Ambition Issue 12 (Sep/Oct 2015)

MAGAZINE OF NORTHERN IRELAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

September/October 2015

£2.95

September/october 2015 ISSUE 12

conexpo has expansion set in stone

Magazine of northern ireland chamber of commerce and industry

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: • Aer lingus takes off into a new future

• special focus: making healthcare better

• a buoyant future for belfast harbour

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CONTENTS

september/october 2015 | ISSUE twelve

50 88

10 44

68 NEWS

Columnists

MAKING HEALTHCARE BETTER

LIFESTYLE

08 New corporate partnership 10 Phoenix appoints Ardmore Advertising 12 Entrepreneurial award for top student 14 Firms compete to make millions for charity

50 From molecules to market 54 Oil which avoids health slip-ups 56 Academia and industry - formula for success

18 Joanne McKendry 46 David Clements 68 Natalie Gray 74 Maureen O’Reilly

88 Comfortable power - James Stinson 92 Relaxation in your case - Doreen McKenzie 93 Culinary delights - Carl Johannesson

FEATURES

20 Trade with Chile heats up 38 A buoyant future 44 Firm has golf technology off to a tee 76 On course to reach new heights

Cover story-Page 30 Conexpo digs deep with growth in export markets.

Editor: Adrienne McGill Publisher: Chris Sherry Advertising Manager: Catherine Patton Editorial Assistant: Ashleigh Addis Email addresses: adrienne.mcgill@northernirelandchamber.com c.patton@ambitionni.co.uk Websites: www.northernirelandchamber.com, www.ulstertatler.com Addresses: Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry, 4-5 Donegall Square South, Belfast, BT15JA Tel: 028 9024 4113 Publisher: Ulster Tatler Group, 39 Boucher Road, Belfast, BT12 6UT Tel: 028 9066 3311 Printed by: W&G Baird, Antrim Front cover image: Justin Kernoghan NI CHAMBER PATRONS

2 NI Chamber

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[editorial]

driving ambition Getting on course and shaping futures

W

ith the start of the new academic term on the horizon for thousands of students across Northern Ireland as they begin university, many will be embarking on a new stage in their lives which may shape their future…and maybe even ours.

Just look at how many entrepreneurs and computer geniuses began their enterprises at university when they came up with a brilliant project that turned into a gold mine. Using a flexible mix of technical, business and entrepreneurial know-how, many of their ideas have helped create the technology-driven world in which we now live.

But these ideas wield power – just look at Facebook – 1 in 7 people on earth used Facebook to connect with their friends and family on 24 August which means over a billion people used it on a single day, according to company founder Mark Zuckerberg.

The point about Mark Zuckerberg is that he founded his company in 2004

when he was a Harvard student. It doesn’t really matter that his degree is in psychology and not in computer science.

His success is more to do with personal persistence, hard work and a desire to devise something beneficial for the future and for people’s lives.

The same key elements have driven those involved in Northern Ireland’s Health and Life Science sector as they seek to develop drugs and therapies and find cures for life-threatening illnesses all in an effort to improve patient care.

In our special section this issue “Making Healthcare Better”, we talk to a range of specialists leading the field across a variety of areas including drug development, precision medicine, the analysis of large data sets, and academic and business partnerships in science.

All of these areas have R&D at their core and are helping Northern Ireland excel as a test bed for innovation.

But back to university…and we hear about a technology company established

by brothers Brian and Rory Smith who combined their love of golf with their computer science studies at Queen’s to create market leading software for tee time booking at golf clubs.

We also take to the skies with Aer Lingus as the airline’s Communications Director Declan Kearney reveals passenger numbers are soaring on its transatlantic routes as it enters a new era following its takeover by IAG. Meanwhile James Stinson gets revved up about the new Honda CR-V, award winning chef Carl Johannesson goes for indulgence in the kitchen and fashionista Ashleigh Addis opens the wardrobe on men’s fashion this Autumn.

Enjoy the read and as always I look forward to highlighting the successes of NI Chamber members in the pages of Ambition.

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[editorial]

PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE

Time for change on rates

T

he revaluation of non-domestic or business rates which came into effect in April this year had as many ‘winners’ as ‘losers’, in that 52 per cent of business owners saw their rates bill increase while 48 per cent had a neutral outcome or saw their bills reduced. While it is probably fair to say that most of us are not exactly delighted when we receive our rates bill, a rating system is an inherent part of a democratic society and supports local and central

Government in providing essential public services. We accept that and play our part by paying our rates.

However, that is not to say that change is unwarranted in the way our rates are valued and levied. Rates collection and distribution is one area of tax which is now devolved across the UK, so the power to change the system lies entirely within the Assembly administration through the Department of Finance and Personnel.

To be fair to both the current DFP Minister and her predecessor, Arlene Foster and Simon Hamilton have not shirked the challenge and following the revaluation which concluded this Spring, a willingness to examine the entire complex and challenging issue was signaled and acted on with the announcement of a full review of the nondomestic taxation system in Northern Ireland.

As a Chamber of Commerce we have engaged with Government as they set about identifying suitable terms of reference for the review and we will remain engaged with the consultation process which we expect to see launched in the coming months.

Our members made their views known in the latest Quarterly Economic Survey, published in partnership with business advisers BDO. A massive 78 per cent of Northern Ireland business owners want to see the decades-old system reviewed and consideration given to a system which more adequately reflects economic and business conditions. Particular concerns were expressed around the equity of the current system and members also asked for greater transparency around what their business rates actually pay for.

The dynamic of running a business has changed immeasurably since the current system was introduced in 1990 and in truth the principles underlying our non-domestic rating system have been in place for centuries.

That provides a challenge for Government but one which should be embraced.

The Westminster Government has already initiated a review of the system as it applies in England recognising its need to be fit for purpose for a 21st century economy. That may offer us a roadmap for our own review, but should not limit our ambition to devise a Northern Ireland rating system suitable for Northern Ireland’s 21st century business community.

Stephen McCully President Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry

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[NEWS]

TRAINING IN TRADING Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) is opening a financial innovation laboratory at Ulster University in Jordanstown to educate students about its work.

The lab will house the most technologically advanced software to provide students and visitors with hands-on experience of a dynamic

Enterprise Minister Jonathan Bell and Employment and Learning Minister Dr Stephen Farry with Jim Oliff, CME Group Foundation Chairman.

trading environment, comparable to an investment bank.

The total cost of the project is £237,000. CME Group Foundation will donate $175,000 over two years and Invest NI has offered assistance of £30,000 to the project over a three-year period.

The NASDAQ-listed company opened an IT office in Belfast in 2012 to support its derivatives and futures exchanges in Chicago and New York. It employs around 100 people in software development.

Enterprise Minister Jonathan Bell said the establishment of the innovation laboratory was a very positive announcement for the Ulster University Business School and for Northern Ireland’s financial-technology sector while Employment and Learning Minister Dr Stephen Farry said it was an excellent example of collaboration between business, academia and government to meet the future skills requirements of the local economy.

Jim Oliff, CME Group Foundation Chairman, said: “Innovation is a hallmark of CME Group Foundation, and this initiative will help educate the next generation of innovative youth in Belfast to prepare them to join the global financial services industry.”

DRIVING AHEAD WITH A NEW CORPORATE PARTNERSHIP

NI Chamber is delighted to announce Belfast’s Agnew Corporate as its newest patron.

Having been in the Northern Ireland marketplace since 1995, Agnew Corporate provides a dedicated service to people who use cars for business purposes throughout the United Kingdom.

At present the Boucher Way-based company employs 33 people and is part of the Agnew Group, a leading name in Northern Ireland’s motor industry, which employs 979 staff overall.

Welcoming the company’s patronage, Ann McGregor, NI Chamber Chief Executive, said: “We are looking forward to assisting Agnew Corporate in communicating their firstclass services to all SMEs in Northern Ireland and linking them to further opportunities in their specialised area of work.”

Graham Thompson, Ann McGregor, NI Chamber Chief General Manager at Agnew Executive and Graham Thompson, General Manager at Agnew Corporate.

Corporate said: “Becoming a patron of Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry underlines our commitment to businesses in the region.”

NI Chamber’s patronage scheme provides a tailor-made benefits package to leading companies in Northern Ireland, offering major profile-raising opportunities and the opportunity to access and network with politicians and their advisers.

The patronage scheme is limited to 12 companies and sees Agnew Corporate join current NI Chamber patrons Caterpillar; Danske Bank; fonaCAB; Grafton Recruitment; Investec Wealth and Investment; Moy Park; Pinsent Mason; Power NI; TR Logistics Group; Ulster Bank; and the Ulster University Business School.

08 NI Chamber

Brian Harvey and Richard Bell.

HARVEY GROUP ACQUIRES SOLMATIX Mechanical and electrical services company Harvey Group has taken over renewable energy firm Solmatix for an undisclosed sum.

Harvey Group, which has a turnover of £30 million, is based in Newtownabbey and has more than 80 staff.

Solmatix Renewables will continue to operate from its Nutts Corner premises near Crumlin as an independent company within Harvey Group.

Solmatix was founded in 2008 by Richard and NorahAnne Bell. It has grown to achieve a turnover of £6 million and 30 staff.

Brian Harvey, Managing Director of Harvey Group, said: “Having Solmatix as part of Harvey Group gives us a level of expertise that would have taken us years to acquire otherwise.”

Richard Bell, Managing Director of Solmatix Renewables, described the acquisition as great news for Solmatix, its customers, suppliers and staff.

“Being part of this larger organisation will give us access to enhanced technical skills, financial resources and purchasing power,” he added.

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[news]

MANAGEMENT BUYOUT FOR BELFAST FIRM Five directors of locallybased Abbey Bond Lovis (ABL) have acquired the successful insurance brokerage and risk advisory firm in a management buyout (MBO), supported by London-based Global Risk Partners Limited (GRP) in a multi-million pound deal.

ABL, which was established in Northern Ireland in 2006, provides private, commercial and corporate insurance to clients across a wide range of clients from the commercial, industrial, professional and charity sectors. The firm represents a significant number of substantial local businesses in addition to having many SME clients from a variety of industry sectors.

The MBO will see ABL’s five-strong senior

management team – Maurice Boyd, Stephen Carlisle, Gary Crabbe, Ken Alderdice and Patrick McMillen – continue to lead the business.

Maurice Boyd, Managing Director of ABL, said: “The backing of GRP provides us with the ideal environment to grow with the support of an independent, strongly capitalised partner.”

David Margrett, Chief Executive of GRP, said: “With more than £200 million annual income, we are growing quickly. Our ‘owner-driver’ approach gives each management team a significant equity stake in their business, creating an attractive opportunity for both retail and wholesale businesses to be a part of our entrepreneurial group.”

The directors of Abbey Bond Lovis (ABL) - Patrick McMillen, Gary Crabbe, Maurice Boyd, Ken Alderdice and Stephen Carlisle.

Phoenix Chief Executive Alistair Pollock with Ardmore Deputy Creative Director Colin Maguire, Ardmore Account Manager Theresa Hannon and Ardmore Media Director Mark Irwin.

Phoenix appoints Ardmore Advertising Phoenix Natural Gas has appointed Ardmore Advertising as its lead marketing and communications partner following a competitive tender and pitch process.

Phoenix Natural Gas celebrates 20 years as a leading distributor of natural gas in Northern Ireland next year. During that time it has been recognised for excellence as a world leading energy utility, whilst in the process making natural gas available to around 40 per cent of the population in Northern Ireland.

Ardmore, Northern Ireland’s largest integrated communications agency, will develop and deliver creative advertising solutions and

deliver comprehensive media planning and buying services.

Alistair Pollock, Business Development Director, Phoenix Natural Gas, said the company was about to reach an important milestone in its development and was delighted to be working with Ardmore Advertising.

John Keane, Managing Director, Ardmore Advertising, said: “Phoenix Natural Gas is an iconic and exciting brand and we look forward to working closely with the Phoenix team in the years ahead to proactively deliver creative, integrated advertising and marketing solutions to support its continued growth in Northern Ireland.”

Potato firm expands Cushendall-based Glens of Antrim Potatoes has invested £1.25 million in a second factory and new packaging machinery. Part of the investment was funded by Danske Bank and a PMG Grant Scheme from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD).

The company was established in 1972 by the McKillop family and is the largest employer in the Glens area with more than 60 employees.

The firm is currently exporting its products across Great Britain and Ireland to a large multinational client base.

Michael McKillop, Director at Glens of Antrim Potatoes, said: “We grow new varieties of potatoes each year and spend time researching the best use for them and their cooking abilities. For the last year we have been developing a new quad pack product that we will be launching in the autumn.”

Roger Hamilton, Business Manager at Danske Bank said Glens of Antrim Potatoes was a great example of a family-run business which has had tremendous success locally and across Great Britain and Ireland.

“They are continually investing in research and development and bringing new products to market,” he added.

10 NI Chamber

Roger Hamilton, Business Manager at Danske Bank with Michael McKillop, Director at Glens of Antrim Potatoes.

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ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT AWARD TO TOP STUDENT A student from Newry is this year’s winner of the Entrepreneurial Spirit Award developed by Ulster University Business School in partnership with NI Chamber.

Gavin Teggart, who gained a Bsc honours degree in Marketing from the Business School, scooped the award after devising a new business focusing on marketing and promotions. Called ‘The Mercury Agency’, it offers establishments within the nightlife and entertainment sector a comprehensive consultancy service.

Gavin’s award includes a bursary to cover the entire cost of studying for a Master’s in Business Development and Innovation.

Through the NI Chamber partnership he will also take part in a mentoring programme which includes support from a Northern

Entrepreneurial Spirit Award winner, Gavin Teggart, shares the branding of his company ‘The Mercury Agency’ with Professor Pauric McGowan, Ulster University Business School and Sandra Scannell, Business Growth & Trade Director, NI Chamber.

Ireland business for six months.

Accepting the award, Gavin said that it would give him “a great opportunity to pursue an entrepreneurial career in business.”

Professor Pauric McGowan, Chair of the judging panel, said Gavin had demonstrated a deep understanding of and passion for entrepreneurial endeavour.

Congratulating Gavin, Sandra Scannell, Business Growth & Trade Director, NI Chamber said: “Gavin displays all of the initial signs of an extremely successful entrepreneur by showing great vision, passion and determination whilst taking innovative social media ideas to Middle Eastern markets where they did not previously exist.”

Windsurf’s Up For Local Financial Advisor

John gets his windsurf ready for the challenge.

A wet and windy day beckons for John Bedford of Willis Insurance & Risk Management as he attempts to set a new Guinness Book of World Records entry by windsurfing from Northern Ireland to Scotland.

The feat will take place on a weekend in late September/early October when the conditions are at their best and the wind is blowing in the right direction! Launching from Donaghadee, Northern Ireland, father of three John will set off for Portpatrick, Scotland with the aim of completing the challenge in one hour...and then possibly windsurfing back again.

At speeds of up to 35mph, John will be travelling at a similar pace to the former

Seacat ferry service and hopes to be the first person to windsurf the North Channel for the Guinness adjudicators.

John and Willis IRM hope that the record attempt will raise enough money for the Adsum Foundation to build 10 fresh water wells in Madagascar where children have no access to clean and safe water. The target they hope to raise is £20,000.

John, who attempted the record back in 1990 but was unable to complete it due to the wind suddenly dropping, will be hoping to make it back to Northern Ireland shores as a record-setter. Donations to this cause can be made at uk.virginmoneygiving.com/WillisInsurance

Office supplier rebrand Leading office supplier Banner Business Services and Supplies Team Solutions have merged and rebranded as Banner.

Banner, which has a presence in Northern Ireland with a Distribution Centre in Newtownards and a Sales and Customer Services office in Belfast, works in partnership with a significant number of Northern Ireland’s top 100 companies, including well-known manufacturing, food production and pharmaceutical companies as well as high street banks, restaurants and security companies.

The company, which is headquartered in Wakefield in England, supplies a wide range of products and services including office furniture, space planning and design services, 12 NI Chamber

office supplies and equipment, print management services and secure document services.

Banner operates a guaranteed next day in-house delivery service to all locations throughout Northern Ireland.

Richard Costin, Managing Director, Banner said: “Our new brand will continue to deliver our transparent approach along with our values and confident service that our customers know and trust us for; it will also better reflect our personality as an innovative and vibrant new business.

“My vision is for Banner to be the leading expert for the modern workplace, supplying ever-changing products, categories and services.”

Richard Costin, Managing Director, Banner.

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[news]

Firms compete to ‘make millions’ to change young lives The Prince’s Trust Million Makers competition has taken off with several of Northern Ireland’s top companies competing to out-do each other in this entrepreneurial fundraising initiative, all in the name of the leading youth charity. The real-life challenge pits talented teams across the region against each other for the next six months. Each company will receive £1,500 of seed funding in a ‘Dragons Den style’ investment and their goal is to raise £10,000.

Now in its eighth year, the fundraising competition which is supported by Capita has successfully raised £350,000 to help The Prince’s Trust support disadvantaged young people from the ages of 13 to 30 across Northern Ireland.

Ian Jeffers, Director of The Prince’s Trust in Northern Ireland, said: “The competitive element injects fun into fundraising and it is great to see how much team members gain out of taking part in the challenge.”

Million Makers is an opportunity for companies to engage, inspire and motivate employees to develop many transferable

Top service by NI firm at prestigious hotel

Picture: 2015 Hilton Hotels & Resorts

skills such as leadership, motivation and decision-making, while generating funds to help young people turn their lives around.

The companies participating in this year’s competition are Capita, Translink, ShredBank and Concentrix.

Shauna McAteer (Concentrix); Philip Bain (ShredBank); Kayla Savage (Prince’s Trust Young Ambassador); Damien Kobus (Capita HR Solutions) and Veronica McKinney (Translink).

A Lisburn-based telecoms company has just completed a major contract at one of the most luxurious hotels in Paris.

Sonet Communications won the contract to complete a new cable installation at the Hilton Paris Opera Hotel following a competitive tendering process.

The company was responsible for the installation of new structured cabling for all data, telephony, wireless access and fibre optics throughout the landmark property following an 18 month refurbishment and upgrade programme throughout the entire building.

Sonet Communications have extensive experience of work within hotel environments including those in the Hilton Group and so were able to respond quickly and effectively to the challenges of the project which was completed on time and on budget.

Commenting on the contract, the company said: “Complete customer delight is always our aim, and this was achieved on the Hilton Paris Opera project. However, in addition to fulfilling all of the requirements laid down in the brief, the Sonet team was also able to resolve a number of long-running technical issues which had plagued the data and telephony systems within the hotel.

“Furthermore, in response to the professional and diligent manner in which Sonet Communications undertook their role in this project, the French construction programme managers, Artelia International, awarded Sonet additional work on site.”

Rescue innovations reach new levels

A unique conference focusing on specialist rescue innovations, including drones, takes place later this month at Titanic Belfast.

The R.E.A.C.H (rescue, emergency, air, cardiac, heart) conference has been organised by Emergency Fire & Safety (EFS) and is scheduled for September 29.

The event, which will include a drone exhibition, aims to provide organisations with information on innovations and technologies in the world of rescue, emergency, air, health & safety and pre-hospital trauma in order to save lives by providing practical information on compliance, training and demonstrations on the most up-to-date rescue techniques as well as CPR and AED’s as part of the first response.

Also at the event, Paul Trimble of Reach Systems will be launching the world’s first medi-drone which is an autonomous flying drone that can deliver medical supplies to locations or people in need of them. Such unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are set to change the way we approach medical incidents and rescue situations on a global scale. * For more information on the conference go to www. emergencyfire.co.uk

14 NI Chamber

Growth Through Excellence…

2015 marks the 35th anniversary of Daly Park, a leading

Chartered Accountancy practice in Northern Ireland with offices in Newry, Lurgan and Belfast.

The company has established itself as a dedicated and professional provider of Accounting, Audit, Taxation and Consultancy services to its client base and is looking forward to future growth and job creation across the practice. Darragh Cotter, Managing Director, said, “We value greatly the reputation of our firm in terms of the energy and professional commitment of our staff in relation to our clients and the services we provide.

Darragh Cotter Managing Director As part of this commitment, Daly Park has invested heavily in upgrading our internal computer systems this year so that our team can continue to improve and develop the quality services our wide range of clients expect. Keeping abreast of current IT developments will enable us to grow in the coming years and allow us to work efficiently with live data within our offices and remotely from client sites. With the enhanced security features we can reassure our clients about information confidentiality and the prevention of cyber attacks.”

Rewarding great achievers in business

By Andy Mills, Regional Director Business Banking, Ulster Bank.

F

or many of the local businesses that we support, a recurring balancing act is how much time they spend analysing past decisions versus planning for the future. Evaluating those decisions and opportunities can be a tricky process – but it can also provide much needed perspective and outline paths to future success.

That’s one of the reasons that we’re proud to run the annual Ulster Bank Business Achievers Awards. The opportunity to sit down and take stock of several years’ worth of accomplishments can provide useful insights into how management have been able to grow the business. As a whole, we believe that the Awards are a significant help to companies on the island of Ireland, showcasing best practice across eight award categories.

This is borne out by the high quality of

the entrants and the winners. Northern Ireland companies have traditionally been very successful in these all-island awards – last year, Avondale Foods won the Food & Drink category and Almac was crowned the overall Ulster Bank Business Achiever. The Awards provide a great opportunity for local businesses to tell their story to a much larger audience – not just reaching new clients and creating new business opportunities, but also recognising and rewarding hard-working members of staff who have contributed to their success. They provide a staging post for the success that has been achieved so far, and point the way towards sustainable growth and expansion in the future.

Along with our colleagues in RBS and NatWest, Ulster Bank is aiming to become the number one bank for customer service, trust and advocacy

by 2020. These Awards are a great way for us to build that – showing our commitment to local enterprise and the stories that company founders have to tell. Alongside the £1.5 billion that we have made available to lend to businesses in 2015 and our dedicated support and propositions for sectors such as start-ups, food & drink and international business, they demonstrate our commitment to being a champion for entrepreneurs.

Our judging panels, made up of industry experts and successful businesspeople, have a tough task ahead of them. But I know it is one that they relish and I would encourage all businesses, large and small, to think about the benefits of applying. * For more information about the Ulster Bank Business Achievers Awards, visit www.businessachieveraward.com

YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR FINDS BUSINESS SUCCESS THROUGH THE PRINCE’S TRUST The Prince’s Trust Explore Enterprise programme helps thousands of small businesses get off the ground each year. The programme offers a package of cash, mentoring and practical support, including business plan writing workshops and financial planning.

Participants are provided with a range of assistance including: an information session where they can find out what the Enterprise programme can do for them; free four-day Explore Enterprise workshops which will help them with ideas and tips on how to start their own business; support with writing a business plan; test marketing grants of up to £250 and up to two years’ support from a volunteer business mentor.

The Explore Enterprise course is for unemployed people (or those working less than 16 hours a week) who are aged 18-30 and are interested in setting up their own business, but haven’t hit on the right idea yet.

One of the young people who has taken part in the programme and set up his own business is Co. Armagh entrepreneur Craig Thompson.

He set up his people development consultancy Vibrant Talent Development, based in Waringstown, last March after leaving a fulltime job in training and recruitment.

“It was a great time for me to try setting up my own business as I knew I had the skills,” says Craig.

“I chose, first of all, to spend some time working abroad in

Barcelona and when I returned home, The Prince’s Trust was advertising their Explore Enterprise programme. I know a lot about my field, but I knew very little about starting a business so the course provided a perfect introduction to the world of taxes, finances and marketing amongst other things. It also provided me with a fantastic mentor who has been great at guiding me in these early stages.”

Craig’s consultancy provides services focused on the development of new leaders, trainers, coaches, presenters, recruiters, and those in customer-facing roles. * For more information on The Prince’s Trust Explore Enterprise programme visit www.princes-trust.org.uk

Craig Thompson.

Business Achievers Awards 2015

Celebrating your business success.

Our Awards highlight the spirit of excellence and innovation that are the hallmark of our most successful entrepreneurs.

Tell us your story before 25 September 2015.

Enter at businessachieversaward.com

This year’s awards categories are: Business Start Up Award

Social Enterprise Award

Small Business Award

Food & Drink Award

Established SME Award

Agri-Business Award

International Business Award

Women Led Business Award

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Important Information Ulster Bank Limited. Registered in Northern Ireland. Registration Number R733. Registered office: 11-16 Donegall Square East, Belfast BT1 5UB.

NI BAA Press_August 2015_A4

[Columnist] JOANNE MCKENDRY, HEAD OF MEDIA NI AT INTEGRATED MARKETING AGENCY, ICAN

It’s a brave New Media World Catching the attention of a multi-device audience requires creativity as Joanne McKendry explains.

F

or years, TV was the main family entertainment, with TV advertising an integral part of the experience. Brands would broadcast their stories and we would buy. Before the age of recordable TV, we would also watch most of the ad breaks, barring the occasional visit to the kitchen. Some TV ads have even lived on as classics, similar to our much loved movies.

That was then. Times have changed dramatically and now we are in an era of multiplicity, an era of multiple options for everyone.

TV ads are still creatively engaging, however, it is the coverage potential of the medium that has been reduced through fragmentation in viewing with multiple channel offerings and the bigger threat of new emerging technology platforms which provide exciting and dynamic ways to communicate through video. According to TGI data, as most consumers in Northern Ireland (NI) will engage with digital media every day via a desktop computer or mobile device, an advertiser needs to be multi-screen.

Currently in NI, more customers have paid-for TV subscriptions than the UK (67% vs. 62%). In addition, we are a multi-device household engaging in ‘multi-screening’. In the

18 NI Chamber

family living room, there will be smartphones, laptops, gaming devices and the smart TV. Multi-screening is commonplace and almost 40 per cent of all NI adults say they use their laptop or smartphone while watching TV. This trend can both complement and disrupt the TV experience. The ‘multi-screener’ can immediately react to a TV ad by visiting their website or app. However, the shared experience can result in greater attention being paid to the interactive mobile or digital device.

For this reason, many ads which would have been seen on TV in the past are now viewed online first and then (if they are good enough), shared across social media – i.e. John Lewis’ Monty the Penguin was viewed over 25 million times on YouTube. Users of YouTube have created covers and parodies of the viral sensation, which only aired in Christmas 2014.

This is a great example of “earned media”.

Earned media is the organic sharing of content (e.g. a video advertisement) without direct influence or budget support from the advertiser.

Effective earned media, increases reach, empowers influencers (because it’s peer-topeer) and ultimately impacts efficiencies and

KPIs for the client.

In NI, there are limited TV advertising opportunities, restricted to UTV and Channel 4 Good Morning Britain and Sky offer advanced targeting through Ad Smart technology to HD box holders on a select number of channels.

There are greater commercial TV advertising opportunities in the UK or Republic of Ireland on a wider selection of channels. In NI, this highlights the increasing importance of digital platforms to reach a critical mass of audience.

TV viewing is increasingly controlled by the viewer; they watch what they want, when they want. Almost half of adults in NI (48%) reported using their internet connection to view online TV or video content in Q1 2014 (Ofcom 2015). This includes watching catch-up TV services as well as viewing of video content i.e. YouTube. Leading NI targeted commercial Video on Demand (VOD) suppliers in the NI market, include the UTV player, C4OD, 5ondemand and Sky Go. The beauty of video advertising across mobile devices are the ‘multiple’ options available to brands to reach consumers, including adverts before programming (pre rolls), during (midrolls), and at the end (post rolls). Many of these video ads cannot be skipped ensuring brand exposure. This is not the case with a paid-for TV service, where many people will record programming and skip advertising with a touch of their remote control.

YouTube is increasingly becoming the go-to site for TV, music, sport, gaming, education, training etc. The site, owned by Google, has been visited by 57 per cent of the NI population within the last year, for a multitude of reasons.

Video advertising on this platform enables hyper-targeting via demographics, geography, and interest category, amongst others.

YouTube’s short-form content is increasingly favoured by younger demographics and aligning advertising with relevant editorial content can be a cost-effective advertising platform.

Creativity is king and this is especially true of digital. With so much noise on YouTube and social media, a very compelling and emotional hook is required to enhance ‘share-ability’.

Geico Car Insurance recently created an award winning “unskippable pre-roll ad”, which drew massive engagement for its sense of humour and shock element.

While video represents a smorgasbord of opportunity for brands, TV and TV advertising are not dead. There will always be the big ratings winners which will draw in audiences and which people will want to view in real time.

However, in this brave new advertising world, advertising online is essential to capture and grow your multi-device audience.

[Feature]

Trade with Chile heats up Continuing our interviews with foreign Ambassadors to the UK whose countries have developed close economic ties to Northern Ireland, Adrienne McGill talks to the Chilean Ambassador Rolando Drago during his recent visit here.

“We would like to strengthen trade links but also establish academic links with the universities in Northern Ireland.”

Lady Ballyedmond, honorary consul to the Republic of Chile and the Chilean Ambassador to the UK, Rolando Drago.

N

orthern Ireland has in recent years built up a strong trading relationship with Latin America. Exports from Northern Ireland – which cover a range of products including materials handling machinery, pharmaceuticals, security equipment and food, particularly milk powder – rose 11 per cent in 2013 and topped £135 million.

Chile, Peru, Colombia and Mexico, are the founding members of the Pacific Alliance – a Latin American trade bloc which has done much to make it easier for European companies to do business within the grouping.

Exports from Northern Ireland to Chile in 2014/15 totalled £12 million of which the majority was machinery and transport.

Imports to Northern Ireland from Chile over the same period amounted to £6.1 million.

The Chilean Ambassador to the UK, Rolando Drago, who visited Northern Ireland recently, said his country was keen to explore business opportunities and to develop links with the universities here.

“I took up my appointment as the Chilean Ambassador to the United Kingdom last September and we are visiting all the regions of the UK to discuss business opportunities.

20 NI Chamber

This is my first visit to Northern Ireland and I am here to promote trade with my country.

“We have had a very positive welcome in Northern Ireland and have received great interest in developing relationships.

“We would like to strengthen trade links but also establish academic links with the universities in Northern Ireland. “ Chile is a market offering substantial growth potential for companies involved in mining and recycling because of the important contribution copper mining makes to the economy.

A number of Northern Ireland companies in the materials handling sector who are involved in supplying screening and conveying equipment to Chile’s mining industry continue to grow their business in the country.

Chile’s economy is based on the export of minerals, which account for about half of the total value of exports. Copper is the nation’s most valuable resource, and Chile is the world’s largest producer. Agriculture is the main occupation of about 15 per cent of the population; it accounts for about 6 per cent of the national wealth, and produces less than half of the domestic needs. The Vale of Chile

is the country’s primary agricultural area and its vineyards are the basis of Chile’s wine industry.

“The Chilean economy has developed very well,” said the Ambassador.

“We are one of the countries in Latin America with GDP growth of around 3 per cent and we expect this to rise to 3.5 per cent.

“We are very proud of the fact that in 2014 Chile received more foreign investment than any other country in Latin America. It means private international companies have confidence in our economy.

“People are educated, the regulation is very clear and systems are orientated towards the external market. The political parties in Chile agree that is the kind of development we will follow in the future.

I think the conditions are very good for companies wanting to do business in Chile and we are particularly keen to develop our future relations with Northern Ireland.”

The Ambassador’s visit, which was supported by Lady Ballyedmond, honorary consul to the Republic of Chile, also included a Chilean wine-tasting event at Titanic Belfast attended by prominent figures in Northern Ireland’s business community.

Inspiring Memorable Events Gala Dinners Exhibitions Conferences Ride & Drives Team Building Corporate Wellness Incentives 122 Guestrooms 5 Meeting Rooms 2 - 500 Delegate Capacity 4 Restaurants Complimentary Wi-Fi Private Dining Complimentary Parking Relaxation & Wellness Facilities l

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ENQUIRE TODAY 028 2588 1001 events@galgorm.com

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.

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I Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NI Chamber) has been as active as ever over the last couple of months with a cascade of events and initiatives, business breakfasts, lunches and dinners at which members have been able to engage with each other and meet ministers and policy makers to discuss issues and challenges around the local economy.

In fact at one of our events, we even took to the ‘high seas’ with Enterprise Minister Jonathan Bell launching the second phase of business support

Belfast’s Titanic Quarter and Pollock Dock area along with 45 other ships taking part in the Tall Ships 2015 race. Tens of thousands of visitors came to admire the vessels and watch them sail out of Belfast Lough on their last day to the race starting point just off Portrush.

NI Chamber Connections is a privatesector led programme which helps businesses to develop and grow, whilst providing a vehicle for shared learning and new market development for those companies looking to grow via exporting.

Meanwhile, safely on dry land, NI Chamber held an event which was hosted by the Wright Group’s Mark Nodder, who sits on the British Chambers of Commerce International Advisory Council, with Lord Green, the former Minister of State for Trade and Investment who visited Northern Ireland to discuss the export

in my role as member of the Senate at Queen’s University, I was honoured and delighted to meet Nobel Prize winning physicist, Professor Peter Higgs, who At the summer graduation with Professor Higgs.

Lord Green.

Enterprise Minister Jonathan Bell.

programme ‘NI Chamber Connections’.

The NI Chamber initiative operates in partnership with Ulster Bank.

It had a spectacular launch in July on board the magnificent Tall Ship Buque Escuela Guayas, which was docked in 22 NI Chamber

potential for the UK business community as it seeks to improve its international trade performance. A total of 25 members of the local business community participated in the roundtable event which took place in Ballymena’s Galgorm Resort.

NI Chamber has close associations with Northern Ireland’s universities and

was awarded an honorary degree from Queen’s for his Services to Science at a graduation ceremony during the summer.

The acclaimed theoretical physicist is renowned for his pioneering work which predicted the Higgs boson particle.

After gaining a PhD in Physics from King’s College London, Professor Higgs published two breakthrough scientific papers in 1964 offering explanations for how fundamental particles obtain their mass – due to the effects of the Higgs field and Higgs boson particle.

Using this pioneering research, scientists at the Large Hadron Collider in CERN found the Higgs boson in 2012.

Professor Higgs, who has won a host of accolades for his work, was jointly awarded

Chamber chief’s update the Nobel Prize in Physics on 8 October 2013. He was appointed a Companion of Honour in the New Year’s Honours 2013.

During my conversation with him, Professsor Higgs said he was thrilled to be given the accolade from Queen’s University, a world class institution, with a fine heritage and renowned for its high calibre physics research. It was a really wonderful to hear such an endorsement from a world leading scientist.

Now that the summer recess has ended, throughout September, we will be meeting ministers from a range of departments including Finance and Personnel, Enterprise, Trade and Investment, Regional Development and Employment and Learning and members from a number of the Super Councils to discuss NI Chamber’s Growing Something Brilliant (GSB) Action Plan. The document, which was launched in May,

NI Chamber will be discussing its GSB Action Plan with Ministers.

makes 40 recommendations across five priority areas in order to achieve growth and prosperity in Northern Ireland. Political stability and a Northern Ireland Executive pulling together on the economy is seen as vital for business growth here.

Continuing NI Chamber’s regional networking series, sponsored by First Trust Bank, the latest one took place at Armagh City Hotel in August and was attended by more than 100 businesses from the local area and further afield.

We’ve also had huge interest in the next

Networking.

networking event which will be held at the Baby Grand in Belfast’s Grand Opera House on 16 September at which Twitter’s UK Policy Head Nick Pickles will be the guest speaker.

Whetting appetites for forthcoming events, the feast on offer is detailed in NI Chamber’s programmes and events schedule which has just been published and covers the period August – December 2015. Look out for the GSB Leadership Series, supported by SSE Airtricity, which continues in September at the Life Centre in Belfast’s Bruce Street at which guest speakers Trevor Annon, Founder and Chairman, Mount Charles Group and Brody Sweeney, Founder of Camile and O’Brien Sandwich Bars, will share their motivational leadership stories.

The highlight in the coming months will be the President’s Banquet on 19 November at Titanic Belfast. Local actor James Nesbitt, one of the most recognised, talented and accomplished stars on our screens, will be the keynote speaker at the event which is supported by BT, A&L Goodbody, First Trust Bank and Power NI. The well-known television personality, who has the lead role in the hit TV show The Missing, has also appeared in Ballykissangel and Playing The Field but it was the BAFTA award winning Cold Feet that brought him to the attention of a wider audience. Since then, TV roles have included Monroe and Murphy’s Law, Jekyll, The Passion, The Deep and Babylon.

NEW MEMBERS Business Services Business Storage Products Cleantec Restoration Services Conversion Rate Services Cyphra D. C. Corr & Company Lynn Recruitment MJM Media Ltd MPA Recruitment mplContact Neal Lucas Recruitment Ltd PHC Ltd Rapid Change Consultancy Staff Source Ltd Charity Mencap Construction M & M Contractors NHBC TAL Limited Creative Industry Pale Blue Dot ICT Teamsolutionz Marketing & Public Relations Exterion Media Loud Mouth Media Ltd PML Group Professional Services HLM Independent Healthcare Solutions Silver Tongue Translations Ltd Retailers Skechers Training MOL

James Nesbitt.

The glitzy night is guaranteed to be a sold-out event so book your table as soon as possible!

Finally, we look forward to continuing to lead and serve our members as the unifying voice of the Northern Ireland business community. Our ability to provide innovative support and services to local businesses will strengthen their success and profitability and thereby promote prosperity and opportunity for everyone.

Transport Express Freight *To become a member of NI Chamber join online at www. northernirelandchamber.com or phone the membership team on 02890 244113

NI Chamber 23

NI CHAMBER CONNECTIONS LAUNCH

Graham Thompson (Agnew Corporate) and Daryl Fulton (IPCE).

Enterprise Minister Jonathan Bell with Lieutenant Schuberd Barriga on board the Buque Escuela Guayas.

Ian Henry (Henry Brothers); Richard Donnan (Ulster Bank) and Andy Mills (Ulster Bank).

Ann McGregor (NI Chamber); Kieran Allmark (RMS) and Mark Brotherston (RMS).

Desmond Wilson (Wilson Group); Geraldine Cassidy (Delta Print & Packaging); Terry Cross (Delta Print & Packaging) and Tony Hawkins (EOS NI).

Ian Marshall (Ulster Farmers Union) and Simon Bell (HLM).

Visit by Lord Green

Ashley Piggott (AJ Power); Mervyn Storey MLA and David Henry (Henry Brothers).

Mark Cuskeran (SDC Trailers); Stephen McCully (NI Chamber); Declan O’Loan MLA and Ann McGregor (NI Chamber).

Ann McGregor (NI Chamber) and Seamus Connolly (Fast Engineering).

Over 20 businesses attended the roundtable in Ballymena’s Galgorm Resort.

Stephen McCully (NI Chamber); Mark Nodder (Wright Group); Lord Green and Ann McGregor (NI Chamber).

Ian Paisley Jnr MP; William Wright (Wright Group) and Neill Armstrong (CIGA Healthcare).

REGIONAL NETWORKING SERIES

Martin Mallon (Armatile).

Gareth Williamson (NI Chamber) with Cheryl Patterson (Armagh City Hotel) and Lynn Leathem (First Trust Bank).

Michelle Bell (First Trust Bank).

Delegates network.

Johnston Bell (Teague and Sally).

Brian Gibson (Gibson Plus).

EVENTS CALENDAR AUG-DEC 2015 AUGUST

OCTOBER

18 AUGUST, 8.30AM - 10.30AM

For further information and to register for events, please visit www.northernirelandchamber.com

NI Chamber Networking Event Armagh City Hotel, Armagh This event is FREE to attend

6 OCTOBER, 8.30AM - 1.00PM Autumn Networking Conference and Business Showcase Europa Hotel, Belfast Members FREE, Non Members £35+vat

26 AUGUST, 6.00PM - 8.30PM 14 OCTOBER, 6.00PM - 8.30PM

Danske Bank Export First: Roundtable Dinner with Mark Godrey and Simon Cole, Automated Intelligence The Ulster Museum, Stranmillis Invitation Only

Danske Bank Export First: Roundtable Dinner with John O’Donoghue, NOONAN The Merchant Hotel, Belfast Invitation Only

SEPTEMBER

NOVEMBER

3 SEPTEMBER, 12.00PM - 2.20PM In Camera: Department for Regional Development Europa Hotel, Piano Restaurant Members Only, £40+vat

4 NOVEMBER, 8.00AM - 10.00AM NI Chamber Networking Event The Pavilion, Stormont This event is FREE to attend

5 NOVEMBER, 5.30PM - 8.00PM 9 SEPTEMBER, 9.15AM - 11.30AM Minister on the Move: Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment SDC Trailers Ltd, Toomebridge, Magherafelt Members Only, FREE

In Camera: Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment Europa Hotel, Dublin Suite Members Only, £40+vat

CONNECT

GROW

10 NOVEMBER, 9.30AM - 2.00PM 16 SEPTEMBER, 8.00AM - 10.15AM NI Chamber Networking Event with Twitter UK The Baby Grand, Grand Opera House This event is FREE to attend

Connecting for Growth - Meet the Buyer Event Ramada Plaza, Shaw’s Bridge Members FREE, Non Members £35+vat

19 NOVEMBER, 7.00PM - LATE NI Chamber Golf Day Royal Belfast Golf Club, Holywood Members £85+vat, Non Members £100+vat

ACCESS

PROGRAMMES

EVENT KEY

18 SEPTEMBER, 8.30AM - 5.00PM

22 SEPTEMBER, 8.30AM - 10.30AM GSB Leadership Breakfast: Trevor Annon, Founder, Mount Charles Group and Brody Sweeney, Founder, O’Brien’s Sandwich Bars and Camile Thai Kitchen Group The Life Centre, 11a Bruce Street, Belfast Members FREE, Non Members £35+vat

23 SEPTEMBER, 2.00PM - 4.30PM

WITH THANKS TO OUR PARTNERS AND SPONSORS:

Minister on the Move: Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety Randox Laboratories, Crumlin Members Only, FREE

24 SEPTEMBER, 9.30AM - 11.30AM NI Chamber Connections Regional Forum: Growth and Innovation with The Wrights Group The River Room, Galgorm Resort, Ballymena Growth and Corporate Members

30 SEPTEMBER, 10.45AM - 1.00PM Danske Bank Export First: Meet the Minister with the Department of Finance and Personnel Norbrook Laboratories, Camlough Road, Newry Exporters and Potential Exporters WITH THANKS TO OUR: Communications Partner

Patrons

President’s Banquet Titanic Belfast Members £100+vat or £1,000+vat per table of 10 Non Members £120+vat or £1,200+vat per table of 10

26 NOVEMBER, 2.30PM - 4.30PM NI Chamber Connections Regional Forum: Growth and International Marketing CDE Global, Cookstown Growth and Corporate Members

DECEMBER 2 DECEMBER, 9.30AM - 12.00PM Minister on the Move: Department of the Environment AES UK & Ireland, Carrickfergus Members Only, FREE

10 DECEMBER, 5.30PM - 7.30PM NI Chamber Christmas Networking Special Clayton Hotel Belfast, Ormeau Avenue This event is FREE to attend

17 DECEMBER, 6.00PM - 8.00PM NI Chamber Carol Service St. Anne’s Cathedral followed By Ulster University, Belfast Campus This event is FREE to attend

EXPORT DOCUMENTATION SERVICE

ELECTRONIC PROCESSING SAME DAY TURNAROUND

SHIPMENTS MADE EASY CERTIFICATES OF ORIGIN | EUR1 FORMS | ATR FORMS | ATA CARNETS

MEMBERS BENEFIT FROM: Preferential rates and premium turnaround

ALL YOUR DOCUMENTATION DELIVERED ACCURATELY, ON TIME AND IN A COST EFFECTIVE MANNER

• Certificates of Origin European, Arab & Egyptian

With our unique electronic certification platform you don’t even need to leave the office, eliminating down time and speeding up the service to your customers.

• Document legalisation - NEW FOR 2015!

• EUR1 Forms • ATR Forms • ATA Carnets

CONTACT SANDRA SCANNELL Business Growth & Trade Director on 028

9024 4113

or sandra.scannell@northernirelandchamber.com www.northernirelandchamber.com

[Feature]

Correct paperwork is the passport to international trade Drowning in a sea of export documents, not sure if you have the correct papers, running out of time to get your goods overseas! Well…there’s no need to panic because NI Chamber’s Export Documentation Service will ensure the process is painless as Sandra Scannell, NI Chamber’s Business Growth and Trade Director, explains.

A

ll Northern Ireland manufacturing exporters will at some point need export documentation and that’s the reason why NI Chamber’s unique Export Documentation service is a vital asset to companies trading overseas. NI Chamber is licensed to certify and arrange legalisation of export documentation for businesses to make sure their journey through customs is as smooth and easy as possible.

Demand for NI Chamber’s Export Documentation service has increased substantially in recent years with firms now doing more business in overseas markets.

With our extensive experience in this specialised area, we are ideally positioned to help companies entering new markets or those who are seasoned exporters meet and understand the regulations surrounding international trade.

It is vital, when exporting to foreign markets, to present the correct documentation as different countries require different documents. Errors are very expensive, leading to costly delays in payment or in clearing goods and may even lead to non-payment.

Because of the level of detail which is required when transferring goods overseas, export documentation is a highly specialised service. NI Chamber has a team of four experts in this area who have received indepth training in this highly skilled field.

Exporters are generally advised by their customers about what documents are required but NI Chamber’s export documentation team can also provide advice on this. Exporters can call into our offices with their documents filled out, which we then process and return to them and of course they can seek guidance from our team.

This can also be accomplished swiftly through NI Chamber’s electronic service through which EC Certs of Origin and EUR1 and ATR movement certificates can be processed with the documentation completed at the touch of a button.

We advise exporters throughout the

process of completing the documentation whether that’s in person or on line, filling out forms, ensuring they are correctly completed or liaising with freight and cargo operators.

NI Chamber has the expertise to make the documentation process as straightforward as possible.

“It is vital when exporting to foreign markets to present the correct documentation as different countries require different documents.”

Export documentation may be required to comply with import regulations. It may be required to certify and satisfy the origin of the goods and may be required as part of a Letter of Credit or to trigger payment or for any other commercial reason.

We can help you with: •European Community Certificates of Origin •Arab Certificates of Origin •Egyptian Certificates of Origin •Electronic Export documentation •Certification, Legalisation & Notarisation of Export Documentation •EUR1 Movement Certificates •ATR Movement Certificates •ATA Carnets In today’s global economy, companies are doing business in different countries all over the world. In order to do business in different countries, new businesses must be able to provide documents that are deemed valid and legal in every country where they transact business. The method by which

documents are legally verified is called legalisation – a specialised area where NI Chamber is proficient.

Legalisation is particularly important because companies are engaged in business transactions all over the world; as a result, in order to open bank accounts, to register to do business in a country, or just to complete a deal or transaction, they must provide documentation from the country of their origin confirming their existence and that they are in good standing. The documents proving such status must be properly verified and legalised.

For example, if a document has to be legalised by the Saudi Arabian Embassy, it will be sent to NI Chamber for verification and then forwarded to the Arab British Chamber of Commerce in London for certification.

The Arab Chamber then filter it to the Saudi Arabian Embassy in London and then it comes back to NI Chamber legalised and ready to go back to the client again. It can be quite a protracted process but we make sure we are the agent in the middle to ensure that the document is dispatched and returned correctly.

However, legalisation is not only a service for exporters – it can apply to any sort of document required for movement overseas and can include people who are moving abroad to work whose qualifications have to be legalised to ensure they are authentic.

Having the right paperwork is therefore essential for trade in international markets.

Missing or inaccurate documents can increase risks, lead to delays and extra costs, or even prevent a deal from being completed. But remember NI Chamber can help you every step of the way – we will make sure you’re not left at sea.

•To find out more about NI Chamber’s Export Documentation Service, contact Sandra Scannell on 02890 244113 or email sandra. scannell@northernirelandchamber.com

NI Chamber 29

Stephen McCluskey, joint Managing Director at Conexpo and Shaun McAnee, Head of Corporate Banking at Danske Bank.

[Feature]

In the fast lane in overseas markets A Northern Ireland aggregates company is powering ahead on the road to export success. Ambition hears about Conexpo’s solid foundations for growth.

I

t is often said that the streets of large cities are “paved with gold” when people are being encouraged to seek their fortune in the big smoke.

However, when it comes to the streets of London, the roads are, in fact, mostly paved with stone from right here in Northern Ireland.

There are 2 million tonnes of asphalt laid inside the M25 every year but it is a little known fact that almost 50 per cent of the aggregates used by construction firms to resurface London’s roads come from Northern Ireland. The most significant chunk of that volume is produced and exported by Belfast-based Conexpo (NI) Ltd. Conexpo is that rarest of things in Northern Ireland – a company whose business is 100 per cent export, with customers in GB, Europe and the Far East.

And with the support of Danske Bank, it is making significant investment in its facilities and machinery to help it take advantage of opportunities in new and exciting export markets.

Conexpo was founded in 1991 from a core business in quarrying, and has identified export markets for the supply of locally produced high PSV (Polished Stone Value) aggregates.

The McCluskey family, which owns Conexpo, has the quarrying business running through its veins. Chairman Robin McCluskey took over his family business W McCluskey & Sons Ltd. in 1965 at the age of just 19 when his father passed away unexpectedly. That business, based at Temple Quarry outside Lisburn, became one of the mainstays of the sector throughout the 1960s and 1970s. The superior rock quality in Co. Down provided the confidence the company needed to erect an asphalt plant at Temple Quarry.

This development in the business created a growing awareness of the benefits of the premium aggregate.

The first high PSV gritstone for use in asphalt surfacing was sent out in open-top containers that arrived in Belfast loaded with coal. They then went back across the Irish Sea and were distributed through the rail network, mainly to the south east of England where this stone was an increasingly vital component in meeting high quality road standards.

Major PLCs from the UK began taking an interest in Northern Ireland quarries in the 1980s and in 1985 W McCluskey & Sons

Ltd. was sold to Colas, part of Royal Dutch Shell, with Robin spending the next six years managing its local operation.

Conexpo was established initially as a marketing company but today it is also a producer in its own right, having acquired Cashel Quarry near Carryduff in 2009. It is now managed by Robin’s sons Jonathan and Stephen, (joint Managing Directors) and in recent years Conexpo has supplied aggregates to prestigious projects such as the Stonecutters Bridge in Hong Kong, the Dublin Port Tunnel and the Al Jubail airport in Saudi Arabia.

When Conexpo started in 1991, Jonathan McCluskey admits they thought the market was “one ship a month” to GB. Today, the company exports almost one million tonnes a year of quality aggregates in bulk shipments from its Belfast Harbour Terminal at Herdman Channel Berth and directly employs close to 100 people.

“We have a small number of customers who between them account for around 80 per cent of the market,” he explains.

“Conexpo’s aggregates have become part of their production processes; we are an approved supplier and that has given us an advantage. Conexpo was also the first UK company to be certified to ‘CE mark high PSV aggregates’ for asphalt road surfaces. This fact has opened many doors in our efforts to enter new markets.”

Having grown steadily, winning a major project in the Port of Rotterdam has led Conexpo to make a number of big investments in expansion in a relatively short period of time.

Locally known in Holland as the MAVA project, the construction of a new 38km dual 5-lane motorway leading to the port is the largest civil engineering scheme ever undertaken by the Dutch authorities and will cost €1.5 billion by the time it is completed.

In 2012, having established itself as a lead supplier of high PSV aggregates to the Dutch market, Conexpo was notified by the project’s design team that it would require 200,000 tonnes of surface course aggregates over an 18 month programme.

It was awarded the contract over 26 other producers across Europe, because its aggregates best met the quality standards for durability, skid resistance and product grading.

“We were confident that the product we had was perfect for the requirements in the Netherlands. We were one of only two

producers who could provide the grade of aggregate this massive road project required,” says Jonathan McCluskey.

However, the scale of the project and the commitment to maintain it for 30 years, meant Conexpo had to effectively double its production and increase its consented reserve of stone.

To meet demand Conexpo purchased two more County Down quarries earlier this year and that was followed by a £4 million investment in a new 5 acre site on the Harbour Estate to increase production capacity and increase efficiency.

“We were losing production from having to change the screening and crushing settings on our machinery to create different sizes of aggregate,” says Stephen McCluskey. “The British market wanted one size and the European market wanted a different size and we were switching between them. Now we are saving those days by automating those processes, which in turn increases production time.”

All puns aside, it is a ground-breaking approach to the aggregates business and the McCluskeys are not aware of anyone else who is doing what they are in terms of automation.

“Most plants are in quarries and then the aggregate gets transported to the docks. We are doing it on site here, and loading directly to ships which is a different kind of process,” adds Stephen.

Jonathan admits that they hadn’t expected to have to take so many major decisions in relation to expanding Conexpo in such a short space of time, but he’s confident the investment in growth will pay off.

The expansion by Conexpo has been supported by Danske Bank, which has had a long-standing relationship with the company.

Shaun McAnee, Danske Bank’s Head of Corporate Banking, says Conexpo is a business that other companies keen to export – such as those involved in the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce’s Danske Bank Export First programme – should seek to emulate.

“Conexpo has a long history of exporting its products to established markets, but the company has continued to push itself to achieve more, identifying opportunities further afield. The family have taken the decision to invest in state-of-the-art machinery and facilities that will enable them to serve customers in new markets and

NI Chamber 31

Stephen McCluskey and Jonathan McCluskey, joint Managing Directors of Conexpo.

provide them with even greater volumes of the grade of materials needed to complete high value projects. A lot of other Northern Ireland companies could take encouragement from Conexpo’s experience and its ambitious approach,” he says.

Stephen McCluskey explains that the relationship with Danske, and Northern Bank before it, has existed since the company was W McCluskey & Sons Ltd. “The bank has been hugely supportive of our plans. They are very aware of how Conexpo has been run for the past 25 years and have encouraged us in our investment plans. They know we are not reckless risk takers, our growth plans are strategic and 32 NI Chamber

have all been self-funded until the last 12 months. So when the opportunity for expansion came along that required outside support, the bank’s encouragement gave us the confidence to do it. We have built good relationships with Shaun’s team and we view it very much as a partnership with the bank.”

Stephen believes that even amid a programme of austerity in the UK, the future for Conexpo looks promising, with the company currently exporting more than it ever has before.

“There is an emphasis on government to get the UK’s road network back into a good state. There have been many years of underinvestment in the road network in

“Most plants are in quarries and then the aggregate gets transported to the docks. We are doing it on site here, and loading directly to ships which is a different kind of process.” particular regions but I think the government realises that the connectivity it brings is one of the biggest assets the country has. How they pay for that work remains to be seen, but the work needs to be done and that’s great news for us.”

ETIHAD AIRWAYS’ NEW DREAMLINER RAISES THE BAR ON SINGAPORE ROUTE Etihad Airways passengers departing from Dublin to Abu Dhabi can connect onto Singapore and fly in style on the airline’s new Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

Direct flights began last month with a daily service departing Abu Dhabi at 2200 and arriving in Singapore at 1015 the following day.

The return flight will then leave at 2010, arriving back into Abu Dhabi at 2345.

The launch of the new Dreamliner gives Singapore based passengers access to Etihad’s latest cabin products, including its First Suites, Business Studios and Economy Smart seats.

“The Etihad Airways B787-9 Dreamliner is the most customised aircraft of its kind in the sky,” said Etihad’s President & CEO, James Hogan.

“The ground-breaking, next-generation First Suites, Business Studios and Economy Smart seats offer a superior level of luxury and comfort and will transform the in-flight experience.

“Never before has the airline had such a compelling proposition nor been as strong a competitor in the Singapore travel market.”

Mr Hogan added that the Singapore flight timings offer better connectivity via Abu Dhabi International Airport.

“With evening departures in both directions, we offer our guests in the UAE and Singapore more convenient travel times and improved connectivity to 35 destinations in the GCC, Middle East, Africa and Europe. This includes seamless connections to our flagship A380 services to London.”

Etihad’s Dreamliner has a total capacity of 235 passengers – eight in first class, 28 in business class and 199 in economy. The First Suites feature personal wardrobes, minibars, 24-inch TV monitors and centre seats which can be joined to create a double bed. Business class passengers are offered flat-bed seats and 18-inch touch-screen TV monitors, while the Economy Smart seats have a 32-inch seat pitch, a six-inch recline and 11.1-inch TV monitors.

Etihad has ordered a total of 71 Dreamliners, including B787-9s and larger B787-10s. The B787-9s currently operate on routes to Washington DC, Zurich, Brisbane and Singapore. The airline will also begin taking delivery of new two-class B787-9s in 2016.

Managing cashflow in the right way is key to a strong business

By Karen McDowell, Commercial Finance Business Development Manager, Bank of Ireland UK.

R

egardless of size or type of business, knowing how profit and cash differ but interconnect is vital. A business could be highly profitable, yet have cashflow challenges which can constrain its growth or even make it vulnerable.

Whilst in a business offering credit to its customers, the profit and loss account for the month may show a healthy profit based on invoiced sales, an updated cashflow statement could tell a different story. The business may be struggling because cash is tied up in debtors and stock and the business has insufficient resources to fund all its needs or to take advantage of growth opportunities.

Effective working capital and cashflow management can help navigate a business through many potential risks as well as position it to take advantage of opportunities, freeing up cash to work harder for the business.

The finance required for the day-today running of the business (known as working capital) can be made available through a number of funding solutions and it’s important for a business to understand these options and what works best for their particular business.

Essential to providing the right solutions for customers, at Bank of Ireland UK we take time to learn about the business, the people, their customers, and their plans and to understand how we can help.

Recently we met with a business looking to increase their sales both in domestic and export markets.

We carried out an overall assessment of its working capital position to ensure we understood the needs throughout the year and discussed how they might be able to grow their business safely both in their home and overseas markets. With standard 60 days

payment terms and variable order times, we discussed the range of working capital products we provide and explained how they might work best for them.

The business was able to avail of a flexible financing package based on our confidential Invoice Discounting facility which matches funding with sales, our unique stocking facility (Stockline) which helps smooth stocking requirements and our treasury facilities which help in managing the currency risk. Providing this all through our experienced local team helped the business to look forward confidently to sustainably grow its profits in the year ahead.

The fundamentals of running a successful business don’t change; with the right structure and support, managing cashflow in the right way will make it stronger. * To find out more contact Karen McDowell karen.mcdowell@boi.com

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[Columnist] Trevor Annon, chairman of the mount charles group

Seeking new challenges Diversification can be a strategy for business growth says Trevor Annon.

O

ne of the most challenging decisions a business can make is whether to diversify.

Whilst diversification is often viewed as a risky strategy, carefully planned and implemented, it can help to reduce risk within your business.

There are many reasons why a business may seek to diversify; for some it is a survival strategy but for others it’s an opportunity to fulfil your potential for growth.

It can take many forms; it may involve diversifying by adding complementary goods or services, brand extension or trading under a different brand name.

By trading under a different brand name, you can ring-fence one business from another in terms of public perception and reputation.

By extending your goods or services, you can either sell more products to your existing customer base, or reach out to new markets which can help to spread the risks, improve your cash flow and ultimately help the business achieve growth.

At The Mount Charles Group, we attribute much of our success to a well-managed diversification strategy.

When I started the business in 1988, we were very much focused on providing contract catering services. I had identified a niche in the market to create a locally owned company that would be capable of competing with the multinationals that dominated the marketplace.

However, it wasn’t long before we

36 NI Chamber

realised that there was an opportunity to offer corporate cleaning services to our catering clients and with an increasing number of local companies realising the benefits of contracting out non-core services, we saw an opportunity for growth.

We undertook some market research and it was clear that every office, factory, shopping centre and public building needed to be cleaned regularly, whether or not they had a catering facility.

Our next step was to look at the vending market. We realised that it was dominated by a small group of large companies and that there was an opportunity for a local operator who could provide a personal service.

Our transition into retail catering came about more by default than by design; our reputation as a high-quality caterer meant that our services were sought after by retail organisations.

“Looking back, it’s clear that if we had remained solely a contract caterer we may not be in business today.”

As such, we developed a number of innovative and creative brands as part of our retail division including We Make and Fed & Watered which are located at a number of locations throughout Northern Ireland and PANGO, MOKA and U:Eat which were developed specifically for our retail outlets within the education sector.

Most recently, we diversified into providing security services. We understand that in this modern day and age, many organisations desire a ‘one-stop-shop’ in terms of their support services.

They want to be able to rely on one company to provide all of their business support needs and security was the one service that we did not have in our portfolio.

As security is a highly regulated industry, we decided to partner with the RMS Group in the form of a joint venture. By partnering with such well-established and trusted security provider, we are able to benefit from their industry expertise and ensure that our customers receive the highest quality service.

Diversification can be a risky strategy, but managed well it can provide an opportunity for rapid growth.

For us, the quality of service delivery is paramount and therefore with each new business development we have invested in highly experienced people, processes and equipment to help ensure each new division is a success and, crucially, does not adversely affect other areas of the business.

Looking back, it’s clear that if we had remained solely a contract caterer we may not be in business today. We had aspirations to be the biggest and best, and that was not achievable in the catering contract sector alone.

Through diversification, we have grown to become the largest independently owned catering and business support services provider in Ireland and we now employ over 1,800 people.

We have been able to adapt to suit the market, and provide our customers with what they want – bundled services of the highest quality.

Although a calculated risk, with the correct balance of planning, leadership and opportunity in place, the prospects for growth are excellent.

[Feature]

A BUOYANT FUTURE BELFAST HARBOUR IS RIDING ON THE CREST OF A WAVE WITH STRONG FIGURES AND IMPRESSIVE GROWTH, ITS CHAIRMAN DAVID DOBBIN TELLS AMBITION.

I

t’s hard to believe that only a few months ago Belfast was graced by dozens of Tall Ships, with more than half a million people descending upon Belfast Harbour to witness the spectacle of a more graceful, bygone era.

The success of the festival is testimony to Belfast’s rediscovery of the waterfront and a reconnection with the City’s maritime past. As David Dobbin, Chairman of Belfast Harbour, is keen to point out, however, Belfast is also very much a city with a maritime future.

By any standard Belfast Harbour is an impressive organisation as measured by the scale and scope of its operations. Covering 3,000 acres of land and sea, and handling 70

Belfast Harbour’s Chairman, David Dobbin, and CEO, Roy Adair, against the backdrop of the Tall Ships Festival.

38 NI Chamber

per cent of Northern Ireland’s total seaborne trade, Belfast Harbour is a key driver for regional economic activity.

A study by the Centre for Economics & Business Research found that more than 30 per cent of Northern Ireland’s Gross Domestic Product is supported by Harbour activities. With 23 million tonnes of goods passing annually through the port, it’s not difficult to see that the commercial success at the Harbour is good for the wider economy.

On the eve of the Tall Ships Festival which began on July 2, Belfast Harbour published its 2014 Annual Report, recording record profits and turnover, and a commitment to invest £120 million in new infrastructure projects

over the next three years.

Headline figures revealed that turnover increased 4 per cent to £52.6 million whilst profits before tax climbed 8 per cent to a record £29.4 million. The Harbour also paid a record £10 million in tax during the year.

“The strong financial performance was driven by continued buoyant trade volumes through the Harbour during 2014. Overall tonnages rose by 1.6 per cent above last year’s record level, driven by further growth in bulk cargo, which accounts for more than 45 per cent of throughput at the Harbour,” says David Dobbin.

“Trade sectors which performed well included stone exports, coal, paper products

and steel. A record 476,000 freight vehicles also passed through the Harbour during 2014 while container traffic improved by almost 3 per cent to 125,300 units. The level of new car imports also rose by 10 per cent to 48,000, its highest level since 2007.

“Belfast also continues to be a major ferry passenger port with 1.4 million passengers carried annually. Stena Line has made major investments in its services and routes to Cairnryan, Liverpool and Heysham. We’re also continuing to grow strongly as a cruise destination and this year we’ll welcome 115,000 cruise visitors and cruise lines such as Princess Cruises, Celebrity and All Leisure.”

Mr Dobbin notes that the strong performance hasn’t come by accident. In the past five years the Harbour has invested £100 million in new projects to enhance its infrastructure and services to port customers, and to maintain competitiveness with other ports across the island.

“Although growth in trade has slowed over the past year, the total throughput through the

Port at 23 million tonnes is now 47 per cent above the low point of the recession in 2009.

“We’ve performed well through the global recession by investing heavily to diversify the Harbour’s business activities and to improve the competitiveness of our operations. This is a continuation of a long-term strategy – in 20 years tonnage throughput at Belfast Harbour has almost quadrupled, thanks to an ongoing investment programme totaling £400 million to develop trade and attract new business activity to the Harbour Estate.

“There is, however, little room for complacency given the fragile nature of the recovery and the negative impact which a stronger sterling is having upon local exporters.

all being well, could be open by 2017.”

Mr Dobbin believes that the Harbour’s status as a Trust Port, which means that all profits are retained and re-invested within the business, gives it a framework from which to support both its direct customers and the wider economy.

“As an entirely self-funded business with no recourse to the public purse or private finance, there is a clear linkage between the Harbour’s ability to invest and grow, and its financial performance.

“Every penny of the Harbour’s earnings is reinvested locally to develop port facilities and real estate, creating much needed jobs and driving regional development. The latest financial performance gives the Harbour a strong basis from which to support future growth.

“WE’VE PERFORMED WELL THROUGH THE GLOBAL RECESSION BY INVESTING HEAVILY TO DIVERSIFY THE HARBOUR’S BUSINESS ACTIVITIES AND TO IMPROVE THE COMPETITIVENESS OF OUR OPERATIONS.” As such, the Harbour remains committed to a strategy of long-term investment for long-term growth. This will continue through a pipeline of capital expenditure projects totaling £120 million.

“Projects include the next phase of the City Quays development, which will bring much needed Grade A office space to Belfast, a bespoke cruise facility and the reclamation of a further 60 acres of land from Belfast Lough.”

Mr Dobbin explains that in common with other major ports in the UK and Ireland, Belfast Harbour has been moving seaward to develop new deeper water facilities to meet the trend for ever larger vessels. This ‘drift’ has created an opportunity to develop sites near the centre of Belfast no longer required for maritime purposes.

Belfast Harbour already contains a number of significant regeneration projects including Titanic Quarter, the Northern Ireland Science Park, Clarendon Dock and Sydenham Business Park.

The latest project is City Quays, a £250 million, 20 acre office-led scheme which is expected to support 10,000 jobs, generate £11 million in rates income for local and central Government, and address the well-reported shortage of Grade A office space in Belfast.

Given that city centre Grade A office space is the location of choice for potential inward investors, it’s clearly important for Northern Ireland that new developments come on stream quickly.

“City Quays is funded entirely by Belfast Harbour and will provide two million sq ft of space in total, including 820,000 sq ft of Grade A office accommodation, together with residential and retail elements as well as a waterfront hotel,” says Mr Dobbin.

“Such has been the strength of interest in the completed City Quays 1 – with legal firm Baker & McKenzie already in place as anchor tenant – the Harbour has plans to start work soon on its sister office, the £20 million City Quays 2.

We’re also currently seeking an operator for the hotel, a 150 – 200 bed upscale venture which,

“Belfast Harbour is an integral part of the life and economy of Northern Ireland, as demonstrated by the 500,000 plus visitors who went to the Tall Ships Festival in July. The public has a keen interest in Belfast’s maritime heritage and with £120 million earmarked for new projects, Belfast Harbour has demonstrated its commitment to continue to develop itself as a major maritime port and perhaps, more importantly, a major economic engine for the regional economy.”

Other recent developments at the Harbour have included the enhancement of quay facilities at Pollock Dock to support increased waste and recycling related tonnages, the award of planning approval to develop up to 200,000 sq ft of business space within Sydenham Business Park and the completion of a new urban walkway linking City Quays to Belfast city centre.

Belfast Harbour In Numbers 3,000 acres of land & sea 70% of all NI’s seaborne trade 23m tonnes handled annually 1.4m passengers annually 8km of quays / 30km of roads £400m invested in 20 years £120m investments committed

700 tenants employing 23,000 10m sq ft developed in 20 years

210,000 sq ft Grade A office space under construction / committed to

[feature]

Threat or opportunity in export markets?

With global growth expected to slow this year, Danske Bank’s Chief Economist Angela McGowan tells Adrienne McGill why exporters need to be wary of volatility in emerging markets.

Danske Bank Chief Economist, Angela McGowan.

G

lobal growth is good for Northern Ireland exporters but the recent warning from the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) that growth is to slow this year to the lowest rate since the financial crisis spells caution.

Last month the think tank slashed its 2015 forecast to 3.0 per cent from the 3.2 per cent it predicted in May. It has cut growth forecasts for the US and many emerging market economies, although its forecast for the eurozone has only been cut slightly.

Its growth forecast for the UK economy was unchanged at 2.5 per cent.

The full-year growth prediction for the UK remained unchanged despite the NIESR cutting its growth estimate for the three months to the end of September from 0.8 per cent to 0.4 per cent.

NIESR identifies the Greek economy as a key risk to global growth. Its forecast is based on the assumption that there will be “large-scale debt relief” for Greece, which is currently far from certain.

It says that the latest Greek crisis has revived doubts about whether the eurozone currency union can succeed without

40 NI Chamber

“INDIA IS BENEFITING SUBSTANTIALLY FROM THE LOWER OIL PRICE. ” greater integration.

The NIESR also says that the slowdown in China may threaten its forecast, with official figures predicting growth of 7 per cent while some analysis suggests growth of 3 per cent is more likely.

Angela McGowan, Danske Bank’s Chief Economist, says the crisis in Greece will have added uncertainty around the time of the negotiations on whether the country could remain in the EU because of its debt burden but this will not be sustained.

“Our view is that Greece would not have a big drag – if anything it will be a short-term effect. That is really because most of the countries have reduced their exposures to Greece since its earlier crisis in 2012.

However, there is certainly an impact in terms of uncertainty and volatility.

“Overall, Danske Bank’s growth forecast for Europe is 1.5 per cent. The reasons for this have been the good stimulus from the European Monetary Union and also the fact that there is a low euro rate which is really impacting exports. Low inflation is stimulating domestic demand together with the low euro pushing the export side. We see Europe performing quite well.

“In the emerging markets you are dealing with the foreign exchange crisis and the low demand because of the commodity slump whereas in Europe you are seeing demand conditions improve but that has to be weighed up against the fact that the pound is particularly strong and that adds a bit of a headwind against entering those markets.

“We don’t see a big change in exchange rates in the coming months. Sterling could hit 69p against the euro in the next three months.”

Angela McGowan says many of the emerging markets are particularly volatile at the moment.

“In terms of the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China) countries, growth in Brazil has slowed markedly as the commodity boom has faded; the sharp decline in the oil price remains a major risk for Russia; and in China, weak credit growth and domestic investment demand are the main source of its weakness.

“However, I would be quite bullish about India.

“India is well placed for cyclical recovery in 2015 and 2016. India is benefiting substantially from the lower oil price. Its improving external and domestic balances have left room to ease both fiscal and monetary policy which is good in terms of its flexibility and exchange rates. Also, India has a relatively strong government that to some degree has sped up structural economic reforms.

“Our forecast in terms of GDP growth for India could exceed 7 per cent in the coming years.”

The Danske Bank Chief Economist advises any Northern Ireland company who is keen to embark on the export market journey to look at the Republic of Ireland first in order to gain experience.

“The exchange rate is not favourable at the moment but the fact that the ROI’s economy is growing so well and domestic demand has increased is a very positive sign.”

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[columnist] Brett Lockhart QC, The Bar of Northern Ireland

The motivation for mediation Commercial disputes can be resolved in a cost effective manner through mediation says Brett Lockhart QC.

I

n Northern Ireland, we have a wellknown phrase: “hindsight is a wonderful thing”. Recognising the characteristics of a property bubble is straightforward in retrospect, but sound judgement seemed to have deserted many investors and institutions during the heady days of the property boom.

Following the Northern Rock crisis and the collapse of Lehman Brothers in 2008, the impact of the subsequent economic downturn continues to have numerous unintended and unforeseen consequences.

Businesses and their commercial lawyers previously adopted a robust approach to litigation, which, in a time of plenty, allowed for the ever-rising market to absorb any adverse effects of risk or even substantial legal costs. The change in economic climate has focused the minds of everyone involved.

While banks continue to enforce guarantees and professionals involved in the property market face legal claims themselves, commercial litigation has contracted in line with economic realities.

Having been burned by the recession, many potential clients now have little appetite for further risk through legal action.

A welcome development has been the increased focus on legal costs at every stage of litigation. For us as barristers, proportionality in a client’s exposure to legal costs has become one of the most relevant considerations from start to finish. The days

42 NI Chamber

of unnecessarily lengthy hearings, protracted delay and an ultimate costs bill, which bears little relationship to the size of the dispute, are numbered and rightly so.

Alternative dispute resolution, most especially independent mediation, has increased exponentially, offering a more cost-effective and efficient route to the resolution of commercial disputes. Such an approach is actively encouraged by the Commercial Judge in Northern Ireland and the introduction of penalties for refusal to engage in alternative dispute resolution has provided additional motivation.

The successful potential of mediation was proven in a recent public contract involving many of our local councils, ultimately leading to an overall multi-party agreement with the private contractor. The savings in court time and public expense were immense.

The importance of all decision-makers coming together face to face cannot be underestimated. When supported by wellinformed representation and a skilled legal mediator, the alternative of protracted and costly litigation was a much less attractive option, progress was made and a successful conclusion achieved. Those previously involved in litigation will recognise the dynamic of realism appearing among parties, just as the glint of the ‘judicial bayonet’ comes into view. What mediation offers is the opportunity for the ‘business end’ of the

discussion to occur close to the beginning and not the end of the litigation process.

Although there will always remain a number of cases which require testing in a full court process, the profession is convinced that resolution can be achieved in many cases, without the added and unnecessary burden of disproportionate legal expense.

“The days of unnecessarily lengthy hearings, protracted delay and an ultimate costs bill, which bears little relationship to the size of the dispute, are numbered and rightly so.”

A further unfortunate legacy of the recession has been the steady rise in personal litigants, who choose to represent themselves in court. Such cases absorb the greatest amount of court time, produce the longest judgments and the wider system ultimately bears the cost. Understandably, clients who have little ability to pay for a legal defence face an invidious dilemma. Do they simply submit to judgment or forego their ability to exercise their legal rights? The challenge for lawyers is to persuade the commercial world that their services can make all the difference in negotiating court processes and achieving as just an outcome as possible. A key part of that strategy is to demonstrate that legal cases can often be resolved at an earlier stage with more limited expenditure on legal costs.

Barristers were, at times, perceived as somehow immune from commercial reality, and caught in a Dickensian time warp.

The onus is now on the profession itself to communicate more effectively to the commercial world that legal processes, when administered with an intense focus, can work efficiently and reasonably to the benefit of all concerned. Alternative dispute resolution is a major step forward in changing perceptions.

• Members of the Bar of Northern Ireland and Commercial Bar Association specialise in the provision of expert independent legal advice, opinion, dispute resolution and courtroom advocacy. For more information, visit www.barlibrary.com

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Before

[Feature]

Rory and Brian Smith, founders of BRS Golf.

78 NI Chamber

[Feature]

Firm has golf technology off to a tee A golf technology company which was started from scratch by two brothers has become a major player in the industry by offering cloud-based tee time and online booking systems to golf club operators internationally. Adrienne McGill hears about the success of BRS Golf FROM RORY and BRIAN SMITH.

W

hen brothers Brian (45) and Rory Smith (48) decided to chip in together to establish links between their computer studies at university and their favourite sport, golf, they quickly knew they were on course to create a major change in the golf business.

They founded BRS Golf (the initials of the brothers’ names) in 2003, pooling their 25 years of experience in the software industry with their skills on the green. Both are very keen single figure handicap golfers.

The company (brsgolf.com), which employs 56 people and operates from offices on Belfast’s Ormeau Avenue, has grown to become a leading provider of cloud-based online tee time booking systems to 1,700 golf clubs throughout the UK, Ireland and the US. The Queen’s University computer science graduates established the company after being made redundant by Canadian telecoms firm Nortel. They decided to set up BRS Golf after realising the impact online booking could make to the bottom lines of golf clubs.

They started by developing a website for Ardglass Golf Club and then set about developing a bespoke tee time management system for Belvoir Golf Club (where the brothers are members) to let members and visitors book online.

“Up until then, trying to book tee time was very frustrating,” says Brian.

“You would have to phone the golf club but the number was always engaged and then hit redial, redial, redial until eventually you got through and then you’d find the date and time you wanted had already been taken. No matter which golf club you tried, it was the same story.

“We therefore saw an opportunity, started working on it and have never looked back.”

The software the brothers have developed combines a management tool for individual golf clubs, members’ online booking and an e-commerce solution for golfers to book and pay for tee times online with their credit or debit card.

“This is not just a back-office administration tool, it is also a facility for golf club members to go on line and book rounds of golf,” says Brian.

“Furthermore it allows visitors to go on line to the club website and search for tee times and book and pay by credit card.

“The process is similar to booking an airline ticket. You go onto the website and pick the date you want to play and then pay.

For members it is different because their membership fee covers their booking fee.

‘We have developed the first cloud-based product used in booking tee times. It is mature, reliable and easy to use. We have built our business around two main aims – to have the best product in the market place and to offer the best customer service in the golf industry.”

Such has been the success of BRS Golf, that two years ago it was bought for a substantial sum by GolfNow, a division of the Golf Channel and NBC, which is owned by US cable giant Comcast.

Following GolfNow’s acquisition of BRS Golf and with major plans to bring the software product to golf courses around Europe, Belfast has become its European headquarters with Brian holding the position of Vice-President of international sales and Rory as Vice-President of technology.

“The acquisition has been great for BRS Golf and our customers. GolfNow has brought valuable expertise and significant investment to all areas of the business, allowing us to continue to offer the best product and service in the market place. We are also introducing a whole new range of products and services to our customers, including mobile websites, mobile booking engines, email marketing, revenue management tools, and more,” says Rory.

The brothers’ success has not only to do with their passion for golf but also the inspiration given to them by their father Jack Smith who is a retired Professor of Computer Science at Queen’s University. Computers were part and parcel of family life and the brothers remember working on computers from a very early age.

“Our Dad got us into golf and we used to go down to Ardglass Golf Club when we were young. We had a computer science background because of our father and through our university studies. It made sense to

combine our passion for golf with our computer science experience.

“There are 4 million golfers in the UK and Ireland of which 1.1 million are members of golf clubs – so it is a huge market,” says Brian.

With growth very much on the cards, the

“WE HAVE DEVELOPED THE FIRST CLOUDBASED PRODUCT USED IN BOOKING TEE TIMES. IT IS MATURE, RELIABLE AND EASY TO USE.” company is in the process of recruiting an additional 26 people across all areas of the business including sales, customer service, finance and software development.

BRS Golf recently acquired one of its competitors in the UK – Teeofftimes.co.uk – which has seen the Belfast firm become leaders not just in tee time booking software but also the leader in tee time distribution. Golfers can go on to either GolfNow.com or Teeofftimes. co.uk and book the best value tee times available anywhere in the UK or Ireland.

“We are looking at other markets including South Africa and Australia. There are good opportunities there. We are growing at about 200 new customers per year,” says Rory.

“We love golf, we are into golf, we play golf…and we intend to drive the business forward.”

Belvoir Golf Club.

NI Chamber 45

[Columnist] David Clements, Account Director, Fujitsu

Collaborate to grow Big business can learn a few lessons from SMEs as David Clements explains.

C

ollaboration is still a concept which is in its formative stages in Northern Ireland, yet could hold the key to unlocking our economic potential. According to the latest Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DETI) Research Agenda Report, 40 per cent of SMEs here described themselves as growing compared to 16 per cent in the last period. The report also highlights that there is a perception among some SMEs that collaboration with larger companies is beneficial to creating even more growth, innovation and maximising intellectual capital – something we have witnessed first-hand at Fujitsu.

Some sectors have recognised the importance of instilling and promoting a spirit of collaboration, where they believe the whole is often greater than the sum of its parts. This is increasingly evident in the Knowledge Economy, driven by key players such as the NI Science Park, Matrix and others, who have examined the secrets of success of other economies and sought to replicate them here. While of course there are many ingredients, collaboration and co-operation is one that features prominently.

Collaboration is vital to companies like Fujitsu and we recently launched an SME Charter to

46 NI Chamber

“SMEs typically operate more flexible business models and have lighter business structures than big business.” reinforce just how important SMEs are to the future success of our business.

We do, however, recognise that it is not without its challenges and commissioned some independent research across the UK and Ireland to find out what barriers exist to SMEs and large enterprises working better together – and to help identify ways to improve.

In our Collaboration National report, 58 per cent of SMEs believed that large and small suppliers should work together, however, on average six barriers were cited to effective collaboration, with 99 per cent of SMEs mentioning at least one barrier. These included a perception of too much bureaucracy, lack of opportunity for SMEs on large-scale projects and a sense that any relationship would not be fair.

The benefits of collaboration with SMEs were also made very clear. SMEs typically operate more flexible business models and have lighter business structures than big business which enables them to be more proactive and innovative. And this is particularly the case within the technology sector with the ‘Tech City’ effect fostering smaller IT suppliers, where innovation is critical. In our experience, SMEs can often have the space and time to provide new ways

of approaching a problem which can help in the development of innovative infrastructure and application solutions.

Encouraging the work and development of SMEs in this sector can stimulate more business and drive growth for the country as a whole – an agenda that the UK government is keen to progress. For example, in 2011 the government announced a package of measures to increase opportunities for SME suppliers and to give the government more access to SMEs’ creativity and innovation.

It is against this backdrop that the need for both large and smaller IT suppliers to collaborate in delivering projects for the public and private sectors has developed.

Our experience shows that SMEs have much to offer, both in large enterprises and within government – they provide the kind of innovation and agility that can deliver great results for customers. While SMEs still face barriers, we believe that these barriers can be overcome by government, large enterprises and SMEs working collaboratively together for long-term economic benefit.

MAKING HEALTHCARE BETTER

Strong collaboration between industry, academia and clinicians has seen Northern Ireland become a leader in the Health and Life Science sector with world-class research into life-threatening diseases and a scientific focus in healthcare which seeks to improve patient outcomes. In this section we talk to those involved in this fertile base of entrepreneurial activity whose breakthroughs across a range of specialisms including precision medicine, diagnostics, connected health, clinical trials and data analytics have become crucial to the future of healthcare.

MAKING HEALTHCARE BETTER

Science puts the future of medicine under the microscope Personalised medicine is changing the way life-threatening diseases are being diagnosed and treated leading to radically different management of patient care. Adrienne McGill talks to Patrick Henry, Head of Randox Biosciences, about this transformation in healthcare.

T

he term “personalised medicine” is one that has come to the fore in recent years and is related to a new era of medical device and drug development particularly associated with a number of conditions including cancer and cardiovascular disease.

It uses information about a person’s genes, proteins and environment to prevent, diagnose, and treat disease and, whilst often proposed to be the future of healthcare, it is very much a reality today, particularly in the field of oncology.

Personalised therapies such as Iressa for lung cancer and the well-known Herceptin for breast cancer, are helping physicians to provide the right drug at the right dose to the right patient at the right time.

The approach relies on scientific breakthroughs in clinicians understanding of how a person’s unique molecular and genetic profile makes them susceptible to certain diseases.

This same research is increasing the ability of clinicians to predict which medical treatments will be safe and effective for each patient, and which ones will not be.

More broadly, personalised medicine (also

48 NI Chamber

known as precision medicine) may be thought of as the tailoring of medical treatment to the individual characteristics, needs, and preferences of a patient during all stages of care, including prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up.

The challenges of understanding human health and disease remain daunting. There is still much to learn about the biological, anatomical and physiological mechanisms that underlie disease but huge progress is being made through bioscience.

Playing a leading role in this area is global biotechnology firm Randox.

The Crumlin based company recently unveiled its latest enterprise, Randox Biosciences which is a new specialist division within Randox dedicated to advancing scientific discovery, drug development and diagnostics.

Randox Biosciences is the result of the integration and expansion of four existing business units: Life Sciences, Pharma Sciences, Research and Molecular.

Patrick Henry, Head of Randox Biosciences says the focus of the new division is on targeting the thriving personalised medicine market.

“In the last decade, if we were being treated for a particular ailment or disease, we would

be given a one-tablet-fits-all medication.

Now as medicine has evolved, clinicians and pharmaceutical companies know more about the causes and the progression of disease.

They know what specific factors determine why someone gets a disease and what cellular changes are responsible for a particular disease.

When they know that – clinicians are in a better position to advise on specific treatments to target that disease or its progression.

“Personalised medicine allows a patient who is prone to develop a particular disease to be identified at an early stage. For example with cancer, the earlier the disease is caught, its precise molecular ‘signature’ is identified and then treated, the better the outcome for the patient.”

Randox has been providing laboratories across the world with revolutionary diagnostic solutions for over 30 years. The company’s experience and expertise has facilitated the creation of a leading product portfolio recognised as being of the highest quality, offering reliable and rapid diagnosis of a particular disease.

The Bioscience hub, where there is a core team of over 300 R&D scientists and engineers, targets the research and development market specialising in supplying products and services to universities, genetics labs and the pharmaceutical industry across the globe.

“Randox Biosciences works with pharmaceutical companies at the early drug discovery and development stage,” says Patrick.

“We develop a range of tests or biomarkers that allow pharmaceutical companies to determine at a much earlier stage whether their drug will treat the patients effectively.”

The division is engaged in world leading research into anumber of therapeutic areas including oncology, alzheimers, inflammatory conditions and cardiovascular conditions and is collaborating with more than 35 internationally renowned academic research centres.

“Led by our dedicated research scientists, we offer advanced products, for use in academic research enabling new scientific discoveries and in pharma companies for their drug development and clinical trials,” says Patrick.

“From the identification of a particular molecule as a potential medicine through to that medicine being approved can take a period of 10-12 years. It is a lengthy process.

“For every 100 potential drugs that a drug

company identifies, 99 of those will not make it through to approval.”

By adopting personalised medicine, pharmaceutical companies are embracing a new healthcare model that emphasises segmentation of patients, decisions and practices tailored to individuals or small groups and on the way are reducing their system wide costs by developing targeted drugs which will not be culled before final approval.

“Having a predictive biomarker that allows you to determine whether your product works enables that process to be shortened somewhat,” says Patrick.

“That is of real value to a pharmaceutical company – it will allow them to determine whether the drug they are going to develop impacts the patient in the way they think it is going to impact and they can demonstrate it has a direct link to the disease. Being able to do that will shorten the time taken between identifying a candidate drug molecule and the

drug being approved.

“A particularly exciting area for Randox Biosciences is in Companion Diagnostic development. This is where new diagnostic tests are developed and approved alongside new drugs improving their efficacy and safety,

“We develop a range of tests or biomarkers that allow pharmaceutical companies to determine at a much earlier stage whether their drug will treat the patients effectively.”

whilst helping to reduce costs for healthcare networks by avoiding unnecessary or ineffective drug prescriptions.”

The concept of personalised medicine not only promises to enhance the life of patients and increase the quality of clinical practice and targeted care pathways, but also to lower overall healthcare costs through early-detection, prevention, accurate risk assessments and efficiencies in care delivery.

Patrick says precision medicine is next generation healthcare, with huge potential for Randox in terms of exports and collaborations.

“We are already creating traction in the US and Europe and have our sights set on Japan, in which we expect to have a solid presence

by Autumn. These markets are critical to our business as they are the largest in terms of personalised medicine.

“The Randox Biosciences team is truly at the frontier of healthcare discovery, making our vision of saving lives a reality.”

Personalised medicine is impacting patient care in many diseases, For example: ...in Breast Cancer: One of the earliest and most common examples of personalised medicine came in trastuzumab (Herceptin).

About 30 per cent of patients with breast cancer have a form that over-expresses a protein called HER2, which is not responsive to standard therapy. Trastuzumab was approved for patients with HER2 positive tumours in 1998 and further research in 2005 showed that it reduced recurrence by 52 per cent in combination with chemotherapy.

...in Melanoma: BRAF is the human gene responsible for the production of a protein called B-Raf, which is involved in sending signals inside cells to direct cell growth, and shown to be mutated in cancers. In 2011, a drug called vemurafenib, a B-Raf protein inhibitor, and the companion BRAF V600E Mutation Test were approved for the treatment of late-stage melanoma. Vemurafenib only works in the treatment of patients

whose cancer tests positive for the V600E BRAF mutation. Around 60 per cent of patients with melanoma have a BRAF mutation, and approximately 90 per cent of those are the BRAF V600E mutation. ...in Cardiovascular Disease: Prior to the development of a gene expression profiling test to identify heart transplant recipients’ probability of rejecting a transplanted organ, the primary method

for managing heart transplant rejection was the invasive technique of endomyocardial biopsy – a heart biopsy. Today, a genetic diagnostic test is performed on a blood sample, providing a non-invasive test to help manage the care of patients post-transplant. New research suggests that ongoing testing may be useful in longer-term patient management by predicting risk of rejection and guiding more tailored immunosuppressive drug regimes.

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MAKING HEALTHCARE BETTER

Patrick Henry, Head of Randox Biosciences with Dr. Rachana Thapliyal, team leader in the molecular diagnostics group within Randox.

MAKING HEALTHCARE BETTER Professor Tim Harrison, Vice-President of drug discovery and Martin Wiles, Vice-President of business development at Almac Discovery.

From molecules to market

A ground-breaking find in bio-science by Almac Discovery could transform the treatment of a wide range of cancers as Adrienne McGill hears from Professor Tim Harrison, Vice-President of drug discovery and Martin Wiles, Vice-President of business development.

A

lmac Discovery, the biotech arm of the Craigavon-based pharmaceutical giant Almac Group, may be on the cusp of a major medical breakthrough after signing a ÂŁ9.5 million ($14.5 million) deal with a US firm to develop new drug molecules to fight cancer.

The agreement with Californian-based

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Genentech, one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies, to license and further develop a new class of drug molecules, discovered by Almac, will lead to a novel approach for the treatment of cancer.

Almac Discovery, which has a team of 35 scientists, is focused on identifying and developing innovative therapeutics for the

treatment of the disease. Its discovery involves a new class of drug molecules called ubiquitin specific protease (USP) inhibitors, which block a number of important cancer pathways. This area has been a focus of biotech and pharmaceutical companies researching tumour development for over a decade.

Despite the significant interest, the development of molecules which block USPs has so far proven extremely difficult, so the identification of potent, drug-like molecules by Almac Discovery represents a major breakthrough for the field, and has the potential to advance the standard of care for people with cancer.

Professor Tim Harrison, Vice-President of drug discovery at Almac, says: “In the past it has proven difficult to identify chemicals which bind to these enzymes to inhibit them. We used a combination of approaches to identify selective chemical matter for this particular class of drug molecules.

“We put in place a platform of assays early on in order to identify the chemical hits and

that has ultimately led us to be successful.

“The key thing is that we now have chemical tools available to start to dissect and fully understand the different pathways modulated by USP’s, and to identify which are going to be the most important in a variety of cancer contexts.

“Inhibitors of ubiquitin specific proteases have been a highly sought after, yet elusive, drug class proving difficult to identify despite significant efforts from both pharmaceutical and biotech companies.

“Ubiquitin specific proteases have been shown to play an important role in a number of key oncogenic pathways, and the identification of potent, selective inhibitors provides an exciting opportunity to fully exploit this novel biology, as well as further demonstrating the chemical tractability of this important target class.

“We anticipate that the platform we have developed in order to identify compounds which interact with this particular target can potentially now be used to identify inhibitors of the other 50 or so targets which are members of the USP family.

“Usually drug discovery is about directly blocking or activating a drug target, however, USPs control the actual stability of drug targets. It is a novel approach. The ubiquitin biology is fundamental to all cellular processes. This is why people have been interested in this whole area for decades. We hope the compounds we have discovered will be the starting point for the development of clinically useful drug molecules.”

Martin Wiles, Vice-President of business development for Almac Discovery says the US deal is highly significant for the division.

“To have a company of Genentech’s pedigree working with us is really great news. Genentech is one of the best known oncology companies in the world and is renowned for the quality of its science. It is a

perfect partner for Almac Discovery because we strive for scientific excellence in everything that we do. Genentech is a like-minded research driven organisation with an in-depth knowledge of the USP area.

“Our research collaboration with Genentech will run for a few years and Genentech will then use their experience to progress the early stage research through to drug development.”

Almac’s drug development deal with Genentech, which is part of the Roche Group, could be worth more than £225 million ($349 million) in the long term but the Craigavon-based company will initially receive an upfront payment of more than £9 million under the terms of the agreement.

Almac Discovery’s small molecule inhibitors will form the starting point for a two-year joint research programme funded by Genentech, who will be responsible for all pre-clinical and clinical development and commercialisation of products arising from the partnership.

Commenting on the deal, James Sabry, senior Vice-President and global Head of Genentech Partnering said: “We’re pleased to initiate this collaboration with Almac Discovery where we hope to discover and develop therapies targeting an important USP that can potentially advance the standard of care for patients with cancer.”

Almac Discovery has indeed developed a unique approach to tackling cancer from which it is hoped will come substantial advances in terms of patient treatment.

“I am hoping that this work will help to unlock a fundamentally important area of drug discovery and to provide confidence that drug-like inhibitors of USPs can be developed,” says Professor Harrison.

“Having the potential to accelerate our research programme through the collaboration with Genentech utilising its drug development expertise is hugely exciting.”

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MAKING HEALTHCARE BETTER

“USUALLY DRUG DISCOVERY IS ABOUT DIRECTLY BLOCKING OR ACTIVATING A DRUG TARGET, HOWEVER, USPS CONTROL THE ACTUAL STABILITY OF DRUG TARGETS. IT IS A NOVEL APPROACH.”

MAKING HEALTHCARE BETTER

Anne-Marie Duggan, Exploristics Head of Services and Rene Beattie, Head of R&D.

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Its name sums up its area of expertise. Exploristics explores huge volumes of statistics for large biotech and pharma clients who are in the process of developing drugs as two of the company’s senior data analysts, Rene Beattie and Anne-Marie Duggan tell Adrienne McGill.

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unique statistical research company based in Belfast has developed groundbreaking software which is set to transform how clinical trials are undertaken.

Exploristics is a contract research organisation (CRO) which provides data support to the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device industries and academia in the form of research services outsourced on a contract basis.

The company, which has offices on Linenhall Street and employs a team of 16 people comprising statisticians, mathematicians and physicists, has developed specialised software called Kerus which aims to meet the increasing need for clinical trials to provide more information on safety, efficacy and long-term outcomes within the entire study population as well as within patient subgroups.

Kerus, named from the Greek word for opportunity, was released commercially on July 23 this year.

Exploristics’ services include biopharmaceutical development, biologic assay development, commercialisation, preclinical research, clinical research and clinical trial support for drugs and/or medical devices. It also supports foundations, research institutions, and universities in addition to governmental organisations such as the NHS in the UK. By specialising in clinical trials, Exploristics can offer its clients the expertise of moving a new drug or device from its conception to obtaining approval from the Food and Drug Administration or the European Medicines Agency, thereby reducing the range of specialists the drug sponsor must maintain on staff.

“We have developed software to allow the design of very complex clinical trials,” explains Rene Beattie, Exploristics’ Head of R&D who is a data analyst and researcher with over 15 years of experience working at the interface of physical science and biomedicine.

“The cost of clinical trials has escalated considerably over the years. It now costs over £1 billion to get a drug to market because the amount of regulation is growing and it is

becoming more difficult to find new drugs.

“More hurdles means more clinical trials have to be undertaken in order to get over them.

“We have designed a tool to help biotech and pharmaceutical companies streamline that process by including multiple questions in their trial. Rather than having one trial for every hurdle, they will be able to design one trial which will jump over three or four hurdles in one go. Our tool allows clients to optimise the design of the trial.

“Also our software is designed to incorporate more of the uncertainty that exists in the real world. In medical research confounding factors, such as age, are big issues. We can incorporate all of the complexities into a clinical trial design so that it is a good robust design and has the optimum chance of succeeding and therefore gaining approval.

“The software we are designing is mainly focused on minimising the cost of bringing the drug to the market and reducing the exposure of the public to potential harm because we help clients pinpoint exactly the right number of people to recruit for trials – part of the development process is about assessing the risk as well as the effectiveness. You always start off with the unknown and assume it’s harmful until you have proven it is safe.”

The role of statistics in clinical trial design and analysis is acknowledged as an essential part of drug development. The proliferation of statistical research in the area of clinical trials coupled with the critical role of clinical research in the drug approval process and healthcare in general has meant growing demand for Exploristics’ services.

“We work in a very niche area,” says Anne-

Marie Duggan, Exploristics’ Head of Services.

“We share our expertise in analysing healthcare data and designing and optimising clinical trials.

“We support the statistical side of the development of medical research.

“A lot of the big pharma companies are outsourcing all of their work. Most of our clients have 20-30 years experience in the pharma environment and now focus on specific areas – be it a certain medical condition or certain stage of a medical trial.

We work in collaboration with them to provide statistical analysis of their research.

It can be at the start of a study to set up the protocols or it can be at a later stage perhaps when the study has been run and they need someone to analyse it.”

Many companies get to the end of a trial then realise that they should have collected important information along the way. In such cases they must then attempt to do the analysis retrospectively. But the Kerus package that Exploristics’ R&D department have developed allows clients to see the end result simulated in advance. This assists clients in more complete planning of their trials in advance and reduces omissions.

“Where we excel is in exploring the data and statistics and advising a client where to go next,” says Anne-Marie.

“The statistical results may not always go where a client may have thought they were going to go. Using our expertise, we can point them in the direction where the statistics are showing something of interest that the client may not have originally thought of. Such discoveries often lead to follow-on studies or become an additional appendix to an area of study. Our work is fascinating.”

“You always start off with the unknown and assume it’s harmful until you have proven it is safe.”

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MAKING HEALTHCARE BETTER

A necessary addition to clinical trials

MAKING HEALTHCARE BETTER

Paradox Oil creator Dr Geoff Hayhurst and his wife Michele.

Oil which avoids health slip-ups Paradox Oil is the creation of one of Northern Ireland’s leading osteopaths Dr Geoff Hayhurst.

He tells Adrienne McGill about his paradoxical fusion of the Arctic with the Mediterranean which is helping people maintain good health.

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developed a method to protect the omega molecules and keep them stable, by carefully blending them with the powerful polyphenol antioxidants found in specially sourced olive oils.

“For years, fish oil producers have only used vitamin E for stability which is a very low grade antioxidant. I had to think of something that would add much greater protection to the omega 3 molecules….and found the answer in specific olive oils high in polyphenols.

“I would blend oils on the kitchen table at home and put them into small bottles. Eventually through a process of trial and error I found that certain types of oils did not smell or taste unpleasant anymore. The blend of omega 3-rich fish oils with phenol-rich olive oils was completely original – and allowed the omega 3 molecules to remain stable.”

Initially, Dr Hayhurst created Paradox Oil to supplement and improve bone and joint health but after conducting a pilot study with patients they also reported improvements in other areas of their general health after 6-8 weeks.

Eighteen months after extensive testing and research by the Department of Biomedical Science at Ulster University, the Paradox formula was proven to be much more stable than ordinary fish oil. Lead scientist Dr Richard Owusu- Apenten hailed it as “better than fish oil” and “a brilliant idea”. The research revealed that mixing fish oil and specific olive oils together delivered more health benefits for consumers than taking either product separately. The time had come to commercialise the venture.

The oil comes in either liquid or in capsule form. Manufacturing is outsourced as Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) requirements are necessary for export certification.

Sterling Pharmaceuticals in Birmingham

manufacture the liquids while Eurocaps in Wales produce the capsules and packaging is fulfilled by Millmount Healthcare in Co. Meath.

“Where we can we use local companies to supply, such as MSO in Belfast for packaging and young local innovative designers for our marketing,” says Dr Hayhurst.

The first order for 15 cases of Paradox Oil (with each case containing 6 x 225 ml bottles) was from Gordons Chemists and orders began to grow as word of the oil’s benefits spread.

“Sales in Northern Ireland in pharmacies and health stores took off very quickly with help from our local distributor Natural Health Products,” says Michele who directs the sales and marketing arm of the business.

“As we became more ambitious we moved into other regions of the UK and ROI with orders from Boots and Holland and Barrett.

“With assistance from Invest NI and NI Chamber it wasn’t long before we were exporting to the Middle East.

From there our export business has increased significantly making up 75 per cent of our turnover.”

Iraq and Iran are currently the company’s largest export markets but there is a distribution deal in India currently in the pipeline and the brand will expand into China and key African markets in 2016.

“Paradox is scientifically proven to be more stable than other omega supplements and therefore gives people proven long-term benefits to their health,” says Dr Hayhurst.

“We are combining elements of the Arctic and the Mediterranean as they are found in nature. We mix them together in an innovative way to create a formula that is much more stable and therefore much more beneficial for people’s health. It is as simple as that.”

“A fundamental issue with omega 3 fish oil is that it is very unstable, can go off very quickly and therefore it becomes unpalatable and less effective.”

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MAKING HEALTHCARE BETTER

W

hen Dr Geoff Hayhurst began bottling his unique blend of omega 3 fish oils on his kitchen table 9 years ago, he never thought for one moment that the fledgling enterprise would develop into a huge global business with a turnover of £1 million.

But in the 7 years since he perfected its formula, Paradox Oil has become a huge success in export markets worldwide with sales expanding into the Middle East, Far East and Africa.

But this global firm does not operate from state-of-the-art premises in a high-spec business park, nor does it employ dozens of staff – it is run by Dr Hayhurst and his wife Michele from a small 10’ x 6’office in the basement of their house in East Belfast.

Geoff, who still practises as an osteopath, developed Paradox after working with patients in his clinic who were suffering from joint and muscle pains.

They asked him what could they take as a supplement to improve their health.

In the course of his research, he decided to investigate the apparent paradox (hence the name of the oil) that two of the healthiest populations on earth from the Arctic and the Mediterranean have diets extremely high in fat.

He was convinced that the fusion of the different good fats in their respective diets could create a synergy in a new and unique nutritional supplement.

“A fundamental issue with omega 3 fish oil is that it is very unstable, can go off very quickly and therefore it becomes unpalatable and less effective”, says Dr Hayhurst.

“A lot of my patients said they did not like the taste or it upset them and found it hard to take. I thought – there must be a way to remove the fishy taste.

“Fish live under the sea where it is cold and dark so when you bring them to the surface, the omega 3 fish oil oxidises, it loses electrons, just like rusty metal. If you can prevent the oxidative process, that will stop the oil from breaking down. That was my fundamental thought process.”

Omega fatty acids are very fragile and when they break down they are much less effective. So Dr Hayhurst

MAKING HEALTHCARE BETTER

ACADEMIA AND INDUSTRY – A FORMULA FOR SUCCESS AS QUEEN’S UNIVERSITY STRIVES TOWARDS ITS AIM TO BECOME AN INTERNATIONAL LEADER IN HEALTHCARE EDUCATION AND RESEARCH, PROFESSOR DAVID WAUGH, DIRECTOR OF THE UNIVERSITY’S CENTRE FOR CANCER RESEARCH AND CELL BIOLOGY, TELLS ADRIENNE MCGILL ABOUT ITS VITAL WORK IN SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERIES.

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ueen’s University, Belfast aims to build on its reputation in research and education with ambitious plans to create a world leading Institute of Health Sciences. Supported by a fund-raising campaign led by The Queen’s University of Belfast Foundation, this £100 million project will establish the University as a global player in medical/bio-medical research. The new Institute will use innovative techniques, such as genetics and stem cell research, to beat diseases including diabetes, heart disease, asthma and vision-related conditions, as well as focusing on drug development.

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The creation of the Institute will build on the strong foundations already established by Queen’s at its Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology, known as CCRCB, which has already forged ahead as a global leader with its first-class facilities located beside Belfast City Hospital. It was designated a Cancer Research UK Centre in 2009 in association with Northern Ireland’s Health and Social Care Research and Development Office and the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust.

Researchers at CCRCB have already made an enormous impact on the world in which we live. In particular, the research they

conduct in gastrointestinal, gastro-esophageal, colorectal, prostate, breast and ovarian cancers has yielded major results. The work undertaken focuses on promoting precision medicine – delivering the right treatment to the right patient at the right time.

Queen’s Professor David Waugh, Director of CCRCB says: “Within the cancer programme, our mission is to improve patient care through scientific discoveries. The only way we can drive this discovery into the clinic is by working in partnership with industrial specialists who can put our new knowledge

“WE ARE STARTING TO GET TO THE POINT WERE WE UNDERSTAND THE COMPLEXITIES OF A DISEASE SUCH AS CANCER.”

Professor David Waugh, Director of the Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology at Queen’s University.

or discovery into a format or a product to be taken to patients in innovative early phase clinical trials. We have taken very significant steps in a short period of time and have achieved much, but we know there is still a long way to go.

“Our academics are undertaking research for the purpose of its application and its advances to society and healthcare.

“We have industrial partners with a similar outlook who are strategically aligned to the programmes we have.”

Professor Waugh points to the clinical development of ALM201, an innovative new cancer drug, which is the result of research by CCRCB and Almac Discovery, a division of the Almac Group in Craigavon.

The biological basis underpinning the development of ALM201 was discovered at Queen’s University. This knowledge was outlicensed to Almac Discovery who have used their expertise to develop a drug (ALM201)

relationships with a number of international pharma giants including Merck, Pfizer and J&J, focused around bringing added value to products they have already developed through biologically-informed clinical trials.

But the Centre also has established links with many small firms such as PathXL, a Queen’s University spin-out company which specialises in high-resolution imaging of tumours and cloud-based digital pathology. And in the first spin-in of its type in life sciences, a Californian company called CV6 Therapeutics has just relocated its research activity to CCRCB in a move which will further build Northern Ireland’s life science sector.

CCRCB is also in discussions with another Queen’s University spin-out, Analytical Engines, about how the Centre can use the firm’s technologies to apply them to the vast swathes of data the Centre is receiving on tumours through its molecular pathology programme.

“We are starting to get to the point were we understand the complexities of a disease such as cancer. In modelling that complexity, we are starting to understand the driving biology within specific tumour types. This knowledge provides the foundation to drive new trials,” says Professor Waugh.

Last month cancer experts from Queen’s received a major award exceeding £3.6 million from Cancer Research UK (CRUK) aimed at developing a national digital pathology programme to assist and accelerate the delivery of innovations to improve outcomes for cancer patients across the world. CCRCB is one of 15 Cancer Research UK designated Centres of Excellence in the UK. The CRUK Accelerator Award brings together a consortium of cancer pathologists, biologists and immunologists from the Belfast Cancer Research UK Centre, who will work in partnership with researchers from the Universities of Southampton, Manchester and Newcastle, University College London and the Institute of Cancer Research.

Already recognised as experts in identifying faulty genes and molecules in tumours, the Belfast team will now lead this nationwide research programme dedicated to expanding the application and use of digital pathology to quantify specific tumour markers.

“The selection of this research programme submitted by the Belfast CRUK Centre is further proof that Queen’s cancer researchers are at the cutting edge of the latest innovations to improve outcomes for cancer patients across the world. Through this new research programme, we will develop knowledge that can inform the targeted use of immunotherapeutic agents in cancer patients,” says Professor Waugh.

“This is further recognition of the powerful alliance that our Centre is forging with local and international industry to deliver new advances in cancer care.

“We are demonstrating that we can bring global impacts forward both in the areas of therapeutics and diagnostics using the academic and industrial pipeline that we have developed. The ambition that we have in CCRCB is to increase the scale of that delivery, to continue to deliver a significantly increased number of diagnostic tests, and to increasingly develop more advanced cancer therapies.

“We would like to see CCRCB as being a catalyst for change within the entire health and life science sector in Northern Ireland.

We have the ability to be an anchor at Queen’s University for that sector and we have already demonstrated that capability by being in partnership with Almac, Randox and with small spin-out companies.

“The more companies we create or recruit here, the stronger the health and life science sector becomes, and the more opportunities we generate for those companies to work in partnership. Ultimately the network of academia anchoring, empowering and providing assets and knowledge into the life science commercial sector, will build a sustainable force that has the potential to drive health, wealth and societal well-being in Northern Ireland.”

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which is suitable to be used in patients in a rigorous clinical trial environment. That trial is now ongoing and patients in Belfast, Manchester and Newcastle are receiving the drug. This is the first novel cancer drug discovered in Northern Ireland and works by targeting blood vessel development in rapidly growing and aggressive tumours. As result of that, the tumour is starved of its capacity to supply itself with nutrients and oxygen.

“The role of academic and industrial partnerships is essential to our mission,” says Professor Waugh.

“To apply academic discovery, we need to collaborate with industry, or spin-out new companies to accelerate the commercialisation of new knowledge. It is important to recognise the synergy and the added value that a company can derive when working closely with established academic groups. Moreover, academic research can achieve greater impacts by having a very close relationship with industry to accelerate the translation of research into commercial outcomes.”

CCRCB is currently involved in

[feature]

Call for action on business rates NI Chamber’s latest Quarterly Economic Survey reveals businesses want rates reform as cost pressures grow.

Ann McGregor, Chief Executive of NI Chamber and Brian Murphy, Partner at BDO NI.

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lmost 80 per cent of businesses believe that rates should be reformed to make them more reflective of economic conditions.

That is just one of the stark findings of the latest Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) released by Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NI Chamber) and business advisors BDO. Northern Ireland’s largest private business survey also reveals that the business rates bill has increased for 42 per cent of companies responding to the survey following ‘Reval 2015’ – the process by which Land & Property Services (LPS) has revalued the rates of all non-domestic properties in Northern Ireland.

Whilst the majority of businesses who have seen their rates bill increase say that it has had limited impact (65%), almost a quarter of those (23%) say that the impact is significant. Those affected commented that they now have less scope for pricing competitively and have to save costs in

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other areas, particularly around labour costs including a reduction in overtime and restrictions in training. For some businesses the increased rates bill means they will have to consider relocating. Meanwhile, 75 per cent of businesses believe that small business rate relief should reflect business size rather than property size.

Commenting on the issue, Ann McGregor, Chief Executive of NI Chamber, said: “Business rates are a tax that hits companies of all sizes long before they a make profit, and impacts on business growth and investment. NI Chamber members are of the view that the business rates system in Northern Ireland is in need of reform to make it more reflective of economic conditions.

“Despite the challenge, successive Finance Ministers, Arlene Foster and Simon Hamilton, have declared their intention to undertake a fundamental review of the system following the non-domestic

revaluation that took effect in April this year, and NI Chamber is currently engaging with the department on this. We believe that the review provides the perfect opportunity for a root and branch reform of business rates in Northern Ireland which at the very least finds some way to spread the costs more evenly and lessen the burden on existing ratepayers. Companies also need a much clearer understanding of what their business rates actually pay for.”

The survey also reveals how recovery in the local economy continues with Northern Ireland remaining in positive territory for almost all key balances.

Domestic sales and orders continue to strengthen, although with export sales and orders weakening, businesses are becoming increasingly reliant on the home market. Our local exporters have faced strong challenges over the past quarter.

Manufacturing It was a mixed performance for the

[feature]

manufacturing sector this quarter. The majority of key balances improved and Northern Ireland is no longer the weakest of all the UK regions across most key balances.

The sector’s performance in the home market particularly stands out. Domestic balances continue to improve for the sector and are higher than the rest of the UK (NI +25% vs.

UK +20%). There is also a strong uplift in the percentage of firms trying to recruit new staff (NI 87% vs. UK 80%). Investment intentions have also improved and are strong in relative terms around training where Northern Ireland ranks first out of all the UK regions. However, the deterioration in both the export sales and order balances persists with more businesses reporting a fall in export sales/orders than an increase (export sales -3% and export orders -9%). Northern Ireland’s cashflow balance also moved back into negative territory this quarter, the only UK region with a negative balance.

Services All service balances are positive this quarter with more businesses reporting an increase than decrease across key indicators.

There have been significant improvements in the domestic sales balance with the employment position also improving as more businesses take on staff. The survey reveals that there is a particularly strong percentage of businesses (91%) trying to recruit and less likely to be taking on temporary workers. The cashflow position has improved slightly along with investment intentions and business confidence around both sales and profitability. However, similar to manufacturing, the export balances have

fallen for service sector exporters although the balances remain positive (export sales +8% and export orders +9%).

Business concerns Exchange rates are now on a par with competition as the key concern for Northern Ireland businesses. In fact when compared to other UK regions, exchange rates is a much bigger concern for Northern Ireland (NI 38% vs. UK 29%). Competitive pressures appear to be easing, perhaps reflecting the

“Business rates are a tax that hits companies of all sizes long before they a make profit, and impacts on business growth and investment.” fact that the domestic economy has picked up. Interest rates are much less of a concern in Quarter 2 than in previous quarters which may be attributed to the expectation that the Bank of England won’t raise the base rate until the start of 2016.

“The QES results for Q2 2015 demonstrate a continued trend of growth in sales within the home market by Northern Ireland firms,” added Ann McGregor.

“Both the manufacturing and service sectors have seen healthy growth in domestic sales and a positive uplift in

recruitment intentions this quarter. This is borne out in the gradual downward trend in the rate of unemployment, which currently sits at 6.2 per cent for Northern Ireland. Positively, the QES also shows that business confidence remains upbeat in both sectors, with a majority of firms expecting turnover and profitability to increase over the next 12 months.

“However, the QES results for Northern Ireland point to a slowdown in exports, particularly for manufacturers, where the export sales balance fell into negative territory for the first time since 2011. Our exporters are currently facing continued pressure because of a persistent rise in the sterling/euro exchange rate and this is a much bigger concern for Northern Ireland businesses compared to the rest of the UK regions. The importance of the Republic of Ireland market both as a customer and competitor is a big factor influencing this.

“The cashflow position of Northern Ireland’s manufacturers also remains tenuous with the balance also falling into negative territory this quarter. Cashflow has been a problem for many businesses since 2008, when the downturn led to many firms being unable to access working capital. Late payment and bad debt are certainly factors that have contributed to this. Government must help educate businesses on how to manage late payment and bad debt whilst businesses need to make sure they have suitable measures in place and work together with the government to ensure late payments become less endemic across the supply chain.”

ANALYSIS Brian Murphy, Partner at BDO NI, examines the findings of the survey.

The Quarterly Economic Survey results for Q2 2015 are once again encouraging, confirming continued improvement across the economy and ongoing optimism for the future.

With a steady increase in sales and growing business confidence, more businesses reported an intention to invest in equipment, training and recruitment, all of which are vital for promoting further economic growth in the region.

Although these results are positive, we cannot ignore the numerous challenges which remain on the path to sustainable, long-term growth.

Local businesses continue to note competition and exchange rates as key concerns. With ongoing uncertainty

within the Euro zone, exchange rates are likely to remain a source of anxiety in the months ahead. In contrast, businesses should welcome competition as an opportunity to drive efficiencies and further strengthen economic growth.

Businesses also note concerns regarding continued cost pressures, particularly in respect of business rates.

Following calls for further reform, the Finance Minister has announced her intention to undertake a fundamental review of the system. There is much debate surrounding the structure such reform might take and the basis for calculating rates. Current suggestions include references to the level of turnover, number of employees

and/or ability to pay. Whilst these options should be explored, it is also worth considering a retention of the existing system with improvements to introduce more flexibility and incentivisation for businesses.

While the road ahead may have its challenges, there are great opportunities on the horizon. With an influx of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) expected, Northern Ireland could benefit from increased demand for office space, increased jobs across a range of sectors and increasing property prices. For some, this may seem like a mirage in the distance but, with continued growth and investment, it is very much achievable.

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[Feature]

Oh so smart Northern Ireland is now a smartphone society. Adrienne McGill looks at the findings of Ofcom’s latest Communications Market Report.

Jonathan Rose, Ofcom Northern Ireland Director.

G

iven their near universal popularity, it’s incredible to think that smartphones and tablet computers are relatively recent inventions. Apple, pioneers in both fields, released the first iPhone in 2007 and the first iPad in 2010.

Now, just a few short years later, more households in Northern Ireland have a tablet computer than don’t while the smartphone has for the first time overtaken the laptop as our preferred way of getting online.

The figures, published by Ofcom as part of its annual Communications Market Report for the region, are fascinating because they show that people in Northern Ireland are just as keen as those in the rest of the UK to explore and exploit new technologies.

Ofcom’s Communications Market Report has a wealth of information about the sectors it regulates, from TV and radio, through to telecoms and post but this year the strongest news angle revolves around the rapid growth in smartphone ownership and how this is changing not just how we go online, but what we do online.

Smartphones are now in the pockets of nearly two-thirds (63%) of Northern Ireland adults, up from 21 per cent in 2011, with people using it to browse the internet, access social media, go shopping or take photos.

And in the process, we are racking up over two hours (126 minutes) on them every day.

Ofcom research shows that some 37 per cent of internet users in Northern Ireland say their smartphone is the most important device for staying connected, compared to 26 per cent who are still sticking with their laptop.

UK-wide research shows that the vast majority (90%) of 16-24 year olds own a smartphone, but 55-64 year olds are also joining the smartphone surge, with

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ownership in this age group more than doubling since 2012, from 19 per cent to 50 per cent.

Jonathan Rose, Ofcom Northern Ireland Director, says: “Northern Ireland is becoming a nation of smartphone users, with these devices now overtaking the laptop as the preferred way of getting online.

“The continued expansion of 4G services will likely mean further growth in the year ahead as consumers take advantage of new features and apps that exploit the increased speed offered by this technology.

“Equally, it is apparent that not everyone has access to good broadband and mobile coverage. Ofcom wants to see the widest possible availability of communications services and is considering what further options might be available to improve coverage, both mobile and fixed-line broadband, as part of its Digital Communications Review.”

Elsewhere, Ofcom’s Communications Market Report reveals another rise in tablet ownership in Northern Ireland. A total of 54 per cent of households now have one of these, up from just 2 per cent in 2011.

Linked to the rise in smartphone and tablet ownership, there has also been a marked increase in the amount of time people in Northern Ireland claim to spend online, up from 13.8 hours a week to 21.6 hours a week. This is above the UK average and highest of the four UK nations.

Looking at the infrastructure used to deliver these services, the report shows that 77 per cent of premises in Northern Ireland have access to superfast broadband services (>30Mbits/s), which is higher than Scotland but lower than Wales and England.

However, broadband take-up in Northern

Ireland is below the UK average with 72 per cent of homes having a broadband connection (fixed and mobile), compared to 80 per cent for the UK as a whole.

Meanwhile, latest figures show 4G mobile coverage from at least one operator was available to 91.1 per cent of premises in Northern Ireland in May 2015. This was the second highest of the UK nations, behind England.

Despite the rise in online activity, traditional media remains popular. Ofcom research shows that TV is still by far the most important source of news in Northern Ireland, followed by radio and newspapers.

And while people are watching marginally less TV, demand for paid-for television services through satellite, cable and other platforms is still high. More than 70 per cent of households in Northern Ireland subscribe to a pay-TV service, higher than every other UK nation.

•Ofcom’s Communications Market Report can be found online at www.ofcom.org.uk Some interesting facts about how we use communications services •On average, people in Northern Ireland watched 15 minutes less broadcast TV per day in 2014, at 3 hours 47 minutes.

•There has been an increase in nontraditional TV viewing in Northern Ireland.

More people are tuning into catch-up services (e.g iPlayer), watching recorded content and using subscription on-demand services (e.g Netflix).

•People in Northern Ireland spend on average of 21.6 hours a week listening to the radio. We are also more likely to listen to local BBC and local commercial radio than national radio stations.

•Some 57 per cent of internet users in Northern Ireland say that these new communications methods have made life easier with a minority (just 20%) saying they spend too much time online.

•Facebook remains the most popular social networking website with 65 per cent of adults saying they have used the site, followed by Whatsapp (40%), and Twitter (33%) while nearly a quarter of adults (23%) admit to being “hooked” on social media.

•Meanwhile, a majority of adults in Northern Ireland express concerns about sharing personal information online and over one in ten (13%) have posted things online they wish they hadn’t.

•Among adults that are online in Northern Ireland, some 18 per cent have used dating websites with almost half having made new friendships through them.

[SPONSORED FEATURE]

Big expansions plans are on the cards for Ireland’s biggest plant hire group HSS/Laois Hire.

Expansion plans The HSS/Laois Hire Group is an award-winning tool and equipment hire company, providing a complete equipment management and hire service to big businesses, trade and DIY customers since 1957. As the only nationwide hire company, HSS/ Laois Hire Group has an established network of 24 hire branches and supercentres across Ireland and has recently launched two new branches in Ballymena and Galway. In addition, the company says it plans to open a further seven branches this year.

Having such a large network of depots nationwide makes smooth, commercial and financial sense for BAM Construction’s Plant Purchasing Manager, Brian Behan. “It’s a huge benefit. Wherever we are they’re within a stone’s throw,” he says, adding that, in a business where safety is paramount, “HSS, Hire Service Group is second to none”.

Investing in the fleet Michael Killeen, managing director of HSS Hire Ireland, Scotland and Isle of Man and the Laois Hire Group says it’s all about giving the customers what they want. “We have consistently invested heavily in our fleet, even during the recession years, in order to maintain a modern up to date fleet and to ensure our customers receive excellent service throughout Ireland,” he says.

Survival instinct In 2005 the Laois Hire Group joined with HSS Hire Group and successfully navigated through the recession to see year on year growth. Michael Killeen’s leadership steered the group through the

worst the recession could throw at it and allowed to emerge from the collapse of the economy in good shape to do business.

Part of the success has come from the company’s ability to work with clients on some of the highest profile projects in Ireland including the M50, M7 and M8 motorways, N9, Dublin Airport Terminal 2, Monasterevin Bypass and Intel.

Growth and continued investment In February of this year the HSS Hire Group plc was listed on the London Stock Exchange. “This was a major achievement for the company and puts us in a very strong position to invest in the business on an ongoing basis,” states Killeen.

Michael Killeen points out that the company is made up of a number of different sectors under the one umbrella, catering for everything from training, cleaning equipment services, powered access, power, plant, portable sanitation hire to VMS boards and vast expertise in cleanroom environments. Killeen highlights the company’s capability to “supply everything from the start of a site to the finish of a site.”

Further success Galway native Michael Killeen has taken the group to new heights in terms of its business turnover, market share and international standing. By working closely with customers, providing them with a first class service at competitive prices and offering innovative hire solutions, Killeen and the HSS/Laois Hire team seem to have hit on a winning formula.

HSS Powered Access Division in operation at Dublin Airport.

New Laois Hire ECI JCB Fleet.

Michael Killeen, managing director of HSS Ireland, Scotland and Isle of Man and the Laois Hire Group.

[feature]

what’s in it for me?

HOW NI CHAMBER HAS HELPED MY BUSINESS… WITH PETER KILCULLEN, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR FOR COMMERCIAL SALES, ALLIANZ.

credentials. Indeed our brand ambassadors Melissa Hamilton First Soloist with the Royal Ballet and Paul McGinley Europe’s Ryder Cup winning captain encapsulate our aspiration to be the best at what we do.

How has NI Chamber helped Allianz achieve its goals?

The calibre and frequency of the networking events have provided invaluable benefits to Allianz. These present us with an opportunity to meet with local business influencers and to highlight Allianz’s local commitment and investment within the region.

Like many other industries we are finding that market sectors converge, requirements are globalised, distribution patterns change and customers continue to evolve and develop.

The ranges of speakers and topics facilitated by the Chamber have been hugely informative in terms of guiding us towards how we can innovate to meet these new challenges.

On a personal level one of this year’s highlights was the annual lunch in the splendid surroundings of Belfast City Hall. We took the opportunity to invite a selection of our intermediary business partners – all of whom were hugely impressed by the occasion.

Describe your Business The Allianz Group is a global financial services provider with more than 85 million customers in 70 countries worldwide offering a range of services and insurance products across the spectrum for both retail and corporate customers.

Globally, Allianz SE has traded for 125 years and is AA rated by Standard & Poor’s, a position which has been supported by our solid business model and strong brand.

At a local level, based in the Gasworks Belfast, we are A+ rated, providing a range of products across the insurance spectrum with expertise in property, liability, marine, motor and education which allows our clients to operate uninhibited by adverse risk exposure.

With local technical skills and the ability to draw on global expertise we believe we are adept in providing insurance solutions to complex and challenging risks.

What makes your Business stand out?

We recognise that the insurance market, like all other market sectors, is no longer absolute.

There are no constants and we therefore need different models to be able to manage them and help to create a degree of predictability.

In response to this, Allianz has chosen a route

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to differentiation based on consistency of service delivery, convenience of access to insurance solutions and by mapping our capabilities to our customers’ characteristics and requirements.

Allianz actively supports the local business community by providing protection for assets and legal liabilities at home, during production and manufacturing, post production, during transit, at export stage – indeed at all stages of the insurance service cycle.

We have always prided ourselves on our fair and prompt settlement of claims and understand that efficient and effective claims servicing is integral to a continued strong relationship with our customers. Our claims servicing therefore has become a fundamental component of competitive advantage.

Another key “stand out” factor for Allianz is our commitment to and contribution back into the local communities from which we derive our business. We understand that no business or company can prosper in isolation or in denial of their social obligations and therefore we operate a sponsorship portfolio across a broad sporting and cultural landscape. Our association with the GAA stretches back over 20 years and our long standing partnership with Arts & Business NI has been the building block of our creative

What would your advice be to other NI Chamber members to help get the most from their membership?

I would encourage all members to make a conscious effort to attend as many networking events as possible. It is a great opportunity for peer skills exchange in an environment that positively encourages deeper engagement helping professional visibility both on an individual and company level.

Be assiduous in checking the Chamber’s website. It hosts a vast array of information and is an invaluable resource. Equally Gareth Williamson, the Chamber’s Membership Manager has been unfailingly helpful and obliging always helping to ensure that we optimise our membership value.

HOW HAS CHAMBER MEMBERSHIP HELPED YOU AND YOUR STAFF DEVELOP A PROFESSIONAL SKILLSET? Here at Allianz we take great pride in the professionalism of our people and learning is actively encouraged. The Belfast Insurance Institute provides CPD accredited learning on insurance related topics and we provide a programme of technical training courses for our insurance intermediary partners.

NI Chamber is about interaction and facilitating robust interaction between its members, a dynamic I have found that leads to expanded knowledge, contacts and opportunities.

Essentially the more you become involved, the more benefits you can realise.

Contact us on 028 9267 8200

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[Face to Face with....] MAURA MCKAY, DIRECTOR WITH SHEAN DICKSON MERRICK SOLICITORS

Don’t let your liquor licence run dry Forgetting to renew a liquor licence can be a costly omission for bars and clubs Maura McKay, Director with Shean Dickson Merrick Solicitors, tells Adrienne McGill.

H

undreds of pubs across Northern Ireland have called time on their businesses over the past few years as the industry faces up to unprecedented trading difficulties.

Bars are being squeezed by increased competition from supermarkets and with increasing numbers of people opting to drink alcohol at home instead of heading to their local, more challenging times lie ahead for Northern Ireland’s licensing trade as the casualty rates accelerates.

In the 1980s there were 2,500 bars dotted around Northern Ireland but according to figures from Hospitality Ulster there are just over 1,300 pubs now.

While a year-on-year decline in alcohol sales and consumption is the main problem, it’s not the only one.

A failure by pub owners and operators to renew their drinks licence can be a costly mistake.

Last January Belfast’s Crown Bar, the city’s best known pub, had to close because its drinks licence had expired.

The National Trust owns The Crown bar, but the licence is operated by Mitchells and Butlers and it had not been renewed since September 2012. An administrative oversight saw the old licence expire because it had not been renewed at the appointed time. The famous pub remained shut for a week pending a fresh application which was granted.

The incident served to highlight the importance of observing the rules and legalities around liquor licensing.

Maura McKay, Director with Belfast based Shean Dickson Merrick Solicitors, who specialises in liquor licensing, says since legislation changed in 1996, the number of bars and clubs in Northern Ireland who have

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fallen foul of the law because of licence expiry has risen.

“Up until 1996, pubs had to renew their licence annually. All licensees knew that in the first week of September each year they would have to turn up in court to renew their licences. Then in 1996 the law changed and imposed 5 year renewals commencing September 2007 and licensees did not have to appear in court – their solicitor would make the application on their behalf. However, with the change some pub owners have been inclined to forget or, unless they have a good solicitor, they may not be reminded about the renewal

“IT IS A CRIMINAL OFFENCE UNDER LICENSING LAW TO SELL ALCOHOL WITHOUT A LICENCE AND THERE IS A SCHEDULE OF PENALTIES WHICH CAN BE IMPOSED INCLUDING IMPRISONMENT.” date. Also many banks take a licence as a security and it is kept with title deeds so the bar owner doesn’t always have it to hand.

Furthermore, the pub may have passed onto another family member or otherwise changed hands in the five years between renewals and the new licensee may not be aware of the renewal process and the timing of the renewal application – so all in all there can be a variety of reasons why a licence is not renewed.

“This rarely happened when there were annual renewals but it has become quite a common problem since the law changed in

1996 to provide for renewals every five years.”

Failure to renew a liquor licence by the statutory deadline is likely to mean that the licence is dead, and that the licence holder is no longer permitted to sell alcohol to the public, the effect of which could be terminal for many businesses in the sector. However, the legislation does provide a mechanism for renewal outside the time limit, provided the application is made no later than 12 months from the date on which the licence expires.

The Court will only renew a licence in these circumstances if it is satisfied that there is good reason for the failure to renew at the proper time – simple forgetfulness is unlikely to persuade the Court. There may also be additional fees payable to the Court for each month between the proper renewal date and the time at which the application is made.

“Under Northern Ireland legislation there is what is known as a ‘slip year’ which is a year’s grace,” adds Maura McKay. “So if you forgot in September 2012, to renew your liquor licence, you had a year until September 2013 to renew it (with a penalty to be paid of £114 a month for each month it is late). After the expiry of the year’s grace the licence is no longer valid – and people who have failed to renew their licence at the appointed time and have traded on without a valid licence may not even be aware of that.

“It is a criminal offence under licensing law to sell alcohol without a licence and there is a schedule of penalties which can be imposed including imprisonment. However, if there is an accidental oversight, such a sentence is unlikely to be imposed.

“I am aware of licencees who have discovered that their licence has expired and made an application to the Courts for a new one but have continued to trade pending the application. Such trading is technically illegal and it is quite an uncomfortable position to have to agree in the witness box that they knew their licence had expired but they traded on. A judge will take a very dim view of this because the person has clearly and knowingly broken the law.

“The same situation applies to clubs – their renewal happens every five years in March – but because there may be a number of people in a committee running a club and taking on various aspects of administration, it may be unclear who is responsible for the licensing. Furthermore, the committee may change annually and the lack of continuity can add to the uncertainty as to when renewal is required. So extra care must be taken.”

[SPONSORED FEATURE]

Is it time you started your Auto Enrolment Journey?

Jason Marley, Senior Corporate Pensions Consultant at Kerr Henderson discusses business’s preparations for AE. the wider picture: retention of good employees is becoming a key priority so the benefits provided to staff can become a critical factor in both attraction and future loyalty to the business.

Many employers provide a group life scheme (a policy which normally pays a tax-free lump sum in the event of the employee’s death in service), and our experience has shown that employers who have never considered this cover are pleasantly surprised and the value it provides, considering that, in most cases, no medical evidence of health is required.

Another increasingly attractive cover is the Health Cash Plan.

Starting from as little as £1 per employee per week, it provides a range of cash benefits for dental, optical and medical treatments.

As this provides employees with money back in their pockets, it’s clear that, in companies where this is provided, it is perceived as one of the most valuable employee benefits.

Three years on from the advent of Auto-Enrolment (AE) in October 2012, over 50,000 UK employers have provided a compliant workplace pension scheme for their workforce, but have you started your business’s preparations for AE yet?

Failure to get AE right can be downright costly, regardless of your business size: between October 2012 and June 2015, the Pensions Regulator issued over 300 fixed penalty notices (of £400) to employers who failed to comply fully with some of their AE duties.

Now that the majority of the larger employers have been through the ‘Auto-Enrolment mill’ we’ve seen the pressures it creates for a business: not only will your Finance and HR departments be faced with additional administration managing opt-outs and contributions, but your business strategy, existing pension arrangements and payroll can also be heavily impacted.

Whilst many larger employers have the benefit of in-house expertise to navigate these hurdles, smaller employers will still have the same challenges to deal with – potentially without the same level of resources. Kerr Henderson can help you steer your way through all aspects of the AE journey.

From our experience to date, regardless of your business’s size the message to employers remains the same – plan early and seek advice when the time comes to choose your pension scheme. If you are unsure of your staging date – the date by which your business must comply with the new rules – your PAYE reference can be used to check online. You should leave yourself a minimum of 6 months prior to staging to plan, implement and communicate your AE strategy.

However, perhaps employers shouldn’t see AE as simply a moment where they have to provide just a workplace pension scheme. With an increasing focus on employee benefits, it makes sense to consider

Group Income Protection and Private Medical Insurance are more expensive benefits but the quid pro quo for the employer should not be ignored. Both covers focus on helping employees when they are ill. Income protection cover is usually for longer-term illnesses, but also focuses heavily on rehabilitation services to make sure that the sickness is as short as possible, whereas private medical insurance is to help get treatment fast for any acute medical conditions which occur.

For smaller employers, providing both policies can make the difference between being able to trade efficiently with a full complement of competent staff and having to make operational contingency plans and potentially hiring expensive temporary employees.

It’s for this reason that Kerr Henderson developed IncorporAtE. Although the primary focus is on providing a compliant workplace pension scheme that’s easy to administer, it also offers cost effective benefits solutions to enable employers of all sizes to design their overall employee benefits proposition for their staff.

Since 2012, hundreds of businesses across the UK have chosen IncorporAtE as their employee benefit solution of choice.

If you would like to find out more about how IncorporAtE can help you: Visit: www.incorporatebenefits.co.uk Email: incorporate@kerrhenderson.com Telephone: 0845 247 7777

[Columnist] Ian Rainey, Former International Banker

A perilous journey in the hope of a better life An unprecedented migrant crisis is reshaping our world, writes Ian Rainey.

T

he world is undergoing a dramatic, perhaps unprecedented migrant crisis.

All around the globe, people are fleeing war zones, persecutions or economic instability in search of a better life. They are undertaking perilous journeys and many are dying in huge numbers. Those that make it to their destination often face anxious, sometimes even outright hostile, hosts. A report released by the United Nations estimates that around 60 million people (similar to the population of Great Britain) form a global nation of the displaced.

The reaction to the crisis differs from country to country. We are well aware of the daily problem at ports such as Calais but these are minor compared to the problems faced in other countries. In 2014 almost 1.7 million people applied for asylum around the world.

The countries that saw the most applicants were Russia (274,000) Germany (173,000) USA (121,000) Turkey (88,000) and Sweden (75,100). But there are less well known problem areas such as the South China Sea, where thousands of migrants have ended up stranded in South East Asian waters for months.

In May this year, it was estimated that as many as 20,000 Bangladeshi and Rohingya migrants were stranded at sea in the Bay of Bengal.

Those migrants had paid human traffickers large sums of money to make arduous journeys to places like Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia but

66 NI Chamber

“The headlines are grabbed almost monthly by the plight of the ‘boat people’ trying to escape out of Libya and across the Mediterranean Sea to Italy.” many found themselves turned away. Globally, the world is witnessing a period of instability and conflict that has produced what the United Nations now describes as the largest pool of refugees, asylum-seekers and internally displaced persons since the ravages of the Second World War. The headlines are grabbed almost monthly by the plight of the ‘boat people’ trying to escape out of Libya and across the Mediterranean Sea to Italy. There seems to be an increasing flow of Arab and African migrants churned through the lawlessness of post-Gadhafi Libya and spewed into the Mediterranean. Approximately 1,750 of about 25,000 migrants trying to cross to Italy from Libya have drowned in the first weeks of the Spring sailing season this year. That includes

more than 700 in one boat that capsized in early July but not those lost in the last few days as this article was being written but estimated at about 185 missing bodies. Those hapless migrants make the terrible journey through desserts into Libya, a country which today is a ‘failed state’ in which border security is all but non-existent, corruption is rampant and the human trafficking business has been estimated last year as a $170 million business according to conservative estimates in a recent United Nations report. At the shortest distance, the Western end of the Libyan coast is just 290 miles from the Italian island of Lampedusa. The average cost for such a perilous trip is around $2000 – reportedly dark-skinned Africans sail for less than lighter skinned Moroccans, Syrians and Tunisians because the latter are assumed to have more money.

The problem though in North Africa is miniscule compared with the situation in Syria where the number who have fled to neighbouring countries to escape the civil war in that country has passed the 4 million mark.

More than a million new refugees have fled Syria since September 2014, thus confirming the conflict as the world’s single largest refugee crisis since the mid-90s collapse of Yugoslavia.

One of the major sufferers from Syria’s civil war is Greece. According to Medecins Sans Frontieres, more than 46,000 refugees have arrived on Greek islands by sea since the start of 2015. However, Turkey reputedly has the largest number of refugees of any country in the world with an estimated influx of 2 million people in the last year, the majority of whom have come from Syria.

And the problem is not just a European problem. The problem is fast becoming an African problem spurred on largely with the Jihadist spread from the Middle East into much of Africa. Boko Haram’s incursion into Nigeria earlier this year has been well documented but its spread into Kenya particularly and much of Sub-Saharan African is reaching crisis proportions. More than a dozen Sub-Saharan countries are now dealing with Jihadism at home. The two major brands of violent jihadism, IS and Al-Qaeda, compete for the allegiance of various groups of African Jihadists.

In short, the permanent effect that this crisis may leave on the world is hard to predict – it’s so new, so complicated and so global.

[Columnist] NATALIE GRAY, MARKETING EXECUTIVE, SYNCNI

Tech Scene Round up It’s all happening on Northern Ireland’s tech front, says Natalie Gray.

Northern Ireland is establishing itself as the latest ‘tech hub’ for emerging and existing businesses, allowing them to blossom and prosper in this hotbed of digital activity.

The large talent pool, extensive business support and a focus on growing successfully all contribute to making Northern Ireland the ideal location for tech businesses to start, develop and grow.

Trends

Northern Ireland has great tech start-up companies and it’s refreshing to see programmes aimed at harnessing talent. The likes of PwC’s ‘Ignite’ programme and NISP’s INVENT2015 are great examples of how it’s important to encourage and celebrate the potential at our doorstep.

The prestigious Ignite programme will allow tech companies to gain access to PwC’s expertise, advice and global networks.

NISP’s INVENT2015 allows entrants to pitch to Northern Ireland’s most experienced leaders within the technology and commercial sector. Both programmes are in full swing at the moment so we recommend keeping an eye out to see how the finalists develop.

Our Media partnership 68 NI Chamber

with #MoneyConf in June illustrated the strongly emerging growth of the ‘social commerce’ trend. The idea of social payments may split opinions on whether it is a trend or fad, but it’s definitely something of interest. I guess the paradox today is with increased technology, comes higher levels of data corruption and attacks, so the thought of paying for goods via social media is understandably scary. Therefore it’s vital for businesses to gain consumer trust and educate users. Businesses like Danske Bank and Fujitsu have acknowledged that a degree of trust is needed for such technology advancements, and are developing software to increase security and provide a level of support for users.

Events Within the Northern Ireland tech scene there are some great events coming up; one to watch out for is Digital DNA. This digital event aims to showcase the best technological practices, solutions and expertise around to help create a profitable business environment for Northern Ireland.

There are four themed categories within Digital DNA with the main event taking place on 15 October at Titanic Belfast: Digital Futures, Digital Social, Digital Tourism and Digital Business. Sync NI is excited to be involved and we’re looking forward to networking and gaining digital knowledge from the influential speakers attending not to mention the enjoyable social event which takes place also on 15 October at 21 Social in Belfast which will be an informal evening combining inspirational speakers, live music, good food and drinks.

Another Belfast tech event packed with personality is ICONS festival which blasts off on 24 September at Titanic Quarter. This is the first year for ICONS – a four day celebration of inspiration and action across tech, music and screen. Organisers say – it’s where the icons of today can inspire the icons of tomorrow and it seems to hold a lot of potential, promising to be the “biggest and most enriching party Ireland has ever seen”. We’re intrigued by their fun spin on things!

Apps Many people struggle with pen pushing, paper gathering, and desk-bound activity which keeps them from focusing on the ‘important’ tasks that make their business grow and develop.

Lucky for those, there’s an app for that! Evernote is defining the way individuals work; the note taking, collaboration app allows users to write, collect, discuss and present your ideas to the world in an organised and easily accessible way.

Evernote supports all major operating system platforms, making it easy to install and use on your chosen device. The basic version is free, definitely worth a try!

For those fans of Candy Crush or the retro Bejeweled game, the trialled and tested Grid Buster is the next puzzle app for you. The premise behind the game is simple - examine the coloured cubes in the middle of the grid and use the surrounding cubes to create colour combinations. The better the combos, the better the bonuses and stars as you progress through the levels. Sync NI played Grid Buster and it’s safe to say we got frustratingly addicted.

Visit syncni.com for the latest daily roundup of NI’s Tech & Business scene @syncni

[Feature]

My Ambition is to…

Kevin Flannery, Customer Service Manager, Progressive Building Society.

I

have always been a hard worker with a driving ambition to succeed and I try to put 100 per cent into everything that I do.

When I was 14, I set out to get my first job as a paperboy which I did for two years. The going rate at that time was £20.00 per week, which was a huge amount of money to me.

This involved 5.00am starts, cold winter mornings and learning how to avoid angry dogs. Not very glamorous, but it instilled a strong work ethic into me which remains to this day.

After I left school, I worked for a year in the Northern Ireland Civil Service on a temporary contract before taking up a post as Customer Service Assistant with Progressive Building Society. I began my career in the Wellington Place branch in Belfast dealing with members’ investment transactions and any queries that they had. I realised very quickly that this was the organisation for me and I received a lot of support from the senior management in terms of training and development.

Becoming qualified as a mortgage advisor in 2007 was a great achievement and continual personal development is an area that I am extremely passionate about and focused on.

Recently, I completed a Diploma in Mortgage Advice & Practice which is a level four qualification and is intended for individuals who wish to gain a higher level of skill and knowledge for mortgage advice.

I now manage the newly opened Progressive branch in Arthur Square in Cornmarket where I oversee not only the day-to-day running of the branch but all staff training. The financial services industry is an ever-changing one so it is important to ensure that our staff have the relevant knowledge to enable them to carry out their roles to a high standard. I also supervise our Mortgage Advisors to ensure that the quality of their advice remains at a high level.

My day normally starts by reviewing our existing mortgage applications and receiving updates from the staff as to what stage each individual application is at. It is important for our members to have their applications processed as quickly as possible to ensure their timings are met, so it is essential that we do all we can to keep the process running smoothly. I also supervise the Customer Service Assistants on the front counter who remain the first point of contact for anyone wishing to access competitive rates of interest on their savings. As a mutual building society,

“My day normally starts by reviewing our existing mortgage applications and receiving updates from the staff as to what stage each individual application is at.” it is important that our members are given access to competitive rates and our Customer Service Assistants are there to help them with all of their day-to-day transaction needs.

Another part of my role is to motivate the staff to raise funds for our charity of the year which for 2015 is Cancer Fund for Children.

We have been fundraising throughout the year but our big event will take place on 19th September when we take on the Zipline Challenge – I don’t exactly have a head for heights but it is for a very worthy cause.

Going forward my ambition is to continue to advance up the management chain within Progressive Building Society and become an effective and valued leader. I have enrolled in a three year MSc programme in Leadership and Management with the support of Progressive. I really can’t imagine working for any other organisation so this will help me grow further with an organisation that invests so much in its people.

NI Chamber 69

[news]

business bites from brussels IN THE LATEST BULLETIN FROM THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, MEASURES UNDER CONSIDERATION WILL HAVE REPERCUSSIONS FOR BUSINESSES, CONSUMERS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC IN NORTHERN IRELAND. HERE WE DETAIL WHAT’S UNDER PROPOSAL IN BRUSSELS.

EU Investment Plan ready for take-off in autumn The European Commission recently agreed a package of measures to ensure that the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) - the cornerstone of the €315 billion Investment Plan for Europe - is up and running by early autumn 2015. In July, the UK government committed to contributing £6 billion (€8.5 billion) to projects benefitting from finance by the EFSI. As part of the package of measures, the Commission published a Communication on the role that National Promotional Banks (NPBs) have in making the Investment Plan a success. This crucial guidance will help companies across Europe gain access to financing through the EFSI, whose challenge is to break the vicious circle of under-confidence and underinvestment, and to make use of liquidity held by financial institutions, corporations and individuals at a time when public resources are scarce.

Transforming Europe’s energy system The European Commission recently presented proposals on the EU energy strategy, which include delivering a new deal for energy consumers, launching a redesign of the European electricity market, updating energy efficiency labelling and revising the EU Emissions Trading System. ‘Energy efficiency first’ is a central principle of the EU energy strategy because it is such an effective way to cut emissions, bring savings to consumers and reduce the EU’s fossil fuel import dependency. Since its introduction twenty years ago, the success of energy labelling has encouraged the development of ever more energy efficient products, which has resulted in the current label becoming too complex. The Commission is proposing to return to the original A to G energy label scale, which is simpler and well understood by consumers.

Commission welcomes Call for ideas agreement to to develop the end roaming Circular Economy charges and to guarantee an open Internet

The European Commission is aiming to present a new, more ambitious circular economy strategy late in 2015, to transform Europe into a more competitive resource-efficient economy, addressing a range of economic sectors, including waste. The strategy will comprise a revised legislative proposal on waste and a communication setting out an action plan on the circular economy for the rest of this Commission’s term of office. The action plan will cover the whole value chain and focus on concrete measures aimed at ‘closing the loop’ of the circular economy. A Commission consultation, which ran until August 2015, collected views on the main policy options for developing the ambitious new approach to the circular economy. The results will help in the preparation of the new action plan and will include actions on intelligent product design, reuse and repair of products, recycling, sustainable consumption, and waste policy.

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Almost two years after the Commission put forward its proposal for a telecoms single market, an agreement has been found with the European Parliament and the Council. The compromise was reached at the end of June and foresees the end of roaming charges in June 2017. When travelling in the EU, mobile phone users will pay the same price as at home, with no extra charges.

There will also be strong net neutrality rules protecting the right of every European to access internet content, without discrimination.

These measures will be completed by an ambitious overhaul of EU telecoms rules in 2016. For a decade, the Commission has continuously been working to decrease roaming charges within the EU. Prices for roaming calls, SMS and data have fallen by 80 per cent since 2007. Data roaming is now up to 91 per cent cheaper compared to 2007.

Under the recent agreement roaming charges will cease to exist in the EU as of 15 June 2017.

BELFAST

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NEW YORK

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Expect Excellence.

17/08/2015 14:08:46

[feature]

bright young business brains

Sixteen-year-old Mark Ireland, one of the six teenage entrepreneurs to secure a Northern Ireland Science Park summer internship, with the Science Park’s Holly Millar.

Teenage talent lands £2K Science Park Internships

S

ix young people from across Northern Ireland have spent the summer in a highprofile internship at the Northern Ireland Science Park.

The Science Park’s Generation Innovation programme hosted the teenage interns who each had a unique opportunity to progress their own start-up business throughout July and August.

The Internship Prize Fund is a collaboration between the NI Science Park and two local entrepreneurs, Tom O’Gorman and Jim Finnegan. Each of the six finalists was awarded a summer internship worth £2,000. In addition, the six teenage entrepreneurs were assigned a mentor and received 8 weeks of business coaching, including marketing, finance, legal and pitch training.

At the end of their internships all six will pitch their business idea to a panel of judges with one teen securing an additional £10,000 prize and a year of mentoring to develop their business further.

The six young people are: •Erin Bennett from Limavady is a 17-yearold student at St Mary’s, Limavady, who is developing a device which allows medical

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practitioners to continually monitor and evaluate the condition of an asthmatic patient.

•Jack Wallace from Dungannon is an 18-year-old student at South-West College who is currently working on a website and mobile app which allows tourists to see which activities are situated close-by.

•Rebekah Loughlin from Ballymena is an 18-year-old student at Cambridge House Grammar School who is developing a website and mobile app which helps school students to decide which university to attend.

•Scott Hilland from Newtownards is a 17-year-old student at Regent House Grammar School who has created a high quality car seat which can be accessed from both sides of a vehicle, as well as having adjustable leg and head supports.

•Mark Ireland from Newtownards is a 16-year-old student at Strangford College who has created an online hosting company to allow developers to get access to powerful Virtual Machines for testing ideas at a lower cost.

•Mason Robinson from Belfast is a 15-yearold student at Ashfield Boys’ High School who is working on a new type of pen drive, with

software incorporated, so people do not lose important schoolwork or work documents.

Dr Joanne Stuart, Director of Development at the Northern Ireland Science Park, said: “We were very impressed by all of the entrants and their innovations, not least because of their young age, but also because their ideas have the potential to become very viable and commercial companies and products.”

Tom O’Gorman, one of Northern Ireland’s most successful business investors, and Jim Finnegan, a key investor in local start-ups, both worked with the NI Science Park to develop the unique initiative.

Tom said: “It was inspiring to listen to all of the pitches and it was a hard task to pick our final six, but we believe that we have selected a strong and diverse mix of business ideas, all with commercial potential. All six are great role models to other aspiring young entrepreneurs.”

Jim said having the opportunity to hear from all of the shortlisted entrants reiterated his belief that Northern Ireland had many talented people with quality ideas.

* For more information on Generation Innovation, visit Facebook.com/ geninnovators or Twitter @geninnovators.

Young Entrepreneurs Reveal Ambitious Youth-Led Tech Conference

The Create:2015 team is made up of Matthew Carson, Gareth Reid, Anona Weir, Jordan Earle, Sarah Semple and Niamh McCay.

T

he Northern Ireland Science Park (NISP) CONNECT team has announced details of Create:2015, an entirely youth-led event for CultureTECH in September, which aims to

inspire those destined to work in the digital and creative industries.

Six entrepreneurial students, selected from NISP CONNECT’s Generation Innovation programme, have set out to create an event

allowing young people to network and hear from renowned guest speakers. Last year’s event, Create:2014, was given the thumbs-up by none other than cultural icon Stephen Fry on Twitter.

Create:2015 will be held on September 17 at the Playhouse in Derry~Londonderry, and will include eight celebrated speakers, including BBC Click Presenter Kate Russell, and four hands-on workshops.

The Create:2015 team comprises Gareth Reid (17), Matthew Carson (19), Jordan Earle (18), all from Belfast, Sarah Semple (17) from Omagh, Niamh McCay (17) from Derry and Anona Weir (18) from Cookstown.

Generation Innovation aims to inspire young people to create their own future – to foster innovative thinking as entrepreneurs.

The students who get involved are typically aged 16-18 years, and have inspirational ideas that can drive a future in digital, creative and STEM industries (science, technology, engineering and maths).

Student Gareth Reid, heading up the team, said: “Create:2015 gives attendees a great chance to get creative. We really wanted to focus on audience involvement this year.

With a diverse speaker line-up and interactive workshops, we’ve no doubt that Create:2015 will be even better than last year.”

Team member Niamh McCay said: “I’m excited to be joining the Create team this year, as I followed it closely last year. A total of 300 young people walked away from the event full of excitement and eagerness to get stuck in with the creative industries, which is why we’re so pleased to be back again this year.”

A limited number of tickets will be available to the public. They will be announced on the Create Twitter (@ CreateHQ) and Facebook accounts.

For school groups, the event is completely free. Teachers interested in getting involved can email Gareth Reid for further information at gareth.reid@create.to.

The CREATE team is currently raising financial backing from both local and international companies through a range of sponsorship packages to fund the event.

Interested parties should email team member Matthew Carson for further information at matthew.carson@create.to. * For more information, visit www.create.to

NI Chamber 73

[Columnist] Maureen O’Reilly, NI Chamber Economist

The New National Living Wage: Winners & Losers!

The introduction of the National Living Wage could be highly significant for Northern Ireland as Maureen O’Reilly explains.

O

ne of the most striking features of George Osborne’s Summer Budget 2015 was the announcement of the introduction of a compulsory National Living Wage. This means that by April 2016 all employees aged 25 or over will have to be paid a minimum of £7.20 per hour rising to over £9 an hour by 2020. The new rate, also called the Living Wage Premium, will be 50 pence higher than the national minimum wage of £6.70 (applicable from October this year).

This means an increase of 7.5 per cent which is quite significant considering that the minimum wage typically rises by around 3 per cent per annum. The national minimum wage will still apply for those aged under 25 which at the top end will remain £6.70 per hour for 21 to 24 year olds down to £3.30 for apprentices. The new National Living Wage should not be confused with the voluntary Living Wage which is set by the Living Wage Foundation at E7.85 per hour (£9.15 in London) to reflect the earnings needed to secure a basic cost of living. This is entirely at the discretion of the employer to implement.

So why introduce this now? In his Budget speech, Osborne said that Britain “deserved a pay rise”. He described the impact on jobs as “fractional” suggesting that by 2020 there would be 60,000 fewer jobs as a result of the National Living Wage but almost 1 million more in total because of the jobs boost created by other policies. The cost to business would amount to just 1 per cent of corporate profits which Osborne stated would be offset by his announced cut in corporation tax from 20 per cent to 18 per cent.

Osborne’s evidence is provided by the Office for Budgetary Responsibility (OBR), which independently monitors the UK’s public finances. Its research did recognise that employers could respond in a variety of ways to offset the loss from this increased wage pressure. From an aggregate economy perspective this could mean a reduction in total hours worked, changes in hourly productivity because of the change in the composition of employment (for example, employers might switch to hiring younger people) and changes to prices depending on how much of the resulting hit to profits firms choose, and are able, to pass onto consumers. However, in Osborne’s view this would be more than offset by the fact that by 2020 three quarters of a million more people would move from earning the National Minimum Wage to the National Living Wage and that average earnings for the whole economy will have increased by 0.4 per cent.

The £7.20 hourly rate will be 55 per cent of the UK’s current median hourly wage for

74 NI Chamber

those aged 25+. The aim is that by 2020 the effective minimum wage for that age group will be 60 per cent of the expected median wage. This would place the UK in the top tier of the OECD’s 33 economies compared to its present position as a middle ranking economy alongside Ireland. The driving force behind that 60 per cent goal was a review of the future of the National Minimum Wage by the Resolution Foundation, chaired by Sir George Bain, former Vice Chancellor of Queen’s University, Belfast. It suggested the 60 per cent figure as an appropriate upper limit that could be implemented without endangering employment.

The introduction of the National Living Wage could be very significant for Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland has the lowest average earnings across the UK regions with median fulltime earnings at 88 per cent of the UK average.

Around 10 per cent of all jobs in Northern Ireland are minimum wage jobs, the highest proportion of the UK regions and almost double the UK average. The region also has the highest proportion of people earning below the voluntary living wage (NI 27% vs. UK 22%). So from an employee perspective it does look like Northern Ireland has a lot to gain.

However, there are a lot of complicating factors behind this new policy. I have

mentioned how employers might react depending on how much pressure this wage increase puts on profits and prices. There is obviously a strong size and sectoral focus to this, again with specific implications for Northern Ireland. For example, Northern Ireland has a larger share of private sector jobs in the retail sector compared to the UK average and this sector is typically characterized as having a higher share of low paid jobs. Other low wage sectors likely to be more severely impacted include hospitality and care. Northern Ireland also has a higher share of micro-businesses (less than 10 employees), again typically employing a higher share of minimum wage jobs. Can these businesses/sectors afford to pay more?

Another issue to be factored is in the extent to which welfare reform, particularly around cuts to ‘in-work’ benefits including tax credits, actually reduces the income of low earning families. Research suggests that Northern Ireland will be hit hardest by these reforms which could potentially have some offsetting effect on any gain by low wage families from the introduction of a National Living Wage.

So it looks like there will be winners and losers with the introduction of the National Living Wage. It might also be a case of ‘giving with one hand and taking with the other’!

[NEWS]

Enterprise Minister Launches Second Phase of NI Chamber Connections Enterprise Minister Jonathan Bell recently launched the second phase of business support programme ‘NI Chamber Connections’ which is led by NI Chamber in partnership with Ulster Bank.

The launch took place on board the spectacular Tall Ship Buque Escuela Guayas, which was anchored in Belfast in June with vessels from across the globe for the start of the Tall Ships Race 2015.

The private-sector-led programme assists businesses to develop and grow, whilst providing a vehicle for shared learning and new market development for those companies looking to grow via exporting.

Following a highly successful pilot phase through 2014/2015, the second phase of the programme will now include a series of regional events and webbased support and will continue to link companies for advice locally and through the overseas network of Chambers, which has proved a valuable resource for companies who often don’t know where to access advice and information.

Speaking at the launch, Enterprise Minister Jonathan Bell said: “Creating an environment that encourages

our local businesses to share their knowledge and experiences and better collaborate is greatly welcomed, particularly as we continue to meet the challenges of growing our economy by increasing our exports and our export base.

“Improving competitiveness through a focus on export-led economic growth is the key to increasing employment and prosperity and we need to extend our reach and take advantage of the many opportunities that exist across the globe.

This is a great initiative which will enable business to grow and trade internationally.”

Stephen McCully, President of NI Chamber, said the support programme is aimed at businesses from across Northern Ireland who are ready to take the next steps in growing their business, may it be locally or internationally.

He added: “The programme’s series of events will connect businesses seeking advice and support and enable peer-to-peer learning. Each event will focus on a specific issue or area of interest and will engage attendees in open discussion, encouraging them to share experiences and concerns relating to the themed topic.

“We are very grateful to Ulster Bank for making

Enterprise Minister Jonathan Bell (3rd from left) with Sandra Scannell, Business Growth & Trade Director, NI Chamber; Richard Donnan, Managing Director of Retail Banking and NI SME & CIB at Ulster Bank, and Stephen McCully, President of NI Chamber.

phase two of this programme possible through the provision of resources and expertise.”

Richard Donnan, Managing Director, Retail Banking and NI SME & CIB at Ulster Bank, described NI Chamber Connections as an “excellent initiative” which was aimed at fostering international cooperation and providing an important resource for growth.

“Strong local exporters play an important role in the sustainable expansion and development of the private sector, and making it easier for them to break into new markets abroad has significant positive impacts on jobs and opportunities at home.

“At Ulster Bank, we have £1.5 billion available to lend to businesses this year, and we have the appetite and the capacity to support Northern Ireland’s many great businesses,” he added.

“THE PROGRAMME’S SERIES OF EVENTS WILL CONNECT BUSINESSES SEEKING ADVICE AND SUPPORT AND ENABLE PEER-TOPEER LEARNING.”

[Feature]

On course to reach new heights Aer Lingus continues its ascent, with double digit long haul growth driving the business forward for the third consecutive year, the airline’s Communications Director Declan Kearney tells Adrienne McGill.

Aer Lingus is taking off into a new era following its takeover by IAG.

A

fter 80 years of Irish ownership, Aer Lingus is taking off into a bright new era following the airline’s €1.5 billion takeover by British Airways and Iberia owner IAG which was formalised last month.

IAG Chief Executive Willie Walsh said the deal would result in a successful and profitable airline.

Mr Walsh, who has a close association with Aer Lingus after starting his career in aviation as a pilot with it before moving into management and eventually becoming Chief Executive, also said the takeover would see Ireland grow as a natural gateway between Europe and America.

Aer Lingus reported a healthy 18 per cent rise in long-haul passengers in July, so the prospect of it launching more transatlantic routes looks increasingly likely. It already has services from Dublin, with some from

76 NI Chamber

Shannon, to New York, Chicago, Boston, Washington DC, San Francisco and Orlando.

“This is an extremely positive development for Aer Lingus in that it allows us to join a broader global group of airlines who are very successful – and will give us the opportunity to leverage the global reach of that group to build out our hub in Dublin Airport,” says Declan Kearney, Aer Lingus Director of Communications.

“We anticipate that our long-haul growth which has been very rapid in recent years will be even further accelerated through joining IAG. “The additions to our network have worked very well this summer. Load factors in July were in excess of 90 per cent and our overall transatlantic numbers are up about 15 per cent this year. That comes on the heels of an increase of more than 20 per cent

last year and a 13 per cent rise the previous year.”

Mr Kearney would not confirm which new routes are on the radar despite rising speculation that Los Angeles is likely.

“We have not announced any further routes since we launched flights between Dublin and Washington DC in April this year.

“Los Angeles would be an attractive destination for us – it is certainly something that we are giving serious consideration to.

Our service to San Francisco has proved massively successful since its launch in 2014 – so much so that we moved from a five-aweek service to a daily service this year.

“California is a big destination for us – there is a huge amount of leisure traffic. It is a very attractive tourist destination for Irish visitors but also a lot of Irish people have moved to California in recent years to work in the high-

tech industry. We also have strong business traffic flows because Ireland is seen as the Silicon Valley of Europe so the links with all the hightech Californian companies who have European bases in Ireland continue to grow in strength.”

Mr Kearney also points to the success of the four times weekly service to Washington DC which is trading above expectations.

“Washington DC has proved very popular and has contributed significantly to our growth.

We introduced it to the network because it has a good balance of demand. About one third of the traffic between Dublin and DC is pointto-point, another third comes in from Europe using Dublin as a transfer point to fly to the US capital and the final third uses it as a transfer hub because we have connections to United Airlines’ network through our partnership.

“We have a good balance of business customers and leisure traffic. It is a very popular destination for short breaks and is a fantastically interesting city with an abundance of attractions, galleries, museums, monuments, shops and restaurants.”

Along with this and the increase in flights to San Francisco, Aer Lingus has added an extra service to New York which leaves Dublin at 7am and is proving popular particularly with business travellers because it gives them the opportunity to arrive in Manhattan in time for brunch.

Furthermore, all US-bound passengers departing from Dublin or Shannon go through customs and immigration pre-clearance before boarding flights which means they step off the plane as domestic passengers and are able to avoid what are often lengthy immigration queues at US airports.

“The combination of the early start, the time difference and the fact that you pre-clear customs and border protection in Ireland means that you can do a full day’s work in Manhattan,” says Mr Kearney.

And of course business class passengers can travel in luxurious comfort and style across the Atlantic in the airline’s new and improved business class cabins which feature in its A330 aircraft. The ‘Vantage’ seats, produced by Sunset sky over the US Capitol building dome in Washington DC.

Declan Kearney, Aer Lingus Communications Director.

Thompson Aero Seats in Portadown, can be transformed into lie-flat beds and boast audiovisual and computer-related technology that provide passengers with a virtual office if they so choose, or a wonderful personal entertainment centre with a huge selection of music and movies at the touch of a button. The seat can be configured into whatever the passenger wants it to be – a place to work, eat, sleep or simply chill.

“We anticipate that our longhaul growth which has been very rapid in recent years will be even further accelerated through joining IAG.”

The food and drink service features an on-demand menu, delivered on custommade Waterford Crystal and Wedgwood China. Other perks include free Wi-Fi, USB power outlets, noise-cancelling headphones, a freshening-up kit with organic Voya products that doubles as an iPad case, and plenty of personal storage space for shoes, jackets, and laptops.

For those returning to Dublin, the arrivals lounge, features shower rooms, allowing passengers to change, refresh and have their clothes pressed ready for the day ahead.

Overall, Aer Lingus has invested E25 million in the business class upgrade.

“We revamped our entire business class this year and now have more business class seats on our A330-300 aircraft, up from 24 to 30,” says Mr Kearney.

“A lot of business customers coming from GB and continental Europe are using Dublin as a transfer hub because of the quality of business class and the service. It is proving very popular.”

Earlier this year, Aer Lingus launched a television advertising campaign, as part of a brand repositioning, with the aim of making the airline the ‘smart’ choice for travellers. The E2 million campaign, highlighted the innovative customer experience now offered to passengers which still retains the rich heritage and warmth that has long been associated with the brand.

“You need to refresh your brand and assess customer perception on a regular basis.

We conducted a survey a year ago to gauge customer opinion and were very pleased to know we maintain a strong reputation for high quality service and value for money. However, customers told us that the brand was getting a little bit outdated. Part of our repositioning is to highlight to customers that we believe Aer Lingus is the smart travel option and that has involved a new website with lots of innovations, revamping our business class, introducing a new modern look and feel, new technology, new inflight entertainment systems, new seats and extra comfort,” says Mr Kearney.

Another brand-building exercise has seen Aer Lingus cover one of its aircraft with rugby-themed livery as part of its three-year sponsorship of the Irish rugby team which was announced in April this year.

The aircraft, which has been renamed Green Spirit, will carry players, management and support staff around Europe as they compete in the RBS 6 Nations Championships and also in the World Cup. “It is a very exciting time to be sponsoring the Irish rugby team as they embark on their World Cup campaign,” says Mr Kearney.

“We are very proud to be associated with them – we think it is a very good fit. The IRFU and Aer Lingus are two strong iconic Irish brands – we are both international success stories.”

Aer Lingus is indeed a lucrative prize for IAG. The former Irish flag carrier seems to be on the correct strategic flight path and is looking increasingly assured of its place in the highly competitive global airline market.

[feature]

mums with power

CAROLINE LEMON IS DIRECTOR OF SALES & MARKETING AT CLAYTON HOTEL BELFAST. SHE LIVES WITH HER HUSBAND JONATHON AYTON AND THE COUPLE HAVE A DAUGHTER AVIA (2 ½).

What do you do to ensure a work/life balance?

Good childcare, organisation, routine, planning and a supportive family and husband, are the keys to a happy mum and child.

My husband spends a lot of time in Scotland with his job so our routine very much focuses on me and Avia. Drop- offs and pick-ups are all done by me. When I collect Avia from nursery there is no thinking about work or that urgent task, but once she is tucked up in bed at 7.30pm, I frequently set the laptop up to complete unfinished tasks or plan for the day ahead. I don’t mind this as I’m not missing out on time with Avia.

How does having children impact on your personal and working life?

It has definitely been a major change – there is no guilt like a mum’s guilt. Life now is working and spending time with my daughter, the “me time” has fizzled out but I don’t mind that, it’s a choice I make. Because I work full time, my time out of work with Avia is so precious, we plan our weekends so they are packed with fun activities. We have our weekly swimming lessons together, and she goes to dance class. I make a point of meeting up with my friends and their children for play dates so that way I get a bit of adult chat too.

Describe your job?

I am responsible for overall Sales and Marketing at Clayton Hotel Belfast (formerly Holiday Inn). I manage and implement the marketing and sales plan to create brand awareness and increase revenues.

My team’s primary focus is increasing corporate sales across our bedroom and conference business which involves managing and securing new business from companies that can range in size from SME’s to global corporations. My tasks change depending on what is happening in Belfast. Business demands change quickly and projects come and go, so it is important that I understand the city and react to the changes when necessary to ensure the hotel maximises each opportunity. My current focus is the rebrand of the Holiday Inn to Clayton Hotel Belfast. It has been a very exciting time for the hotel – we are now part of Ireland’s largest hotel provider, Dalata Group.

78 NI Chamber

“I think there should be more flexible childcare solutions to help mums that work shift work or work weekends as these mums aren’t able to use private day care.”

What is your favourite part of the day?

Definitely collecting my daughter from nursery. I love hearing her tell me how her day was, the different activities she experienced from painting hands to playing with rice in water. I have to say I also love bedtime when we cuddle and read a bedtime story for about 20 minutes before lights out.

Are working mums in greater need of state support than stayat-home mums?

I do feel more support should be given to every working mum. I think there should be more flexible childcare solutions to help mums that work shift work or work weekends as these mums aren’t able to use private day care. I do think there should be more help with childcare costs after a baby is 12 months old. This would encourage women to stay in work and not take career breaks, especially if they have more than one child. It takes hard work to get to a senior level within a company and when the time comes to start a family you don’t want to give it up because you can’t find the childcare solutions to balance work and family.

Do you think you will always remain in employment?

Very much so, I love what I do. I have been in sales for 12 years – it’s an addiction.

I also want my children to look up to me and say ‘my mum has a career and a family’. It is possible for women to be successful in a senior position and raise a happy family.

[SPONSORED FEATURE]

BACKING BRIGHT SPARKS is directly supported by the Regional Fund from SSE’s Slieve Kirk Wind Park near Derry-Londonderry, Northern Ireland’s largest wind farm.

The Scholarship is open to Ulster University and South West College applicants living in Co. Derry-Londonderry and Co. Tyrone and is designed to provide funding support from wind energy to students living in the vicinity of Slieve Kirk Wind Park who are

Employment and Learning Minister, Dr Stephen Farry, Raymond Henderson, Ulster University and SSE Ireland Chairman, Mark Ennis.

going forward to Third Level education.

SSE Airtricity, Northern

country going on to third level

Chairman of SSE Ireland Mark

Ireland’s largest provider of

education.

Ennis. The Scholarship, which is

wind power, has launched

The 2015 SSE Airtricity

funded by wind energy, is one

the second year of the SSE

Scholarship, which totals almost

of the most significant bursary

Airtricity Scholarship to

£100,000 annually, was unveiled

schemes available to full time

support students from the

by Employment and Learning

students in Northern Ireland.

West and North-West of the

Minister Dr Stephen Farry with

The SSE Airtricity Scholarship

Students applying to either institute for the Scholarship are urged to apply before the deadline on September 30.

To find out more, visit www.sseairtricity.com

Under Pressure for Productivity “ISO 50001 has aided in relieving some of the pressures of balancing financial, production, and operational demands within our client’s organisations thanks to the Certification a solution to ease the pressure! “We have found logical prioritisation approach which is required by the an unprecedented level of companies seeking certification standard.” Dermot Gibbons, Lead Auditor at to ISO 50001 due to the immediate Certification Europe.

“Moving forward, & longer term energy is not return on simply seen as a investment required service earned by our clients” but a critical raw material.

John Ryan, year. After Obama’s climate Therefore, Director of plan was announced, and a energy use is Certification more engaged attitude is seen not an additional Europe. from the Chinese, the mood issue to worry is nervously optimistic in the about, but is integral to “We have developed lead-up to the largest global each financial, production, and a better predictable outlook meeting on climate change since model that enables us to predict operational decision taken by Copenhagen in 2009. the organisation.” the energy consumption down to part level”. “So for any given Companies are under For more information volume of output of different Pressure! Since the economic products, we have a high level of on ISO certification crash, organisations have felt predictability of what the energy solutions, contact sales@ increasing pressure to reduce use will be each month.” Emma certificationeurope.com or costs, increase productivity, McCarron, Finance Manager, see www.certificationeurope. competitiveness and thus com DCTP, Xerox (Europe) Ltd. profitability. One comprehensive approach to relieving these pressures on productivity and energy efficiency is through certification to ISO 50001.

The world is under pressure!

From a resource perspective, by the mid 2030’s the global population will likely demand twice the amount of resources that the planet can supply.

By 2035 the world’s energy consumption is projected to increase by 36% according to the IEA 2010.

The world’s climate is also under pressure! Global leaders will gather together at the UN Climate Change Conference from Nov 30th to Dec 11th this

[NEWS]

Rainbow Communications signs new wholesale broadband deal with BT Rainbow Communications has signed a new two year, multi-million pound wholesale deal with BT for calls and managed broadband services to enhance its customer offerings.

Commenting on the deal, Eric Carson, director of Rainbow Communications, said the firm was committed to delivering a quality and reliable service to its customers.

“This new agreement with BT Wholesale, for the supply of calls and managed broadband including superfast broadband services, will ensure that our customers continue to receive the quality service they expect, whilst enabling them to access the latest cloud technologies,” he added.

Rainbow Communications is one of the leading independent telecommunications companies in the UK and Ireland, with over 10,000 business customers.

The Belfast-based company, which was established by Eric Carson and Martin Hamill in 1998 and employs 100 people, offers a range of telecommunications, IT and telematics services to customers.

Frank McManus, head of wholesale sales and services, BT Ireland, said: “We are delighted to be Rainbow’s supplier of choice to enable it to offer its customers state of the art solutions today that will change the way they work and behave tomorrow. Next generation cloud services, voice over IP and hosted applications are just a few of the solutions Rainbow can offer its customers through these services, all underpinned

by Northern Ireland’s extensive fibre broadband network.”

According to the most recent Ofcom Communications Market report, Northern Ireland has the highest proportion of premises able to access fibre broadband services in the UK. With consumers and businesses now demanding more applications and technology that require superfast speeds, Northern Ireland remains ahead of most major European cities for availability of high speed, next generation broadband services which are critical to its continued economic growth.

Frank McManus, Head of wholesale sales and services, BT Ireland, with Eric Carson, Director of Rainbow Communications.

SMEs to be offered grants of up to £3,000 for superfast internet Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across Northern Ireland are being urged to take advantage of the Government’s newly extended ‘Broadband Connection Voucher Scheme’ to offer more cost effective super-fast internet connections.

The Broadband Delivery UK initiative is providing additional funds to councils across Northern Ireland to offer small and medium companies grants of up to £3,000 towards connection and construction charges for a range of services from communication providers.

The scheme is currently available in Belfast and Derry~Londonderry and until March 2016 it will be made available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Welcoming the extension of the scheme, Enterprise Minister Jonathan Bell said: “This UK Government initiative is timely as over the past five years over £90 million has been invested in rolling out next generation broadband technology. We know that high speed broadband is crucial to ensuring Northern Ireland’s continued economic growth and is no longer a luxury for businesses, it’s a necessity they rely on to succeed in competitive environments.

“I strongly encourage councils to promote the vouchers scheme and businesses to take the opportunity to invest in this technology from a range of suppliers operating in Northern Ireland. I know that such investments can boost their competitiveness, work more efficiently, attract new customers or strengthen relationships with existing customers.”

Over 92 per cent of premises are connected to a high speed fibre enabled cabinet, making Northern Ireland one of the best connected regions in Europe.

In order to qualify for the scheme, businesses must be a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) as defined by the European Commission: employ between 1 and 249 persons, with an annual

80 NI Chamber

turnover not exceeding €50 million or an annual balance sheet total not exceeding €43 million.

Once a business has checked they are eligible via their local city council, and understood the full terms and conditions of the programme, they will either need to place an order for one of the pre-approved packages on the web site or alternatively complete an application form. If they complete the application form, they will then receive a provisional offer regarding the amount of funding they can expect, following an assessment by the council, and be asked to get quotes from two providers.

For further details about the scheme and how BT Business can help, visit www.bt.com/BDUKvoucher.

[SPONSORED FEATURE]

In profile: Orla McGreevy,Business Development Executive, 4c Executive Search.

What influenced you to pursue your chosen career?

I was attracted by the opportunity to be part of a dynamic team working in a fast-paced and results-driven environment at 4c Executive Search, and I have never looked back!

What do you enjoy most about your job?

I love the people that I work with.

We are a growing team and it is both encouraging and inspiring to be around people who are not only brilliant at their jobs, but genuinely love what they do everyday. It has a really positive impact on our working environment and the great results we achieve as a team.

What has been the highlight of your career?

Seeing 4c go from strength to strength and continually meet ambitious growth targets has been fantastic. I never get the dreaded ‘Sunday night feeling’ and I think that speaks volumes about 4c as being a great place to work.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?

The key to a successful and happy career is to work hard and treat others well. It hasn’t failed me so far!

What are your priorities for the year ahead?

I hope to be able to play a part in driving 4c’s growth as we enter into our third year and do everything I can to support the team as they continue to deliver a top-class service to our clients and candidates across Northern Ireland.

Maps Make Sense for The Adsum Foundation Belfast-based charity, The Adsum Foundation has been working with Esri Ireland to raise awareness of the value of its projects and help it attract new investment from donors – all through the use of interactive story maps.

projects came to be, how they are progressing and who is benefiting, in a visual format that has far greater impact than text alone”.

“Our story maps enable us to draw attention to the vital importance of our aid projects in Madagascar and will hopefully inspire new

donors to join us in our campaign to alleviate the challenges of poverty.” said Gavin Lonergan, director, Adsum Foundation.

Take a look at: www.adsumfoundation.org/map

The Adsum Foundation makes funds available to support projects that improve education, water and sanitation, sustainable livelihoods and health in Madagascar.

For every pound invested, the Adsum Foundation donates a pound of its own, and its administration costs are privately funded.

Consequently, donors can be confident that every penny they give goes straight to the projects on the ground.

With a little initial support from Esri Ireland, Adsum created a series of interactive story maps for its web site. These maps clearly show the scope and locations of the projects supported by the foundation and its track record in making a measurable improvement in the quality of life for people in these areas.

Jonathan Irwin, Customer Success Manager, Esri Ireland “The maps tell the stories of how the

Children outside their new school in Madagascar.

[SPONSORED FEATURE]

Flogas celebrates 1,000th natural gas connection in Northern Ireland Flogas marked its 1,000th commercial natural gas connection in Northern Ireland with a touch of Hollywood glamour as the Movie House cinema chain signed up two of its branches to Flogas Natural Gas. The Movie House cinemas in Cityside Belfast and Coleraine will now be using Flogas natural gas for heating. Offering discounts of up to 10 per cent cheaper than its nearest rival, the Flogas natural gas offer has been an unqualified success since its launch and is now available to all commercial customers on the natural gas pipeline throughout Northern Ireland.

John Rooney, Managing Director of Flogas, said the company continues to receive an enthusiastic response from customers across Northern Ireland. “They are pleased to see real competition and choice being offered in relation to both prices and customer service levels.

Achieving 1,000 connections so soon following our launch shows that there is a real demand for a quality natural gas offering that is highly competitive.”

Hugh Brown, General Manager, Movie House Cinemas NI, said:“We’re open seven days a week, at least 12 hours a day, and it’s important that our cinemas are just the right temperature so that our customers are comfortable while they relax and enjoy a great trip to the movies. We’re always looking for ways to control this overhead but it has to be from a reliable provider. Along with the discount package, it was the Flogas track record that helped to seal the deal.”

Flogas Natural Gas is a leading supplier of natural gas to the commercial and residential sectors in Ireland. It already serves thousands of business enterprises located on the natural gas pipeline in

Blaris Training - Providing a Solution Blaris Training Solutions provides both accredited and non-accredited workplace training courses. Courses are delivered by qualified professionals with many years’ experience across various industries. The courses are held in their Blaris Training Solutions delivers a range Lisburn training suite of workplace training courses including or can be delivered on Emergency First Aid at Work. request at your premises.

Janet Booker from Ballyhackamore Credit Union recently attended the Emergency First Aid at Work course and said “A great course, I thoroughly recommend it. Very informative, interactive, and fun. Helped by a great trainer, and a lovely bunch of eager participants. Good value too!”

Other recent clients have included Cornmarket Insurance, The Salvation Army, McCulla Transport and Beatties Freight.

Blaris Training Solutions is a Social Enterprise and is part of Employers For Childcare Charitable Group. Visit www. childcaresolutionsni.org/training to view a full list of courses available or contact 028 9267 8200 to discuss your training needs.

Pictured at the announcement that the Movie House Cinemas in Belfast and Coleraine have signed up to Flogas Natural Gas are (l/r), Paul Ruegg, Marketing Executive, Flogas with Hugh Brown, General Manager, Movie House Cinemas and Paul Crosbie, senior Sales Consultant, Flogas natural gas.

Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford, including McDonalds Restaurants and the Musgrave Group as well as the Radisson and Jury Hotel chains. Flogas has an established track record in the LPG sector in Northern Ireland since 1979 in the commercial, leisure, catering, industrial and residential sectors. The expansion into Natural Gas for commercial customers has brought additional benefits to its existing customer base and opened up new business opportunities for the company.

good news for local SME’s

Paul Trouton – Director & CEO of FUEL, Matthew Sinclair - UKI Partner Account Manager at SAP and Will Newton - Business One Head UK Ireland, Nordics and Benelux at SAP.

SAP, the multinational software corporation which operates in 130 countries throughout the world has announced that it is entering the Northern Ireland IT market and is partnering with Craigavon based technology company FUEL, which has achieved significant growth over the last few years.

Headquartered in Walldorf, Germany, SAP is the 24th most valuable brand in the world and is a global leader in enterprise software with almost 80% of its customers using ‘SAP Business One’ solutions.

The company has projected growth of 25% across its SME markets this year and with its new partner

FUEL having a strong footprint across key growth industries including agri-food, manufacturing & engineering and healthcare services they see Northern Ireland as a key market to establish and build strong foundations.

Trevor Bingham 028 3839 3839 editorial@itfuel.com

SAVE U P TO

10

O

ff Your N atu Gas Bi ral lls

SWITCH NOW AND SAVE WITH FLOGAS NATURAL GAS Fantastic News for all businesses using Natural Gas across Northern Ireland Switch today and save up to 10% off your commercial Natural Gas bills!

It’s easy and free to make the switch, just call Flogas on

028 9073 0277 or sign up online at

www.flogasni.com/naturalgas * Terms and conditions apply. Discount applies to unit rate cost.

34343_Flogas_NI_Ambition_Mag.indd 1

24/08/2015 13:22

[appointments]

ASG, the Belfast based marketing and communications agency, has made four appointments. Valerie Ludlow takes up the position as Client Services Director; Kieran McNicholl has been appointed as Head of Media; Karen Barr has been appointed as Client Marketing Director; and Russell Lever has been appointed Account Director.

new appointments

Laura West has been appointed Senior Events Manager at the Culloden Estate & Spa.

Victoria Parks has been appointed Banquet Manager at the Culloden Estate & Spa.

Niall Burns has been appointed Bar Manager at the Slieve Donard Resort & Spa.

John Casey has been appointed as Operations Manager for The Cleaning division at the Mount Charles Group.

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

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

84 NI Chamber

17/08/2015 12:22:29

CLEAR FUTURE FOR HR IN NORTHERN IRELAND

By Ryan Calvert, HR Recruitment Specialist at Grafton. internal recruitment professionals over the past 6 months, with a number of senior positions having been appointed Approaching Q3 of 2015, the HR within private sector organisations, marketplace in Northern Ireland has demonstrating the importance of continued to show positive signs of recruitment and the emphasis being growth, with a steady increase in the placed upon this key function by many number of senior appointments and a organisations. general increase in the volume of hires These positions have been heavily within the Human Resources sector. involved in the strategic planning of the Hires are ranging from entry recruitment function both locally and level generalists to senior specialist internationally, working in partnership appointments, such as Compensation & with a number of key business functions, Benefits Mangers and more frequently, to help forecast short, medium and Heads of Talent & Resourcing. These long-term recruitment needs within the particular roles stem from the need to organisation. stay ahead of the competition in regards In contrast, whilst organisations to talent attraction and organisations are aware of the need for a strong now understand the benefit of having recruitment function, many are still an experienced recruitment function instruggling to cope with the demands of house, that can adapt to an ever-changing their requirements. Even those with marketplace and provide a fluid and experienced internal recruitment teams professional service to potential graduates are finding that they are not well enough and experienced hires. equipped to handle the demands of their Grafton HR has seen a particular specialist and volume hires alone and increase in the demand for experienced therefore are looking at assistance via

Danielle McAllister has been appointed as Health, Safety and Environmental Officer for The Mount Charles Group.

Anne-Marie Rainey has joined The Mount Charles Group as a Personal Assistant to the company’s senior management.

recruitment agencies, to help provide further support, more often with experienced hires, particularly within the technology and engineering sectors.

At Grafton, we understand the importance of providing an external recruitment service, one that can react and adapt as your organisation grows and diversifies and able to partner and integrate seamlessly to your own recruitment function.

Our services can include volume, project and experienced hire delivery, backed up by 30 years of experience, a strong branch network spanning NI, ROI and Europe, a dedicated specialist recruitment team and our HR consultancy services to include employer branding, psychometric and technical testing, allowing us the ability to manage the full end-to-end process from sourcing, selection through to the boarding process. *If you’d like to talk more about our HR specialism please contact Ryan Calvert, HR Recruitment Specialist on 077 2582 5693.

Janet Fairlie-Vogt has been appointed as Commercial Director at the Eakin Group.

Kirsty Scott has joined Cleaver Fulton Rankin as a Paralegal.

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

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

17/08/2015 12:22:29

NI Chamber 85

[Feature]

Switched On Business Brenda Morgan, British Airways’ Partnership Manager for Northern Ireland discusses the benefits of becoming a member of the airline’s Executive Club and signing up for the On Business scheme.

A

t British Airways we currently provide passengers from Northern Ireland with up to six flights a day from Belfast City Airport to London Heathrow. The route has become an essential airlink for both business and leisure customers, offering excellent connectivity to our global network of over 130 destinations worldwide from London Heathrow.

We want to reward all of our passengers and ensure that they make use of the extensive benefits on offer when they choose to fly with British Airways. As well as providing a full onboard experience including complimentary refreshments and online check-in and seat selection 24 hours before departure, we also offer all our passengers the option to join our Executive Club.

Signing up to the Executive Club is not only free, but provides members from Northern Ireland with even more value for money when booking their flights from Belfast – making their travel budgets go further.

Also, British Airways’ newly re-vamped On Business programme will now enable members to choose between an immediate discount of at least five per cent off selected flights, or choose On Business points that can be used towards future travel and upgrades.

British Airways is offering new members who sign up to the scheme the opportunity to earn triple On Business points on their first six flights or on selected routes with eligible partner airlines within their first twelve months of joining.

86 NI Chamber

Business customers flying on behalf of their company will collect On Business points The changes to British Airways On Business programme include the following: •Simplified earn and spend, so that customers can now earn on the money they spend on each flight rather than the sectors flown. Companies have the flexibility to choose between earning points on flights or having a cash discount •More flights to collect and redeem on, by flying on British Airways, American Airlines and Iberia. There will also be more reward flights and upgrades available. Customers who are members of the British Airways Executive Club or Iberia Plus can also earn Avios from their flights •A new three-tiered programme, with each tier related to the amount spent on flights in a year, rather than distance travelled. The higher the tier, the greater the points towards reward flights and upgrades •Discounts on www.ba.com, with exclusive news and member-only offers to boost points and savings •Easier and straight forward account management, with a simple-to-use management information tool with custom reporting, providing a clear view of who is earning points, where and when

which will benefit their whole organisation as they can be redeemed on upgrades and reward flights for any staff member flying across the British Airways, American Airlines and Iberia network. For example, 9,000 On Business points can be redeemed for a return economy flight from Heathrow to New York.

In addition to this, the team member travelling for business can also personally benefit through the Executive Club membership, as they can collect Avios points, the currency of the Executive Club, when they fly for business, which they can redeem on personal travel. They also have the opportunity to progress through the Blue, Bronze, Silver and Gold Executive Club tiers with their attendant benefits.

At British Airways, we recognise that small and medium companies in Northern Ireland are the back-bone of our economy and we want to do everything we can to help them reach their potential. We understand that it can be a struggle to make budgets stretch. However, our newly re-vamped On Business offering really does offer local companies the chance to make the most of their travel expenditure and reap the rewards of genuine and immediate discounts that will effectively help local companies extend their reach by doing face-to-face business across the globe.

To take advantage of the offer and read more about British Airways new programme, simply go to www.ba.com/travel/onbusiness-travel/public/en_gb.

BUSINESS CLASS MOTORING

By James Stinson

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

Business Class Motoring by James Stinson AD.V2.indd 1

Sponsored by

19/05/2015 14:26

[LIFESTYLE] JAMES STINSON, BUSINESS CLASS MOTORING WRITER

COMFORTABLE POWER THE NEW HONDA CR-V IS MORE THAN JUST A PRETTY FACE, WRITES JAMES STINSON.

S

ome cars you just have soft spot for. The last CR-V was one of the best cars of the last decade and more – immensely practical, comfortable, and reliable… it ticked so many boxes.

But given how crowded the SUV market is these days, can this latest facelifted CR-V still cut the mustard?

First things first, it doesn’t look as quirky (or awkward). The design is tidier, especially around the rear, and is likely to appeal to a wider audience.

But you have to look deeper to see the real meat of this car and that’s its new 1.6-litre turbodiesel engine, replacing the long-serving 2.2-litre unit in the previous model. It comes in two tunes – 120bhp and 160bhp. The former is, for the first time in a CR-V, also available with two-wheel drive.

The higher powered version (available in four-wheel-drive only) will likely account for the bulk of sales. Incredibly, it delivers 6 per cent more power than the old 2.2-litre motor and 11 per cent less CO2.

On the road, this translates to a 0 to 60mph time of 9.7 seconds and a 122mph top speed, while delivering a 55.4mpg average. Even when you knock off 10 per cent for real world driving, it’s still mightily impressive. Indeed, Honda claims it has the best power-to-consumption ratio of any car in its class.

And it feels plenty powerful, with good low-end grunt while still being very refined.

So much so, that I had to open the filler cap

to check that I was driving the diesel and not the petrol version.

The smaller 120bhp two-wheel drive version isn’t to be sniffed at either. It’s slower, though it’s hardly sluggish, and won’t be as good in slippery conditions but is around £4,000 cheaper.

The new diesel also comes with either a 6-speed manual or a new 9-speed automatic gearbox, replacing the old 5-speed auto box.

The extra gears in the automatic provide more urgency from a standing start and better economy at the other end.

Inside, the CR-V is a comfortable place to be with the usual elevated driving position that makes these cars so sought after.

And even though it’s based on the previous model, it manages the neat trick of offering more interior and luggage space while being slightly lower and shorter. Three people can happily sit in the back seat, and there’s no lump in the floor for the centre passenger to negotiate.

The boot’s very practical, too. Pulling a handle located on one side causes that side’s

rear seat cushion to flip forward, the headrest to do likewise and the backrest to fall into the vacated space, creating a completely flat extended load floor. However, even with the rear seats in place the boot is big enough for most loads.

There are four trim levels – S, SE, SR, and EX. You’ll need to go for the SE if you want parking sensors and the rear parking camera, which are a must-have these days and higher still if you want leather seats. The rangetopping EX boasts a panoramic glass roof, which isn’t as frivolous as it sounds, making the cabin far more pleasant than it would otherwise be.

It is not a cheap car. Prices start at £23,340 for the entry level 2.0 litre petrol version but reasonably specced diesels with an automatic gearbox will cost closer to £30,000.

There’s a lot more competition since the first CR-V was launched back in 1997, not least from Nissan (Qashqai) and Mazda (CX5) but this latest incarnation shows Honda can still mix it with the best of them. It’s strong technically and the most versatile of the lot.

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] JAMES STINSON, BUSINESS CLASS MOTORING WRITER

MAZDA’S MX-5 REALLY IS AMAZING Mazda’s fabulous new MX-5 roadster has finally arrived in showrooms, with prices starting from a measly £18,495.

Smaller, over 100kg lighter and more efficient than its predecessor, the new Mazda MX-5 has gone back to its roots in a bid to offer genuine lightweight sports car thrills.

A removable fabric roof stows manually behind the driver and passenger, while the boot and cabin offer more space, despite the car’s smaller footprint on the road.

BMW’S BABY GROWS SOME MUSCLES

Buyers can choose between 1.5-litre or 2.0-litre petrol engines connected to a sixspeed manual gearbox and sending power to the rear wheels. The 2.0-litre version gets some extra kit including Bilstien dampers and a limitedslip differential.

The sharp new design is an interpretation of the latest Kodo design language, while the interior is brought right up to date with Mazda’s latest MZD Connect infotainment system.

All you really need to know is that it looks quite irresistible.

BMW has given its baby SUV, the X1, a much needed revamp, with this latest version boasting a higher, wider look and an altogether more purposeful stance.

And where the previous X1 was based on the 3 Series, the new car shares its underpinnings with the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer. That means basic cars are front rather than rear-wheel drive, while as before xDrive cars use an all-wheel-drive setup.

It’s also shorter than its predecessor, but the lengthened wheelbase means there’s more room inside.

Trim levels range from the basic SE, through to Sport, xLine and top-spec M Sport. All cars come with sat-nav, 17-inch alloy wheels and a power-assisted tailgate.

Engines kick off with the front-wheel-drive sDrive 18d, with the xDrive 20d expected to be the biggest seller. There’s also a powerful 25d and a thirstier 20i on the list – with the latter being the only petrol option available from launch. Prices will be released nearer the October on-sale date but will likely start around £27,000.

YET ANOTHER NEW MINI, BUT THIS ONE’S A PROPER CLUBMAN This is the newly unveiled MINI Clubman, and the big news is that it’s a proper Clubman this time!

It has four side doors, as opposed to the last one’s asymmetrical three, with the odd rear-hinged side door that opened out onto the road now abandoned.

And as far as MINIs go, it’s a fairly spacious little car. The cute split rear

doors are retained which open into a 360-litre boot that can be expanded to 1,250 by folding the rear seats down. As standard the Clubman comes with a rear seat back that tumbles 60:40 with an option of 40:20:40 if required.

It’s quirky and immediately more practical than the old Clubman and could be the car mummies

fall in love with. Prices start at £19,995 for the MINI Cooper Clubman while a Cooper D costs £22,265.

Your fleet in our hands

We’ll manage your fleet while you manage your business

90 NI Chamber

T: 028 9038 6600 agnewcorporate.com

[SPONSORED FEATURE]

Contract Hire Finding the right partner to reduce your fleet costs.

Agnew Corporate has been supplying all makes and models of passenger cars and light commercial vehicles to the SME market for the last 20 years. Throughout that time there have been some major changes in approach from the various contract hire companies; this includes brokers and manufacturer schemes dealing directly with the end user. In today’s marketplace the modern day contract hire company has to adapt to customer demands and this diversity is accentuated within Northern Ireland due to the nature and profile of businesses within our province.

To be successful in today’s competitive market you must be in the position to cater for the small business that only require a few vehicles to the larger businesses with 100+ vehicles, both equally important but with very different ideas and objectives. Having the ability to cope with this, is key, as it is not financially rewarding for any contract hire company to only concentrate on one particular size of business. Hence, adopting a different approach depending on the type of customer you are dealing with is a necessity to gain increased market share and in turn growth. So what are the differences between these customers and how does the typical fleet management company meet their expectations? From dealing with hundreds, maybe thousands of businesses and individuals over the last 20 years it is clear there are two very distinct types of customer.

The first being the type of customer who is simply after a competitively priced vehicle, they maybe know specifically what they are after, or, are content with being guided by the salesperson into something that reflects a low rental on paper whereby they feel they have secured a bargain. Irrespective of vehicle choice, these customers want a deal, something that seems like good value. These customers tend to be the smaller businesses where the actual owner or senior management, maybe the financial director, are heavily involved in the procurement process; this would be very typical of NI business.

Strangely enough these deals do not always present best value, in actual fact there could be many other vehicles that although may have a marginally higher rental could have a lower whole life cost (WLC) over the life of the agreement. The WLC equation is specific to each business acquiring the cars and must incorporate all incurred commercial costs, such as funding, fuel, maintenance and insurance, which are then adjusted for the implications of corporation tax relief (and restrictions), employer’s National Insurance (NI) and VAT, as appropriate. These calculations are not straight forward, particularly when considering complex fuel reimbursement arrangements or timing of cash flows for

discounting purposes. Irrespective of whether or not the actual vehicle rental presents best value or not, we as a contract hire company must be in the position to meet the demands and needs of this type of customer. One point worth mentioning is that this type of customer does not tend to measure or compare current costs with historical costs. Its best deal on the day scenario and trying to quantify overall vehicle fleet costs tend to be put to one side for another time or not properly reviewed at all.

The next type of customer is the one that likes to have a more measured approach, possibly a company with a larger fleet or a smaller company that likes structure. These customers allow us the opportunity to analyse their overall fleet, understand their requirements, both from a vehicle and cost perspective and put in place a policy that has the ultimate aim of driving their overall fleet costs down. The important aspect to this approach is that it is quantifiable, giving the customer the ability to understand and report on the cost variances from one year to the next. It offers a level of transparency and understanding that the “shoot from the hip” broker type approach does not. These customers generally like a properly structured vehicle choice list whereby there has been additional manufacturer support offered in lieu of a volume commitment. Generally speaking these vehicle bandings are compiled by either (or a combination of) rental, CO2, list price and WLC which is becoming more and more popular.

The future for vehicle leasing in NI is all about understanding the true cost of ownership and partnering with a contract hire and fleet management company that offers this level of service.

At Agnew Corporate we have had to adapt and change to the ever evolving market of vehicle leasing. We do not profess to be all things to all men albeit we are in the position to offer vehicle funding by a variety of methods, whether it is directly through Agnew Corporate contract hire, on a manufacturer scheme deal or brokered in some fashion, we can avail of all these options.

Obviously we have our own opinions of what we feel is best for our customers but that is not to say they will always concur with our ideas from day one. We have positioned ourselves to impartially offer the complete range of funding arrangements with the core objective of driving your fleet costs down irrespective of the path you chose to take. This multi funding approach will secure our healthy position within the NI market going forward, it will enable us to ride out the “peaks” and “troughs” of competitiveness and allow us to point you in the right direction at any moment in time.

Agnew Corporate 18 Boucher Way, Belfast BT12 6RE Tel: 028-9038-0300 www.agnewcorporate.com

[lifestyle] DOREEN MCKENZIE, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF KNOCK TRAVEL AND DIRECTOR OF ABTA

Pack relaxation into your case Help melt away work related stress by taking a holiday, says Doreen McKenzie.

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”

This inspirational quote about travel is attributed to Saint Augustine of Hippo. If for some reason you’re delaying on acting on your wanderlust or have been reluctant to travel, remember that travel can be one of the most life-changing experiences of your life.

Islanders usually have the most wanderlust, but sometimes it is a necessity for business development; certainly corporate travel is on the increase in Northern Ireland as it waves goodbye to a long recession, which has seen everyone working harder than ever before.

Technology has been a great influencer, sometimes for the good, sometimes not, as we have become attuned to always ‘being on call’. It saddens me to see tourists in exotic places, taking and making business calls on their mobiles: what is so important that delegation cannot handle? They are missing out on the full travel experience and the reason for the holiday gets pushed into second place and by time they return home, they are as stressed as ever and in need of a holiday to recover!

Research now shows that going on holiday

92 NI Chamber

not only makes you feel good while you’re there, you reap the health benefits for at least a fortnight longer than the holiday and in some cases much longer. Jetting off to exotic destinations such as the Maldives cuts your blood pressure, helps you sleep better and helps you bounce back from stress.

Experts say workers should always take their full holiday entitlement each year – as many as one in three don’t – to reap the benefits. Saying you are too busy can be counterproductive to your health and impact on your job. A study compared key health markers in holidaymakers visiting Thailand, Peru or the Maldives, with people who stayed at home and continued working.

The average blood pressure of those on holiday dropped by 6 per cent while the workers saw their blood pressure rise by 2 per cent over the same period.

Results also indicated that the majority of people feel happier, more rested and much less stressed because of their holiday.

My company, Knock Travel is celebrating 25 years of successful trading. We provide travel management services for the corporate markets and have two retail shops for the leisure markets, with a team of staff who have over 450 years’ combined travel experience.

We can help you de-stress, whether it is handling your business travel, ensuring you get best value for money, or simply sending you on a short break to Scotland or Europe or, an indulgent cruise or exciting safari or that exotic destination on your bucket list, we are the people you need to talk to.

I have 44 years’ experience working in the travel industry and I serve on many GB committees and am a Director of ABTA (The Travel Association). Being involved in the forefront of developments enables me to have a wider knowledge of issues affecting the sector and being able to influence strategic direction of the travel industry.

“Islanders usually have the most wanderlust, but sometimes it is a necessity for business development.”

[Lifestyle] CARL JOHANNESSON, HEAD CHEF, THE BAR + GRILL AT JAMES STREET SOUTH

CULINARY DELIGHTS Lobster and oysters may not be on your weekly shopping list and many people are put off cooking these fantastic produce because of perceived difficulty in preparing them. However, any tricky prep work is well worth the delicious results you will reap and these dishes make for an impressive and tasty meal which are actually quite simple to create. Acclaimed chef Carl Johannesson suggests enjoying these sensational dishes for a little bit of everyday indulgence.

Lobster Thermidor 4 x 500g lobsters sea salt and fresh black pepper 100ml white wine 4 shallots, fine chopped 200ml fish stock 300ml double cream 2 tsp English mustard 40g cheddar cheese, grated 20g parmesan, grated 1 egg, yolk only Use the biggest pot you have in the house and fill with water, season with salt and place on hob to boil. Depending on the size of your pot you may be able to cook the lobsters two at a time, but if you have to do this singly just repeat the process for each lobster. Plunge the lobster into the boiling water and cook for 10 minutes, remove from the water and leave to cool.

In another saucepan, place the wine and the shallots on the heat and cook until the liquid has evaporated; do not burn dry. Add in the fish stock and reduce again, add in 2/3rds of

the double cream, mustard and cook until a thick consistency. Add in the cheeses, mix thoroughly and season to taste. Take off the heat and leave to side to cool.

In a bowl, add in the remaining cream and whip until it forms soft peaks and fold in the shallot sauce and the egg yolk.

Turn your oven on to the highest setting of 220ËšC. To split the lobster place a sharp knife at the head with point of knife in shell and push the knife through the head to the tail.

Remove all the meat from the shells and keep shells to serve. Remove the meat from the claws. Place all the meat in a bowl and mix with the sauce. Return the mix to the shells. Place on a baking tray and cook in the oven for 10 minutes then finish off under the grill for 2 minutes until mix is bubbling.

This dish is best served with a fresh salad.

Oyster Fritters 24 oysters shucked and cleaned 200g plain flour 2 tsp paprika 2 tsp baking powder 1 egg, beaten 200ml milk sea salt oil for frying (Broigheter gold rapeseed or vegetable) Mix the flour, baking powder, egg and milk to form a thick batter and season with salt to taste. In a frying pan, heat oil until very hot. When ready to serve, dip the oyster in the batter and place in frying pan and cook for 2 minutes until brown and turn to other cook on other side. This is always best to served with mayonnaise.

Oyster Rockefeller 24 oysters, cleaned, shucked 4 shallots finely chopped ½ stick celery, finely chopped

1 sprig chervil, picked and fine chopped 1 sprig parsley, picked and fine chopped 200g spinach, washed and dried 250g butter 2 tbsp breadcrumbs 1 tsp pastis 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce sea salt, black pepper Start by placing the butter in a pan under a moderate heat and fry off the shallots, celery and spinach until soft. Remove from the heat, place in a food processor and add the remaining ingredients (chervil, parsley, breadcrumbs, pastis, Worcestershire sauce, season with sea salt and black pepper).

Blend until mix smooth.

Ensure that the oyster shells are clean and all grit removed. Place oyster back in shell and spoon on a table spoon of the mix on top and grill for 3 minutes until crispy and golden.

Serve warm.

NI Chamber 93

[LIFESTYLE] ASHLEIGH ADDIS, WOMAN’S EDITOR, ULSTER TATLER

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94 NI Chamber

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NI Chamber 95

[Columnist] jim fitzpatrick, INDEPENDENT BROADCASTER

sign off...

Political and economic stalemate With no sign of action on corporation tax…where does Northern Ireland go next? Jim Fitzpatrick examines the issue. put a lot of effort and resource into getting the corporation tax issue beyond the theoretical and into the realms of possibility. But it remains an unlikely dream.

It might be better to start thinking of another ask. Education, energy, infrastructure - all hugely important to growing the economy, but neglected or mis-managed under Stormont’s care.

“It’s a matter of political and economic ideology.”

C

hancellor George Osborne’s clever July budget confirmed what I’d always believed about his readiness to discuss devolving corporation tax powers to Northern Ireland.

Osborne is a firm believer in lower business tax. His commitment to an 18 per cent rate by 2020 means he will have taken a full 10 per cent off the headline rate since coming to power. He’d probably like to see it lower still.

And that’s why he was willing to explore the idea of letting Northern Ireland set its own, lower rate. Opponents argued that the result would be tax competition within the UK. Investment, they argued, would flow from other UK regions into Northern Ireland as a result. Hardly a vote winner for an English MP. But that’s not a problem if the UK’s overall rate is falling steadily – which is exactly what Osborne has delivered. A lower rate in Northern Ireland would simply strengthen his hand to move faster and deeper.

It’s all a bit of a moot point now. Stormont shows no sign of gaining the political maturity

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Our education system is divided on religious and academic lines at primary and secondary level. It’s expensive and it doesn’t produce the best results.

Our universities have their fees and their to take action on corporation tax. Sinn Fein intake capped, meaning more students from has prioritised protecting welfare payments Northern Ireland will have to leave in order over introducing tax cuts. Any solution to the to pursue their studies and fewer students will welfare crisis is likely to mean substantial costs come from the rest of the UK. Meanwhile, to local government and render a corporation with less funding than their UK counterparts, tax cut unaffordable. both Queen’s and Ulster University face difficult It’s a matter of political and economic decisions about what areas they prioritise as ideology. Business bodies, such as the they struggle to maintain their places in the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce ever-competitive research league tables. and Industry, have been strong proponents of Our energy market is cursed with excessive reducing corporation tax. They felt they had costs that date from poor contracts established the unanimous support of local political parties. at privatisation and an ongoing failure to get But the welfare issue has exposed that the single energy market working effectively support as threadbare in many quarters. on the island.

Even the SDLP, keen to keep Sinn Fein on its Meanwhile our diminished spending on welfare hook, has sacrificed the chance of tax infrastructure remains badly prioritised. It’s harmonisation in Ireland for the sake of scoring 2015 and our two main motorways end in some political points on the welfare issue. traffic lights at Belfast’s York Street.

Ironically, for a policy that was once viewed Without some major policy initiative to as “green”, it has been the DUP who have boost the region’s economy, Northern remained the strongest and loudest supporters Ireland will continue to slip behind the rest of reducing corporation tax in Northern Ireland of the UK and Ireland. The only consolation to match the 12.5 per cent rate in the Republic. for businesses here is that at least George The business lobby in Northern Ireland has Osborne is reducing their tax bills.

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MAGAZINE OF NORTHERN IRELAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

September/October 2015

£2.95

September/october 2015 ISSUE 12

conexpo has expansion set in stone

Magazine of northern ireland chamber of commerce and industry

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: • Aer lingus takes off into a new future

• special focus: making healthcare better

• a buoyant future for belfast harbour