become a market leading provider of strategically outsourced services across the UK and Ireland and becoming a strategic partner to many of the world’s most prestigious companies. In addition, we have developed and retained key talent in the business which has been key to our continued growth and success and have won a host of industry awards for our innovations,

Excellence, skill, quality, reliability.

W: www.mjm-group.com T: @LtdMJM

expertise, commitment to service excellence and best-in-class management practices.

OUR AMBITION IS TO: Be the partner of choice for the delivery of strategically outsourced services and solutions.

WHAT SETS US APART: There are 3 main areas which we believe set us apart: the client centric culture and values within the organisation are critically important particularly as we expand into new markets.

Our vertical market specialism, our connectivity with clients and our agility to respond to our clients’ evolving needs.

Our continued focus on having an engaged workforce who believe in and support the core values of the business.

FIND US AT: W: www.noonan.co.uk T: @noonangroup

NI Chamber 63

OUR BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENTS ARE:

WE ARE BASED IN: Newry

Being a partner of choice for the veterinary industry globally for almost five decades and offering our customers quality and choice.

We have sales and marketing teams in nine global locations and world class manufacturing facilities in Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland and Kenya. While we are based in Northern Ireland, 80% of our revenue is now generated outside the UK with 16% of our growth in FY16 coming from North America. We are currently engaged in a £40 million multi-year investment programme to drive continued growth.

OUR MD/CEO IS: Liam Nagle

OUR AMBITION IS TO:

COMPANY NAME: Norbrook Laboratories

WE EMPLOY: 2,000 employees globally

WHAT WE DO: We are a leading global provider of veterinary pharmaceuticals enhancing the health of farm and companion animals.

Deliver long-term shareholder value in a buoyant veterinary pharmaceutical market.

We aim to be the first generic to market with customer focused unique selling points; and to balance our portfolio of farm to companion

clinical, research and molecular laboratories, food testing, forensic toxicology, life sciences, and veterinary laboratories.

COMPANY NAME: Randox

OUR BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENTS ARE:

WE EMPLOY: More than 1,400 employees

Centred on our patented Biochip Array Technology, which is transforming patient care.

It is the world’s only diagnostic grade biochip and allows us to perform multiple tests from a single patient sample. In 2016 we unveiled our biochip blood test which can help identify patients at risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease in three hours. This year was also our first year sponsoring the Grand National.

Our sponsorship of the world’s greatest race coincides with the expansion of our Randox Health clinics which offer the world’s most comprehensive preventative health check and a full body health profile. The Randox Health Grand National gives us the perfect platform to spread our message of preventive health to the nation.

of 44 nationalities, including 300 research scientists and engineers.

WE ARE BASED IN: Crumlin, Co. Antrim with offices and distributions in over 145 countries.

OUR MD/CEO IS: Dr Peter FitzGerald WHAT WE DO: Randox is a global leader in healthcare diagnostics; today more than 5% of the world’s population – in excess of 370 million people across 145 countries – receives medical diagnosis using Randox products each year. Our products and services are used in hospitals,

WHAT WE DO:

COMPANY NAME:

In Springtown, we develop and manufacture read-write heads for hard disk drives (HDDs).

Our facility supplies over a million heads every day for Seagate HDDs.

Seagate Technology (Ireland).

WE EMPLOY: 1292 in our Springtown

OUR BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENTS ARE:

Cupertino, California (Headquarters); our Northern Ireland facility is in Springtown Industrial Estate, Derry/Londonderry.

Growing our facility to become the largest of its type in the industry, boasting some of the most advanced technology in existence. Expanding our R&D charter to the extent that leading-edge data storage technology is now being researched and developed right here in Northern Ireland.

OUR MD/CEO IS:

OUR AMBITION IS TO:

Dr Brian Burns, Vice President, Wafer Operations; Steve Luczo, Chairman and CEO

Continue to invent and deliver world class recording head technologies that enable Seagate

facility; more than 50,000 globally.

WE ARE BASED IN:

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animal products to capitalise on growth in the companion animal market. We wish to continue to drive growth in all markets through investment in long-term sustainable business partnerships.

WHAT SETS US APART: We are one of the largest privately owned veterinary pharmaceutical companies in the world. We have a history of product innovation and have a strong pipeline of products. We have a very clear business growth strategy underpinned by our six core values which shape our cultures and behaviours. We are one of the few companies outside of the US to be licensed to export sterile injectables into the US market; and we produce many of our own APIs active pharmaceutical ingredients for use in our finished products.

FIND US AT: W: www.norbrook.com

OUR AMBITION IS TO: Revolutionise healthcare through continuously improving diagnostic solutions. We are working on lots of exciting developments at the minute particularly in the development of stroke and chronic acute kidney disease.

WHAT SETS US APART: We have more new tests in development than any other diagnostic company in the world.

We invest 16% of our turnover into research and development. Almost a quarter of our staff are involved in pioneering work into a range of common illnesses such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer’s disease. We believe we are entering an age of enlightenment in regards to health, and are committed to leading the drive towards preventive healthcare becoming the new normal.

FIND US AT: W: www.randox.com T: @RandoxOfficial

to provide trusted storage solutions to our customers.

WHAT SETS US APART: We invest heavily in our people and our technology to ensure that we stay at the leading edge of read-write head manufacturing. Our outstanding operational flexibility and our ability to attract a high-calibre workforce have been, and will continue to be, key elements to our success.

FIND US AT: W: www.seagate.com T: @Seagate

WHAT WE DO: TLT NI is a growing law

COMPANY NAME: TLT WE EMPLOY: 52 in Belfast and over 1,000 across the UK

WE ARE BASED IN: Belfast, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London and Manchester.

OUR MD/CEO IS: Katharine Kimber is Location Head in Belfast and David Pester is TLT’s overall Managing Partner

firm that supports large corporates, public institutions and, high growth businesses in Northern Ireland on their strategic and dayto-day legal needs. Our Belfast office is one of UK law firm TLT’s six offices, which means we can advise our clients across the three UK legal jurisdictions of England & Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. We have recognised expertise in areas including energy & renewables, financial services, real estate and retail, with over 60 lawyers recognised as leaders in their field of legal practice.

OUR BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENTS ARE:

improve the environment, enabling a thriving Northern Ireland.

OUR AMBITION IS TO:

We carry passengers on public transport and are the leading transport provider for major events e.g. the Balmoral Show, Irish Open, music concerts and festivals.

Be your first choice for travel in Northern Ireland and to deliver a transformation in public transport providing integrated services, which connect people, enhance the economy and

and environmental engineering solutions.

Trading since 1983, it currently employs over 150 engineers, technicians and support staff.

OUR BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENTS ARE:

COMPANY NAME: WIS GROUP WE EMPLOY: 150+ WE ARE BASED IN: Mallusk OUR MD/CEO IS: John Toner WHAT WE DO: WIS Group (Williams Industrial Services) is one of Northern Ireland ‘s largest providers of process control, automation, instrumentation

Our flexible and collaborative approach supported by an open, can-do culture.

OUR BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENTS ARE:

WHAT WE DO:

WE ARE BASED IN: Belfast

WHAT SETS US APART:

FIND US AT:

OUR MD/CEO IS: Chris Conway

WE EMPLOY: 3,800

OUR AMBITION IS TO: Continue to listen to the needs of our clients, seek out opportunities and strive to exceed their expectations.

We have built long-lasting relationships with many of our clients and are independently recognised for our client service. We focus on

Carrying around 1.5 million passengers every week to work, education, health services and leisure activities. Over 1 million additional passenger journeys were made during 2016 / 2017. We also completed a major signalling infrastructure project between Coleraine and Derry/Londonderry.

Our plans for the new Belfast Hub are advancing as are the plans for the new North West Multi Modal Transport Hub and the Belfast Rapid Transit system.

COMPANY NAME: Translink

continuously improving the way we deliver legal services to our clients, using technology to support. This enables us to deliver in the most effective way, with a recent innovation recognised as a ‘stand-out’ by the Financial Times’ Innovative Lawyer report.

WIS Group has enjoyed a period of sustained growth due to a massive 52% increase in business outside of Northern Ireland, with the company providing Renewable Energy projects to customers across the UK and ROI which has been a great springboard into wider worldwide markets. The “fast” growth at WIS Group has rapidly increased turnover from £25 million to £39 million in only one year, with a multimillion-pound order book worth £53 million and visibility of another £130 million of business over the next 2 years.

OUR AMBITION IS TO: Continue to grow as a business and at the same

W: www.tltsolicitors.com T: @TLT_LLP

WHAT SETS US APART: At Translink, our people are passionate about providing excellent public transport. This is endorsed by our guiding values; Safety, People, Innovation, Responsibility, Integrity and Teamwork. This is the “Translink SPIRIT” which is embedded in the culture of our organisation and enables us to lead, inspire and succeed in delivering integrated bus, coach and train services that will help Northern Ireland prosper and in turn enhance the lives of all our citizens.

FIND US AT: W: www. Translink.co.uk T: @Translink_NI

time, develop our most valuable asset, which is obviously our staff. WIS Group are already market leaders on the island of Ireland, in all of the markets in which we operate, and we now have a tremendous opportunity to grow our export markets on a global basis.

WHAT SETS US APART: Within WIS and our wider supply chain we have considerable technical knowledge in a wide variety of applications and by engaging in true and meaningful partnerships with our existing and new customers we can automatically deliver innovation which is the driving force behind our business growth and is the key method by which we differentiate ourselves from our competitors.

FIND US AT: W: www.wis-group.com T: @wis_group

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COLOUR WILL BRIGHTEN YOUR DAY IN THE OFFICE WORK SPACES ARE GETTING INCREASINGLY CREATIVE AND COSY WITH COLOUR, MANDY LEEMING, DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT MANAGER FOR INTERFACE IN EUROPE, MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA (EMEA) TELLS AMBITION.

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ver since mankind learnt that green equates to harmony and nature and red to energy and danger, we have assigned meaning to colour.

These interpretations are open to change and there’s no exact science behind it. But that hasn’t stopped psychologists trying to come up with some definitive statements. A lot of research has focused on how colours in an office can affect employees’ mood and therefore companies have acted on this when designing workplaces.

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Many companies thinking of revising their office colour scheme now take into account how different colours will affect employee productivity and which colours employees like best. All of this will have a bearing on employee retention.

One of the leaders in this field is US carpet tile manufacturer Interface.

The Atlanta headquartered company, which has an operation in Northern Ireland, is the world’s largest designer and maker of carpet tile and is a recognised leader in sustainability worldwide.

Around 85 per cent of the company’s

energy use is from renewable sources and nearly 50 per cent of its product globally is made from recycled fishing nets whose nylon is taken back to its core chemical and then reproduced as carpet.

The firm’s modular carpet tiles boast a tantalising array of colours and designs and can be found in a massive range of businesses and organisations including CVS pharmacies and Apple’s headquarters in the US who all have a focus on the wellbeing of employees.

Interface recently expanded into modular resilient flooring with a new luxury vinyl tile line. Its hard and soft tiles are designed to work together in an integrated flooring system, which is a delight to walk on and look at.

The company employs around 200 people at its Northern Ireland facility in Lurgan where R&D operations for Europe and carpet tufting processes take place.

Mandy Leeming, Design and Development Manager for Interface in Europe says: “It has been well documented in recent years that focusing on the wellbeing of employees in the work place can have a significant impact on the financial performance of a company.

There is also a clear and measurable link between the way a space is designed and employee productivity, which is why more companies are prioritising workplace design at boardroom level.

“However, creating work environments that work for the employees and the various tasks they carry out, while facilitating workplace efficiency requires careful planning.

“There are several things to consider to ensure workplace designs deliver spaces in which employees can flourish; from layout to decoration, air quality to natural light.

“The colour palette used in a work space also has a profound effect on employees, with recent research suggesting it can affect mood and the ability to perform even the simplest of tasks to the full extent.

“The colour blue, for example, encourages productivity, while red tones increase anxiety, making them less suited for use in spaces where quiet, focused concentration is required. Green on the other hand has cool, refreshing qualities and promotes feelings of restoration.

“Green is also used in design to emulate and reflect nature and inspire creativity. In fact, research suggests that simply seeing the colour green can lead to measureable improvements in creative tasks.”

Mandy says it’s not just nature that is inspiring workplace design. In recent years the textile industry has seen a huge uptake in offices designed as a ‘home from home’.

“The popular Danish concept of Hygge and the more recent Icelandic trend, Gluggadedur, have encouraged business

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“By aligning colour psychology with design trends like Hygge and Gluggadedur, and creating distinct work zones, companies can create flexible and productive environments while giving employees the freedom to choose where and how they work best.”

Mandy stresses that there is no ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to design, and the effects of one colour over another are not universal for all people or all spaces.

She says to make the Muted colours with one of Interface’s expertly designed most of workplace design, modular carpets completes a calm setting. it is important to create ‘zones’ that meet the various needs of employees and the demands of the various tasks they leaders to take an entirely different do throughout the day. approach to workplace design, using warm “For example, a space designed for tones to emulate a feeling of cosiness. concentration and solo working should look “While trends like Hygge use colour different to a space in which collaboration palettes that are somewhat neutral and muted, others are much more striking. The and creativity are required. Interface makes it easy to create these distinct areas with Digital Wave trend for example is inspired its Multichrome collection. Featuring bold by bold, high-octane colours to establish colourways, futuristic textures and intricate a brightness that appeals to younger weave structures the flooring is used employees, particularly millennials.

The Bush Mexico range of walnut office furniture T: 0800 9996055 deskwarehouse.co.uk

to differentiate between one space and another.”

Interface’s tiles work together in a mosaic way. They are the ‘Legos’ of carpet whereby clients can create their own design. The company believes that soft surfaces create a significantly better environment than hard surfaces particularly in an office space, which as a result are more comfortable, cleaner and the acoustics are much better.

Carpet tiles, which originated in Europe, became highly popular during the 1980s as an alternative to broadloom carpet, especially in office environments that at the time were switching to flexible, “open” plans and required easy access to wiring and infrastructure beneath floors.

Corporate offices account for the largest share of Interface’s business while it also has clients in the primary and higher education sectors, government offices and hospitals.

The majority of the company’s clients are based in the Americas with the remainder in the Middle East, Europe and Africa.

“As the ways in which we engage with work continue to evolve, so too will the design of workspaces,” says Mandy.

“Focusing on workplace designs that enhance well-being and increase performance deliver win-win situations for both employers and employees.”

view the full range at

Owen O’Cork Mill, 288 Beersbridge Rd, Belfast, BT5 5DX.

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INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR STREET, URBAN AND SPORTS LIGHTING Italian manufacturer Gewiss has recently appointed Core Electrical as exclusive outdoor lighting distribution partner in Northern Ireland*, creating fantastic new opportunities for the fitting of street, urban and sports environments.

Adrian McGarrity, Director of Core NI, comments, “This partnership allows us to bring the most advanced LED lighting technologies to our customers.

The high-performance, elegance and functionality of the Gewiss products are all now combined with our expertise and complete support system to meet the needs of the most challenging projects!”

Core’s extensive knowledge of the Northern Irish electrical industry and their proficiency in working on complex projects were key reasons why Gewiss selected the company as a distribution partner.

Gino Stocchetti, General Manager of Gewiss UK, confirms, “Northern Ireland is a thriving market for Gewiss’ electrical solutions. We wanted to bring our internationally award-winning external LED lighting solutions to this market and are now supplying Core Electrical with our LED street and urban lighting, and floodlighting. With its wellestablished expertise in supplying and managing major projects, Core is well placed to provide the high level of support our LED external lighting solutions deserves.” * Outdoor lighting solutions are available from Core only in Northern Ireland.

For more information call 028 9002 0066 or visit www.coreelectrical.com

Industrial Temps have been providing both temporary and permanent staffing solutions since 1991 and are proud to work with many of Northern Ireland’s Top 100 companies in the manufacturing, engineering, food production and hospitality sectors.

As Northern Irelands 6th largest Employer our belief is that great people make great business and so continue to invest in our staff, making Industrial Temps a great place to work. We deliver a cost-effective, flexible and reliable service resulting in Industrial Temps being Northern Ireland’s Industrial Recruitment Company of choice.

Contact us today!

Belfast: 028 9032 2511 Lisburn: 028 9260 5155 Portadown: 028 3839 3333 Ballymena office coming soon! www.industrialtemps.com

T /industrialtemps f /IndustrialTemp 68 NI Chamber

OFFICE RENT EXPECTATIONS TEMPERED - BUT SPECULATIVE OPPORTUNITIES REMAIN Alastair Todd, Partner and Head of Property at leading law firm Arthur Cox, examines current trends in rental rates and planning considerations in the Belfast office market.

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here is no doubt that the office market in Belfast has been buoyed in recent years by increasing rental rates as the city has gained a reputation as a growing centre for foreign direct investment, and near shoring/off shoring of professional services.

The construction work on schemes such as City Quays has altered the Belfast skyline markedly, as projects keep pace with demand from new entrants to the city.

Those new offices, and others, have resulted in rental rates for some Grade A space reaching in excess of £20 per sq ft.

However, due to ongoing political and economic instability, such as Brexit and the recent hung parliament resulting from the snap general election, the sector is beginning to temper expectations that Belfast office rental figures will continue to rise at the pace previously envisaged.

The sector may, however, be given a boost by Belfast City Council’s recentlyannounced £19 million City Centre Investment Fund.

Established to encourage investment in high quality, substantial office developments, the Council said the fund, available to companies that have already secured planning permission, would “remove some of the risk for developers”.

Pockets of strong demand remain, particularly so from tenants in the technology sector as they seek to expand operations and capitalise on the highly-

skilled talent pool Northern Ireland is widely acknowledged as producing and, increasingly so, attracting inwardly.

A high-profile example of this is cyber security firm Anomali, a 2013 entrant to Northern Ireland, which is significantly expanding its head count and is in the course of moving into larger refurbished office space in Belfast.

However, overall occupier demand for large lettings of Grade A office space is limited in the short term, apart from the professional services sector, and particularly accountants.

This could well lead to some developers resorting to seeking capital to fund speculative projects - and they could find encouragement in the response to the recent planning permission granted to the One Bankmore Square development at Dublin Road.

The Richland Group plans to spend £65 million at the site of the Movie House cinema on what, at 250,000 sq ft, would be the largest Grade A office block anywhere in Northern Ireland. Aside from City Quays, it is the first speculative office construction expected to commence in Belfast since the Soloist building in 2008, and agents have reported a “keen level of interest from potential tenants”.

Any new speculators entering the market should be aware of the emergence of Section 76 planning agreements which, having worked through residential and

student accommodation, are now becoming more prevalent in office applications.

Established under Section 76 of the Planning Act (NI) 2011, these are essentially contracts by which developers agree to contribute to the local community in some regard, typically financially, to alleviate any perceived negative impact of the planned construction.

This can include making improvements to public realm or providing new access roads to relieve traffic build-up.

In terms of the One Bankmore Square scheme, the developers have committed to spending £1m locally to address community concerns.

As the Belfast office market continues to attract attention from occupiers and speculative developers, key stakeholders should ensure they have a finger on the pulse of the sector and are fully advised on any nuances and emerging trends.

With extensive experience of providing counsel to developers and occupiers, Arthur Cox’s Property Team has an in-depth knowledge of current attitudes to planning trends and legislative changes affecting the Belfast office market.

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

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GETTING ISSUES STRAIGHT ON CROSS BORDER TRADE

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POST ARTICLE 50, IT’S TIME TO PLAN AND TAKE ACTION SAYS TREVOR ANNON, FOUNDER AND CHAIRMAN OF MOUNT CHARLES.

70 NI Chamber

e are told that all businesses must be prepared for life post Article 50, but with so much uncertainty as to what that will look like, it is difficult to know on what basis we are to start planning.

The economy as it stands is fairly buoyant, and so competitive that you could hardly blame most companies for having little time to do anything but focus on the here and now, but it is important to plan and act for the future.

I know that a lot of export-led businesses are concerned that any new tariffs will destroy their ability to trade competitively with EU countries but I also think that there is a lot of confusion and misinformation out there, and that really we should make it our business to find out exactly what those tariffs will be.

Perhaps one of the most uncertain areas for us and many within the hospitality and service sectors is the impact of Brexit on our workforce.

It remains to be seen whether there will be any ‘Brexit levy’, whereby employers would have to pay a fee per employee. At Mount Charles a notable proportion of our employees are from EU countries, and so any tariff here could potentially have a big impact on our figures, and our ability to continue to recruit internationally productive labour.

Many businesses in the agri-

food, hospitality and retail sectors in particular depend on EU workers, and so I would hope that ensuring these people have a right to remain, with minimal, if any, taxation on business should be a priority in any Brexit negotiations.

This isn’t just a cost imperative – it’s about ensuring that we have the workforce and talent we need both now and for the future.

The other big question is how will Brexit affect the Northern Irish border?

There is a reported @6 billion of trade moving from Northern Ireland to the Republic of Ireland, a figure which is growing at 4 per cent per annum on average. Up to 5,000 SMEs here are trading across the border, and a whopping two thirds of our exports head in that direction every year.

This supports the notion that the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland has all but disappeared over the course of the last decade or two; something that has clearly been conducive to doing good business with our closest neighbours.

Indeed, our company has been planning to launch into the market in the south for some time, examining carefully the people and infrastructure we will need to truly seize the opportunities that the Dublin corridor has to offer.

Of course we’re wondering what impact a ‘hard’ Brexit would have on these plans, and while we are pressing

ahead, we have altered our approach somewhat.

It may be that we need to review our planned set-up in the Republic of Ireland, along with our supply chain for that market, with contingencies in place should things become more complicated than we would wish.

There are many in the same boat as us, and without any clarity on the eventual status of the border, it seems wise to plan for the worst set of circumstances so that we are in effect, prepared for anything.

Thankfully, both the British and Irish governments have stated their desire to safeguard free movement of trade between north and south, which is very encouraging.

At the time of writing, the UK government has begun Brexit talks and it is heartening to know that the Irish border is on the table for discussion.

An interesting suggestion is that should talks result in no hard border being installed, or more accurately, reinstalled, Northern Ireland would be in the unique position of being part of the UK, but with the only open border to the EU. Perhaps then we will enjoy the best of both worlds, whilst also becoming a sought-after location to do business. As I said, let us prepare for the worst, get on with doing business, yet with hope that we might just find ourselves in a very fortunate position as we move forward in a post-Brexit landscape.

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THE BENEFITS OF COMPANY BENEFITS Employers are increasingly attracting new staff by offering attractive benefits packages, Mercer Principals Mick O’Loan and Nuala Jackson tell Adrienne McGill.

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ompany perks and benefits come in all shapes and sizes. Some offer free food to employees or a day off for your birthday.

But beyond the most important and practical are the provision of pensions and healthcare.

More than a third of employees admit perks and benefits are amongst their top consideration before accepting a new job, according to a survey of more than 1,000 people by Glassdoor, a recruiting website.

For employees, a benefits package can help plan for old age and unexpected events (like becoming ill or injured), and can save them a bit of money on day-today expenses too.

For employers, a strong, relevant and well-communicated benefits package not only helps employers make sure they get the pick of employees at recruitment, but can also help them retain happy, committed workers.

Not everyone needs the same employee benefits. At different times of life, and in different family situations, different things are important. When creating or reviewing a benefits package, employers need to consider the demographic of their workforce and employees need to think about whether the benefits they have are the right ones for them.

One company at the heart of this is Mercer, the world’s largest human resources consulting firm.

Headquartered in New York, the company has more than 20,500 employees, is based in more than 40 countries, and operates internationally in more than 130 countries.

Mercer, which in the UK is headquartered in London, is a subsidiary of global consulting and insurance services

72 NI Chamber

firm Marsh & McLennan.

Mercer’s office in Belfast, which employs around 100 people in support service and client facing roles, currently provides a full range of front-office services to local clients as well as back-office actuarial services for the firm’s UK business.

The Belfast operation was established in the 1960s and started as Ulster Pension Trustees, then part of the Sedgewick Broking Group, which was subsequently bought by Marsh & McLennan.

“We have had an unbroken presence in pension consulting in Belfast for around 60 years,” says Mick O’Loan, Principal, Mercer in Belfast.

“Our actuarial clients are Trustees and sponsors of pension schemes – which includes big and small size companies who have pension schemes for staff.

“The world is changing – and final salary pension schemes are becoming something of a relic from a bygone age particularly with regard to smaller employers. The schemes have got too expensive to operate and are too risky so generally they have been closed to new entrants and increasingly also closed to future benefits for current employees.

“The main new type of scheme is Defined Contribution (DC) which allows employees to build up a pot of money that they can then use to provide an income in retirement.

“The advantage is that employers know what they pay in but what isn’t known is what the employees will get out of it because the income they might get from a DC scheme depends on factors including the amount they pay in, the fund’s investment performance and the choices they make at retirement.”

Mercer in Northern Ireland manages billions worth of funds in pension schemes

for small and large companies. The consultancy advises around 50 different pension funds based locally in Northern Ireland and a similar number based in England.

Nuala Jackson, Principal, Mercer in Belfast emphasises that there is a duty on employers to support a diverse workforce who are working until later in life with the potential of increasing health risks.

Auto enrolment has been introduced by the government, which means that all employers have to set up a pension scheme to help their workforce save for retirement even if they only employ one person.

“Mercer has services and engagement with all sorts of employers to design their overall benefits package with pensions and health benefits being part of that,” says Nuala.

“To meet these challenges and remain competitive, employers must think differently about the health care benefits they provide. We are working with employers of all sizes to help them target and address the specific health risks within their organisation and measure the effectiveness of their initiatives, building a sound business case for health.

“The aim is to help employers improve their bottom line through improving the physical, mental and financial wellbeing of their employees.

“When it comes to health benefits, this may cover private medical insurance, permanent health insurance, life insurance – it is a whole package. It is all about health and wellness – what an employer wants is to take the noise out of everyday life for the employee so that they can concentrate more on their role. More employers are putting in place a full benefits package to help employees with their end-to-end life

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experience – private medical insurance might take another worry away from people.

“Anything that is offered by a company needs to have engagement by employees and we assist companies with that. You don’t want to have an unrewarded spend.

The HR division in a company should highlight to employees what they are getting and why.

“We give advice on how an employer can organise their benefits package correctly, how to set up and deliver it. We act as broker, consultant and adviser.

“We typically offer the whole experience – that is our market.”

Among the service range, Mercer Elect is a bundled employee benefits product offered by the company particularly targeted at cost-conscious SMEs. Mick O’Loan says: “Mercer Elect is about getting a cost effective package provided that, as an employer, you are willing to offer it as an off the shelf package but you can flex

it to meet your own requirements for your workforce. For each benefit you will get a competitive price by coming under the Mercer umbrella where we will have negotiated global rates in terms of pension charges, costs of life insurance and healthcare.

“It means if you are a small business which has only just got off the ground you can still offer an attractive benefits package.”

With changes taking place on the company benefits landscape, Mercer is swift to adapt existing products or adopt new ones.

“Mercer does not stand still,” says Nuala.

“The evolution of our packages and products is amazing. As the market changes we are always bringing new offerings. We are moving to offer products online and offer people benefits packages that they can access and amend through a portal so they can pick what they want. We are continually amending our services to meet the changing workforce.”

Mercer Principals Mick O’Loan and Nuala Jackson (seated) with members of the Mercer team in Belfast, Joanne MacKenzie, David Winter, Chris Scott, Simon Hall and Simon Magee.

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WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE PART OF THE DAY? The time in between dinner and bedtime when homework is hopefully completed and forgotten and we chat about our days or read stories. The children are at an age now where I can (for now!) ban iPads and technology during the week without too much challenge and we can chat about all manner of things. There are of course days when we are all over-tired and then my favourite part of the day is switching the lights out!

WHAT DO YOU DO TO ENSURE A WORK/LIFE BALANCE? My philosophy is about life balance; work is part of my life. In an ideal world, balance would be ever-present, but as every working mum reading this knows getting the balance requires a ruthless focus on what is important and sometimes making tough choices. In many ways it depends what role you are in; I’m lucky to have control over how I use my time. Technology has also helped.

Both my children are interested in what I do and in what work is really all about and that is important to me. I have made a point in all my roles, both in Belfast and when we lived in London, of making sure they come in, see my office and meet my colleagues, as it’s such a significant part of where Mummy is a lot of the time! Balance is important on both counts and a quote I love comes from Hilary Clinton: “Don’t confuse having a career with having a life!”

mums with power Caroline van der Feltz is HR Director for Danske Bank UK which employs around 1,800 people in Northern Ireland. She has two children, Louis (10) and Patrick (5).

DESCRIBE YOUR JOB As a truly local bank, with a locally based CEO and local decisionmaking but with the benefit of an international parent, Danske Bank is in a unique position in this marketplace. I cover everything from Recruitment, Learning and Development, Employee Relations and Remuneration to Talent Management and Engagement – basically enabling our employees to have great, rewarding careers and at the same time serving our customers to ensure they have the best experience with Danske Bank.

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HOW DOES HAVING A CHILD IMPACT YOUR PERSONAL AND WORKING LIFE? It really boils down to recognising that family life is important and providing a working culture that allows people to juggle work and home. For me, balancing all priorities means I cannot always choose to be a rugby mum on the side-lines; but it also means that I am pretty strict about attending evening events away from my children.

ARE WORKING MUMS IN GREATER NEED OF STATE SUPPORT THAN STAY-AT-HOME MUMS? Working flexibly is becoming more normalised and that’s great to ensure that working mums are less likely to feel side-lined or stigmatised. Some mothers work out of choice but most work out of necessity. Good affordable childcare is not in ready enough supply and does present a barrier for those wishing to return to work. Statutory support plays a key role in how involved employers are with their own benefits offering for working parents and carers. I don’t think one party is any more deserving than another and socially I think we need to stop criticising each other’s hard choices and focus on how we can enable those who want to work make it work.

DO YOU THINK YOU WILL ALWAYS REMAIN IN EMPLOYMENT? We all want to have vital and healthy lives that offer a sense of purpose and meaning. Our jobs are not the only way this can be achieved but I have a natural curiosity and desire to be involved that I think will not diminish as I grow older!

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big plans New local development plans will shape the growth and development of council areas across Northern Ireland in years to come – but developers need guidance at this stage, Andrew Ryan, Partner with legal firm TLT, tells Adrienne McGill.

M

any local councils across Northern Ireland have started the process of laying out ambitious plans for their area indicating how it will develop and what it will look like in years to come.

The aim of the Local Development Plan (LDP) for each of the 11 councils, drawn up in consultation with the local community, is to make sure there is enough land available for the area’s housing, employment and community facilities, while protecting important landscape and environmental features.

Through the development plan process, councils can identify the best locations for new homes, businesses and infrastructure while also protecting places of value to people or wildlife.

The plans will be a critical consideration in dealing with planning applications and will guide decision-making.

The overall emphasis is on stimulating growth and ensuring prosperity in council areas.

Belfast City Council for example has published a Preferred Options Paper that highlights the need to identify land to support 46,000 new jobs, increase Belfast’s population by 66,000 and allocate land for 37,000 new homes.

The LDP will help determine where development and infrastructure proposals are located and which areas will be protected.

The Belfast office of legal firm TLT is currently assisting a number of developers

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through the LDP process.

Andrew Ryan, Partner with TLT in Belfast says: “All the LDPs will ultimately take a similar shape but it’s a question of timing – some of the councils are further along with the process than others. The first public facing part of the process is the Preferred Options Papers (POPs), which some of the councils have published. These give an outline of what they are proposing and enable developers to provide input into what is planned.

“The councils then prepare a draft plan that goes to a Public Examination at the Planning Appeals Commission. It will then be decided if the LDP is ‘sound’ i.e. that it covers all the issues that it should in a robust manner.

“The LDPs replace the previous Area Plans, but the process will be different because the intention is to complete the process in a shorter time scale and for it to be run more efficiently. The examination process is geared towards producing the final plan in a much shorter time than the previous Area Plan process. Whether this occurs in practice remains to be seen.

“Developers need to be aware of how they can interact with the process. We guide developers on the proposals by councils and the issues that need to be considered as to whether they are ‘sound’ or not; also whether sites designated for a certain use are appropriate.

“There will be competing interests for allocation of land for retail, housing, commercial – so we need to look at all the arguments and, crucially, provide guidance on what matters can be raised by developers when providing input to the plan process.

This concept of ‘soundness’ is new to the development plan process and raises different considerations to the old plan-making system.”

But what of the time frame? When the Planning Act was introduced in 2015, the intention was that the LDP process would be concluded inside 40 months.

“Clearly we are much further into that time scale than was intended – so the process is taking longer than envisaged, and the endpoint remains unclear,” says Andrew.

“We would like some certainty about the direction things are going in – that will guide investment decisions. That is not to say there is not a lot of development activity going on at the moment. But, we need clear plans so that developers can target certain areas and understand the key policy criteria that needs to be met to bring development to fruition.

“The LDP process is critical to the Northern Ireland economy. It allows the councils to map out how they see their particular area developing in future years – that is essentially an advert in terms of their aspirations for economic growth, job creation and housing provision.”

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columnist

tECH SCENE ROUND UP

GETTING TUCKED UP FOR V.R BEDTIME STORIES, TYPING WORDS USING YOUR MIND AND FLYING TAXIS. IT’S ALL HAPPENING IN THE TECH WORLD AS SYNC NI’S CONALL KEENAN, MARKETING, AND SUSAN CLELAND, GENERAL MANAGER, EXPLAIN.

V.R BEDTIME STORIES Being able to step into the pages of your favourite book is the stuff of childhood dreams. We recently attended the launch of Product Tank, Belfast’s newest meet up group, at the Ormeau Baths to discover how local company Big Motive has successfully turned that childhood fantasy into reality through the use of mobile Virtual Reality (VR). Tara’s Lockett, their award winning VR children’s story experience tells the story of the eponymous Tara as she searches for a missing locket on the island of Urah. The Big Motive team designed Tara’s world so that it could be explored by simply looking around. Users can move the story forward at their own pace and as a result of simple interactions.

Little or no lag in the visuals produced a negligible gap between what users see and where they are looking thus avoiding shuttering visuals which in the past have left VR mobile users feeling nauseous. Literacy advocates will be happy to see that text is woven into the experience. Tara’s Lockett proved a hit with the delegates at last year’s Bologna Children’s Book Fair, the Cannes Film Festival of children’s literature.

Perhaps not surprisingly Big Motive is now talking to major publishers about other collaborations. We wonder how long will be it until the Narnia books become mobile VR experiences? The timeless magic of C.S Lewis brought to life through mobile VR – now that’s a bedtime story that might even make kids want to go to bed early!

MIND-TO-TEXT TYPING It seems like a plot from a film. A former Director of The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) an agency of the US Department of Defense responsible for the development of emerging technologies for use by the military joins a social media and social networking service with 700 million active users and goes to work in their secretive research group codenamed Building 8. Yet this is exactly what happened when Regina Dugan left DARPA and joined Facebook. Ms Dugan spoke at the last day of this year’s Facebook Developer Conference to reveal that Building 8 is working to develop hardware that allows people to type words using their minds. “It sounds impossible, but it’s closer that you may realize,” Dugan told the conference goers. Building 8 is developing a system which does away with the need for invasive brain implants and hopes to increase the brain-to-text typing speed to an impressive 100 words per minute. There are a number of obvious use cases for this neuro-technology including movement and speech free communication for the physically impaired. In a similar vein Professor Damien Coyle, Professor of Neurotechnology at Ulster University and founder of NeuroConcise, has been researching and developing the use of wearable neurotechnology which allow people to interact with computer games without moving using only their minds.

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

HOVERING TAXIS FOR SMART CITIES Uber took to the stage at its 2017 Elevate Summit, sharing the news that they wanted to bring flying cars to Dubai and Texas by 2020. Uber was keen to refer to the new taxis as electric vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) vehicles, rather than flying cars. That’s because they work more like a helicopter or hoverboard, though they can take off more quietly and without the same level of disruption.

Uber expects such flights to be become a daily part of our transportation lives. The company believes it can offer rides in flying cars for about the same price as an UberX ride. The technology could be transformative in areas plagued by traffic. If they were introduced, the hovering taxis could cut down a journey across San Francisco from 30 minutes to three minutes, the company suggested during the press conference.

78 NI Chamber

Creative People

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

RPS is one of Ireland’s leading multidisciplinary consultancies providing services in Planning, Engineering, Environment, Communications and Project Management.

Our Northern Ireland business employs around 220 staff and has been providing services to the UK and ROI for the past 70 years.

RPS provides reliable and practical advice to our wide range of clients. We deliver projects from initial conception through to completion and maintenance. Our range of in-house services ensures continuity of service and ease of project control.

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RPS’ continued development in Virtual Reality Virtual and Mixed Reality (VR, MR) has the potential to change how Engineers of the future incorporate Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Asset Management in to the design process.

RPS staff in Belfast have been trialling the latest VR technology and are currently engaging with clients, along with colleagues in the UK, to further explore its full potential. By using a VR headset, the user is no longer limited to a passive representation of an image or information on a screen, but instead can interact, touch and move objects in a “real world” setting. Structural, M&E and Architectural elements in the model can be interrogated and BIM data easily and readily accessed.

As we produce more and more complex three-dimensional models and associated data through BIM, many of our clients are looking for methods to interface with this data in a simplified and meaningful way. We are also frequently challenged to produce more photorealistic imagery to enable our clients to visualise the end product before it is constructed. VR or MR allows our Engineers, Architects, Scientists, Planners and clients to have the full sensation of finding themselves immersed physically in a three-dimensional model space.

The applications are vast for this technology, ranging from viewing the simplest photorealistic model to the interaction with fully federated BIM models. We are also currently exploring applications in Health and Safety Training, Asset Management and many more fields where it is advantageous to visualise and understand a new environment before it is built or operational.

Over the past months, RPS Belfast has continually engaged with students and graduate members of institutions to help inspire a future workforce, entertaining them with 3D VR technology and gaining the opportunity to talk face-to-face with them about the possible career routes into Engineering.

For more information please contact: Dr Michael Shaw Managing Director T: +44 (0) 28 9066 7914 E: mike.shaw@rpsgroup.com

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Stephen Henderson Marketing Manager T: +44 (0) 28 9066 7914 E: stephen.henderson@rpsgroup.com

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

appointments

new appointments

Newly-appointed A&L Goodbody Solicitors, Labhaoise Glancy, Paul Dornan, Ryan Walker, Hannah Boyd and Tanya Surgeon with Partner and Head of Belfast Office, Mark Thompson.

Sarah Ewing has been promoted to the role of Legal Director within TLT’s Real Estate team.

Eoin Devlin has been promoted to Associate within TLT’s litigation team.

Jennifer Mathews has been promoted to Associate within TLT’s Lender Sales team.

Alan Moneypenny has been appointed as Chairman of the Ulster Community Investment Trust.

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30/06/2016 07:51:00

WOMEN IN MANAGEMENT

BY Ken Belshaw, Founder of Grafton Recruitment.

About twenty years ago I was giving a talk to a conference for Recruitment Industry Executives, when I casually remarked that after two decades in the Recruitment Industry, I had come to the conclusion that women made better managers than men. From the back of the room a confident female voice shouted out: “and it took you twenty years to work that one out!” Much flummoxed, I stuttered on...

So why do I believe women will not only thrive in this century but be the dominant gender in management by the end of it?

Today in the UK, girls outperform boys at school and have done since the mid-70s. They are more likely to get 5 good GCSEs and a third go to university compared to a quarter of men. Once in university they do better and are significantly more likely to graduate with a 2:1 degree.

Returning to the business world, any sector that requires good people-skills has already established the importance of women in management such as HR, Healthcare, Media...particularly Television. I can’t think of the last time I met a male Event Manager. This will increase with more office-based work in a service economy.

Damian McAteer has been appointed as Vice Chair of the Ulster Community Investment Trust.

Gender inequality does still very much exist – sexism, equal pay and stereotypical thinking is still present in today’s workforce, particularly in certain sectors such as Finance and the City. I have been lucky to spend my working life in an industry overwhelmingly free from those attitudes. However I do believe that the

CBRE’s Gerard McCann has been selected to sit on the CBRE Asset Services UK Board.

21st century will change this thinking as female managers will be seen to be more effective managing the workplace of the future, purely based on merit. It is the unique skills that women bring to the workplace, such as the cliché of multi-tasking that will see more women than men in management and executive roles by the end of this century.

Pinsent Masons, the international law firm, has appointed Andrea McIlroy-Rose as head of its Belfast office.

Anna Connor has joined MCE Public Relations as Head of Events.

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what’s in it for me?

HOW NI CHAMBER HAS HELPED MY BUSINESS WITH... John Toner, Group Chief Executive and Chairman of WIS (Williams Industrial Services).

Describe your Business WIS Group based in Mallusk, is Northern Ireland ‘s largest provider of process control, automation, instrumentation and environmental engineering solutions. Trading since 1983, it currently employs over 150 engineers, technicians and support staff.

are looking to expand into new markets, and especially with our export markets.

Additionally, NI Chamber events are a great marketing and networking tool and helps us to gain access to key decision and policy makers. In particular, the networking events are also great for our sales profile.

WHAT MAKES YOUR BUSINESS STAND OUT? At WIS Group, we recognise that our customers’ needs both change and evolve. Most companies are looking for ways to develop skills and processes for better strategic planning and long-term profitability – often in an increasingly competitive environment.

Through a wide range of multi-disciplinary skills and tailored environmental and industrial services, we help companies to develop their capability while keeping them at the forefront of technical innovation. I believe that to be successful in business you need to know your customer and their needs.

HOW HAS NI CHAMBER HELPED YOUR COMPANY ACHIEVE ITS GOALS? WIS have been a NI Chamber member for nearly 10 years, and NI Chamber has been extremely beneficial to us in a variety of ways by providing expertise and advice when WIS Group

WHAT WOULD YOUR ADVICE BE TO OTHER NI CHAMBER MEMBERS TO HELP GET THE MOST FROM THEIR MEMBERSHIP? The value of any Chamber of Commerce is in the networking, and not just the member list.

NI Chamber has helped me grow my business through networking groups, Chamber dinners and speaking engagements. Each new business connection opens the door to a whole new group of potential business contacts and partnerships.

The Chamber holds events all through the year to give us multiple opportunities to make those important connections and many of the events are free of charge to members. I would strongly urge other Chamber members to take advantage of these opportunities, and indeed I encourage WIS Group staff to attend regularly and benefit from the opportunity to gain new leads and potential customers.

These events are a great way to build visibility and credibility.

HOW HAS CHAMBER MEMBERSHIP HELPED YOU AND YOUR STAFF DEVELOP A PROFESSIONAL SKILL SET? NI Chamber events and annual awards are a great way to get your company name and branding out there.

In particular, the awards allows our Directors and staff to present WIS in the best possible way, and our engagement with other Chamber members and networks allow us to benefit from other companies’ experiences in a wide variety of areas and issues, thereby improving our own professional skillsets.

Over the years WIS Group have won many Chamber awards which acknowledges the hard work and expertise of our company and our staff and this helps to motivate our staff and lets them see that their persistent efforts are recognised.

Word from brussels

AMBITION LOOKS AT RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN BRUSSELS AS THE UK PREPARES TO LEAVE THE EU.

Article 50 negotiations

On 29 March 2017, the UK notified the European Council of its intention to leave the EU, in accordance with Article 50 of the Treaty of the European Union. On 29 April 2017, the European Council – made up of the heads of state or government of the 28 EU countries – adopted a set of political guidelines, which define the framework for the negotiations and set out the EU’s overall positions and principles.

During these negotiations, the European Commission’s aim will be to ensure a maximum

level of transparency. Commission negotiating documents, which are shared with EU Member States, the European Council, the European Parliament, the Council, national parliaments and the United Kingdom, will be released to the public. All documents can be found at the website of the European Commission’s Taskforce on Article 50 Negotiations with the UK: www.ec.europa.eu/commission/article-50negotiations-united-kingdom_en

Adoption of first set of negotiating directives

The European Commission recently welcomed the adoption of the first set of negotiating directives for the Article 50 negotiations. Together with the European Council guidelines, these negotiating directives outline the EU’s priorities for the first phase of negotiations. Both texts provide the European Commission, as Union negotiator, with the necessary political and legal mandate to negotiate with the UK on behalf of the EU27.

The first phase of negotiations will tackle three main areas: safeguarding the status and rights of citizens – EU27 citizens in the UK and UK citizens in the EU27 – and their families; reaching an agreement on the principles of the financial settlement of the UK’s obligations as an EU

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member; providing for the new external borders of the EU, including the protection of the Good Friday Agreement, and finding imaginative solutions in order to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland.

Speech by Michel Barnier in Dublin

Addressing a joint session of the Houses of the Oireachtas in Dublin in May, EU Chief Negotiator Michel Barnier said that he understood the EU’s role in strengthening dialogue in Northern Ireland and supporting the Good Friday Agreement. He said: “I will work with you to avoid a hard border. The UK’s departure from the EU will have consequences.

We have a duty to speak the truth. Customs controls are part of EU border management.

They protect the single market. They protect our food safety and our standards. But I already said many times: nothing in this negotiation should put peace at risk. This was recognised by the 27 Heads of State and Government two weeks ago. They were very clear that the Good Friday Agreement must be respected in all its dimensions. I also made very clear that the border issue will be one of my three priorities for the first phase of the negotiation, together with citizens’ rights and the financial settlement.”

HANNON TRANSPORT CONTINUES TO DIVERSIFY WITH LAUNCH OF HANNON COACH Northern Ireland firm Hannon Transport has launched a new coach company and has designs on becoming a major player in the medium to high-end coach hire industry.

The move into coach is a continuation of a deliberate diversification programme over the past decade.

A well-established player in the international refrigerated transport sector, Hannon Transport is now bringing that experience in logistics to the coach industry.

Managing Director, Aodh Hannon believes that, like the logistics industry of 10-15 years ago, the need to provide ever-higher quality can ultimately, only be delivered through efficiencies and economics of scale.

To deliver on its vision, particularly for the Corporate Hire sector, Hannon Coach has significantly invested in its new fleet of quality coaches.

The company believes that the benefit of its logistics experience and relationships with key transport partners will give it an edge in delivering a step-change in affordable quality within the coach industry.

“As a company, we have always been prepared to move our business forward - our move into the coach industry is a continuation of our diversification strategy”.

Aodh Hannon, Managing Director. www.hannoncoach.com

ULSTER TATLER GROUP TERMS & CONDITIONS Opinions expressed in Ulster Tatler Group publications are those of the individual contributors and do not necessarily represent the views of the publishers. NI Chamber of Commerce and Ulster Tatler Group do not accept responsibility for the views of the correspondents or contributors. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that all the material within is accurate at the time of going to press, Ulster Tatler Group cannot be responsible for mistakes arising from clerical or printing errors.

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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Ulster Tatler Group, 39 Boucher Road, Belfast, Co. Antrim, BT12 6HR Tel: 028 9066 3311 www.ulstertatler.com info@ulstertatler.com

NI Chamber 83

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Digital Co-creation Collaboration is key if we are to create the value needed to drive digital transformation – Fujitsu Client Director, David Clements, tells Adrienne McGill.

I

n the latest edition of its Summer Outlook, the Ulster University’s Economic Policy Centre forecasts that the ICT sector could create up to 8,000 jobs locally within the next 10 years.

While a number of variables such as the Brexit transition, trade agreements and consumer spending could significantly impact Northern Ireland’s economic outlook, the ICT sector remains buoyant, inspired by a transition of a different kind – a digital one.

According to David Clements, Client Director at one of Northern Ireland’s largest ICT companies, Fujitsu, Northern Ireland is at the forefront of digital innovation and has the ability to not only take advantage of but drive forward digital transformation in a number of pioneering and profitable areas.

“Digital Transformation has been with us for several years but will accelerate even more due to disruptive digital technologies. Many people use digital services today ranging from using a point of service machine in a shop, booking a flight to ordering goods online. Advancements such as these, that many of us now take for granted, show how fast-paced the technology and digital sector is and how central it is to business growth, productivity and customer service.

“Locally, Northern Ireland has vibrant clusters in some of ICT’s most promising and important fields including data analytics, cyber security and the Internet of Things (IoT). If we are to take advantage of the wealth of economic and social benefits that come from emerging digital innovation in areas such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning, this experience needs to be leveraged further in collaboration with industry, government, our universities and local

84 NI Chamber

business.”

For Fujitsu this collaboration element is key. It points to Ulster University’s recently established Cognitive Analytics Research Lab. As well as creating 12 new jobs, the lab will bring together businesses, including Fujitsu, industry and government to drive R&D locally and enhance Northern Ireland’s international ICT competitiveness.

David claims that the significance of a centre like this should not be underestimated. “From leveraging the potential of government data to developing pioneering solutions across sectors, data analytics will contribute to the development of AI applications locally. It’s exciting to think about the solutions that could be created. Our own artificial intelligence system, ‘AI Zinrai’, incorporates knowledge processing that can, for example, help manage air traffic movements.

As the sector grows, so too will its potential applications.”

At an operational level, David explains that if businesses embrace collaboration with ICT experts, they can expect to generate new insights and add value to their services. He points to a concept Fujitsu call ‘digital cocreation’ which aims to create new value and drive relevant innovation by blending customer business experience with digital technologies.

This concept he says will become a norm in our evolving digital society.

“From our existing digital co-creation partnerships, we have seen first-hand how the process results in breaking down traditional boundaries to provide a host of innovative solutions such as integrated customer services and supported decision making through automation. This isn’t just a concept for technology companies; working together with a variety of businesses we have added value

to firms in the healthcare, agri-food and retail sectors to name just a few.”

Fujitsu predicts that smart systems will be able to use AI to learn from data, generating new insights and supporting people in making optimal decisions. Pointing to a number of its existing co-creation projects, David says that if embraced by businesses in Northern Ireland, digital co-creation can bring about a host of benefits for both the public and private sector and the economy as a whole.

“Recently, Fujitsu worked with the Innovation Unit of the San Carlos Clinical Hospital in Spain to jointly develop a new AI solution. The system known as HIKARI, brings together an advanced suite of micro-services enabling doctors to extract knowledge and carry out analyses using multiple data sources related to patient health allowing doctors to make more informed decisions and increasing productivity.”

From speaking with David, it’s clear that a focus on the two Cs – collaboration and creation – is crucial if Northern Ireland is to maximise on the benefits brought about by digital transformation. He argues that to capitalise on the opportunities presented by emerging technology, now is the time for industry leaders to develop a vision for a digitally-transformed world and implement their digital business architecture.

“Co-creation is all about realising that vision and requires a new style of technology that connects everything, learns from data, generates intelligence and empowers people to make better decisions,” says David.

“Embracing digital co-creation, we can look forward to more personalised healthcare and wellbeing services, mobility and transport solutions and customer lifestyle experiences, all enabled by modern digital technologies.”

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HEALTH PIONEERS Randox health scientific consultant, claire liddle, gives us an insight into her life and work.

What is your job title?

Randox Health Scientific Consultant .

Can you provide a breakdown of your typical working day?

Every day is a little different as I am responsible for guiding our clients through the process of having their Randox Health programmes.

With programmes lasting 12 months, I get to build a relationship with clients, and it’s great when you see how their health is improving - literally before your eyes.

It can be a daunting process for some people, while others are quite excited, so it’s my job to make sure they understand exactly what their personal health plan means, answering queries and offering advice as best I can.

This is something I really enjoy as the majority will never have had such comprehensive health checks before – it’s normally just blood pressure and weight, so together we discuss results relating to their heart, bones, liver, thyroid and more.

Do you work as part of a team or mainly on your own?

The clinic has a number of different teams but we all work together. I will hold consultations with my clients but I rely on our private nurses, phlebotomists and GPs. I also work with the Randox Health

Scientific and Medical Development Board.

It’s made up of a team of doctors and scientists who make continued improvements to the Randox Health service. One of the benefits of carrying out health programmes at a company which is at the forefront of diagnostic research and manufacturing is that it’s constantly developing new improved tests, which are transforming healthcare.

How did you get to where you are now?

I have degrees in Life Science and Medical Science from the University of Dundee, where I worked and studied for most of my 20s. After getting married, I moved to Northern Ireland with my husband’s job, and I started my own tutoring business for GSCE and A-level pupils, focusing on science.

Last year I enrolled with the University of Ulster to do a Master’s Degree in Stratified Medicine and I also joined the Randox Health team. I hope that through my continued studies and employment I will be able to help shape the future of personalised healthcare.

What makes Randox Health unique?

It’s doing something that no other healthcare company is doing. It works in preventive wellbeing – and the tests are so sensitive that they can identify sigs of pre-illness. That means you can take action before you get sick: that’s the future, and that’s unique!

What are your priorities for the year ahead?

The main priority is to continue to help my clients achieve the best health possible, and assisting the board to identify new areas to work in. It’s going to be busy as we’re expanding our team with the recruitment of more scientists, nutritionists as well as sports and exercise experts, so this is an exciting time for our clinics especially!

I also plan to hold more events in association with local charities and information evenings at our flagship Randox Health clinic in Holywood.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?

Always treat others as you would like to be treated.

How do you relax in your spare time?

With a mischievous two year old daughter I am kept busy at home, though we love to take our dog on long walks in our local forest park or along the beach. I also enjoy going to the gym and enjoy classes, such as Fitsteps, an aerobics dance class which is inspired by the Strictly Come Dancing TV show.

Randox Health www.randoxhealth.com 08002545130

MANUFACTURER OF THE YEAR AWARD WIN PUTS SPECIALIST TEAM ON CLOUD NINE At what is undoubtedly the night of nights for London’s A&D and Interiors community, Specialist Joinery Group picked up ‘Manufacturer of the Year’ for the second year running at the MIXOLOGY Awards on Thursday 22nd June.

A delighted Specialist Joinery Group team led by Managing Director, Ciaran O’Hagan stormed the stage to claim their title. Speaking about the awards, Ciaran said “We’re a dynamic young team with a trail blazing culture of business excellence.

Since winning “Manufacturer of the Year” and “Social Giving & Impact” in 2016, we’ve continued to raise the bar yet again by further investing in our people, environmental advocacy and a new service excellence model – The Priority Collaboration Service.”

Record numbers of 1,100 people attended the event which took place at Old Billingsgate, London , which is set on the river against a fabulous backdrop of the London Skyline.

The prestigious MIX INTERIORS awards were handed to the ground breakers and boundary pushers of the commercial interiors sector recognising the most influential people and companies.

This unique occasion has managed to mix the serious coveted awards with a wonderful let your hair down summer ball, this year leading the party was the incredible DJ, Paul Oakenfold.

Over 30 years in business Specialist Joinery Group have developed a distinctive brand of bespoke joinery and fitted furniture which is well now recognised among key Architects

AECOM, London

AerCap, Dublin

L-R; Specialist Joinery Group- Karen Trainor, Ciaran O’Hagan, Sean O’Hagan, Lurach Moore, Paula McCloskey, Nicki Matthews, Director Plus Finance- Awards Category Sponsors.

and Contractors in the Construction and Fit Out industry. The group count names like London Business School, Rolls Royce, Berkeley Group, AECOM, Estee Lauder and National Grid in a dazzling client portfolio which stretches across Ireland, the UK and into continental Europe.

In response to ever increasing client demand and the ambitions of our team, Specialist Joinery Group have commenced another expansion project which will provide additional manufacturing capacity to bring the total plant size to 145,000 sq ft. This investment will make Specialist HQ one of the largest bespoke joinery manufacturing on these islands.

For more information visit www.specialistjoinerygroup.co.uk

RocketSpace, London

Manufacturer of the Year 2016 & 2017

priority collaborations

We are so proud to be named Mixology Manufacturer of the Year for a second consecutive year. A big thank you to all the customers and staff who made our Priority Collaborations happen this year.

View more Priority Collaborations at www.sjg.co.uk.

NI Chamber 87

lifestyle

A REAL HEAD TURNER FROM TOYOTA The Japanese car maker has moved up a gear with its latest SUV crossover, writes James Stinson.

F

or a time in the 1980s, Toyota made some of the best-looking cars around. Not one or two but several including the Supra, Celica and MR2. These cars made you want to buy Toyotas not just because they were sensible, which they were, but because they were desirable.

That perception lasted a good few years but somewhere in the nineties, Toyota lost its way. It still made big selling cars like the Corolla but boy were they dull. The second generation Avensis, circa 2003, was especially bland.

It didn’t stop people buying Toyotas in their droves and it remains the world’s second biggest car maker but, where possible, cars should be good to look at as well as drive. That penny has now dropped at Toyota and nowhere is that more obvious than with this new C-HR. The Coupe-High Rider, to give it its full name, features sharp styling, a sloping roofline and hidden rear door handles, creating a stunning and distinctive silhouette in a sector where boxy is the norm.

The interior is equally impressive, with high quality, tactile materials used throughout. It looks extremely modern, almost space age.

There are just two engines to choose from: a 113bhp 1.2-litre fourcylinder turbo petrol, and a 122bhp 1.8 petrol-electric hybrid, which is also used in the Prius.

The 1.2 turbo comes with a six-speed manual or automatic CVT gearbox, while the hybrid, like all of Toyota’s petrol-electric models, is exclusively CVT. All cars are front-wheel drive as standard, while 4WD can be added to petrol auto versions. There’s no diesel, which is a bit of a disappointment, but the hybrid is a pretty good alternative, delivering CO2 emissions from 125g/ km and combined fuel consumption figures north of 50mpg.

It should be fun to drive too. Toyota has tweaked the suspension for UK roads, to feel planted without being too firm. The car’s centre of gravity has also been kept as low as possible, which should help it feel more car-like

on the road.

It’s more compact than rivals but Toyota has made good use of what space there is. There’s a surprising amount of headroom in the back, given the low roofline, while the high set front seats means there’s plenty of space to tuck your feet under. Bootspace isn’t as generous as some rival SUVs but is a match for most hatchbacks.

Toyota hasn’t scrimped on the standard kit either. All versions get climate and cruise control, automatic lights and wipers, an auto dimming rear view mirror and seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system.

The Excel adds sat-nav, keyless entry, heated seats, self-parking and power fold mirrors, while the flagship Dynamic gets all this plus LED headlamps and metallic paint. Prices start from £21k.

The C-HR isn’t as sensible as competitors like the Seat Ateca but it looks the part, which is just want some buyers are after… and Toyota needed.

Your fleet in our hands

We’ll manage your fleet while you manage your business

88 NI Chamber

T: 028 9038 6600 agnewcorporate.com

Your fleet in our hands

We’ll manage your fleet while you manage your business Call us on: 028 9038 6600

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

AGNEW AD (AMBITION MAG).PRINT.indd 1

29/01/2015 10:49

lifestyle

mazda’s little belter gets a roof The Mazda MX-5, in its various guises, has been and remains the best two-seater sportscar around – perhaps the best ever.

You can now buy a retractable hard-top version of the latest and brilliant Mk4 model. Pay the extra £2,000 and you get a motor that’s just as thrilling but, quite importantly, much more refined when the roof is up.

And let’s face it, that’s going to be most of the time.

It comes with the same 1.5 or 2.0 litre petrol engines and

delivers the same low down, thrill a minute driving experience.

Worth mentioning though that the extra 40kgs in the hard top means it could be better suited to the bigger engine.

With the 1.5 litre engine, the 0-62mph sprint takes 8.6 seconds, which is three-tenths slower than in the soft-top. In contrast, the 158bhp 2.0-litre RF is only a tenth of a second off the pace compared to its fabric-roofed sibling. The little Mazda is on sale now from £22,295, with the bigger engined version adding £1,100.

MOVE OVER YETI The Yeti was something of a surprise success for Skoda – a trimmed down, no nonsense motor, it helped create a growing market for cost conscious car buyers looking to jump onto the SUV bandwagon.

It hardly looks dated but Skoda has decided it needs replacing with this – the new Karoq – which arrives early next year.

It’s not as funky as its predecessor but will be more refined and luxurious, which is probably necessary in a world where car manufacturers are constantly innovating and improving.

The Yeti was extremely practical and the Karoq is even bigger, with more room in the rear and in the boot. There’s also a range of seating options, which means it will carry large, awkward loads with ease.

Inside, the Karoq will showcase the latest version of Skoda’s interior design, with high quality materials and plenty of high tech equipment on hand. As you’d expect from a VW Group car, it will come with a wide range of engines, possibly including a plug-in hybrid. Prices haven’t been revealed yet but entry level versions will probably start at around £17k with orders being taken later in the year for deliveries early in 2018.

WHERE THE SMART MONEY IS...

What sort of car can you buy for under £10k? Well, there’s more choice than you might think. These include entry level versions of the Ford Ka, the Hyundai i10, Renault’s Twingo, a couple of Dacias, Vauxhall’s Viva, as well as the VW Up and its VW group stablemates from Seat and Skoda.

And here’s another – the new smart pure, available in both fortwo coupé and forfour body styles, is now on sale with prices starting from £9,995.

The pure model line comes with a 1.0-litre petrol engine with an output of 71 hp, mated to a five-speed manual transmission. It has a top speed of 94 mph, and emits just 97 g/km of CO2 while achieving a combined fuel economy of 67.3 mpg combined.

And there’s a smattering of kit too. Standard equipment includes electric windows; remote locking; smart audio system; electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors; height-adjustable steering wheel and driver’s seat; and halogen headlamps with LED daytime running lamps.

Automatic climate control is optionally available for £575. Both fortwo and forfour models are also available in a choice of nine body colours. It’s cheap, honest, pure motoring.

Your fleet in our hands

We’ll manage your fleet while you manage your business

90 NI Chamber

T: 028 9038 6600 agnewcorporate.com

driving business growth Agnew Corporate, Northern Ireland’s leading contract hire and leasing company, continue to experience significant growth, having recently secured two major contracts with a collective estimated value in excess of £4M. With over 25 years’ experience and an ever-expanding fleet of over 5000 vehicles, Agnew Corporate’s cutting-edge fleet management technology and exceptional industry knowledge have been invaluable in achieving exponential growth year-on-year.

The company has recently been awarded major contracts with two industry-leading enterprises to supply fully maintained fleets on a contract hire basis, extending throughout Northern Ireland and Great Britain. The combined fleets comprise over 200 cars and LCV’s, at an estimated contract value of over £4M. Agnew Corporate has accredited their innovative use of technology, competitive pricing, exceptional understanding of customer needs, and the ability to provide expert advice on fleet whole life costs to the company’s recent success.

David McEwen, Head of Business Development at Agnew Corporate, spoke about the recent business growth stating, “We are delighted with the company’s 2017 performance to date and remain dedicated to seeking out opportunities for further progression.”

As a result of continued business growth, Agnew Corporate has expanded their workforce to ensure all customers receive the highest possible levels of customer service.

Agnew Corporate, 18 Boucher Way, Belfast, BT12 6RE T: 028 9038 6600 NI Trucks Ambition 178x130mm Ad Final 29/06/2017 14:50 Page 1

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NI Chamber 91

sponsored feature

Colin Neill and Alan Mason.

Helen and Noel Stokes.

Huw Worthington and Julie Leonard.

asdon golf day Another great day was had at Dunmurry Golf Club for the annual Asdon Group Golf outing. The weather may not have been as good as previous years but the quality of golf wasn’t affected. Over 50 competitors took part in the golf which was then followed up by dinner and the presentation of prizes. Men’s 1st prize Ivor Moffett, 2nd prize Eamonn O’Kane, 3rd prize Robert Brown. Ladies 1st prize Helen Stokes, 2nd prize Julie Leonard.

www.asdongroup.com Ivor Moffitt, James McKervill and Peter McCann.

John Keatley, David Longridge, Chris Rutter and David Mercer-Cox.

Adam Spence, Gary McKay and Glen Breen.

Mark Campbell and Gary Gilpin.

92 NI Chamber

Andrew Agnew and Peter Richardson.

Graeme King and Raymond Wilson.

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lifestyle

BE BOLD IN BLUE HOBBS

XV KINGS Rugby star Tommy Bowe modelling the latest collection from his clothing line, XV Kings.

This issue JOANNE HARKNESS focuses on the colour blue - a bold, trendy colour to add to your office wardrobe.

Blue blouse, Marks & Spencer.

Blazer £110, tie £14, River Island.

Gingham heels, River Island.

Check, peg trousers, Topshop.

Shirt, £89, Dubarry of Ireland.

Printed blouse, £28, Next.

Mens @ Dune, £95.

94 NI Chamber

lifestyle

Today’s world means ever more importance being placed on employers’ duty of care obligations when staff are travelling, says Edel Doherty, Managing Director of Beyond Business Travel.

SAFE TRAVELS

T

he world around us is in a state of flux and risk profiles of countries and travel destinations are ever changing. Terror attacks are becoming more common on European soil and just weeks after the horrific London and Manchester attacks, companies are asking how they can best fulfil their duty of care obligations to staff who travel for work.

Health warnings such as the recent Zika virus crisis which affected more than 26 countries, the Yellow Fever outbreak in Brazil and the rise of Malaria in South Africa also concern businesses sending employees to these regions.

The incidents mentioned all lead to increased burden being placed on employers, who must constantly review health and safety policies for those who travel and make sure the staff involved are aware, prepared and educated before they leave the country.

Employers are responsible for mitigating risk in less sensational circumstances also. They must look after those who are vulnerable due to health problems, lost medication, minor injuries or the onset of a serious illness. Other risks faced by business travellers include opportunistic crime, natural disasters or weather incidents, lost passports, car accidents and raised stress levels with the health issues this can cause.

Being prepared for any incident, any problem and any emergency is essential for protecting a company’s reputation and staff morale.

While the recent terror attacks have given many of our clients cause for concern, duty of care extends beyond headline incidents and employers must also consider travel details that can improve your employees’ wellbeing, like making sure they don’t have to drive after a long-haul flight.

Your employees are the most valuable part of your company. We ensure those travellers are prepared for the environment they are travelling to and are aware of emergency procedures and risk policies.

The requirements of duty of care are clear. Employers must make sure their staff are safe and looked after, when they are travelling for business.

Companies have moral and legal obligations to their employees, contractors, volunteers, spouses and family members while they engage in travel for work. Employers are legally bound to reduce the risk of injury to staff, or exposures leading to health problems.

Travel Management Companies, such as Belfast’s Beyond Business Travel, are experts in their field and have vast experience in recognising and reducing risks.

During the trip, TMCs will use an employee tracking system, which allows companies to know where their people are at any time. The system sends messages instantly alerting travellers to any issues and requesting confirmation they are safe. This is particularly important in high risk destinations or if an attack or natural disaster occurs.

As well as tracking staff, Beyond Business Travel also sends real-time alerts directly to those affected by disruption. The team contact employees directly to offer advice and make alternative arrangements and bookings should problems arise or delays occur.

With a 24/7 service and experts trained in emergency response management, TMCs can offer a level of protection and provide a sense of safety and confidence that can sometimes be difficult to achieve in-house.

Here are some questions to test your Duty of care when employees are travelling for BUSINESS: • Are you sending your staff to a high-risk country?

• Do you know where every traveller is at all times?

• How do you communicate with travellers when problems arise?

• How do you keep travellers informed about delays, disruptions and travel updates?

• Can you contact all your travellers instantly and at the same time?

NI Chamber 95

columnist

THE ESSENTIAL QUALITY OF PROFESSOR PATRICK JOHNSTON

I VICE-CHANCELLOR OF QUEEN’S UNIVERSITY, PROFESSOR PATRICK JOHNSTON, WHO DIED SUDDENLY IN JUNE, WAS A MAN OF GREAT INTEGRITY WRITES JOURNALIST AND BROADCASTER JIM FTIZPATRICK.

96 NI Chamber

f you were to identify the key attribute or quality in a human being you find most vital and compelling what would it be?

Or to ask the question a different way, what’s the quality in yourself that you would most like to shine through?

A number of years ago I was lucky enough to be working on a documentary series on people from Northern Ireland who were making a big impact.

The trilogy of profiles was called Thinking Big and essentially it examined the life and work of three individuals who were rooted locally, but had global vision and reach.

One of those people was Professor Patrick Johnston, who died suddenly in June. The obituaries have noted his many achievements: a world-class cancer specialist and researcher; the brains and driving force behind a revolution in cancer care in Northern Ireland; a transformative leader of Queen’s University.

But what was his most essential and compelling quality? That’s the key question the documentary profile I worked on was trying to answer. We travelled across the globe with him meeting colleagues in distinguished universities, research agencies and government departments. They painted a picture of a driven and gifted individual who knew what he wanted to achieve and how to achieve it.

There was fondness, respect, admiration, and a certain element of wonder and awe in each of these interviewees as they described their assessment of Professor Patrick Johnston.

But I couldn’t put my finger on that essential quality.

What was at the core of this man that drove him to achieve great things?

The answer came in a less formal setting and in response to a question which can sometimes produce a trite answer, but in this case revealed something quite profound.

Everyone needs a refuge, a safe harbour where the cares of the world of work can be left behind.

For Patrick Johnston that was his home in Donegal where he would escape with his family as often as work and other commitments would allow.

As is ever the case with television, we invited ourselves into this private space. The Johnston family were gracious hosts. Here we met Paddy Johnston the loving husband and devoted father of four boys.

This is when I sat down with Iseult, Paddy’s wife, to get her perspective on the man we were profiling. We covered a wide range of ground in their life together and his career, and then the question which brought that answer which unlocked the whole picture.

“What first attracted you to Paddy?”

A pause. A moment of internal reflection. A smile in the eyes. Then, finally, an answer.

“His integrity.”

And there it was. So clear. So obvious when you thought about it. And yet such an unexpected answer.

Without that integrity I doubt if Paddy Johnston could have achieved a fraction of what he did.

Integrity is the quality that gives meaning to ambition and roots the individual in a set of values that guide all behaviour.

It is, upon reflection, the key quality or attribute in any human being that is most vital and compelling.

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mercer the benefits of company benefits

July/August 2017 ISSUE 23

jim fitzpatrick on a man with integrity Professor patrick johnston

A PRESIDENT WITH PRIORITIES ELLVENA GRAHAM