Ambition Issue 48 (September/October 2021) by NI Chamber of Commerce and Industry

AMBITION MAGAZINE OF NORTHERN IRELAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

MAGAZINE OF NORTHERN IRELAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

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Contents September/October 2021 Issue 48

NI CHAMBER COMMUNICATIONS PARTNER

The Modest Giant Thales Group Managing Director, Philip McBride talks to Emma Deighan.

Managing Editor: Christopher Morrow Interviews: Emma Deighan Publisher: Chris Sherry Advertising Managers: Lorraine Gill & Gerry Waddell Editorial Assistant: Joanne Harkness Email addresses: Christopher.Morrow@northernirelandchamber.com/ lorraine.gill@ ulsterjournals.com / gerry.waddell@ulstertatler.com Websites: www.northernirelandchamber.com / www.ulstertatler.com Publisher: Ulster Tatler Group, 39 Boucher Road, Belfast, BT12 6UT Tel: 028 9066 3311 Printed by: W&G Baird, Antrim. Front Cover by: Conor Lunny

NI CHAMBER PATRONS

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At a Glance

Columnists: 10 Cherrie Stewart 16 Bill Roy 24 Kate Marshall 36 Jane Shaw 42 John Campbell 48 Peter Russell 58 Professor Una McMahon Beattie and Donald Sloan 82 Cormac McKervey 87 Mark Owens 89 Niamh Campbell 96 Jim Fitzpatrick

NI Chamber Chief: 26 CEO Update 28 NI Chamber News 30 Quarterly Economic Survey 32 NI Chamber In Conversation With...

Appointments: 74 Garret Kavanagh Appointed as Director of Openreach NI

Lifestyle: 84 Business Class Motoring James Stinson 92 Dine & Wine - Chris Rees

60 20 Cover Story AMBITION MAGAZINE OF NORTHERN IRELAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021

MAGAZINE OF NORTHERN IRELAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

Features: 12 My Ambition is to... 14 Stairway to Seven 18 From Factory Floor to Board Room 20 A Glass Act 34 Driving Digital Transformation in the Agri-Food Sector 44 The Carbon Neutral Role Model 50 Catering to an Industry Uplift

54 A Gateway to Sustainable Growth 60 New Beginnings 64 Infrastructure for a World Class Belfast 66 25 Years at the Heart of the NI Economy 70 People Behind the Power 76 The Forward-Thinking Law Firm 78 Fuelling the Future

ISSUE 47 £2.95

CIPR PRIDE AWARDS 2017 - BEST PUBLICATION

News: 06 Lidl Announces New £11m Deal 08 Football Comes Together 82 Boosting Business in NMD Council 94 The Old Inn Reveals £1m refurbishment

A GLASS ACT Encirc Managing Director Adrian Curry on the decarbonisation of glass

FC final 4pm - pCOVER.indd 1

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EDITORIAL

President’s Perspective

Skills Matter O

ver the past year, NI Chamber has consulted heavily with businesses to establish what skills gaps exist in their organisations and gather recommendations to address what has been a significant barrier to business growth. Hundreds of firms participated in our Future of Skills Forum and all of that interaction has formed the back-bone of our recent, very comprehensive response to the Department for the Economy’s 10X Skills Strategy. Continuing with the same approach to skills development in Northern Ireland cannot continue because it is simply not working. We know that Northern Ireland’s investment in skills development is being eroded, we are losing competitiveness and the persistent issue of low productivity is not being addressed. The 10X Skills Strategy sets out a clear vision for what we need to do to deliver a skills system in Northern Ireland that excels. The objectives are clear and it is particularly helpful to include a focus on the enablers to support those objectives – enhancing policy cohesion, developing strong relationships and investing in the skills system. A shift of thinking is needed in Northern Ireland as to what skills matter to this region. There is a tendency to think ‘University First’ when other pathways to skills development and jobs can have equal success. Helping students make informed choices about future careers is critical yet it is unfunded. Based on this, we have recommended that the Executive provide a dedicated budget that will adequately resource a first-class careers and skills guidance system which gives every person a chance to take the right career path for them. We strongly welcome the introduction of a dedicated Skills Portal, which will provide crucial information on the demand and supply of skills in Northern Ireland and help inform the education and training supports available. It will also address one of the biggest challenges faced in skills development which is the market failure around information – not knowing where to access it and not understanding what it means. Finally, Apprenticeships, including Higher Level Apprenticeships, are an increasingly targeted route for developing talent. They offer significant advantages including providing an avenue for progression which reduces the cost of education and the cost of living for many students, whilst at the same time, being a much more strategic approach to matching the supply of skills with demand in the economy. The Skills Strategy is arguably the most important piece of the jigsaw in driving forward strong, sustainable economic growth in Northern Ireland and achieving the aspirations that we have long believed are achievable for this region. NI Chamber’s ask is that the skills system is properly funded and works together cohesively for the benefit of people and employers. We have all the ingredients in terms of being able to increase skills capacity and ensure that the supply of skills match demand. Paul Murnaghan President Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry

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NEWS

CHARLES HURST OWNER LAUNCHES MAJOR DRIVE

Charles Hurst Group owner Lookers plc has launched a new campaign to recruit 100 technicians across its UK & Ireland network of 152 dealerships and is urging local skilled and graduate technicians to see what is on offer. Around 25 of the new roles will be created at Charles Hurst in Northern Ireland with a salary ranging from £26,000 to £34,000 per annum and the potential to earn up to £39,000 a year.

£450,000 INVESTMENT AT KILWAUGHTER Sixteen new jobs have been created by Kilwaughter Minerals as part of a £450,000 investment in its production operations. The investment connects to the company’s strategic focus on employees and organisation capability, and brings the overall number employed by the firm to 200.

BRITISH AIRWAYS EXTENDS BELFAST CITY SCHEDULE

British Airways is extending three of its newest domestic routes – Exeter, Glasgow and Leeds from George Best Belfast City Airport this Winter season. Customers will also be able to book direct to Birmingham. This is in addition to the airline’s London City Airport service that operates up to three times daily from Belfast City Airport and its up to four times daily service to London Heathrow.

HENRY BROTHERS WINS RESPONSIBLE COMPANY OF THE YEAR Henry Brothers has been named NI Responsible Company of the Year at Business in the Community’s 2021 Responsible Business Awards. A panel of independent judges awarded Henry Brothers with the prestigious award for demonstrating the implementation of a wide range of successful corporate responsibility initiatives.

US TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS PROVIDER TO SET UP TECH CENTRE IN NI Massachusetts-based SME, Safety NetAccess is to create 40 new jobs as part of a firsttime investment in Northern Ireland. The company is setting up a Software Development & Sales Support Centre to support its growth in the US and into Europe. Safety NetAccess designs, builds and supports wireless networks and technology solutions for hotels, resorts, apartments, and other public properties. It provides software and services to over 4,000 properties and 125+ million connected devices on average daily. The company aims to create 40 new jobs by 2023. Once all in place, the project will generate additional annual salaries of c£1.4m into the NI economy. Invest NI has offered £270,000 of support towards the new roles.

LIDL ANNOUNCES NEW £11 MILLION WILLOWBROOK DEAL Lidl Northern Ireland has awarded Newtownards-based fresh food producer Willowbrook Foods an expanded supply deal worth £11 million – almost double its previous contract – to supply 25 new lines of fresh convenience foods across its network of 210 stores throughout the island of Ireland. Tanya Neilson (NPD & Hub Innovation Manager The local company has been at Willowbrook Foods), Enya Rooney (Senior supplying Lidl Northern Ireland with Buyer at Lidl Northern Ireland) and John McCann (Founder and CEO of Willowbrook Foods). premium bagged salads and fresh deli products since 2011. The new contract with Lidl Northern Ireland represents an 83% boost on last year – taking the former £6 million annual contract to £11 million – and will see 25 new product lines introduced across its premium range of ready meals, stir fry and deli salads.

ELECTRIC STORAGE COMPANY EXPANDS TO MEET GROWING DEMAND FOR RENEWABLES The Electric Storage Company is expanding its team with 10 jobs in a £780,000 investment to help it meet the growing demand for renewable energy across Northern Ireland, RoI and Great Britain. The company offers a new service to domestic energy users, which gives them the tools to maximise energy produced from renewables such as solar or wind from their homes. Its customers can choose to use the energy generated whenever it is needed or trade it in the energy market through a provision of battery storage hardware and Internet of Things technology. Invest NI has offered the company £206,000 of support towards the new jobs, support to participate on its collaborative growth programme, technical The Electric Storage Company founders Anne development assistance and Marie McGoldrick and Eddie McGoldrick with R&D. Invest NI’s Grainne McVeigh.

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1216_Loganair_Ambition Mag_PPT_ARTWORK.pdf

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11/08/2021

16:38

NEWS Rio Ferdinand is pictured with Kenny Ximenes, Sean Moore, Zenho Granadeiro, Ryan Kerr and Sam Glenfield.

FOOTBALL COMES TOGETHER TO FIGHT ONLINE ABUSE BT’s Hope United and the UEFA Foundation for Children kicked off a match at the Crusaders FC Seaview ground on the eve of last month’s Super Cup Final to raise awareness about the devastating impact of online hate in sport and among young people. Hope United, a campaign launched by BT, brings together a diverse team of footballers from Northern Ireland, England, Wales, and Scotland with the aim of driving change by giving people digital skills that enable them to protect themselves and others online. The match involved children aged between 14 and 17 from community projects across Northern Ireland that are helping to bridge the sectarian divide and care for refugees who have settled here. Organised by the Irish FA, who hosted the UEFA Super Cup final between Chelsea and Villarreal, the game was filmed by six cameras and presented by Rio Ferdinand and Eniola Aluko, with Darren Fletcher and Steve McManaman in the commentary booth. Glenn Hoddle and Joe Cole managed the two teams, and the match features in a Hope United

documentary that was broadcast ahead of the Super Cup. Commenting on the Hope United match, the England and Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand, said: “My work, both on and off the pitch, has taught me that there is no hiding place from social media abuse. Passions run high during big football tournaments and having seen the devastating effect that can result from online hate first-hand, it is more important than ever that sport unites to combat it.” Playing in the match, Niamh Coyle, a sixteenyear-old who plays for Sion Swifts Ladies’ football club in County Tyrone, said: “I’ve been playing football since I was five years old and I love the game. I travel three times a week from Strabane to Belfast for training, a six-hour round trip and that’s really challenging for me as I’m also preparing for my 10 GCSEs. “I have friends who’ve experienced abuse and I’ve helped them through it, making sure they know online abuse is not okay and to just keep playing football. Playing in this match has been really special to me and I hope I can achieve my aim to play for Northern Ireland’s women’s team one day.”

Urs Kluser, General Secretary of the UEFA Foundation for Children, added: “Young people are all too often victims of hate messages and harassment on social media and it is our duty to defend them. Thanks to the BT Tech Tips to beat online hate, young people can access real tools that teach them how to detect and respond to abuse but also learn to be more conscious about their own actions online and to lead by example.” Simon Green, Managing Director of BT Sport, said: “As lead partner of the home nations’ football teams, we’re asking the UK to take a stand against hate speech on social media as well as giving everyone the knowledge and tools they need to be part of the solution. “As a major sports broadcaster, we launched our Hope United team and campaign at the start of the Euros to bolster the fight against online hatred. The campaign has been well received but the continued abuse online shows how far we have to go. No one should ever dread getting online for fear of abuse. Nobody should feel unsafe.”

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ONCE

HOME TO THE

WORLD’S

BIGGEST

THINKERS.

STILL IS. ENQUIRE NOW ABOUT EVENT AND V E N U E H I R E AT T I TA N I C B E L FA S T T I TA N I C B E L FA S T. C O M

Columnist Cherrie Stewart Director and Chartered Trade Mark Attorney at Ansons (MacLachlan & Donaldson)

Exhausted? Ansons’ Cherrie Stewart discusses the exhaustion of rights in relation to the Northern Ireland Protocol.

to the owners of said IPRs. This is unlikely to be the long-term position. At the time of writing a consultation into the UK’s future exhaustion of intellectual property rights regime is ongoing and changes are highly likely to be made.

he Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland, (the Protocol) has created a situation wherein, in theory, Northern Ireland companies have access to markets of both the United Kingdom (UK) and the European Economic Area (EEA), which consists of the European Union plus Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland. One thing not fully addressed in the Protocol is Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) and the doctrine of exhaustion of rights.

The Protocol and Exhaustion of Rights What does this mean for goods placed on the market in Northern Ireland, which has a ‘special’ relationship with the EU? Under Article 5(4) of the Protocol there are a number provisions of EU law which now apply to IPRs in NI. Those specifically listed under Section 45 of Annex 2 of the Protocol relate to: • geographical indications of spirit drinks; • quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs; • geographical indications of aromatized wine products; • a common organisation of the markets in agricultural products; and • customs enforcement of intellectual property rights.

What is Intellectual Property? Intellectual Property is an umbrella term which covers individual rights, such as trade marks which protect those signs which distinguish one undertaking’s goods and services from those of another, patents which protect technical innovations and improvements, design rights which protect the appearance of a product and copyright which protects creative and literary works.

Mention of the doctrine of exhaustion of rights is not made and the EU Commission has previously declared that:

Exhaustion of Rights The aim of the doctrine of exhaustion of rights is to balance the rights of the owners of IPRs while preventing obstacles to freedom of movement within the EEA and encouraging competition and fair trade. Position Pre-Brexit Pre-Brexit, goods first placed on the market anywhere in the EEA (including in the UK) by the owner of the IPRs, or with their consent, “exhausted” the IPRs in those goods. This meant that the purchaser of those goods could move them anywhere within the EEA and further deal with them without, except in very specific circumstances, interference by the IPR owner.

“While the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland provides that certain rules of the EU acquis in respect of goods apply to and in the United Kingdom in respect of Northern Ireland, it does not provide for the exhaustion of intellectual property rights in the EU in cases where a good has been legally put on the market of Northern Ireland.” The consequence of this is that the IPRs in goods placed on the market by their owners, or with their consent, in Northern Ireland after 1st January 2021 have not been exhausted in the EEA therefore, be warned, those who export goods from Northern Ireland into the EEA, without the consent of the owner of any IPRs, risk infringing those rights and may potentially face legal action.

Position Post-Brexit While the IPRs in any goods placed on the market within the UK or EEA before 1st January 2021 continue to be exhausted in both the UK and the EEA, as with so many other things, the situation changed. Goods placed on the market in the UK after 1st January 2021 no longer exhaust IPRs in the EEA. Those who wish to put goods from the UK onto the market in the EEA will require the consent of the owner of any IPRs in those goods which may subsist there. This includes IPRs in raw materials and parts for manufacturing as well as finished articles. However, currently the IPRs in goods placed on the market in the EEA are still exhausted in the UK, meaning goods, which have been placed on the market in the EEA by the owner of the IPRs or with their consent, can be brought into the UK without reference

Next steps For the future, keep an eye out for the likely change to the exhaustion of intellectual property rights regime of the United Kingdom. For now, we strongly recommend that, if you have not already done so, you review your supply chain. Are you exporting physical goods to the EEA, including to Ireland? Have you, or your supplier, obtained the consent of the owner of the IPRs in the goods to allow the export of those goods to the EEA? If you own IPRs, consider whether you wish to allow the export of those goods from the UK into the EEA? If not, explore what action you can take to prevent it? Without border checks between Northern Ireland and Ireland it will be difficult to place a customs order on such goods.

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10/09/2021 10:05

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FEATURE

My Ambition is to... HANNAH HEANEY, SENIOR ACCOUNTANT, WHITEMOUNTAIN

hen studying at university, I did not anticipate that my career journey would lead me to become an accountant. After graduating from Queen’s University with a FirstClass Honours degree in Psychology, I applied to do a PhD with the aim of having a career in scientific research. However, being 2009, the number of funded places was sparse due to the recession. After graduation and whilst weighing up my options, I took a job as an accounts administrator at a local car dealership. The company accountant suggested that I complete the professional accountancy exams and, when I realised I could apply with a nonaccountancy based degree, I thought why not! I commenced my accountancy career as a trainee Chartered Accountant in 2011, working in an established city centre practice. I spent eight years working in the Advisory & Restructuring department before moving into industry with Whitemountain as a divisional accountant in 2019. In April of this year, I was promoted to senior accountant managing the transactional finance team. During my time in practice, I gained great exposure to different industries – everything from manufacturing to retail. Each client engagement had a fixed term and I found myself reaching a point where I wanted to work for one company, continuously improving its strategy and making a difference where I could see it through to the end. I had found construction to be particularly

interesting and noticed that Whitemountain was hiring. I was elated that I got the job – the first role I had applied for: it was meant to be. For me, the best thing about my role at Whitemountain is the sheer diversity of the work I do. Our business has a materials division, which incorporates supplies of bitumen, asphalt, and quarry materials to name a few, and we also have a contracting division which ranges from multi-millionpound civil engineering works to road surfacing, through to local government procurement works. As a finance professional, it is interesting to have the opportunity to learn and work across such a wide spectrum of operations. I am also very much a people person, so I thoroughly enjoy the number of interactions with the wider team, from the local finance and operations team within Whitemountain to my colleagues across ROI and GB also working for Breedon Group plc., our parent company.

I have always been a driven person and I love that no two days tend to be the same for me. As manager of the busy financial transactions team, there tends to be plenty going on each day, overseeing that all payment runs, invoicing, collections and reporting are completed on time. In addition to this, my day may also include providing finance support to operations across the wider business, working with my group finance colleagues, appraising capital expenditure and investment opportunities – there is always something interesting happening and every day flies by! Although I did not initially set out to have a career in accountancy, I am glad to have taken this path and it is a career that I would recommend to anyone. I aim to continue my focus on making a positive contribution through my work whilst furthering my own career development with the encouraging support provided by Whitemountain.

“Although I did not initially set out to have a career in accountancy, I am glad to have taken this path and it is a career that I would recommend to anyone. I aim to continue my focus on making a positive contribution through my work whilst furthering my own career development with the encouraging support provided by Whitemountain.” 12

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07/09/2021 15:42

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07/09/2021 15:43

FEATURE David Tighe, Managing Director of Bauer Media NI.

2. RECOGNITION

Individuals and teams that do great work deserve recognition and praise. For me, taking the time to recognise and congratulate an individual or team is really important. Sometimes that recognition could be financial but more often than not it’s valuable when it’s personal. The personal approach is vital. Taking the time to understand how everyone is contributing is an important action and speaks volumes on many levels. To be appreciated in an authentic way encourages even better work into the future, develops confidence and trust and helps people to become as “big as the space they want to fill…”

3. TAKE SOME TIME TO THINK AND LISTEN

The quickest decisions are not always the best decisions. Over the years I have made more appointments with “myself” to give me some of those all-important moments to digest, think and rationalise when it comes to important decisions. This has been transformational and has helped me make better decisions. I would also recommend spending more time listening to people, and I mean really listening. Many people will “appear” to listen, but in reality are thinking about what they are going to say next; really listening is so powerful for all involved and can really help in many different scenarios.

4. DIVERSITY

A diverse workplace is a better workplace. Diversity brings better ideas, better levels of creativity, better problem solving and a better view of the world we live in. I was privileged to have worked with aid organisations in parts of the world that don’t have the same opportunities as we do here in NI. To help communities (many in conflict or war) develop and see the benefits of working together was an experience that will stay with me forever; in business, we are the sum of all our parts and this should be reflected and positively encouraged.

Stairway to Seven

My seven steps for business success

5. PACE

David Tighe is the Managing Director of Bauer Media NI, the largest radio group in NI (the home of Cool FM, Downtown Radio and Downtown Country). Bauer Media operate with a HQ in Hamburg and are present in eight countries (the most recent country added was the Republic of Ireland with the purchase of Communicorp). Having previously worked in media at MD/CEO level in both GB and RoI, and in media development with governments around the world, David brings a wealth of experience in strategy, commercial and audience development, digital innovation, corporate social responsibility and political engagement. Bauer Media NI provide local, national and international clients with a full set of traditional and digital advertising solutions as well as making a significant contribution to the life and fabric of NI society, reaching 731,000 listeners a week on the air as well as their highly engaged and vast online audiences.

6. HONESTY AND EMPATHY

Media is a fast-paced environment, so the ability to move ahead quickly and deal with multiple issues efficiently is a benefit. I think pace in a business is a good thing; it could also be termed as energy or an endearing commitment to move things forward every week or even every day. To have a team of people who are hungry to improve themselves and the business, and who constantly look for improvements and new ways of doing things brings great energy, creativity and momentum to any business. This ultimately means the business and those in it are always improving.

Some of the most valuable attributes of any leader are honesty and authenticity. I try to be both at all times. Being transparent with people is a positive in my mind. We all like to know where we stand and how we can improve and indeed, when we have done something well. Having the courage to be honest is a great characteristic for any leader, but it must be done with humility and empathy.

7. EDUCATION WITHOUT ACTION IS ENTERTAINMENT – KEEP ON LEARNING AND KEEP ON DOING The world is changing at a rapid pace and the last 12 months have accelerated those developments even faster. Being open to new ideas, new ways of operating, emerging technology and innovative methods of management are a real plus in my mind. However, in my career, I have been in many learning environments where everyone leaves, and nothing changes or is implemented as a result of that education. I love the phrase “education without action is entertainment” and for me, this really means that we must take all opportunities of learning (an input) and back it up with action (an output) otherwise it’s a wasted opportunity. Keep on learning and importantly, keep on “doing” – the result of that learning.

1. POSITIVE MINDSET

I try hard to remain positive at all times; this may be harder than it looks! However, finding the positives in whatever happens helps us to push on, or reappraise a situation. John C Maxwell wrote a book called “Sometimes You Win, Sometimes You Learn” and I love the way this phrase encapsulates learning from the toughest of situations and improving yourself as you move forward. In business, I believe you make better decisions from a positive mindset and teams work better with encouragement and optimism. I actually started my career in comedy, so I think it’s always a good idea to retain a sense of humour and fun in what you do.

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04/10/2021 14:20

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Remembering Wali Bill Roy discusses his hopes and fears for the people of Afghanistan, as he remembers Wali Ahmad Nassiri.

could be. His enthusiasm was infectious, it made me feel that my work with him and the others was a joyful and immensely rewarding experience. I’m sure I got more than I gave.

ou won’t have heard the name Wali Ahmad Nassiri before. He lives and works in Kabul with his wife and children who are very precious to him. Wali is a special guy – intelligent, passionate, considerate and filled with optimism. He’s what we might call in these parts “a breath of fresh air.” Wali is a sales manager for a power generation company who have their headquarters in Kabul as well as an extensive network of offices all over Afghanistan including Helmand and Kandahar. As the news from Afghanistan unfolded over the past days, I found myself thinking a lot about Wali and all of the other great people from Afghanistan – all of them proud and passionate – that I’ve had the privilege of working with during my career. Official records show that more than 7000 people have died from COVID-19 in the past year in Afghanistan, but that didn’t make it onto any news programmes or newspapers. The numbers might even seem insignificant in the grand scheme of things and in the context of a global pandemic. Long before the ravages of COVID, though, Afghanistan was getting back on its feet with many heart-warming stories of progress, new-found freedoms and restoration. Who hasn’t been moved and disturbed by the recent pictures from Kabul International Airport as so many people stretch and strain in desperation for a way out? Proud and wonderful people now gripped by uncertainty, anxiety and fear. When I think about our challenges in this small corner of the world, the pettiness, the stubbornness and the seeming inability (or unwillingness) to find flexibility, understanding, vision and grace, I feel a real sense of shame. We have so much to be grateful for, so much to look forward to – such great potential for the future. A far cry from the poor but proud people of Afghanistan. I understood many years ago that having the opportunity to travel and work alongside people from different countries, climates and cultures is such a powerful opportunity to be educated, challenged and changed. Some of the qualities demonstrated by Wali and his compatriots are worthy of our consideration – especially, I would suggest, in the context of leading others.

3. Faith. Their faith was important but never imposed. They had faith in each other and faith in me to take them further on their journey of development. Their religious and cultural journey was a world away from my own but I found them to be consistently genuine and always authentic. They were gracious and inclusive in all of their encounters with me, both professionally and socially. 4. Gratitude. Wali and all of the others were clearly very proud of their identity and their homeland. They were among some of the more fortunate, having secured good jobs and their gratitude was tangible, now able to provide for their immediate and extended families. Grateful, too, that there could be a better future for their children. 5. Generosity. A generosity of spirit probably best encapsulates so much of what I’ve said already. It has always amazed me that some of the poorest people I have met around the world are also the most generous This spirit of generosity permeated all of our encounters and exchanges, a commitment to always look for and find the best in other people is surely (or should be) at the core of every leader’s philosophy. Arguably those all-important results usually take care of themselves when we take care of the basics. As I sign off, it is with genuine concern but also with hopefulness that things might be different this time around for my Afghan friends, that they too will discover that hope trumps fear and that this flame will not be extinguished in the uncertain months ahead.

“We have so much to be grateful for, so much to look forward to – such great potential for the future. A far cry from the poor but proud people of Afghanistan.”

1. Humility. In all of my interactions, every hour we spent together, I was challenged by their humility. Such great willingness, openness and a genuine vulnerability. I sometimes felt a sense of guilt that I, too, was still trying to work leadership out and yet they showed me such honour, respect and appreciation. I didn’t deserve it. 2. Enthusiasm. Wali was hungry for learning, he was so committed to growing as a manager of others. He wanted to be the best he

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EM B ARK ON YOUR

WorkplacE Wellness JO U RNE Y GALGORM.COM PAGE17.indd 1

09/09/2021 10:00

FEATURE

From Factory Floor To Board Room A career spanning over three decades will undoubtedly bring various changes. Yet for Ulster Carpets’ Adrian Maney, a number of important constants remain unchangeable. Adrian joined Ulster Carpets in 1987 as a creeler and weaver. In the following years he took on various supervisory and managerial roles, including at the company’s former facilities in Durban, South Africa, where he witnessed the end of Apartheid. These roles provided Adrian with extensive experience in weaving, warehouse, operational support and distribution, while his knowledge of the overall workings of the company was provided during a three-year project to develop and implement the company’s then state-of-the-art computer system. He was promoted to Director for Logistics, Customer & Operational Support Director in 2019 and then to his current role as Operations Director in June 2021, showing how, at Ulster, there are opportunities to move from the factory floor to the board room. “It proves there is no glass ceiling here,” Adrian added. “The company gives you opportunities to take on new roles and responsibilities and there is an ethos of promoting from within. We feel it is important that we develop people and we value experience. “My current role is varied but, because I have worked in so many different departments, I have a better understanding of the unique challenges everyone faces. I try to take a balanced approach and I truly believe that communication with everyone is important.”

he Operations Director is now in his 35th year at Ulster Carpets and he views the quality of product and service as the two essential factors in driving the company’s global success. Added to that is Ulster’s constant focus on innovation that has made them world leaders in luxury Axminster and Wilton carpets. Adrian explained, “The company never stands still and is always looking to improve. Even in the early days that was the case with the development of new technology. This is still in place today and we’re looking forward to introducing our new high-speed looms soon, which we have developed ourselves. “This all adds to the quality and service we can deliver. We are working in a highly competitive market and, time and again, it is the quality of our carpets and the high standards of our service that has secured orders.” In other companies, Adrian’s length of service would be considered out of the ordinary; but at Ulster Carpets it is the norm. Every year, the company present multiple staff members with a 25 year Sovereign in recognition of their service.

“The company gives you opportunities to take on new roles and responsibilities and there is an ethos of promoting from within. We feel it is important that we develop people and we value experience.”

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09/09/2021 11:35

THE RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS AWARDS IN NORTHERN IRELAND 2021 Celebrating transformational stories of businesses taking real action to support their people, protect and enhance the planet, and tackle some of the biggest social issues in the places in which they operate.

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03/09/2021 09:10:58 08/09/2021 14:36

FEATURE

A Glass Act It’s been a busy year for Encirc. With ambitious plans to lead the decarbonisation of container glass, Encirc’s plant in County Fermanagh is playing a global role in shaping the future of sustainable packaging. Ambition caught up with Managing Director Adrian Curry to learn more.

ne thing we have always excelled at here at Encirc is being a disrupter. From our entry into the container glass industry in 1998 to the innovations we have since led, we are very much known as game-changers in our sector. That ethos is now being applied to sustainability. Like all packaging materials, glass is very much at a crossroads. It is a fantastic, infinitely recyclable and natural material. But we know the industry needs to decarbonise to secure its future. At Encirc, we firmly believe in leading that change. Sustainability is not as simple as just focusing on reducing our carbon footprint. We need to look at the bigger picture. We also want to create the world’s most ethically responsible containers, which means working within our four core pillars: people, place, planet and prosperity. Sustainability is the connection of the four pillars, which together form our Glass Made Good strategy. For the past twenty years, our business has focused on both economic and environmental sustainability and our planet-first operations have been key to our growth. In order to be truly successful as a business and to create a great future for our people, our customers, stakeholders and the communities we call home must all benefit from our prosperity. Our success as a business can only truly be measured by our impact on those around us. Looking at how we can decarbonise the way that glass is melted is at the very core of our plans, as that is the most carbon-intensive element of what we do.

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07/09/2021 15:53

Encirc’s Managing Director, Adrian Curry.

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07/09/2021 15:53

In 2019, we reengineered the last remaining heavy fuel oil furnace in our business, at our Derrylin plant, switching it to gas. Heavy fuel oil is more polluting, so the switch to gas was one we were keen to make. However, we knew we could do more and that this was just the first step on our path to becoming a Net Zero container glass industry. This year our Derrylin plant demonstrated to the world what was possible. We created the world’s most sustainable bottles in a biofuel trial held at the plant in January 2021. The success of this trial was celebrated by all and major brands went on to sell the containers as the most sustainable ever to be created. As a result, the trial will now be a regular campaign, demonstrating that ultra-low carbon glass at scale is very possible. It has also opened up the possibility of running furnaces in the longterm using sustainable biomethane gas.

As part of the initial trial, working closely with industry research body Glass Futures, we made bottles using 100% recycled glass and energy from burning ultra-low-carbon biofuels. The biofuel that we used is a wastebased fatty acid methyl ester, better known as biodiesel. The fuel was produced from UK tallow, as this was deemed the most sustainable and ethical to use. The use of this renewable biofuel and the recycled glass reduced the carbon footprint of each bottle by up to 90%. It truly was a momentous occasion for glass. For myself, it was fantastic recognition of the growth of our Derrylin plant and its significance in our overall business, as well as the expertise of our team as we plot a sustainable course towards a Net Zero future. Derrylin is also playing an important role in enhancing our business USP as being the only

complete beverage supply chain for container glass in the world. Many of the bottles made in the plant are transported to our sister plant in Cheshire where they are filled with wine in our onsite filling hall. The filled bottles are then sent directly onto retailers. The business model has changed the game in terms of container glass in the UK and gives brands significant sustainability savings. The future for all major manufacturers is filled with immense challenges in this area. By placing sustainability at the heart of what it does,combined with the drive and commitment of our great people, I have no doubt that Derrylin will continue to lead our industry and set the standard for others to follow.

“For the past twenty years, our business has focused on both economic and environmental sustainability and our planet-first operations have been key to our growth. In order to be truly successful as a business and to create a great future for our people, our customers, stakeholders and the communities we call home must all benefit from our prosperity. Our success as a business can only truly be measured by our impact on those around us.” 22

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09/09/2021 11:46

Columnist Kate Marshall Coach, Speaker, Author, Facilitator

Going For Gold T he Tokyo Olympics have just recently finished, and I have to say I was in awe of those brilliant young athletes who qualified to compete, as well as those who won medals and were on the podium. It’s such a powerful moment, seeing medal winners stand in the limelight as they’re rewarded for years of sacrifice, commitment, discipline, and training. The emotional toll on many of the athletes was obvious and we applauded the courage of Simone Biles who withdrew from the vault and uneven bar apparatus finals as she wrestled with mental health issues. She went on to win medals, however her most powerful statement was the act of stepping back. She said, “I think it shows the power of the athlete in protecting my mental well-being”. The controversial Piers Morgan had to backtrack when he commented on twitter that bronze medals were hardly worth celebrating when he later posted a message of congratulations to 13-year-old skateboarder Sky Brown who won bronze – and I should think so, too. I watched the talented skateboarder and couldn’t believe someone so young was performing at that level representing Team GB. But not everyone won a medal, and it could be argued, worked just as hard, with as much dedication for as many years. It got me thinking about how we recognise effort and dedication and celebrate success. Often there are many unsung heroes in our businesses who don’t get the recognition they deserve and are perhaps struggling to keep energy and motivation high. These hard working, dedicated, disciplined, methodical unsung heroes are often personally invested in what they do. They’re in it for the long haul, often sacrificing personal time and they are not motivated just by the prospect of their own success, but by that of others. Recently for many leaders, keeping their business safe, operating and thriving has been a real challenge. It’s been a hard slog, taking immense amounts of time and money, and a toll on mental health. I read a recent article in the New York times by Adam Grant titled “There is a name for the blah you are feeling, and it’s called Languishing.” He explains, “languishing is not burn out or depression, just a sense of stagnation or emptiness. You don’t have symptoms of mental illness, but you are not the picture of mental health and have a sense that you are not functioning at full capacity.” Languishing is the neglected middle child of mental health, and it seems to be the common state as we head towards the end of 2021. I’ve seen it in the eyes and heard it in the tired voices of many leaders and friends in the past 20 months. So how can we address this? I have some suggestions. In his article, Adam talks about getting into flow. Flow is a place where you are fully emersed on a project or task and lose sense of time and external pressure.

To get into flow we must be able to block out the noise and busyness of life. In flow, things seem easy and effortless. 2. For many years I’ve taught and encouraged leaders to create uninterrupted time. I call it “Red time”. A time when you are not available to others. A time for you to work on what’s important to you, both in business and personally. Stephen Coveys calls it the priority management Quadrant 2 with the 80/20 principle applied. This is where 20% of your time gives you 80% of your results, thus creating a sense of completion and getting important things done. Looking after your mental, physical health and your personal relationships should always be a Q2 activity. 3. Make good choices over who you spend time with. We know we are greatly impacted by the quality/attitude of the people around us. Ensure you spend time with people who give you energy not drain you of energy. Prioritise time with them; these are often the people we care most about and who most care about us. With many of us recognising this Languishing state in ourselves and others around us, be careful not to fall into a pit of despair. 4. Finally, be an energy giver, look for, seek out and recognise the unsung heroes around you. Look around you, your bosses, your colleagues, the team members you delegate to. Include your family and friends. Who would you award a medal to in your life? Who doesn’t always get the recognition they deserve? How can you appreciate them more? These people are often the real heroes who quietly get on with things with determination and grit. They are not just going for gold, but they are worth their weight in gold.

“Languishing is the neglected middle child of mental health, and it seems to be the common state as we head towards the end of 2021. I’ve seen it in the eyes and heard it in the tired voices of many leaders and friends in the past 20 months.”

1. Work out what allows you to get into flow, that place where you can focus and lose yourself in the task or activity at hand.

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09/09/2021 16:15

AC T I V E LY, P R AC T I CA LLY, W E ’ LL H E LP YO U T H R I V E AG A I N

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04/11/2020 16:42:07

UPDATE NI Chamber Chief’s

During such an uncertain period, NI Chamber is committed to helping you and your business deal with the current situation and the challenges ahead. NI Chamber Chief Executive Ann McGregor provides an overview of what’s coming up and what’s taken place recently.

fter a period of intense challenge, the NI Chamber team has witnessed a renewed air of optimism among our members over the summer months. It’s something we are pleased to witness and like businesses across Northern Ireland, while challenges remain, at NI Chamber we are now really focused on opportunity. We are advocates of life-long learning here and September is an opportune time for everyone in businesses to look at their own training and development needs. The chance to learn new skills is itself an opportunity for both individuals and employers, so I encourage everyone to take time over the next few weeks to assess what their needs are and identify the solutions which exist. Our own Business Support team has worked hard to develop a suite of learning opportunities, designed specifically to meet the needs of member businesses. The prospectus covers everything from sales and digital strategy, to technical training on customs declarations, commodity codes and Incoterms. All of these courses will be delivered online by experts, in short, sharp and practical sessions. Do take a look at the full prospectus: you can download this from our website or contact a member of the team directly and they will be happy to help. We have also launched a new calendar of events and programmes, designed to help members to grow by seizing opportunity. For example, September’s International Collaborative Forum is focusing specifically on trading with the USA, while October’s Business Breakfast Series with Bank of Ireland is about the important role of marketing

in local and international business growth. Plans for our annual Meet the Buyer in November are at an advanced stage, and we will shortly be inviting companies with large procurement

“Our own Business Support team has worked hard to develop a suite of learning opportunities, designed specifically to meet the needs of member businesses” needs to meet with members of the local supply chain. That is a fantastic opportunity for buyers and suppliers to make very valuable connections and forge fruitful relationships, so please do get involved. Last but my no means least, I want to extend a very warm welcome to the new members who have joined NI Chamber over the summer season. NI Chamber is 100% funded by members and everything we do is in your interest. I hope that membership of our organisation provides you with many opportunities to learn, network, influence and promote your business and, as a team, we look forward to helping you make that happen.

NEW CORPORATE MEMBERS

NEW GROWTH MEMBERS

NEW ESSENTIAL MEMBERS

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

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09/09/2021 11:39

NI CHAMBER NEWS

NI Chamber Welcomes New Board Members NI Chamber has announced the appointment of two new board members. Peter Russell, Managing Director of CANCOM Ireland and Professor Mark Gillan, Interim Belfast Digital Innovation Commissioner at Belfast City Council, will contribute to the leadership and strategic direction of the membership and business support organisation. Peter Russell joined CANCOM Ireland as Managing Director in January 2021 and holds responsibility for its business on the Island of Ireland. CANCOM Ireland is part of CANCOM UK&I, previously a subsidiary of CANCOM Group, until it was acquired by Telefónica Tech in July 2021. Prior to this, he held leadership positions with technology companies including Microsoft and BT. In 2017, he was appointed Sales and Marketing Director at Neueda,

NI Chamber President Paul Murnaghan (centre) with Peter Russell (left) and Mark Gillan (right).

becoming Managing Director in 2019. Peter has also held third sector roles including being a former member of the Simon Community’s Corporate Fundraising Committee. Mark Gillan started his career in aerospace, before spending 15 years in engineering leadership roles within Formula One, including as head of the race team at Williams F1.He went on to become CTO of Innovate UK, overseeing an annual funding portfolio of over £0.35B. In his previous role as Chief Operations Officer for Artemis Technologies, Mark led the technical, manufacturing and services side of the business, whose mission is to lead the decarbonisation of the maritime

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sector. He is a Chartered Engineer, Fellow of the Royal Aero Society and a Visiting Professor of both Surrey and Ulster Universities. Welcoming them, NI Chamber’s Chief Executive, Ann McGregor said: “We are delighted to welcome two new board members of such calibre to NI Chamber. Peter and Mark bring a wealth of local and global business experience to this organisation. Their expertise in digital transformation and high-performance technological engineering brings a new dimension to our board and will be of enormous benefit to our members in all sectors across Northern Ireland.”

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07/09/2021 16:09

NI CHAMBER NEWS

Pictured are Christopher Morrow, Head of Communications and Policy at NI Chamber and Olivia Stewart, Communications Manager at NI Chamber.

Businesses Invited to Enter NI Chamber Awards Businesses across the province are invited to submit their entries to the NI Chamber Business Awards. With five categories, including a new one specifically celebrating green business initiatives, the awards recognise and reward Northern Ireland’s leading exporters, entrepreneurs and companies which prioritise diversity and inclusion. Category winners will go on to represent Northern Ireland at the British Chambers of Commerce national awards ceremony in December. The categories are The Planet Saver, a new category rewarding sustainable best practice; The Game Changer, recognising an entrepreneur who has transformed an idea into a successful, sustainable business; The Global Player, celebrating a business that has grown significantly internationally; The Problem Solver, for businesses which have transformed a product/service or the market they operate in and The Equality Trailblazer, open to any organisation which champions diversity and promotes inclusion.

Encouraging member businesses to submit their entries before the deadline on Monday 27 September, Christopher Morrow, Head of Communications and Policy at NI Chamber said: “Entering the Chamber Business Awards is an ideal way for our members to earn recognition for the innovative projects and new business wins they have been working on, even in the most challenging of circumstances. More than ever, businesses deserve to be celebrated for what they have achieved. These awards are open to member organisations working across all sectors of the economy and we look forward to receiving their entries soon.” The Chamber Business Awards are open to all NI Chamber members and are free for them to enter. Nomination forms can be downloaded from the NI Chamber website and should be returned on or before the submission deadline, which is 5pm on Monday 27 September 2021. Winners will be announced on Monday 4 October 2021.

NI Chamber Champion to Lift Trophy at Annual Golf Day

Pictured (L-R) are Valerie Reid (Director, Forde May Consulting), Ann McGregor (Chief Executive, NI Chamber) and Gerry May (Managing Director, Forde May Consulting).

NI Chamber is set to host its popular Annual Golf Day on Friday 17 September, in partnership with Forde May Consulting. Over 100 members of the business community will tee off at NI Chamber’s first in person event of 2021, which is taking place at the prestigious Malone Golf Club. The golf day is designed for NI Chamber members to build networks and make connections in a relaxed setting, whilst competing to win the coveted Forde May Perpetual Golf Challenge Trophy. The perpetual cup honours the late Dr Forde May who founded the executive recruitment company in Belfast over 20 years ago. It has grown to become Northern Ireland’s longest standing executive recruitment company. The NI Chamber Annual Golf Day is currently sold out and a waiting list is in place. To be added to the reserve list, please contact Eva.Toal@northernirelandchamber.com

28 30

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09/09/2021 11:40

NI CHAMBER NEWS

Conference to Host a Perfect Blend of Digital and Business Leaders Transformative leadership and digital innovation are set to be the key topics of conversation at NI Chamber’s upcoming Annual Conference. The event, which is supported by headline sponsor Dublin Airport and supporting sponsor, Belfast City Council, takes place online on Wednesday 15 September between 10am12 noon. It is free to attend and business people from across Northern Ireland are invited to register now. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn from Jason Spencer, Business Development Director at ITV, who will share transferable insights into innovation and growth. Colin McClean, Founder and Managing Director of coffee chain Bob & Berts will discuss the company’s growth story and how it has embraced digital diversification. There will also be an opportunity to hear from Helen Houghton and Jo-Ann Feely, AMS who will cover the emerging trends in talent acquisition and what is now important to the workforce. This will be complemented by insights from Celine Doyle (Dublin Airport), Louise Turley (NI Chamber) and Vincent Harrison (Dublin Airport).

Celine Doyle, Head of Human Resources at Dublin Airport, who will discuss trends in hybrid working and what they mean for organisations which prioritise talent retention. The event will be hosted by David Meade. Vincent Harrison, Managing Director of Headline Sponsor Dublin Airport commented: “Dublin Airport is delighted to once again be headline Sponsor of the NI Chamber Annual Conference. Northern Ireland is a key market for Dublin Airport and this fantastic event provides a great opportunity to engage with the business community, particularly after the challenges of the last 18 months due to the Covid-19 Pandemic. Wishing the NI Chamber team a successful event and we look forward to a morning of networking, engagement and a great line up of speakers.”

Colin McClean (Bob & Berts), Louise Turley (NI Chamber) and Councillor George Dorrian (Belfast City Council).

AWARE Nominated Charity of the Year partnership between AWARE NI and NI Chamber. We look forward to working together over the next year to raise vital funds and awareness for mental health services here in Northern Ireland.”

NI Chamber has announced AWARE as its nominated Charity of the Year. Over the past ten years, NI Chamber has raised over £120,000 for local charities including Samaritans, NI Hospice, Prince’s Trust and Age NI. This year, NI Chamber President Paul Murnaghan has pledged his support to AWARE, which delivers mental health support, outreach and wellbeing programmes for people right across Northern Ireland. Announcing the chosen charity, Paul Murnaghan said: “It’s important that that the role of NI Chamber President supports not only businesses but also society generally. That is why the Charity of the Year partnership is so important. “AWARE does outstanding work for people and families across Northern Ireland and its services play a crucial role in supporting with depression. I am very proud to lend my support to the charity and there will be a number of opportunities for NI Chamber members to do the same, throughout the year.” NI Chamber’s Annual Golf Day will host the first fundraising activity as part of the new partnership. Ahead of the event, Clare Galbraith, Head of Fundraising at AWARE NI said: “We are delighted to have been selected as the newest NI Chamber President’s Charity. With the organisation of their Annual Golf Day on 17 September, the team have already made a great start to what we predict to be a very successful

NI Chamber Chief Executive Ann McGregor (left) and President Paul Murnaghan (centre) with Clare Galbraith, Head of Fundraising at AWARE NI (right).

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10/09/2021 10:09

NI CHAMBER NEWS

Cause For Optimism as NI’s • • • • • •

Business confidence improved strongly in Q2 2021 More businesses are now making plans to invest, particularly manufacturers 67% believe that NI’s status post-Brexit presents opportunities for the region 34% saw an increase in domestic (UK) sales in Q2 2021 62% of businesses are trying to recruit 62% of manufacturers and 57% of services are feeling pressure to raise prices

Northern Ireland’s economic recovery strengthened during Q2 2021 with signs of confidence returning to both the manufacturing and services sectors, according to the latest Quarterly Economic Survey from NI Chamber and BDO. The summer report showed that one year since the pandemic

struck, most key indicators around domestic sales, exports and jobs have continued to show signs of improvement from their historic low in Q2 2020. Confidence and investment intentions More businesses are now making plans to invest, particularly manufacturers. In Q2 2021, the investment in plant and machinery balance was +16% for manufacturing and +6% for services. This compares to a series low last year of –52% for manufacturing and –62% for services. Intentions to invest in training have also improved, with balances of +26% for manufacturing and +10% for services in Q2 2021. Rising prices Price pressures came to the fore during the first quarter of 2021 and have been magnified Ann McGregor, Brian Murphy and Christopher Morrow.

during Q2. In fact, the survey findings indicate that expectations to raise prices are currently the highest on record. 62% of manufacturers and 57% of service businesses who responded to this survey are feeling pressure to raise prices. Recruitment Recruitment activity continued to improve in Q2 2021, now surpassing pre-COVID levels. In Q2 2021, 62% of businesses said they were trying to recruit. This is compared to just 21% of service businesses and 27% of manufacturers in Q2 2020. Trade During Q2, 29% of members said that their business has adapted well to new trading arrangements, up from 15% in Q1. Almost a third (32%) are finding new trading arrangements difficult, compared to 41% in Q1.There is a core of around 15% of businesses who are finding the new trading arrangements very challenging. The findings show that new arrangements have had a negative impact on trade for some businesses. Twenty-four per cent of members stated that the new arrangements have had a major negative impact on trade with Great Britain, up from 18% in Q1. In general, the impact on trade with other jurisdictions – including the Republic of Ireland and the rest of the world – has been more negative than positive, although around 25% of members say that the new trading arrangements have positively impacted on trade within Northern Ireland. Two in three members (67%) believe that Northern Ireland’s unique status post-Brexit presents opportunities for the region, and 47% believe that Northern Ireland’s trading status will present opportunities for their business going forward. These figures reflect very similar views in the Q1 2021 survey.

Commenting on the findings, Ann McGregor, Chief Executive of NI Chamber, said: “Our survey findings confirm that Northern Ireland’s economic recovery is gaining momentum and, while it is good to see, we must be mindful that it is coming from a very low base. Businesses are also facing significant pressure to raise prices for a variety of reasons including raw material cost increases, bottlenecks in supply chains caused by COVID-19, as well as cost and administrative burdens arising from new trading arrangements. There is a danger of persistent inflation, which is bad for businesses and consumers. However, we hope these price pressures will be a largely temporary phenomenon as some sense

of normality returns after the extreme challenges of the last year and a half. “Brexit has been challenging for a number of firms but the outlook appears to be improving, with more companies reporting that they are adapting. Any change of trading arrangements of this magnitude will inevitably present issues during transition. However, this survey shows that, ultimately, businesses see the benefits of Northern Ireland’s unique position. They now need the support of a stable government to capitalise on the opportunities we now have to trade with other countries, which should be central to our growth strategy.”

Ann McGregor, Chief Executive of NI Chamber.

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07/09/2021 16:09

NI CHAMBER NEWS

Economic Recovery Gathers Pace face of dealing with the disruption of COVID-19 and Brexit. Throughout the pandemic we have seen how important it is to have the Executive in place. Our Ministers have worked hard and they have listened to the business community. Recent announcements such as the investment of £180m in new traineeships, the launch of the NIDAKS scheme for aviation and the review of licensing laws will certainly provide a helping hand to our economy. These examples alone demonstrate the need for our Executive and how it listens tonorthernirelandchamber.com the business community. We urge them to continue to listen and to act, although we are seeing some rays of light, we aren’t Business Performance quite out of the woods yet.

ANALYSIS BY BRIAN MURPHY, MANAGING PARTNER, BDO NORTHERN IRELAND

Quarterly Economic Survey

I am delighted to see that the latest Quarterly Economic Survey is showing real signs of positivity and confidence in our Q2 2021 economic future. There’s no doubt that there are still concerns within the business community, but for the first time in many months, these are outweighed by the building momentum of the recovery. We must always remember that what Recovery strengthens we have experienced over the last year has Pressure to raise prices in Q2 21 and business not been a “market failure”, it has been highest on record driven by a most dreadful pandemic. As the confidence starts 60% feel under pressure to raise Q2 2021 restrictions have eased, the economy has Q2 to return prices in the next 3 months Q2 2021 2021 been able to restart and, in many cases, this Q2 2021 Q2 2021 restart has been on a better footing than Business Performance Breakdown & Sector Performance Business Business Performance Performance before. Business Performance Business Performance increased UK sales (34%) in last 3 months compared More businesses are now reporting More businesses now reporting Recovery strengthens Pressure to raise prices Recovery strengthens been falling (24%) Pressure to raise prices increased UK sales (34%) in the last threeto those where sales have Recovery strengthens in Q2 21 and business Pressure toon raise prices highest record Recovery strengthens in Q2 21 and business Pressure to raise prices highest on record inalbeit Q2 21 and business months compared to those where sales 63% are trying to recruit Recovery strengthens confidence starts highest on record 70% arebusiness experiencing recruitment difficulties Pressure to raise prices in Q2 21 and confidence starts 60% feel under pressure to raise highest on record confidence starts 60% feel in under pressure to raise in Q2 21 and business to return are falling (24%). Confidence is returning prices theon next 3 months highest record 60% feel under pressure to raise confidence starts to return prices in the next 3 months 60% feel under pressure to raise to return In manufacturing, sales andconfidence order books starts are strengthening with a renewedprices confidence in the next 3 months and even investment prospects indicators, 60% feel in under pressure to raise to return prices the next 3 months Breakdown & Sector Performance in turnover expectations and more manufacturers operating at full capacity (44%) to return prices in the next 3 months which had been particularly badly hit, are Breakdown & Sector Performance Breakdown & Sector Performance More businesses now reporting increased UK& sales (34%) inPerformance last 3 months compared Breakdown Sector now positive. The share of businesses In services, the position has improved remains weak, particularly in a Moretrading businesses now reporting increased UKbut sales (34%) inPerformance last 3 months compared Breakdown & Sector to those where sales been increased falling (24%) More businesses nowhave reporting UK sales (34%) in last 3 months compared to those where sales have been falling (24%) operating at full capacity has almost More businesses now reporting increased UK sales (34%) in last 3 months compared UK context, although recruitment intentions are improving to those where sales have been increased falling (24%) More businesses reporting UK sales (34%) in last 3difficulties months compared 63% are tryingsales tonow recruit albeit 70% are experiencing recruitment to those have been falling (24%) doubled to 44% for manufacturing and the 63% are where tryingsales to recruit 70% are experiencing recruitment difficulties to those have albeit been falling (24%) 63% are where trying to recruit albeit 70% are experiencing recruitment difficulties In manufacturing, sales and order books are strengthening with a renewed 63% are trying to recruit albeit 70%COVID-19 are experiencing recruitment difficulties confidence service industry has increased by circa 25%. Impact In manufacturing, and order books are strengthening adifficulties renewed confidence 63% are trying tosales recruit albeit 70% are experiencing recruitment in turnover expectations and more manufacturers operating atwith full capacity (44%) In manufacturing, sales and order books are strengthening with a renewed confidence in turnover expectations and more manufacturers operating at full capacity (44%) These results are all hugely encouraging. In manufacturing, sales and books are strengthening a renewed confidence in turnover expectations and order more manufacturers operating atwith full capacity (44%) In services, the trading has improved but remainsat weak, in a 59% have traded well/reasonably during the pandemic manufacturing, sales position and order books are strengthening with aparticularly renewed confidence in turnover expectations and more manufacturers operating full capacity (44%) In services, expectations the trading position improved but remainsat weak, particularly in a It is concerning of course that many in turnover and morehas manufacturers operating full capacity (44%) UK context, the although recruitment intentions arebut improving In services, trading position has improved remains weak, particularly in a 32% have been negatively impacted but are seeing some signs of improvement UKservices, context, the although recruitment intentions arebut improving In trading position has improved remains weak, particularly in a businesses still do fear the risk of closure, UKservices, context, the although recruitment intentions arebut improving In trading position has improved remains weak, particularly in a UK context, although recruitment intentions are improving 7% are seeingUK nocontext, signs of improvement, down from 14% in Q1 21 COVID-19 Impact however it is encouraging that these although recruitment intentions are improving COVID-19 Impact COVID-19 Impact numbers are reducing as more businesses 59%ishave traded well/reasonably the pandemic 38% see COVID a bigger concern thanduring EU Exit, 24% see EUImpact Exit as a bigger concern 59% have traded well/reasonably during theCOVID-19 pandemic Impact 59% have been tradednegatively well/reasonably during theCOVID-19 pandemic 32% impacted but are seeing some signs of improvement begin to find their feet. 59% have been tradednegatively well/reasonably during the seeing pandemic 32% impacted but are some signs of improvement 32% have been negatively impacted butBrexit are signs of improvement 59% traded well/reasonably during the seeing pandemic 7% are seeing no signs of improvement, down fromsome 14% in Q1 21 Watch Brexit and the Protocol remain issues 7% are seeing signs of improvement, down fromsome 14% in Q1 21 32% have beenno negatively impacted but are seeing signs of improvement 7% of improvement, down from 14% in Q1 Exit 21 32% have beenno negatively impacted but are some signs of improvement 38%are seeseeing COVID issigns a bigger concern than EUseeing Exit, 24% see EU as a bigger concern of concern, although it is positive that 45% are adapting 7% are seeing no signs of improvement, down from 14% in Q1 21 38% see COVID is atrading bigger concern than EU Exit, 24% see EU Exit as a bigger concern to the new 38%are seeseeing COVIDnoissigns a bigger concern thandown EU Exit, 24% see 7% of improvement, from 14% inEU Q1 Exit 21 as a bigger concern 67% of businesses feel that Northern arrangements 38% but see 32% are still COVID is a bigger concern than EUBrexit Exit, 24% see EU Exit as a bigger concern Watch 38% see COVID is a bigger concern than EUBrexit Exit, 24% see EU Exit as a bigger concern Watch 67% believe there are opportunities for NI Brexit Watch Ireland’s special status provides us with finding them challenging 2021 45% are adapting to the new trading Brexit Watch 45% are adapting to theare new trading arrangements but 32% still Brexit Watch 45% are adapting to theare new trading increased costs opportunities. Furthermore, around half 56% are incurring arrangements but 32% still 67% believe there Northern are opportunities for NI different finding challenging 45% arethem adapting to theare new 2021 arrangements but 32% stilltrading 47% believe Ireland’s 67% believe there are opportunities for NI following the new trading arrangement finding challenging 45% arethem adapting to theare new trading 2021 believe it will positively impact their arrangements but 32% still 67% believe there are opportunities for NI finding challenging 56% arethem incurring increased costs 2021 status following EU Exit presents arrangements but 32% are still 67% believe there are opportunities for NI finding them challenging 56% are incurring increased costs 47% believe Northern Ireland’s different 2021 following thelost new turnover trading arrangement business. That said, respondents are 20% say that they have 56% are incurring increased costs 67% believe there are opportunities for NI 47% Northern Ireland’s different finding them challenging opportunities for their own business following the new trading arrangement 2021 statusbelieve following EU Exit presents 47% Northern Ireland’s different 56% are incurring increased costs following the new trading arrangement status following EU Exit presents and 17% have lost customers 20% say that they have lost turnover opportunities for their own business concerned about the impact of the Protocol 47% believe Northern Ireland’s different 56% are incurring increased costs status following EU Exit presents following the new trading arrangement 20% say that they have lost turnover opportunities for their own business and 17% have losttrading customers 47% believe Northern Ireland’s different status following Exit presents 20% say that they lost turnover following the new arrangement opportunities forEU their own business and 17% have losthave customers on NI’s trading reputation with GB (89%) status following Exit presents 20% say that lost turnover opportunities forEU their own business and 17% havethey losthave customers 20% say that they have lost turnover Reputational Damage from the Current Political Environment opportunities for their own business and 17% have lost customers Reputational Damage from the Current Political Environment and internationally (87%). and 17% have lost customers Reputational Reputational Damage Damage from from the the Current Current Political Political Environment Environment With the building levels of confidence Reputational Damage from the Current Political Environment Reputational Damage from the Current Political Environment and optimism that we are seeing in this 87% have concerns about damage 87% have concerns about damage quarter’s results, it is now more important 87% have concerns about damage 87% have concerns about damage to the region’s international 87% have concerns about damage than ever that we communicate to the to the region’s international 87% have concerns about damage to the region’s international toreputation the region’s international and the impact on wider world what has been achieved here to the region’s international reputation and the impact on to the region’s international reputation and the impact on and why international businesses should trade, investment and tourism reputation and the impact on reputation and the impact on trade, investment and tourism reputation and theand impact on trade, investment tourism invest in NI. We have an amazing product to trade, investment tourism trade, tourism trade,investment investment and andand tourism offer and we need to share the story of our achievements with the rest of the world. Whilst these results do show light at the end of the tunnel, it is important that our Fieldwork for the NI Chamber & BDO QES took place from 20 May to 7 June 2021. local decision makers in the NI Executive Over 200 members responded to survey during the 2nd quarter of 2021, accounting for almost 23,000 jobs continue to listen to the concerns of the Note: The ‘balance’ refers to the difference between the % of firms reporting an increase in a key indicator minus the % reporting a decrease. business community who are at the coal

Quarterly Economic Survey Quarterly Economic Survey Quarterly Economic Survey Quarterly Economic Quarterly Economic Survey Survey

northernirelandchamber.com northernirelandchamber.com northernirelandchamber.com northernirelandchamber.com northernirelandchamber.com

Fieldwork for the NI Chamber & BDO QES took place from 20 May to 7 June 2021. Fieldwork for the NI Chamber & BDO QES took place from 20 May to 7 June 2021. Over 200 members responded toChamber survey during the 2ndtook quarter offrom 2021,20 accounting for almost Fieldwork for the NI & BDO QES place May to 7 June 2021. 23,000 jobs Over 200 members responded toChamber survey during the 2ndtook quarter offrom 2021,20 accounting for almost Fieldwork for the NI & BDO QES place May to 7 June 2021. 23,000 jobs Note: The ‘balance’ refers the difference between the % during of firmsthe reporting an increase a key indicator minus23,000 the % jobs reporting a decrease. Over 200to members responded to survey 2nd quarter of 2021,inaccounting for almost Fieldwork for the NI Chamber & BDO QES took place from 20 May to 7 June 2021. Note: The ‘balance’ refers the difference between the % during of firmsthe reporting an increase a key indicator minus23,000 the % jobs reporting a decrease. Over 200to members responded to survey 2nd quarter of 2021,inaccounting for almost Note: The ‘balance’ refers to the difference between the % of firms reporting an increase in a key indicator minus the % reporting a decrease. Over 200 members responded to survey during the 2nd quarter of 2021, accounting for almost 23,000 jobs Note: The ‘balance’ refers to the difference between the % of firms reporting an increase in a key indicator minus the % reporting a decrease. Note: The ‘balance’ refers to the difference between the % of firms reporting an increase in a key indicator minus the % reporting a decrease.

PAGE26-33.indd 7

07/09/2021 16:09

NI CHAMBER NEWS

NI CHAMBER IN CONVERSATION WITH

KEVIN KINGSTON Former Chief Executive of Danske Bank.

Born in Nigeria, Kevin tells listeners: “Home is very much Northern Ireland but it did take me a few years to get here. “The family connection to Nigeria goes back to the 1920s when my grandfather went out there as a missionary. In those days, when you went out to Africa, you weren’t expected to come back, but he did. Then my parents went out in the 1960s. My father is a Methodist clergyman. My sister and I were born out there. There was a civil war in the 1960s and my mother, sister and I had to come back at short notice whilst my father stayed in Nigeria to conclude his work. In the meantime, my mother, sister and I lived in a house off the Cavehill Road.” During the episode, Kevin reflects on his career path and how he didn’t follow in the footsteps of his grandfather, father and sister. “I came from a long line of clergy but I went a different direction. I had been focusing on a career in medicine and I ended up with offers for medicine and business studies. It forced me to make a decision. Upon reflection, I wanted to study medicine because it was the toughest course, but I thought I would try something new and went into business studies and then accountancy. “I really love business – talking and learning about businesses. I’m not always great at remembering people’s names but I can remember their business.” Having joined Danske Bank (formerly Northern Bank) in 2008, Kevin explains the impact of the financial crisis. “Of course, Northern Bank and our customers were significantly impacted by the crisis but it was also a time of opportunity in many ways. Northern Bank was one of the few banks that was able to continue lending during the crisis and because of this, we were able to attract many of Northern Ireland’s best businesses to bank with us. We were able to continue to support business and that gave us a competitive advantage in those years. “That was a huge lesson for me – the opportunities that a crisis can bring and the importance of planning for a potential crisis

Kevin Kingston is the former Chief Executive of Danske Bank. Mark Devenport spoke to Kevin prior to his retirement, when he was the guest on NI Chamber’s ‘In Conversation’ podcast, delivered in association with Narratology. In episode four, Kevin speaks to Mark about redefining himself as a leader, turning crisis into opportunity and the changed culture of financial services, as well as his plans for the future and the appointment of Vicky Davies as CEO.

IN ASSOCIATION WITH NARRATOLOGY About Narratology Narratology Executive Search is a boutique headhunting firm appointing leaders to C-Suite, Director, Senior Manager and Board positions. Our expertise in managing bespoke executive recruitment solutions spans industry sectors including manufacturing, agri-food, engineering, construction,

before it happens.” Kevin shares how preparing for a crisis allowed Danske Bank to be a “force for good during the COVID pandemic”. “We had been making a number of preparations around Brexit conversations and the risk of Brexit. Those preparations stood us in good stead as we went into the COVID crisis. We were able to keep lending, which was crucial for the economy. “We provided around 5,000 mortgage payment holidays and £500 million of support through the government loan schemes. “I have to say I am so proud of what my colleagues have done over the past year. We have sought to support customers and communities across Northern Ireland.” Kevin discusses his optimism for the recovery of Northern Ireland’s economy

technology, banking, insurance, legal and professional services, healthcare, retail and wider business services. We have successfully delivered for clients from multinationals, PLCs and NI Top 100 to family-owned firms, SMEs and start-ups, introducing key executives to make individual impact and strengthen existing leadership teams.

following a demanding year. “When we look at the recovery of the economy there is a lot to be positive about. Brexit, or the fear of no-deal Brexit, is behind us and we are coming out the other side of COVID. There is a lot to be positive about. “I am not naïve, we are certainly not out of the woods yet. There is still legacy debt and that is a concern when you look at the level of debt that is still there, which is going to have to be worked though. “But on the whole, we are in a much better position than I would have predicted we were going to be in a year ago. I see more opportunities than challenges now.” Later in the episode, Kevin considers the digital transformation of banking. “It is arguable that as a bank, we are now more of an IT business than a bank.

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07/09/2021 16:09

NI CHAMBER NEWS

Narratology understands the sensitivity and discretion required in approaching often complex assignments and in engaging with senior level candidates. We are committed to successful outcomes and a positive experience for all. We have the capability to recruit for corporate and industry-specific specialisms for roles in Northern Ireland and further

afield, with the local understanding to truly appreciate our clients and their cultures.

A lot of my conversations are about APIs [application programming interfaces] and cybersecurity, but also digital transformation and how that has been driven by changing customer expectations. We all expect delivery of services in a convenient way and banks need to respond to that.” Kevin also shares some of the measures Danske Bank has implemented to tackle sustainability and climate change. “We have trained 500 people in climate change and sustainability and have launched a new Danske Climate Action Programme in conjunction with Business in the Community. This is aimed at helping businesses figure out their own climate change strategy through a series of workshops.” Looking to the future of Danske Bank, Kevin talks about his own plans for

retirement and the appointment of Vicky Davies as the bank’s first female CEO. “I like to think of it as a restructuring of my working week,” he says. “I am delighted that Vicky is going to be taking over. Having worked with her for many years, she and I have very much set the strategy. I know she will take it forward on the same basis and will bring a huge injection of energy. I am looking forward to watching the business continue to thrive under her leadership.” Kevin concludes the episode by providing leadership advice to his younger self. “During those early years in my career, I spent too much time worrying about things that I wasn’t good at as opposed to the things that I could do. “I have learnt that a leader doesn’t have to be good at everything. My job is to put together a great team of people around

For further information please contact Ruth McDonald MD at r.mcdonald@ narratologyexec.com or on 02890446336

me and to create the opportunity for those people to succeed and thrive. And that’s what leadership is about.” Episode four of the ‘In Conversation’ podcast is available to listen to now on the NI Chamber website, as well as on Spotify, iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Hosted by Mark Devenport

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07/09/2021 16:10

FEATURE

Driving Digital Transformation in the Agri-Food Sector

By Hazel Peavoy, Strategic Business Manager, Walton Institute.

tories about transformational innovation are more believable and compelling when they involve an urgent and escalating issue. Ireland’s Agriculture sector competes not on quantity, but on quality. With an ever increasing demand on food production, to help feed the worlds growing population, we are starting to see the pressure this is placing on our natural environment.

DEMETER pilot farmer.

The current pandemic has led to the wide recognition of the importance of digital transformation for our immediate economic recovery and future resilience. With a strong focus on reshaping the agri-food sector through the use of agricultural technologies (AgriTech), with applications of intelligent secure Internet of Things (IoT) networks, artificial intelligence (AI), high performance computing (HPC) and a strong focus on datadriven analytical techniques. The Irish Government recently announced funding of €40 million for a north-south research programme under the Shared Island Fund. The package is intended to support deepening links between higher education institutions (HEIs), researchers and research communities on the island of Ireland – and is the single largest allocation from the €500 million fund to date. The aim is to build on the cooperation which already exists between partner institutions on the issues that matter to us including agriculture and food product development. Walton Institute is an internationally recognised centre of excellence for ICT research and innovation and one of the most successful ICT research centres in Ireland, securing funding of €120 million under EU Programmes. As a multidisciplinary ICT centric research institute, Walton Institute’s research vision is to utilise ICT that can be expanded towards various applications including future healthcare, transport, environmental protection, cybersecurity, energy and agriculture. The precision agriculture specialist area within Walton Institute focuses on investigating novel paradigms of how technology will transform food production to meet humanity’s demands in the future. The team at Walton works on both national

and international projects, applying their expertise to areas of great impact, ranging from novel communication paradigms that will derive and relay information about dairy farming, interoperable smart farming-IoT based platforms, to the digitisation of Europe’s agricultural sector by fostering an Irish ecosystem that will contribute to innovative excellence, sustainability and success. DEMETER DEMETER is a Horizon 2020 project which aims to lead the digital transformation of Europe’s agri-food sector through the rapid adoption of advanced IoT technologies, data science and smart farming, ensuring its long-term viability and sustainability. Twenty real-world pilot projects are running within DEMETER and grouped into five pilot clusters: arable crops, irrigated crops, fruit and vegetable production, livestock, and the supply chain. These pilots, running in 18 European countries, demonstrate and evaluate how agricultural innovations benefit from interoperability mechanisms. Led by Walton Institute, the project consists of 60 partners bringing together farmers and farmers’ organisations, academic institutions, and small and large public and private organisations representing the demand and supply side of the agricultural value chain. For more information, visit www.h2020-demeter.eu SmartAgriHubs SmartAgriHubs is a €20m H2020 project that aims to realise the digitisation of European agriculture by fostering an agricultural innovation ecosystem dedicated to excellence, sustainability and success. The consortium of over 164 partners in the European agri-food sector includes a diverse network of startups, SMEs, business and service providers,

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07/09/2021 16:13

FEATURE

technology experts and end-users. The development and adoption of digital solutions is achieved by a tight ecosystem of 140 Digital Innovation Hubs embedded within 9 Regional Clusters. Walton are the Regional Cluster lead for Ireland and the UK. The SmartAgriHubs project serves as a catalyst for gamechanging innovations in smart farming techniques. It aims to deliver 80 new digital solutions to the market, raise €30M additional funding from public, regional, national and private sources, and plans to help digitise over two million farms spread across Europe. Register your organisation to join the SmartAgriHubs community via www.smartagrihubs.eu NIVA New IACS Vision in Action (NIVA) is a H2020 project that aims to modernise IACS by making efficient use of digital solutions and e-tools, by creating reliable methodologies and harmonised data sets for monitoring agricultural performance while reducing administrative burden for farmers, paying agencies and other stakeholders. Walton Institute, with their partners Teagasc and the Department of Agriculture Food & Marine (DAFM) are tasked with designing and developing an application for mobile devices to facilitate a farmer to upload a geotagged photograph as supporting evidence to scheme applications. The ‘Geotagged Photo Application’ will be an integral part of the Area Monitoring System which will be a component of the Integrated Administration & Control System in the CAP post 2020. The geo-tagged app, AgriSnap has been tested across Europe by end-users over the last 12 months and is now being used in Ireland for a new pilot scheme (REAP) for farmers and advisors to send geo-tagged photos to DAFM. The TSSG Technology Gateway The “TSSG Technology Gateway” at the Walton Institute supports start-ups, micro SMEs and scaling SMEs by delivering technology solutions through collaboration on projects which are close to the market needs of the Irish industry. Walton has a proven track record in researching and developing digital platforms, content and applications for the AgriTech space. AgriNet supply market-leading grassland, stock and accounts software that allows dairy and dry stock farmers across Ireland make the right management decisions for more profitable farming, as well as ensuring legislative compliance. The team at Walton helped porting their application to a new technology stack, adding new mapping functionality and the best approach for new application integrations. GrassTech offers a diverse range of dairy services and products to the agricultural sector which assist the progressive farmer to achieve greater productivity in their farm business. Walton focused on solutions for rendering of geo-spacial maps on mobile and desktop platforms (crossplatform), explored the existing mockups and analysed or proposed alternatives where appropriate. To learn more about the work of the Walton Institute visit www.waltoninstitute.ie

Hazel Peavoy, Strategic Business Manager, Walton Institute.

“The precision agriculture specialist area within Walton Institute focuses on investigating novel paradigms of how technology will transform food production to meet humanity’s demands in the future. The team at Walton works on both national and international projects, applying their expertise to areas of great impact, ranging from novel communication paradigms that will derive and relay information about dairy farming, interoperable smart farming-IoT based platforms, to the digitisation of Europe’s agricultural sector by fostering an Irish ecosystem that will contribute to innovative excellence, sustainability and success.” 35

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07/09/2021 16:13

Columnist Jane Shaw Elmfield

Can Building Personal Resilience Help Us Adapt to Change?

o many industries have faced unexpected challenges over the last 18 months; staff shortages, uncertain COVID regulations, price hikes in raw materials, and many more. This adds to the stress on our physical and emotional wellbeing. How can we more easily adapt to change without it detrimentally affecting our health? In biopsychosocial and trauma recovery models, the concept of developing external and internal resources is key to supporting recovery, health and wellbeing. Resources build our resilience and help us become more adaptable to change. If we are resilient to external stressors we can have more internal regulation. Internal regulation in our nervous system means we have more choice of how to respond to any given situation. I like to think of it like being a flexible (regulated) green twig that can bend and rebound under pressure, rather than a brittle, brown branch fallen to the ground that breaks easily under weight. Developing resources helps us to build resilience. Resources help us to adapt. It doesn’t mean that unprecedented prices hikes don’t affect our business; it does mean that we can stay calm and focused, allowing us to find more creative solutions and to weather the storm. So what are resources and what does it mean in practice to develop resources? Resources can be external or internal. External resources are those things outside of yourself that support you to feel better. Doing regular exercise, meditation, or yoga. Taking your dog for a walk in the evening after work. Enjoying a relaxing bath with essential oils, with the door locked so the kids can’t disturb you. Reading by an open fire. Swimming in the sea. Eating healthy food. Cuddling your favourite pet dog or cat. Internal resources are inside the body. This can take a little more time to develop as it involves training yourself to be aware of your body sensations. Example of internal resources are noticing your strong legs, your feet rooted on the ground, or your heart expanding in response to seeing a grandchild. Your breath can be a great internal resource. If you notice that your stomach feels tight in knots, then breathing exercises can help release that tightness. Trauma expert Steve Haines says “a resource is anything that helps us feel safe. Adding in the [internal] sensations associated with resources is the bit that makes them such a powerful tool.” You certainly don’t need to be traumatised to

benefit from developing resources, but the neurophysiological principles used in trauma recovery therapies are very helpful for supporting our everyday living. Deb Dana, a Polyvagal theory therapist, says the best way to develop external resources to identify who, what, where and when. Write down three things that help you in each category. And build on this list. Who might be your grandchildren, or a pet dog, or maybe a client. What could be reading a novel, wearing a piece of jewellery of special significance, or the smell of freshly cut grass. Where is a geographical place: on top of Slieve Donard, or on a windswept White Park Bay, visiting an art gallery, or being at home in your garden. And when? Friday nights after work, summer evenings, 5am before everyone else is awake. The key to working with resources is to identify what works for you and try to introduce them into more of your time. Try to make a regular practice that includes resourcing activities, and importantly notice how your body responds when you connect with that resource. When the body is resourced, it is in what is called a ventral vagal state, meaning that rather than feeling defensive and anxious, our body feels safe, making it ready to connect, to be creative and to be present. We can find more creative solutions for our problems. Ideally what we want to do is to stitch together the external resources with the internal. We want to be aware of how our body feels when doing something that resources us. Somatic Experiencing originator Peter Levine describes embodiment and awareness as “conjoined twins.” I might notice my muscles relax as a lie listening to music by an open fire. I might notice the excitement and sense of freedom in my body as I go open water swimming. I feel refreshed afterwards and ready to engage with life. Developing resources to support resilience and wellbeing is like building a muscle. We need to practice regularly so this becomes our default state, rather than anxiety and stress being our default. It is all too easy to think that work commitments are the most important thing in our day. However, taking care of ourselves is much more important. If this is a difficult concept to accept, know that taking care of your mind and body will make you more efficient when you work.

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09/09/2021 11:45

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PAGE37.indd 1

07/09/2021 16:15

The Modest Giant FEATURE

The Belfast-based element of Thales Group has had an order book averaging around £200m annually over the last few years. It’s an impressive figure for a business that is low on the radar here. Philip McBride, Managing Director, talks to Emma Deighan.

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07/09/2021 16:15

Managing Director, Thales, Philip McBride.

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07/09/2021 16:15

FEATURE

hales, the global aerospace and defence manufacturer, has revolutionised how it works with its clients during COVID-19. Renowned among its peers for its high tech defence solutions for dealing with threats in air, on land and on water, it is perhaps not surprising that remote working during a pandemic would prompt the use of unique communications solutions, including innovative virtual support services and more. Managing Director Philip McBride said a South East Asian client prompted the inaugural use of augmented reality headsets, which had only been trialled in the UK pre-pandemic. Philip says: “Getting out to see our customer base has been difficult and, in some cases, impossible. “Malaysia and Indonesia have, on occasion, put a complete block on getting into the country so we had to adapt and we did that, like many, using technology. Using our remote systems and augmented reality headsets has allowed us to work with our clients and help them through repairs, integration activities and even design reviews. The system has worked really well. “We had previously only trialled [the headsets] in the UK and while nothing will replace face-to-face service, technology does offer great benefits.” Thales’ response to COVID-19 and its restrictions is illustrative of the forward-thinking mindset at the firm. The Belfast firm has also seen an influx of contracts in the past few years, most of which have been won through a competitive tender process. One of those contracts was a defence deal with the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) where the capability is being delivered to and used by both the British Army and the Royal Navy. It will now export the same missile technology to its other clients further afield. “We have three major marketplaces – the UK, South East Asia and the Middle East – but with real opportunities elsewhere,” Philip continues. “A lot of our technologies are leading edge and you’d expect that to be in demand with the UK MoD, who also support some of our technology programmes, but we do export significant amounts of hardware and also provide through-life support to our customers overseas. “Missiles are just one part of our offer. We are a system integrator and we provide complete defence solutions including sensors, fire control systems, command & control, with integration onto various tactical platforms and effectors such as missiles,” Philip adds. “Historically, we would have been seen as an air defence company but we have significant surface capability, both on land and at sea.” Another of the Belfast team’s major feats this year has been its contribution to the Royal Navy’s latest flagship vessel, the £2bn aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth. Workers at Thales Belfast designed and manufactured one of the key elements protecting the new 65,000-tonne vessel – a missile system on the Navy’s Wildcat helicopter, known as the Lightweight Multirole Missile (LMM). LMM has been designed to defend against small, agile targets for air, sea and land

“We are successful, we really support the local economy and supply chain and more importantly we offer long term employment security in a time when many businesses are finding it very difficult.” and delivers high precision effects with low collateral damage. “That role defending the Carrier Strike Group has been an enormous boost for us,” Philip says. “It will protect the ship against threats coming from the sea including piracy and terrorist activities.” It’s a high profile contract for the company, which Philip says usually takes the “quiet pride” approach. There’s a modesty behind the Group in NI. Perhaps it’s the sensitivity around the nature of its work or just the grafting without fanfare style operation that it favours. “We plan to significantly grow our business here,” Philip says. “In the last five years we have more than doubled our revenues and radically grown our order intake which is impressive for a business that most people in Northern Ireland don’t know about or know what we do. “We are successful, we really support the local economy and supply chain and more importantly we offer long term employment security in a time when many businesses are finding it very difficult.” In 2018, Thales Belfast revealed it contributes £35 million to Northern Ireland’s GDP and has grown steadily from there: it’s average pay is also in the top 10% for all employees in Northern Ireland. Thales Belfast also supports an ecosystem of suppliers and 91% of its local procurement in Northern Ireland is with small to medium enterprises (SMEs). The company is also on the hunt for more talent, creating more top end engineer posts for the people who will be part of its future technological developments. With 600 employees, Philip says the business strives to “keep ourselves at the leading edge of defence technology” through self-funded research and development, as well as using customer funding to create elite modern warfare solutions. “We’re always thinking ahead: it’s blue sky thinking and that gives us an edge. The purpose of everything we do is to protect and defend,” he adds. But there is a challenge in securing the talent needed, he divulges.

“The market has been pretty buoyant in terms of skill sets up until the pandemic and we thought we might benefit from the downturn in aerospace. While we don’t want to succeed at the expense of others, we thought we could pick up on that talent but that generally hasn’t been the case. There is a lot of demand in the marketplace and we’re all fighting for the same skills.” The company’s work with universities here helps with the pipeline of talent, but it’s a unique person that a Thales post demands. “We need engineers who understand the complexity and the interfaces between electronics, software and mechanical systems. Our universities produce excellent talent but we still need to train them for a number of years, too, to fashion them into systems engineers,” Philip explains. “We also focus a lot on behaviour and mindset as they have a huge impact on the culture of the business.” Beyond its defence work, Thales Belfast is making big strides in space technology. It manufactures electric In-Space Propulsion systems for Thales Alenia Space, which is unique in the UK. Philip says: “We now have a steady throughput of orders for satellite propulsion systems in our factory and it’s growing for us. That part of the business will likely not grow to the same scale as defence but the whole nature of satellite production is going through a change and we are geared up to put our systems on satellite constellations, which are launched in tens, maybe hundreds rather than one-offs: that’s the nature of change in the satellite business.” He concludes: “Thales in Belfast has more than doubled its revenue in the last five to six years. Our workforce has grown from around 400 to close on 600 in Belfast alone and we need a hundred more. It’s an exciting time for us as we continue to deliver the growth strategy we created for our business and our local supply chain. For me, the growth opportunities are huge and the technology challenges are incredibly exciting but what has made it all work is the talent, pride and commitment of our entire workforce.”

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07/09/2021 16:15

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07/09/2021 16:17

Columnist

John Campbell Economics & Business Editor, BBC Northern Ireland

Going For Growth BBC NI’s Economic & Business Editor, John Campbell, discusses the economic effect of the Northern Ireland Protocol six months down the line.

he Northern Ireland Protocol has been with us for almost a year and we now have six months of solid data showing how it has affected trade across the land border. The figures from the Republic’s Central Statistics Office (CSO) tell a story which was pretty much predicted by trade economists. Brexit and the Protocol have created new barriers for goods entering the island of Ireland from Great Britain. Therefore it is economically rational for firms in NI and the Republic to substitute, where they can, those GB goods by buying from a nearby market which has fewer barriers to trade ie. from a supplier across the border. That is exactly what has happened, with some firms re-orientating supply chains away from GB to buy more within the island of Ireland. It is perhaps only the speed and intensity of the change that has been surprising. The figures from the CSO are breathtaking, showing unprecedented short term changes in trade flows. The value of goods exported from NI to the Republic has increased 77% year-on-year in the first half of 2021; in cash terms that’s an increase from just under 1bn euro to 1.77bn euro. The value of goods being sold in the other direction has increased by 43% from 1.1bn euro to 1.57bn euro. At this point it’s important to pause and insert a couple of caveats. Firstly, we know that the pandemic has had significant economic impact with generally reduced levels of trade in 2020 followed by a bounce back in 2021. Dr Esmond Birnie of Ulster University has looked instead at the 2019 figures in an attempt to smooth out those pandemic swings.

They still show big increases though not quite so dramatic: NIRepublic trade is up by more than 50% between 2019 and 2021; Republic-NI is up by almost 19%. Secondly, understanding trade figures is not always straightforward due to the different ways trade can be measured. There is, for example, an issue known as trade asymmetry which means the value of measured exports by Country A to Country B don’t match the value of County A imports as measured by Country B. Dr Birnie has also looked at potential measurement issues in the CSO figures. He points out that since the start of this year the CSO has been collecting trade data relating to Republic-NI on a different basis than that relating to Republic-GB. As NI remains effectively remains part of the EU Single Market for goods the trade flows between NI and the Republic continue to be measured through Intrastat surveys and VAT returns while RepublicGB trade flows are now measured through customs declarations. Trading conditions under the Protocol have led to NI firms using their own VAT identifications and in some cases trade which was previously incorrectly recorded by CSO as Republic-GB is now recorded as Republic-NI.

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“The value of goods exported from NI to the Republic has increased 77% year-on-year in the first half of 2021; in cash terms that’s an increase from just under 1bn euro to 1.77bn euro.”

The CSO has therefore substantially revised upwards its measures of trade exports between the two parts of this island in both 2019 and 2020, so the baseline was higher than we thought. But even if measurement issues were to ultimately cut the growth in half that would still mean annual growth of 25% in NIRepublic trade. So even with these caveats we can be pretty sure that the growth is real and significant. Anecdotal evidence helps bear this out. At the BBC business unit, we have spoken to several businesses over the last few months who have won bigger orders or new customers in the Republic. These are unsurprisingly concentrated in agri-food, as that is the sector which has seen the most significant GB-Republic barriers with some meat products, for example, now entirely prohibited on that route. It’s also worth noting that the Protocol has to an extent just turbo-charged what was an existing trend. If we look at Nisra’s Broad Economy Sales and Exports Statistics (Beses) we can see that in 2019 (the last year for which data is available), NI sales to the Republic were up by 10% year on year to £4.5bn. That outstrips overall external sales growth, which was just over 3%.

Between 2014 and 2019, NI sales to the Republic rose by nearly 30%, which is equivalent to an extra £1bn of trade. Unfortunately, the Beses figures are only produced annually so it will likely be the end of next year at the earliest before we have the data allowing us to compare the years immediately before and after the implementation of the Protocol. It means we are also lacking any real up to date numbers about how the implementation of the Protocol is impacting trade between NI and GB, so we have to rely mostly on anecdote, surveys and educated guess work. Another round of tense Protocol talks lies ahead in the autumn. The UK’s position, as laid out in July’s command paper, is that the Protocol simply cannot work in anything like its current form. The EU’s view is that it can be made to work and that, if the UK is serious about making that happen, a Swiss-style agri-food deal remains on the table. The first order of business concerns grace periods which are due to expire at the end of September. It seems very likely they will have to be extended again. Whether that is done unilaterally or by agreement will set the tone for the months ahead.

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07/09/2021 16:17

FEATURE

The Carbon Neutral Role Model Enniskillen-based Balcas is well advanced in its drive and contributions towards zero CO2 emissions. It has nurtured a whole ecosystem in Ireland and it’s ready to help others follow suit, CEO Brian Murphy tells Emma Deighan.

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07/09/2021 16:18

FEATURE

alcas – a major sawmill and carbon neutral energy provider – sells timber to merchants in NI, the Republic of Ireland and Great Britain. “Many readers may very well have some Balcas timber within their house construction, or in their garden,” says Brian, who joined the firm in 1992. Balcas is also a supplier of wood pellets, a sustainable fuel used in thousands of pellet boilers and wood burning stoves in homes and businesses throughout the UK and Ireland. Balcas’s history is an illustrious one: they began as a small timber producer that, through a series of acquisitions and investments, turned into the major sawmill and clean energy provider it is today. The company has rationalised its operation into two strands; Balcas Timber, which is driven from the factory in Fermanagh; and Balcas Energy, an electricity generator based at Enniskillen in NI and at Invergordon in Scotland, producing 95,000 MWh annually that also provides more than 200,000 tonnes of wood pellets into the heating markets of the UK and Ireland. The company’s macro green story and initiatives are far reaching. Discussing the achievements it has made during a period of challenges for many businesses is “timely”, Brian says. “There is enormous emphasis in today’s world on reducing emissions and Balcas’s carbon neutral pellet fuel is a real and immediate solution in many instances and it is available now.” “Balcas is a true example of a manufacturing contributor to the circular economy. Every log it uses originates from a sustainably managed forest. The forests throughout Britain and Ireland not only capture carbon but sustain rural jobs and provide leisure and social outlets for our citizens,” says Brian. “When the forest crop is mature, it stops being a net absorber of CO2 and is ready for harvesting. The logs from the forest are processed into sawn timber which is used in homes and factories as a building material, or in our gardens as fencing, or in the packaging industry primarily for wooden pallets. The sawn timber locks away the carbon it contains far into the future. The branches from the harvested trees rot back into the soil the nutrients support growth of new trees in the crucial first 5 years as the forest is replanted to continue its carbon capture cycle,” he adds. Following the manufacture of sawn timber, some of the wood fibre left over (sawdust and woodchips) is used to generate electricity to power the factory process: “Nothing is wasted”, Brian tells Ambition. Balcas generates twice as much electricity as it consumes. The excess heat from the generation process is used in Balcas’ timber drying kilns and to dry more of the left over fibre to convert into wood pellets. Wood pellets are a carbon neutral fuel that can replace oil and gas. Balcas’s pellets are

currently used to heat hospitals, care homes, distilleries, supermarkets, schools, hotels, office buildings, National Trust properties, farms and private homes. And every year Balcas’s wood pellets displace the equivalent of 100m litres of oil. The planting process then restarts the green Balcas cycle. Planting more trees than are harvested in Britain and Ireland means contributing to the fight against climate change right now, years before the Government’s Zero Net Carbon Emissions deadline. Further, beyond Balcas’ efforts is a whole ecosystem of animals, plants and social enterprises that benefit. Brian says Ireland’s forestry efforts have boosted and revitalised the red squirrel and hen harrier populations of these islands. “Modern forestry has learned a lot of lessons over the past 100 years and is continuously evolving to contribute not just to the economy but to take better account of our islands’ needs for management of biodiversity and the wider environment,” he adds. “At Balcas, we consume approximately one million tonnes (of wood) annually but everything, and more, is grown back so that the cycle can continue into the future.” Balcas’s self-sufficiency story dates back to 2006 when it stopped importing electricity for its mill. Its purpose-built CHP (Combined Heat and Power) and Pellet Plant facility in Scotland was commissioned in 2009. “What we’re trying to do now is help others do the same,” says Brian, who explains that wood pellets are a reliable part of the answer to the decarbonisation of heat. And while he’s aware of the reputational issues borne from the botched RHI scheme, the benefits of wood pellets as an energy source far outweigh the notoriety of that scheme he believes. He describes the RHI scheme as having laudable objectives but says a “mistake was made in how it was structured in NI”, and

references a similar scheme in England that “doesn’t have the same runaway problem” but instead has enjoyed much success. “It encourages people to use clean fuel, but that use of clean energy should not be a profit centre as it became in Northern Ireland. “With carbon taxes rising in ROI, wood pellets will increasingly be able to compete with fossil fuel without the latent CO2 emissions. Meanwhile, in the UK, to qualify for Government contracts many firms will soon be expected to put forward credible plans to decarbonise,” he adds. In this regard, Balcas wants to put the message out there that it can help in terms of decarbonisation of heat. And those who move quickly “will be able to create a very good story, and make a real difference,” Brian says. Balcas tells its green story on a small and sophisticated scale. It goes beyond tick box exercises; it’s a bigger, further reaching operation. The company has banned single use plastic bottles in-house, with all water now coming in recycled bottles. Its shredding is repurposed as dog bedding for a local husky shelter. Two years ago, it invested in 15 forklifts which run on Bio LPG. Meanwhile, a former wasteland area has been replanted with a wildflower meadow with honey production imminent, all thanks to Balcas. “We’re committed to doing our best for a sustainable world, for ourselves as well as our world,” Brian says. Looking to the future, sustaining and building on their eco efforts, he adds: “We are evaluating the electrification of our raw material intake fleet and I hope to see that happening in a few years. “For us, the green story is only at the first stage. We do have the answer to decarbonising home heat and it’s a good and balanced story,” he concludes.

“Balcas is a true example of a manufacturing contributor to the circular economy. Every log it uses originates from a sustainably managed forest. The forests throughout Britain and Ireland not only capture carbon but sustain rural jobs and provide leisure and social outlets for our citizens.”

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07/09/2021 16:18

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19/08/2021 16:07

Columnist Peter Russell Ireland Managing Director of CANCOM UK&I

Digital Transformation in Health is Only Really Beginning Tech has had a huge impact on the health sector in recent years. It has enhanced the quality of patient care, increased security and data protection, and reduced operating and administrative costs. But the reality is that the health service’s digital journey is only really beginning.

crucially to ensure their systems are secure. Part of this modernisation is transforming how patient records are managed. Having all the information Trusts need about patients in one easily accessible place is an important part of transformation plans. For a number of Trusts, including Cambridge, we build, manage and support the infrastructure to support the Epic deployment which means that there is one electronic system to replace the many legacy systems. This single record holds one record for every patient, helping Trusts understand and plan for better care and better services for patients. Indeed, Health and Social Care Northern Ireland (HSCNI) has recently signed a major deal with Epic to supply electronic patient records (EPRs) across all Trusts in NI. This major EPR project will play a key role towards modernising health and care services in Northern Ireland, creating a fully integrated electronic health and social care record system, on a regional basis. It’s an exciting journey and one that will hopefully enable the NI health service to accelerate towards delivering more modern and more efficient patient services.

ost-COVID, technology will be central to supporting the health service to deal with the wide range of challenges it faces in terms of meeting demand, providing better services, and finding efficiencies that are needed. There is so much more that can and will be achieved by investing in the right digital transformation projects. It’s something that patients are embracing as well. Our research shows that 75% expect to have access to more digital solutions in the health service in the future. That’s not a surprise to us at CANCOM UK&I. Health is a sector that we are very active in, and we see daily the positive impact digital transformation has on patient services and health outcomes. Our centre of excellence for health works across 42 NHS Trust customers, and six million patients are supported by our infrastructure services. Our customers include Cambridge University Hospitals Trust, the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, as well as Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, to name a few. These are some of the largest Trusts in the UK and Ireland, and Cambridge is a global digital exemplar. Indeed, over one-quarter of CANCOM’s business is in the health sector. It’s a sector in which we are building market-leading industry expertise within our business, creating a centre of excellence to deliver services into the UK and Ireland health service market. And it’s a very big market indeed, worth over £11billion. Working with Health Trusts, we are enabling them to use technology to help health and care professionals communicate better and enable people to access the care they need quickly and easily, when it suits them. From websites and apps that make care and advice easy to access wherever patients are, to connected computer systems that give staff the test results, history and evidence they need to make the best decisions for patients, we are helping Trusts work smarter to provide better care than ever before. One of the major transformation challenges that most Trusts face is their legacy systems and technical “debt”, which hamper their ability to deliver digital services. That’s where we come in. We have deep and extensive experience working with them to modernise their legacy systems through our cloud services and

CANCOM UK&I, part of Telefonica TECH*, delivers a range of technology services across the public and private sectors. It carries the highest accreditations from technology and software leaders, and its data centres hold many certifications, including Government Official Status. *CANCOM UK&I, previously a subsidiary of the CANCOM Group, was acquired by Telefonica TECH in July 2021.

“Working with Health Trusts, we are enabling them to use technology to help health and care professionals communicate better and enable people to access the care they need quickly and easily, when it suits them.” 48

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07/09/2021 16:19

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07/09/2021 16:21

FEATURE

Catering to an Industry Uplift Jim Downey, Plant Manager of Hyster-Yale Group, says exponential growth is ongoing at the business. The challenge now, he says, is to safeguard that surge in demand while continuing to develop as a company.

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07/09/2021 16:22

FEATURE

Jim Downey and Invest NI’s Kevin Holland.

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07/09/2021 16:22

FEATURE

t’s all go at Hyster-Yale Group even with the pandemic and supply issues as its backdrop. While many manufacturers have been making up for lost ground, or just simply sustaining business, Hyster-Yale has been busy growing its manufacturing capabilities. The opening of a £5m 60,000 sq ft facility at its plant in Craigavon and the recruitment of many more engineers are just part of the ongoing developments at the business. The new Craigavon facility has been named in honour of Harry Sands, who retired last year as senior VP and managing director for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). And the new capacity is paving the way for dozens more jobs. The plant also marked its 40th anniversary, in April, making 2021 a big year for this location. Hyster-Yale Craigavon opened in 1981 under the Hyster³ brand and is the largest of the few companies that manufacture forklift trucks in the UK today. “We have seen significant growth in bookings volumes,” Jim begins. “Our orders haven’t dropped the way people would think they would after a pandemic, in fact they’re growing quicker than we even expected.” He says the market is expanding. The uplift in online retail is prompting a rise in warehousing and in turn a rise in forklift orders. “The challenge now is to develop while sustaining higher volumes,” he adds. “A lot of businesses experienced a postCOVID boom and ours is still ongoing, so now we need to match that growth with talent.” Recruitment is high up the agenda at Hyster-Yale. It’s known in engineering circles for its impressively low staff turnover, with a large percentage of employees having been with the company 17 years or more. “We are competing for talent in a small pond,” Jim admits, but the Craigavon plant has invested a significant amount of time developing its workforce through various initiatives over the years, including a 13step training program for all new starts, apprenticeship schemes, NVQ programs, lateral development programs and more. Developing the workforce is seen as key

“We offer people with the right attitude and the right competencies the time to develop and create opportunities for themselves in a global manufacturing organisation.“ to the future success of the Craigavon plant. And as a Queen’s graduate of philosophy, Jim cites his own career as an example of how the organisation develops people from within and provides the training to work at all levels of the business. “We offer people with the right attitude and the right competencies the time to develop and create opportunities for themselves in a global manufacturing organisation,” he says. While he confesses the business doesn’t flaunt the higher-level salaries sometimes synonymous with similar engineering roles, he says a “fair and rounded package with good opportunities to grow” attracts those with a long-term mindset. And it’s that committed candidate he’s on the hunt for. “Staff stay and that is reflective of the package we offer and the culture. We’ve a higher retirement pool as a result of that loyalty and succession planning is very much part of the business too.” During the pandemic, Hyster-Yale deployed a COVID Steering Committee to ensure workflow continued seamlessly. ”We managed the process in a solid manner and kept all our people safe,” adds Jim.” Hyster-Yale’s Craigavon Plant’s main priority is building counter balance forklifts, IC and Electric Rider, from the ground up. It sells primarily into Europe, the Middle East and African markets. Today it is navigating its way through a newer, greener model of forklift that will

inevitably become the norm in warehouses around the world in coming years as net zero carbon emissions targets draw closer. “Our Craigavon plant does a range of those products and we still build an IC product, but the focus now is towards a class one electric product,” Jim divulges. “We’re developing integrated products, geared towards lower emissions and that’s something that the company prides itself in. The development includes hydrogen fuel cell technology and helping operators remains a priority so we are developing different battery exchange options i.e. rapid charge and integrated lithium-ion technology, all aimed at improving the op time of our products.” “People are making decisions now that go towards electric products,” says Jim. “Our task is to make a greener product that is as productive as the IC product; the development we are doing right now will get us there and that’s good for Craigavon where we have one electric line.” The business’ immediate interests are to keep up the momentum of demand for all its products, while developing in-house. “We invested heavily in our extension, new products and our new assembly line. If you want to stay strong, you have to continue developing as well as protecting yourself from outside issues,” Jim concludes.

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07/09/2021 16:22

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07/09/2021 16:23

FEATURE

A Gateway To Sustainable Growth 54

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Joe O’Neill, Chief Executive, Belfast Harbour.

Joe O’Neill, Chief Executive, Belfast Harbour talks to Ambition about investing in the sustainable future of the city.

eflecting on the challenges of 2021 to date, and as the economy starts to recover from the impact of the pandemic, it has been encouraging to see a renewed and heightened focus in business and government to build back more responsibly. While people and businesses hope many aspects of our lives will soon go “back to normal”, it is clear that as we look ahead to the COP26 global climate conference in Glasgow, we all need to take action now to build sustainability goals into our daily lives. As a Trust Port, doing business responsibly is at the heart of our decision making. The Trust Port model means every penny of our net earnings is reinvested into sustainably developing the port and estate for the benefit of everyone in Northern Ireland. This means that a socially responsible approach to business is firmly embedded within our strategic ambitions for the port and estate. A key pillar of Belfast Harbour’s A Port for Everyone strategy is to become a leading Green Port and one of Northern Ireland’s most sustainable developers with the ambition, amongst other things, to digitise, decarbonise and decentralise our energy usage. As such we have pledged to achieve net zero carbon emissions from our operations by 2030, to reduce pollution, and to protect and enhance our natural environment. And we’re on track to decarbonize activities in the estate, including the acquisition of electric vehicles and the purchase of all electricity from low carbon sources. There’s still a long way to go however, so we’re working with external partners to embed this approach to environmental sustainability

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09/09/2021 11:56

FEATURE

into all aspects of our business. We have committed to deliver wide-ranging targets, as set out in our recently signed prosperity agreement with the Northern Ireland Environment Agency. RECOVERY We believe that prioritising our sustainability and responsible business goals are an integral part of helping to drive the long-term economic growth and recovery in the region. In expanding our long-standing partnerships with local communities, 2021 saw the launch of the Belfast Harbour Community Awards Fund, aimed at supporting grassroots organisations that are positively impacting their communities as they recover from the pandemic. Through this new fund we have so far supported 12 community groups and plan to launch a second appeal for applications in the autumn. Though life is still far from normal, the team at Belfast Harbour – and the entire port community – continues to work hard to mitigate any COVID-19 related disruption, with trade through the port flowing at more or less pre-COVID levels. In fact, 23.5 million tonnes of cargo passed through the port during 2020, compared with 24 million tonnes a year earlier, and while that was helped by stockpiling linked to the UK’s exit from the EU, it provides a strong signal that Northern Ireland businesses have faced new challenges with their customary resilience. INVESTMENT In the last financial year, over £43 million was invested in port facilities and estate projects, including major upgrades to Belfast Harbour’s ferry and container terminals. On the estate, construction is nearing completion on City Quays 3, a 16-storey, £50 million investment, which will be Northern Ireland’s largest Grade A office building, while construction is also underway on another £25 million office building known as Olympic House, which we are co-developing with Titanic Quarter. Both buildings are being constructed to the BREEAM Excellent accreditation standard underpinning our Green Developer ambitions. In the past 10 years, Belfast Harbour has invested over £330 million in port infrastructure and estate regeneration and, at year end, we had committed to more than £87 million of strategically significant, self-funded projects that will help deliver our vision for the future. We have already announced plans to expand Belfast Harbour Studios and hope to soon appoint contractors to begin that work, having

“In the past 10 years, Belfast Harbour has invested over £330 million in port infrastructure and estate regeneration and, at year end, we had committed to more than £87 million of strategically significant, self-funded projects that will help deliver our vision for the future.” secured planning permission for the £45m project earlier in the year. We were delighted to welcome ‘The School for Good and Evil’ to Belfast Harbour Studios this year, which was the first production from Netflix to film in Northern Ireland. We believe that creating the additional studio space will support further growth in the local film industry, allowing it to tap into the evergrowing demand for high quality film and television production space and generate quality jobs and economic growth. We are also excited to be participating in a project – alongside Titanic Quarter Limited, Lacuna Developments and Watkin Jones – to bring an exciting new residential neighbourhood to Titanic Quarter. If approved, the proposed 700 homes will contribute greatly to Belfast City Council’s target to increase the number of people living in the city centre. FORWARD INTO 2022 We have ambitious plans for the year ahead and will continue to work with our customers and key partners to ensure we are playing our part in driving the growth and recovery of our local economy. The slight drop in overall revenues we saw in 2020 largely reflected the impact that the pandemic had on tourism and leisure traffic, notably from cruise ships, and the partial closure of our AC by Marriott Hotel and NCP multi-storey car park. It will take some time before cruise, tourist and leisure activities return to pre-crisis levels but as restrictions on the movement of people and leisure travel have eased, we have already started to see passenger traffic on the port’s

ferry services increasing over the summer and a resumption of cruise ship visits. After a break of 18 months, we welcomed our first cruise ship in mid-June following a lot of preparation work alongside our Cruise Belfast partners, Visit Belfast, industry operators and relevant agencies to develop robust health and safety protocols. All of the 35 vessels that have visited so far are following a UK itinerary and only stopping for one day visits; however, as restrictions lift further and it is safe to do so, we hope to be able to welcome international cruises again soon. As with our work as part of Cruise Belfast, we plan to continue to work in partnership with all of our tenants, customers, stakeholders and partners as we sustainably develop the port and estate and, in doing so, contribute to economic development and inclusive growth. The Harbour Estate is at the heart of Belfast’s new Innovation District and, as part of the coalition of partners developing Innovation City Belfast, we are working closely with Belfast City Council, Catalyst, Invest NI and the two universities to promote inclusive growth and champion Belfast’s innovation pipeline to global audiences and investors. Strategic partnerships such as this will help us to achieve our goals to become a world leading regional port by growing economic activity, adopting new smart technology and upholding the highest environmental standards as a clean, green port. As we deliver on the Port for Everyone strategy, Belfast Harbour is more committed than ever to making a positive and sustainable impact on our economy and our society.

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07/09/2021 16:26

Columnist

Professor Una McMahon-Beattie (University Head of Department, Hospitality and Tourism Management at Ulster University Business School) and Donald Sloan (Consultant and Chair, Oxford Cultural Collective).

Unlocking Recovery Professor Una McMahon-Beattie and Donald Sloan discuss how Ulster University’s new Academy will assist with post-COVID-19 recovery.

that exist within Northern Ireland. As we grapple with the consequences of the pandemic and Brexit, our contribution in fields such as entrepreneurial support, tourism development, healthcare and the arts, become ever more important. The launch of Academy should be seen in this context. As well as ensuring our graduates are able to make meaningful contributions to local businesses, it will help us lead conversations about how hospitality must adapt to a new operating environment. It will encourage collaborative effort, involving all stakeholders in hospitality, to ensure the sector is able to flourish in the future.” Academy restaurant will be a fully commercial enterprise, open six days a week to the public and as a venue for private events. Its menu will showcase the very best local, seasonal ingredients and it will provide a platform for promoting artisan producers from across Northern Ireland. Whilst it will be run as a successful business, its primary purpose will be provision of innovative and immersive education, which will enhance students’ skills and better prepare them for their future careers. They will obtain hands-on experience in a ‘model’ business, supervise others, apply their knowledge of various management disciplines, analyse business performance and build relationships with local suppliers. They will be active participants in a values-based business, committed to enhancing the status of hospitality employment and to supporting local economic, social and cultural development. Academy will host a new entrepreneurship network, designed to provide meaningful support to SMEs in the food, drink, hospitality and tourism sectors. Adopting an approach that is self-determined by participants, to ensure its fitness for purpose, plans are already emerging for an ongoing series of events at which experienced entrepreneurs from across the island of Ireland, Britain and further afield, will share insights; for bespoke training from specialists at Ulster University; and for peer mentoring. In addition to ensuring Ulster University better supports local students and industry, Academy will enhance the university’s international presence and reputation. At a time when many other higher education institutions are scaling back their hospitality and culinary arts management provision, Ulster is placing it front and centre. It intends to strengthen its overseas academic partnerships and establish Northern Ireland as an international destination for hospitality education. Academy will also serve as a venue for international events. As an example, in April next year it will host Gastronomy Summit 2022, a gathering of practitioners and academics, focused on the development of food, drink and hospitality destinations in ways that deliver benefits to local communities. Over three days of keynotes, discussions and social activities, delegates will consider how to achieve lasting community regeneration, particularly in locations that are facing significant economic and social challenges. Central to Ulster University’s mission is a commitment to helping its local community thrive. The launch of Academy: the Centre for Food, Drink and Culture, is further evidence that it is translating its mission into action.

ospitality and tourism in Northern Ireland have been hard-hit by the pandemic. After struggling through a long period of enforced lockdown, the sector is facing a critical shortage of labour. Now, more than ever before, attracting and retaining skilled graduates, who have the potential to become creative and effective leaders, should be key to unlocking sustained recovery. Ulster University Business School (UUBS) is set to launch Academy: the Centre for Food, Drink and Culture, an educational hub that will further strengthen hospitality and culinary arts management as two of its flagship areas of provision, as well as making a significant contribution to post-COVID recovery. Located on Ulster University’s new Belfast city centre campus, facing St Anne’s Cathedral, Academy will incorporate a state-of-theart restaurant, culinary school, beverage school and conference and meeting facilities. As well as giving students hands-on experience, it will provide comprehensive practical support to entrepreneurs, be an open-access learning centre for the public and will contribute to the ongoing development of Northern Ireland as a food and drink destination. This significant investment comes at a time when the hospitality sector has experienced unprecedented challenges. With the COVID pandemic resulting in pubs, restaurants and venues being closed for the majority of the last fifteen months, and Brexit limiting the availability of skilled staff from across Europe, the industry has faced a ‘perfect storm’. Many businesses have stopped trading, whilst others have struggled to survive, and although restrictions are now being lifted, hospitality is confronting severe labour shortages. Throughout this period the sector has shown tremendous creativity and resilience, with many adapting their products and services to suit the new environment, whilst also making altruistic contributions to those facing food poverty and isolation. Building on its long track record of providing the hospitality sector with skilled graduates who have the potential to progress to management and leadership positions, as well as to become business owners, UUBS is determined that the launch of Academy should have a tangible impact on industry in Northern Ireland and further afield. Pre-pandemic, the hospitality industry in Northern Ireland was booming, contributing approximately £2 billion to the local economy and sustaining thousands of jobs. The sector will be key to Northern Ireland’s recovery and graduates of Ulster University will play a significant role in shaping its future. For Professor Una McMahon-Beattie, Head of the Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management at UUBS, the launch of Academy reflects Ulster University’s commitment to tackling issues that have local relevance: “The university takes its civic responsibility very seriously. This requires us to respond to particular challenges and opportunities

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FEATURE

New Beginnings PwC’s new office building in Belfast may have been in the making in a pre-pandemic landscape, but it’s been built with the new hybrid working model in mind, Kevin MacAllister, Regional Market Leader, Northern Ireland, tells Emma Deighan.

wC opened its largest UK office outside London in Belfast in midJuly. Merchant Square will be its new Belfast home and the site from which the professional services firm will grow its NI team. Boasting 200,000 sq feet, with capacity for 3,000 workers, the site is NI’s most sophisticated office to date. The professional services firm is the sole tenant of the building on Wellington Place: the nine-floor complex is Belfast’s biggest private sector office letting deal. It’s part of a major commitment by PwC to strengthen its regional offices and support local talent and businesses. Last month it also announced a £40m investment in developing an Advanced Research and Engineering Centre in Merchant Square, creating up to 800 jobs over five years. “We have this lovely new office, which is the best in Belfast. It’s a great place to work and our people are telling us it gives that real feelgood factor and for us, it’s the perfect setting to bring people back into the office for hybrid working,” Kevin begins. With a dedicated wellbeing space for live exercise classes including High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and yoga, meditation pods, personal services for therapies including

physio, reflexology and manicures as well as a stunning roof terrace and a café/restaurant deserving of its standalone entity, Merchant Square is the stuff of corporate dreams. And the reception from employees has surpassed expectations. “We never anticipated being a virtual organisation when the pandemic hit. Merchant Square was always going to be a long term investment and commitment and nothing changed in our minds during the pandemic to make us think otherwise,” Kevin continues. “What we are ultimately working towards now is some kind of hybrid working. We won’t return to five days a week like before and the typical response that we’re getting is that our people want two days remote working and the rest from the office. And that’s probably the right answer.” With a demographic that favours a mid-20s age range, Kevin says it is imperative that the younger professionals return to the office for their own career development. He adds: “We’re not about presenteeism and there is no room for that working model anywhere today, but we believe that you learn by osmosis and working with other senior colleagues. It’s where you get that confidence and physical learning experience. This is about caring for the staff and not telling them what

to do but showing them how they can use their time in the office for their personal and professional development.” While the team, like many corporate cohorts, managed seamlessly in their home working environments and huge investments were made by PwC in technology to allow that, Kevin says, as the NI Market Leader, “we do feel responsible for making our people aware of the benefits of coming back to the office.” “There are genuine personal and professional development reasons why you should be making an effort to come back in,” he continues. “Long term remote working will, undoubtedly, stifle development. And what we will see is a shift in how we work in the office and how we work at home. “It’s that idea of a cocktail of things; that ability to access the office in a very flexible way.” He talks about the zoned areas in the new space, which includes standing rooms for quick discussions, booths for private telephone

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07/09/2021 16:28

FEATURE Kevin MacAllister, Regional Market Leader, PwC.

conversations and even a Gaeltacht Quarter. It’s inviting for any office worker, no matter their age. “It genuinely is outstanding,” Kevin agrees. “It is the last word in everything; the quality in tech, the air, the space, the different layout, a frontier space on the top floor, client collab areas and we have the wellbeing area that affords people the opportunity to take time away from their desk. Even our PwC colleagues from across the rest of the UK recognise that we’ve taken it to another level.” PwC has a commitment to employ a further 800 staff over the coming months and years. It continued to hire during the pandemic too, with many of the new recruits yet to, or only just getting into the office. Kevin says capacity at Merchant Square is ultimately 3000 plus in normal times. Creating a COVID-safe environment for its people has restricted capacity to around 750 in the office at present. “Our business is quite agile and we’re

impressed with our ability to do what we’ve done over the past number of months. We will start to see more footfall and added capacity to the building soon and I look forward to that.” Outside of the PwC ecosystem, Kevin shares his pride for what the Merchant Square site will mean to the recovery of Belfast. He adds: “There is something important about contributing to Belfast. We are a

significant employer here and this city is not going to recover on its own so we do have a duty to get our people back into the city and bring that spending power in to support businesses that are dependent on us. “And you do get a sense of pride in having that opportunity. Our business neighbours have applauded our return and we really do feel that duty too.”

“We are a significant employer here and this city is not going to recover on its own so we do have a duty to get our people back into the city and bring that spending power in to support businesses that are dependent on us.” 61

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– Better Connected The race to Net Zero is the biggest national and global issue of the next decade and the upcoming COP26 summit in Glasgow will set the agenda on greenhouse gas emissions. It is vital that all sectors of our economy and society take action now to help combat climate change. Bus and Rail travel has a major role to play in this process and Translink is leading the way with our ambitious Net Zero plans for public transport in Northern Ireland, as well as partnering with local businesses to encourage active and sustainable travel wherever possible. High quality public transport is essential for the economic, environmental and social wellbeing of the community and never more so than now as we look towards a green recovery from the pandemic. The race to Net Zero is at the centre of all that Translink does – while COVID-19 was a challenge for everyone, it demonstrated the importance of looking after our planet and working to reduce pollution and congestion. It is notable that the global improvement in air quality during the various lockdowns took place while public transport continued to operate, providing vital services for our key workers. This is a very strong base with which to drive a much-needed modal shift away from the private car towards more sustainable options. Translink is committed to driving positive climate action in every aspect of

our business – our initial Zero Emission Hydrogen buses have already entered service and we will have another 100 Zero Emission buses joining the fleet in the coming months. By mid-2022, we will operate the UK’s fourth-largest Zero Emission bus fleet, harnessing hydrogen and battery technology. We will operate a fully Net Zero bus and rail fleet across the entirety of our network by 2040, harnessing new and emerging technologies. Investment in high-quality fleet and infrastructure is a key driver for a green recovery. We will continue to bring new, modern Zero Emission bus and rail fleet on-stream and focus on providing the right infrastructure – the Belfast Transport Hub will be a key driver of economic prosperity for Northern Ireland and provide muchneeded additional transport capacity, helping to drive sustainable transport further. We will also focus on improving Park and Ride capacity and will shortly be introducing our 21 new Class 4000 train carriages to provide much needed

additional passenger capacity on the rail network. Translink is working to streamline our ticketing system, offering greater choice and flexibility to passengers, including contactless payment options. The proposed extension of Glider to North and South Belfast will also be a significant attractor for public transport. We will work with key stakeholders to improve the integration of public transport and active travel to help improve our environment, including via the Active Travel Challenge; this will encourage people to leave the car at home this September and sign up for a healthier, cleaner month of transport as part of a wider push towards sustainable travel options, including bus and rail travel. We need to build back responsibly post COVID-19 and COP26 will challenge global leaders to take further actions to combat climate change. Translink will continue to lead the transformation of transport in Northern Ireland to Net Zero.

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10/09/2021 10:15

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FEATURE

Infrastructure for a World Class Belfast Darryl Murphy, Managing Director, Infrastructure Aviva Investors

Drew Nesbitt, Partner at Wilson Nesbitt

Drew Nesbitt, Partner at Wilson Nesbitt, has been talking to Belfast and Northern Ireland’s key organisation leaders and business pioneers to find out their insights, how they are helping to deliver a world-class Belfast and what support they feel is needed. Darryl Murphy eats, sleeps and breathes infrastructure and has done for over 25 years. His current role is Managing Director for Infrastructure at Aviva Investors, having previously worked at KPMG and in other financial institutions in financing infrastructure deals. He has a breadth and depth of knowledge that means he’s as comfortable talking about UK-wide infrastructure strategy as he is detailed opportunities at a local and regional level. What can Northern Ireland do to move forward on infrastructure? Infrastructure needs a lot of planning and support, particularly coordinated government support and the right policy environment, and then the right delivery mechanics and the right funding and financing models. I’m a strong believer in that, to make it work, you need a plan. Once you have that plan and a vision, it boils down to what can be achieved. In Belfast, there’s unified support for the need for infrastructure investments, meaning everything from transportation improvements through to social infrastructure. One can probably incorporate housing into the wider social infrastructure and into developments around our low-carbon transition. That can be everything from the sort of greening of energy generation through to networks through to electric vehicle charging. It’s also important to factor the increased role of digital into that, which is very important for cities. What challenges are there when it comes to revenue streams?

“Infrastructure needs a lot of planning and support, particularly coordinated government support and the right policy environment, and then the right delivery mechanics and the right funding and financing models. “

A lot of people have said to me that the problem is there are lots of good investment opportunities, but there’s a funding challenge. In reality, there is no financing challenge. There is a lot of capital available. The market is very competitive, and it can be frustrating trying to put that money to work. I talk to local authorities that are frustrated because they

have good investment opportunities but they don’t see money flowing into them. Currently we have no discussions with or approaches from local authorities or cities around infrastructure, and that’s always puzzled me. All financing is doing is moving money around in time. If you want to borrow that money or encourage someone to invest upfront, it’s just a case of saying, okay, what’s the revenue stream? What’s going to repay it? How do you think COVID has impacted what infrastructure we need? The way we live, the way we work, the way we travel – clearly the pandemic has accelerated trends. We seem to have fast-forwarded ten years in that the idea of being able to work flexibly has become absolutely established. Of course, you will still need some kind of office environment, and we’re doing a lot of analysis looking at what the future of the office is, but it certainly gives people a different perspective. Digital will increasingly become the great enabler. Can you ever depoliticise infrastructure? It’s too idealistic to think that infrastructure can be totally depoliticised; by its very nature, you’re affecting the lives of everyone. There’ll be very strong views – infrastructure for good or bad is something everyone tends to have a view on. The objective shouldn’t be to say ‘let’s keep politics out of it’. It’s more that you’re articulating a plan that can be challenged as you try to seek a level of consensus. What is key is prioritisation of the pace of delivery. Wilson Nesbitt will be hosting their third webinar in the series, ‘Infrastructure for a World Class Belfast’ on Wed 13 Oct at 2.30pm. Register your place via the Wilson Nesbitt website/ Linkedin / Eventbrite.

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09/09/2021 14:31

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FEATURE

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07/09/2021 16:36

FEATURE

25 Years at the Heart of the NI Economy As Arthur Cox marks 25 years since the foundation of its Belfast office, the leading corporate law firm’s Chairman Alan Taylor and Managing Partner Catriona Gibson spoke to Ambition, reflecting on a quarter of a century operating at the centre of the economy.

Arthur Cox’s Alan Taylor and Catriona Gibson.

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FEATURE

irst emerging onto the Belfast legal scene in 1996, Arthur Cox entered a world vastly different to what it is today and, in terms of Northern Ireland, almost unrecognisable. Soon established as one of the foremost law practices operating locally, Arthur Cox built a strong reputation for providing trusted and pragmatic legal advice to leading organisations from across the public, private, and third sectors. It has always been that way, explained Catriona Gibson, managing partner of the Belfast practice, adding however that the sectoral makeup of those organisations had changed dramatically over the years. “I think one of the most striking things that we’ve seen throughout the history of Arthur Cox’s office in Belfast, and certainly during my time at the firm, is the emergence of new industries and sectors that, at one time, seemed impossible,” she said. “Northern Ireland is now a major centre of excellence for burgeoning sectors such as technology, film and television production, advanced engineering and manufacturing, R&D and many others. “It is something that we are seeing in the continued diversification of our client portfolio, not just in terms of sectors, but in the increasing number of international players, keen to invest locally.”

Catriona Gibson

Joining Arthur Cox as a partner in 2006, Catriona assumed the role of managing partner a decade later, building on the foundations laid by Alan Taylor as he moved into the role of Chairman. For Alan Taylor, the developments over the past 25 years are a reminder of “just how far we’ve come”. “When you think about where we were in 1996 in terms of a society and an economy, it could scarcely be any more different than where we find ourselves today,” he said. “At that point, the internet was still in its very early stages and traditional industries remained dominant. “Throughout the intervening years, there have been many challenges – from the property price crash to the global recession and more recently, of course, the coronavirus pandemic. Yet, at every stage, our economy has emerged the stronger for it.” Considering what the future might hold, Catriona remarked that “standing still” is not in the Arthur Cox vocabulary. “Arthur Cox has an incredible culture of progression, proactivity and partnership that puts our strong roster of clients first. Working hard to meet the growing and developing needs of the organisations we represent, ensures that we continue to provide advice that is both nuanced and innovative,” she said. And at all times, the values of the firm will remain steadfast, concerned not just with continually evolving to remain on the cutting edge of legal developments, but also playing a part in wider business and community life. Alan said: “We are very aware that we do not work in isolation. As a firm and individuals, we are active members of various business organisations such as the Northern Ireland Chamber, which we view as important for our own development and in enabling us to make a positive contribution to the corporate community. “Our programme of corporate social

Alan Taylor

responsibility activity, meanwhile, is something we are especially proud of. Staff at all levels take part in various events throughout the year, volunteering with Business in the Community or fundraising for our charity partner The Fostering Network. “It has quite simply always been an essential part of what we do and will be for the next 25 years and well beyond that.” The wider Arthur Cox firm – headquartered in Dublin – marked 100 years since its eponymous founder established a practice at St Stephen’s Green in the city. The Belfast office advises on a wide spectrum of law including mergers and acquisitions, projects and procurement, commercial property and construction, environment and planning, commercial and finance litigation, energy, licensing and intellectual property. With additional offices in Dublin, London, New York, and San Francisco the firm has a local face but a global focus.

“Arthur Cox has an incredible culture of progression, proactivity and partnership that puts our strong roster of clients first. Working hard to meet the growing and developing needs of the organisations we represent, ensures that we continue to provide advice that is both nuanced and innovative.” 68

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07/09/2021 16:39

FEATURE

People Behind the Power As companies in Northern Ireland move forward, skills, training and peer learning have never been more vital to growth. This month, we throw a spotlight on the people behind NI Chamber’s Learn Grow Excel SME partner, Power NI.

e meet the Key Account Management team at Power NI who have the knowledge and experience to guide SMEs and other organisations to the most cost-effective energy products for their business. Jack Ferguson, Power NI’s Commercial Business Development Manager, comments: “Our business mantra is ‘Let’s Grow Together’ and it has been a privilege to have partnered with NI Chamber since January 2017, helping them deliver their Learn Grow Excel suite of programmes, enabling members to grow their organisations both locally and internationally, and ultimately drive the development of the regional economy.” Jack leads a team of six key account managers who are regular attendees and contributors to NI Chamber’s events. He continued: “Whilst we look forward to inperson seminars and presentations returning, the range and scope of online content, workshops and training events delivered by NI Chamber has been impressive and no doubt they have helped guide and sustain SMEs through recent turbulent times. “Although we can’t get out and about to meet people at Chamber events the way we used to, our team are on hand at virtual events and are happy to reach out to companies who want advice and support in terms of the best energy products and type of contract to deliver the best value for clients in terms of business performance. “It’s a challenging and volatile marketplace and particularly with the impact of the past 18 months, prices are moving up and down. And for all suppliers here, there has been an upward squeeze on prices all round as we move out of the pandemic. “Businesses are looking for good deals but also a partnership package with fantastic service that delivers long term and adds value. This is where our team of six come into their own. They have a broad range of experience and expertise in the energy industry and customer service, know the challenges faced by SMEs and are able to deliver the best value, support and energy-efficient products for business customers.”

Jack Ferguson Jack continues: “We aim to really understand our customers – what makes them tick – and to guide them to the best products to suit their company and business needs. MDs, sales or facilities managers in SMEs are busy people and we try to assess their energy knowledge and tailor our service and product portfolio to deliver value and enable senior managers to get on with running their business instead of spending time analysing energy options. “Businesses are increasingly looking for an energy partner, someone who can help businesses assess their energy usage, how to improve it and ultimately become more sustainable as a company. At Power NI, we’re evolving to become more than just your electricity supplier.” For more information on Power NI, Northern Ireland’s largest energy supplier, visit powerni.co.uk/letsgrowtogether

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FEATURE

Meet the Team Kylie Best Kylie has been a key member of the Power NI business development team since 2015, after a busy seven-year career in the print media industry looking after customer sales. Her all-around experience and knowledge of the energy sector, public sector organisations and SMEs has enabled her to become a trusted advisor to her clients both large and small. Kylie looks after a broad range of customers from local government to retail and hospitality, as well as liaising with many energy brokers. In her spare time, Kylie is a keen walker and has taken up cold water swimming at several beaches on the County Down coast.

Daniel Boyle Daniel joined the Energia Group in September 2000, having gained several years of sales experience in the building products industry. In his 21 years with both Energia and Power NI, Daniel has worked with every size of business and specialises in complex products and support. His knowledge of the energy sector is extensive and he brings his expertise to very large commercial groups and government organisations, as well as hospitality groups, the education sector, the grocery trade and shopping complexes. With his young family getting older, Daniel has been able to pick up his past hobbies of golf and Bikram Yoga.

Ian Fraser Ian joined the team at Power NI several years ago, bringing with him over 17 years of banking and financial services experience. During his career as a senior manager in the bank, Ian assisted large corporates in risk management and financial markets analysis. He shares his comprehensive expertise with his Power NI clients, particularly large manufacturing and retail businesses. Living in Belfast, Ian and his family are currently investing their spare time in a substantial renovation project and breathing new life into a characterful Victorian home.

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07/09/2021 16:39

FEATURE

Helen Gamble With a background in finance and sales, Helen has 16 years under her belt at Power NI. After spending a decade in customer service and invoicing, Helen then joined the commercial business team as a Key Account Manager. She has a huge knowledge of all aspects of the electricity market locally. Helen looks after a full range of SME clients, focusing mostly on public sector, manufacturing and retail. Outside of servicing her portfolio of customers, Helen, who is from Lisburn, is a busy mum of two daughters.

Jonathan Gregg Jonathan has an extensive business background with 25 years of experience in sales management and distribution across a wide range of telecoms, FMCG and other consumer companies. He also co-owned and operated his own retail distribution business. The knowledge and skills derived from managing a company allow him to better understand his key clients and their business needs. Outside work, he has had a topflight rugby career with Malone RFC, playing alongside and against many high-profile Ulster and Ireland players. He still has a passion for the game and follows the sport at club and international levels.

Neil McConkey With substantial experience in the banking and financial services industry over 25 years, Neil brings a vast understanding of complex customer needs and goals to his SME and large company clients, particularly in the agri-food and manufacturing industries. In his banking days, Neil dealt extensively with energy sector companies and was already very familiar with energy issues when he joined Power NI early in 2020. Neil focuses on asking customers the right questions, listening to their ideas and, similar to a risk management approach, he weighs up the best solutions and adapts down the line when needed. A player and member of CIYMS since 1994, Neil is fully involved with the club and plays both cricket and veterans rugby.

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07/09/2021 16:39

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APPOINTMENTS

NEW

PPOINTMENTS IN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY

MARK BOYLE

HOLLIE CREGAN

EIMEAR BROWN

EMER CALDWELL

Group Commercial Director at Dale Farm

Head of Equality, Diversity & Inclusion at GRAHAM

Director and Head of Audit at Baker Tilly Mooney Moore

IT Director at Payescape

VANESSA HAMILTON

FABIEN CADOT

KRISTINA KING

CHRIS RANKIN

Client Services Director at Payescape

Project Architect at Hamilton Architects

Marketing Manager at Xperience

Cloud and Managed IT Sales Specialist at Xperience

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09/09/2021 16:25

APPOINTMENTS

Garret Kavanagh Appointed as Director of Openreach Northern Ireland

Openreach Northern Ireland (NI), the region’s largest digital infrastructure provider, which currently employs more than 1,000 people in roles across the region, has named Garret Kavanagh as its new Director. Garret, who’s most recent role was Senior Manager of infrastructure delivery, has more than 10 years’ experience in Openreach NI and replaces Mairead Meyer who recently stepped down after five years in the role. Meanwhile the company has announced 17 more rural towns and villages where it will be building Ultrafast Full Fibre broadband to over the next 18 months. The locations span the length and breadth of the region, from Belleek in Co. Fermanagh to Stewartstown in Co. Tyrone to Cushendun in Co. Antrim and Killinchy in Co. Down. As a result, these locations will be able to access download speeds of up to 1Gbps, that’s up to 10 times faster than the average home broadband connection. That

means faster game downloads, better quality video calls and a higher resolution movie streaming. This announcement comes alongside plans to add an additional £30 million to the £100 million investment Openreach recently announced for Northern Ireland between 2021 and 2022. Speaking about the two announcements, Garret said: “We’re undergoing a once in a generation upgrade to our broadband network from copper to Full Fibre. We are delighted that we will be building Ultrafast Full Fibre broadband to 17 more rural towns and villages over the next 18 months and investing a total of £130 million in Northern Ireland between 2021 and 2022. Seven hundred thousand homes and businesses will be able to access Ultrafast Full Fibre technology by March 2022, that’s 75% of properties across Northern Ireland. We’re extremely proud to be building

a strong and resilient network that will meet the needs of everyone, now and for decades to come. It’s a fantastic time to step into the role of Director of Openreach Northern Ireland.” Garret paid tribute to Mairead for her years of “dedicated service and commitment”. “I am delighted to be taking over from Mairead, who has been a colleague and friend for many years and look forward to working with the team to achieve our shared vision of driving the country’s digital future. I want to wish Mairead the very best in her next endeavor.” In his new role as Director, Garret’s focus will be on continuing the build of Northern Ireland’s largest Ultrafast Full Fibre network – an even faster, more reliable and future-proof broadband network which will be Northern Ireland’s digital platform for decades to come.

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09/09/2021 16:25

FEATURE

The ForwardThinking Law Firm National law firm Shoosmiths’ arrival in Belfast a few years ago was deliberately muted, but today it’s much more than a back office or a regional hub for the national firm, Partner and Belfast joint-location head Gillian Crotty tells Emma Deighan.

otwithstanding the pressures on local law firms during the pandemic, growth at Shoosmiths in Northern Ireland has continued at pace. Nationally, its year end results showed a net profit of £55.4m, an increase of 31% year on year, a pleasing surge for the business. As a result of that growth, the firm also awarded all staff a ‘thank you’ payment in addition to their usual pay with an additional four weeks’ pay in May 2021. A gesture that Gillian says makes Shoosmiths stand out amongst local NI competitors. The company’s turnover, in spite of what was a challenging year for all professional services firms, sat at £167.9m illustrating a 9% year on year growth; with the Belfast office turnover growing by over 50%! So Shoosmiths’ Belfast arm has been instrumental in that ascent, says its Partner Gillian Grotty. In our few years in NI, the business has attracted a host of new NI clients, as well as servicing the NI requirements of its UK clients with a need for a base in Belfast. “We deliberately came into Belfast with the aim of listening to our clients and the market. We focused on where and how we wanted to grow, initially acting on behalf of some of the firm’s existing clients who require high quality, professional legal services in Northern Ireland,” Gillian begins. Gillian joined Shoosmiths Belfast in 2018 when there were just three partners, herself included. Today there are nine with a full service

commercial offering in Northern Ireland, with leading banking partner Anna Vangrove and leading corporate partners Mark Davis and Grant Edwards recently arriving at the firm. More corporate recruitment is also confirmed. “We’ve grown hugely since my arrival at the firm” she adds. Real estate, financial services and litigation were the initial specialisms at the business here, with corporate, banking and renewable energy among the newer segments. The firm has further plans to grow strategically. “We moved to new premises in November 2019 and we are already reaching capacity. With further growth, office expansion is inevitable” Gillian reveals, which is being led by our jointlocation head, Mark Blair. Staff at the company have been afforded a new “bold way of working” in the aftermath of the pandemic, when colleagues were given the choice to make their own decisions on where and when they work. Gillian says the move uses an “output not occupancy ethos” and follows on from the business’ pioneering work model introduced months before the pandemic even hit. “We don’t define agile working as issuing staff with laptops and an offer to work from home a few days a week. That is not enough. We were ready for home working even before the pandemic hit. Our preference is to trust our staff to deliver for clients above all else, but to do so in a way that promotes a true quality of life, reflecting the diversity of our people.” Its working policy is not the only forwardthinking element of the business, the team

is very much focused on reducing its carbon footprint too. This includes a net carbon neutral pledge by 2025, placing it ahead of local competitors. Promoting rail travel instead of air travel, limiting travel frequency by using new ways of communicating as well as offering a centralised booking platform to capture staff travel data, are just some of the many methods in its drive to reduce carbon emissions. “Carbon neutrality is a key focus area for us and we are committed to protecting the environment by changing the way in which we travel, behave and carry out business. We have set an ambitious goal for Shoosmiths to become fully carbon neutral by 2025,” Gillian explains. When discussing Shoosmiths’ USP in a busy market here, Gillian says the litigation team, with a headcount approaching 20, is now amongst the biggest in the city. Financial services, real estate (with partners Sarah Ewing and Mark Blair), corporate and renewable energy are the key growth sectors for the Belfast office at present, and this reflects the breadth of talent and demand in the NI market. “Over the last year have seen a real upsurge in instructions from local developers and investors for example, via Sarah and Mark. As a litigation team, our key areas of specialism are in financial services and real estate disputes. We act for many of the UK’s largest financial institutions, large property developers and well known high street retailers.” Legal services supporting the renewable energy sector, which is a relatively new

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FEATURE

specialism at the business, is being led by local Partner, John Palmer, who himself has 15 years’ experience in the industry. Much of the firm’s national renewable energy work originates in Northern Ireland. At present Shoosmiths has a 50-strong Belfast team with recruitment for another 15 members in the immediate pipeline, hence the plans for office expansion. The firm, on a national level, has expanded into a number of new locations over recent years illustrating that growth is always in the plans but only when it fits with the company’s strategy, Gillian is quick to add.

“We’re always looking for opportunities for further growth but they have to fit with our strategy and for us, it is absolutely not about being the biggest head count. It’s about being a leading commercial law firm in Belfast based on a quality service.” Growth certainly won’t mean an expansion into all areas. Its focus will remain corporate and commercial orientated, Gillian says. “The legal market is changing rapidly. And we don’t want to simply be more of the same. We are consciously different from other firms in the local market through our investment in technology, growth of non-legal services and

only recruiting staff who are prepared to think differently. “We’re not traditional and as a litigation team we are focused around commercial, cost effective solutions for our clients; providing practical responses and not trying to drive every case to court. For us it’s about achieving the best outcome for our clients and as a Belfast firm, we haven’t needed to forcefully push our agenda to market, we are growing based upon our reputation as a forward thinking and modern law firm. “That’s what’s been behind our growth, that’s why great people are joining us.”

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04/10/2021 12:28

FEATURE

Peter Dixon, Group Chairman of Phoenix Energy Holdings

Fuelling the Future Peter Dixon, Group Chairman of Phoenix Energy Holdings, reflects on the birth of Northern Ireland’s Natural Gas Industry 25 Years ago.

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lot can happen in 25 years. Unheard of in 1996, Phoenix Natural Gas is one of the most successful private company start-ups in Northern Ireland’s history. Now a household name, almost a third of a million homes and businesses have Phoenix Gas network at their doorstep, stretching from Larne to Newcastle to Lisburn; including all of Greater Belfast. The introduction of natural gas is a real ‘good news story’ for everyone who lives here. It must be remembered that the task of building the natural gas network and supporting gas industry ranks alongside the introduction of the railways in 1846 and electrification just before the Second World War. Only this time it wasn’t taxpayers and Government that drove, funded and masterminded the task, it was a private company deploying its own capital to do so. The key to Phoenix’s success was and remains its ability to engage with Government, communities and businesses, and despite its complexity and size, Phoenix remains, at its core, a local company working on behalf of the communities it serves. Phoenix started with no pipes in the ground, no staff, no customers and no other gas companies to compare to. Back in February 1997, where I pick up the story, we’d built around 70 kilometres of network (today that figure stands at around 4,000 kilometres), we had a dozen (large industrial) customers and about 30 staff; the supporting wider gas industry didn’t exist. For me, reflecting now, these past decades have flown by. I can still recall stepping off the Liverpool boat at Belfast Docks in February 1997, as if it was yesterday. I’d accepted the job as Phoenix’s Commercial Director in October of 1996, but due to changes in what was then British Gas, I couldn’t take up my new job until the following February. Back then it certainly didn’t feel like the start of something that would change the lives of so many, including my own. It was just another job, a new challenge, a blank canvas compared to where I had come from. Back then I don’t remember any of the team really thinking about just how daunting the challenge was – it’s probably why many onlookers gave us little hope of success or seeing the challenge through. We never gave any thought to failure: we were just too busy making things happen. We were all relatively young and driven by the challenge and the opportunity, I guess, and despite our business and life experience, we were all a little naive to the scale of the task ahead. They say that necessity is the mother of invention but in Phoenix’s case that describes how we survived and succeeded. We invented and innovated, often surprised at our own achievements and success; overcoming engineering challenges in ways that set benchmarks and best practices within the sector. It would be foolish to look back now with rose tinted

spectacles and present everything as a faultless evolution – it certainly wasn’t that; on more than one occasion our very existence appeared to teeter on the brink of failure. Having launched with a fanfare of public relations activity, it soon became clear that the company’s initial business plan and strategy was too simplistic and ultimately detached from the reality of what best served the local marketplace. In a nutshell, the size and speed of the task had been totally underestimated. To establish natural gas as a credible product – and to support the levels of investment needed – targets would have to be accelerated by at least five years. The original plan was to have a measured construction build over 10-years, allowing the market to create itself alongside the build programme. However, in simple terms, there was a need for the bulk of the network to be constructed in a 5-year period and a radical marketing approach was needed. Systems had to be fast-tracked to support the accelerated build out; investment had to be made in developing a local gas industry of installers, specifiers, architects, builders, retailers and distributors. Phoenix staffing had to be substantially increased and the investors had to increase the investment recovery period from 20 to 50 years, aligned to the minimum operating life of the asset - a significant shock to those investing in the business. One of the hardest things in business is to work with unhappy investors. We had to tell our investors that for the project to succeed, they had to: significantly increase up-front investment, accept operating losses in the medium term, and defer recovery of their initial investment for decades. While a difficult message to share, in reality the original plan, which launched the investment unaltered, simply wouldn’t have been in in the best interests of the industry or gas consumers. This was all a far cry from the company launch just months earlier – it was survival time and we had to get on the ground, sell the product and make things happen. Phoenix is responsible for building and maintaining the gas pipes which it owns. It is different than any other mature utility in that it had to build its customer base while still building the network that delivered its product. So, if you like - to generate the revenue to pay for everything else - Phoenix’s main challenge was attracting new customers from a variety of sectors willing to adopt a new form of energy, in a place with no experience of natural gas and its benefits. Accelerating the network build allowed us to get gas to key areas of Greater Belfast, which were likely to be early adopters. Construction was targeted at getting gas to every large user, new build development and Housing Executive property within our reach using a coal-fuelled system.

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FEATURE

We had small offices at the time in Clarendon Dock, so we hired the Seaman’s Mission for a few days where we laid out huge maps and plastered walls with flip charts. With key people, we marked up the new build sites, locations of large businesses, property areas earmarked for heating conversion by the Housing Executive, and home-owner areas likely to have older oil boilers. We then drew up a plan based on c.£40m investment per year for the first few years of infrastructure build. That was it, we’d agreed how to ‘eat the elephant’ in manageable chunks. This highlevel plan proved to be broadly correct but importantly, it created a framework for the build, and within weeks, digging holes and laying pipes, thereafter adapting as experience was gleaned. It also allowed us to tell customers when we expected to get gas to them - this resulted in an invaluable A-to-Z index of ‘gas availability’ which was issued to everyone at Phoenix. It became thicker than a phone book, but was accurate, easy to read and highlighted every area, road and home in Greater Belfast by postcode, street number and the date it was planned to have gas available. Simple but effective - it enabled potential customers to plan for the future and provided our teams with a clear roadmap. Innovation played a big part in how our engineering team tackled building a new gas system. They weren’t tied to what had been done before and moved from the established lines on which the UK had built gas networks to those used across Europe instead. The Phoenix network is predominately plastic and replacing it due to age will not need considered for generations to come. Phoenix decided to buy the ‘old towns gas pipelines’ used decades ago, to use as a conduit for its new pipes - this saved digging roads unnecessarily as you could slide new pipes inside the old ones - in some cases for miles. More innovations followed, after the first few years of building a low-pressure system, design moved to constructing a medium-pressure system. This enabled every pipe, fitting and control to be flexible and smaller, correspondingly less expensive. These two decisions reduced the lifetime cost of constructing and running the network by tens of millions, lowering the cost of distributing gas to customers. While estimating the economic impact the gas industry has and will have locally is difficult – it’s worth understanding where the impacts have come. The activity of network construction, converting customers, providing services and having hundreds of millions of pounds of private money into the local economy

“Phoenix decided to buy the ‘old towns gas pipelines’ used decades ago, to use as a conduit for its new pipes - this saved digging roads unnecessarily as you could slide new pipes inside the old ones - in some cases for miles.” producing thousands of jobs over the past two decades is evidence alone. The network, paid for and in the ground for the long term continues adding value to the communities and industry it serves, none more so than its ability to decarbonise by substituting natural gas with alternative renewable gases. It is undisputed that without access to natural gas there are many industries and business that would not have been able to operate in Northern Ireland. Often missed however, is the scale of the local independent gas industry and supply chain that has been created and would simply not exist if natural gas hadn’t arrived and been successful in its initial rollout. It created the foundation for future expansion of the gas network outside of Greater Belfast, such as Gas to the North, West and East, that wouldn’t have been feasible if Phoenix had failed to establish gas as the fuel of choice during the initial stages of development. This along with the health and environmental benefits of displacing coal and oil and the harmful particulates produced is significant. All in, it is easy to see that the natural gas industry, born locally in the midnineties, has left a long and lasting legacy that will keep giving for decades to come. What about the gas industry in NI today? With over 300,000 properties connected to natural gas networks locally and new connections growing at a rate of 15,000 per annum, the gas industry provides a bridge to the carbon-zero economy of the future, enabling properties with access to the gas network to convert from oil to gas. When you consider that every home which converts to natural gas reduces its central heating carbon footprint by around 50%; these are substantial savings, unrivalled in terms of immediate action householders can take to significantly lower their carbon emissions. There are still over 230,000 properties locally that could switch to natural gas today and by doing so would demonstrate a commitment to a low carbon future, knowing that the network they connect to today, is the very same network that will be distributing green renewable solutions to them in the not-too-distant future. This reflection on the successful role out of the natural gas network should provide confidence that the same gas industry that has delivered changed consumer behaviours, and which has developed

a supply chain employing some 2,500 people, is an industry primed and ready, with the skills and experience, to support the journey to becoming carbon neutral. Locally, our existing energy landscape and indigenous resources leave us well placed to become a world leader in the production of renewable gas solutions. Our agricultural sector produces significant levels of organic waste which can be harnessed to produce biogas and in turn injected into the existing gas network, without any impact to end user appliances. Innovative companies such as McCulla Ireland are already using this to drive carbon reductions powering vehicles with biogas, produced from repurposed waste. Phoenix are working with relevant stakeholders to ensure that the full potential of this opportunity to produce renewable gas is realised, preparing for initial biomethane injection from 2022. It’s impossible to consider carbon-zero solutions without embracing Hydrogen. The Department of Economy set out their ambition in recent months, recognising that ‘NI is uniquely positioned to become a leader in the hydrogen economy and secure associated benefits locally’. It is important that industry and policy makers create the conditions for innovative demonstration and trial projects, enabling Northern Ireland to grasp opportunities. One of the most exciting prospects for Northern Ireland is that renewable gas solutions enable a significant percentage of local heat demand to be provided using the rich indigenous resources that are part of our landscape. Consumers will ultimately be key enablers of meeting decarbonisation targets and therefore we must ensure that the journey is affordable, minimises disruption and critically, offers energy solutions that deliver security of supply and convenience. The investment that leading gas boiler manufacturers such as Worcester Bosch and Baxi have made in Hydrogen ready boilers is a positive development, and soon the boilers that customers purchase will operate on natural gas today while being ready to embrace Hydrogen alternatives - minimising cost and inconvenience. Looking ahead, new technology will live alongside established technology, underlining the importance of the current gas industry and the pioneering efforts of Phoenix at the outset.

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Ambition Issue 48 (September/October 2021)

Articles inside

Dine & Wine - Chris Rees

The Old Inn Reveals £1m refurbishment

Jim Fitzpatrick

Niamh Campbell

Mark Owens

Fuelling the Future

The Forward-Thinking Law Firm

Garret Kavanagh Appointed as Director of Openreach NI

25 Years at the Heart of the

People Behind the Power

Infrastructure for a World Class Belfast

New Beginnings

Professor Una McMahon Beattie and Donald Sloan

A Gateway to Sustainable Growth

Catering to an Industry Uplift

Driving Digital Transformation in the

NI Chamber In Conversation

The Carbon Neutral Role

John Campbell

Quarterly Economic Survey

NI Chamber News

Kate Marshall

Lidl Announces New

Stairway to Seven

A Glass Act

From Factory Floor to Board Room

My Ambition is to

Bill Roy

Cherrie Stewart

Football Comes Together