Ambition Issue 30 (September/October 2018)

Magazine of Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry

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July/August 2018 Issue 30

Contents NI CHAMBER COMMUNICATIONS PARTNER

42

Keeping it in the family Checking in with the McKeevers - business and family life at the McKeever Hotel Group.

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

NI CHAMBER PATRONS

2

At a Glance News: 08 Almac Group marks 50 successful years in Craigavon 12 Galgorm Resort and Spa scoops top global awards 76 QES Report Columnists: 16 Ian Rainey 20 Brian Murphy 24 Àine Smith 26 David Clements 60 Maureen O’Reilly 64 Brendan Duffy 72 Alan Meban 78 Mark Haslam 96 Jim Fitzpatrick Chamber Chief: 28 Update 30 Summer Networking Social 31 Tanya Talks…

32 NI Chamber headline events 36 Join NI Chamber Features: 14 Stairway to Seven 18 Brexit uncertainty rumbles on 40 A Good Sport 44 My Ambition is to...

46 Security giant taking big steps in technology 62 Start-ups gear-up 66 Agnew Leasing getting in gear for change 68 Word from Brussels 70 Swinging into Shape 74 Top Young Talent 80 A switch in media watching habits 91 Checking in to new role

Appointments: 82 New Appointments Line Up Special Section: 48 Solid Foundations in Construction

12

Lifestyle: 88 Business Class Motoring James Stinson 94 Fashion - Joanne Harkness 95 Dine & Wine - Chris Rees

30

46 58 Cover Story 66

88

3

EDITORIAL

Driving Ambition

Change is in the air

A

utumn has blown in bringing with it change…in temperature, colours, the evening skies and weather outlook.

But there’s another big change on the way…

Belfast Waterfront Hall is rebranding its conferencing business, which includes the waterside extension, to ICC (International Convention Centre) Belfast.

The rebrand goes live on 1 October as the growth of the conference and events business continues to surge. The Waterfront Hall name for the original building will remain.

The rebrand of the 7,000m2 purposebuilt conference facility, developed in conjunction with Visit Belfast, Tourism NI and Belfast City Council, will deliver 50,000 conference delegate days each year by 2021 across the city. This will generate £100 million in economic impact for Belfast and 1,500 jobs.

The rename, coincides with the first day of the International Healthy Cities Conference which will bring 3,000 delegates to the venue in a major four day event, and will generate £1.93 million for the city.

Earlier this year, the venue hosted the Royal College of Nursing Annual Congress which, with over 4,500 delegates, was the largest conference hosted in the city to date and delivered an estimated boost to the local economy of £4.8 million.

ICC says the rename is a crucial step on the journey to realising the full potential of the venue and on selling Belfast in an incredibly competitive international market.

The venue, which won Best Event Space 2017 at the Event Awards, is in a better position than ever before to host major conferences, following the £29.5m

extension unveiled in 2016 funded by Belfast City Council, Tourism NI and the European Regional Development Fund.

This together with Belfast being voted the trendiest European City for Business Travel in 2016, and Lonely Planet naming the city as their number one region to visit in 2018, will further stamp the city’s reputation as a world-class conference destination and a place to do business.

Staying with invigorating the economy and in Ambition this issue, the Special Section, ‘Solid Foundations In Construction’, focuses on some of Northern Ireland’s leading construction companies and hears

how they overcome challenges on projects while growing and gaining international and national acclaim.

In Lifestyle, our motoring writer James Stinson welcomes the ‘Dawn of the Dacia’ while Galgorm Resort and Spa’s head chef Chris Rees inspires us with a succulent dish.

Remember, Ambition will keep you upto-date with all that is happening in the world of business in Northern Ireland.

Adrienne McGill Editor Ambition

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President’s Perspective

EDITORIAL

Movement…at last

I

n the same week that the new Glider buses curved into action on the streets of Belfast… there was also movement by the Secretary

of State.

Karen Bradley announced that she is

bringing forward legislation to allow civil servants to make decisions in the absence of devolution.

Northern Ireland has been without an Executive since January 2017 after a disagreement between the two main political parties, the DUP and Sinn Fein, resulted in the collapse of devolved government…and the region has been in limbo ever since…with major decisions to boost the economy on hold.

Currently

there

infrastructure

are

projects

£0.5bn in

of

Belfast

Harbour being held back awaiting final ministerial approval.

These

schemes

include

a

major

waterfront grade A office building, a new CCGT power station and a Cruise Ship terminal. These projects would not only provide much needed construction work but more importantly would generate economic growth and long term jobs.

Failure to move these forward would have an adverse effect on the local economy and hold back much needed investment.

There are inward investors interested in establishing operations in Belfast and elsewhere which would generate hunderds of quality jobs and pump money into the local economy through attractive salaries for staff.

Earlier this year, the Court of Appeal ruling on the Arc 21 planning decision which

on key decisions which are to the benefit of

of the Executive, at least Karen Bradley’s

everyone in Northern Ireland.

announcement should start the wheels in

prevented senior civil servants making

In her statement, Karen Bradley said

motion for big decisions, especially around

strategic planning decisions, normally made

that with new powers coming back from

infrastructure, to be made, which will allow

by a Minister, was a further blow to any

Brussels and flowing to Stormont, Northern

Northern Ireland to prosper.

prospect of headway.

Ireland needed an Executive in place to use

However,

Karen

Bradley

is

to

be

congratulated on her decision to allow senior civil servants to give the green light

those powers to meet the challenges and opportunities ahead.

While there is no sign of the restoration 6

Ellvena Graham President Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry

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BiG naMes GeT ready for ‘MeeT The Buyer’

Some of the biggest names in business will join Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NI Chamber) and Bank of Ireland UK at their largest meet the buyer event to date.

The McConville family group of companies incorporates MJM Group, MJM Prime, Mivan and Topglass. Pictured are: John Cunningham (CEO of Mivan); Naoimh McConville (Group Director); Conleth McConville (Group Director); Paul McClurg (Head of Belfast Business Banking at Bank of Ireland UK); Sandra Scannell (Head of Business Services at NI Chamber) and John McLaughlin (General Manager of Topglass).

Businesses will have a chance to meet with over 20 Buyers at the event in Belfast this November. Amongst the buyers are marine fit out specialists, MJM Group, bespoke joinery company Mivan and specialist architectural glass company, Topglass – all owned by Rathfriland based entrepreneur Brian McConville, with his daughter Naoimh and son Conleth. Other Buyers include Andras House; Bank of Ireland Group; CAF Rail; Coca Cola HBC; Mount Charles; Neueda; NI Water; NIE Networks; Ryobi and Seagate. The event, which forms part of the NI Chamber and Bank of Ireland UK cross-border ‘Connecting for Growth’ programme, will allow businesses to make a pitch to these buyers whilst networking and developing links with each other through a number of activities including speed networking. Commenting on the event, Sandra Scannell, Head of Business Services at NI Chamber, said: “We are delighted to have secured the support of key buyers from across Northern Ireland to meet with suppliers at what is our largest Meet the Buyer event to date in its 5 year history. The event is open to any business that has a product or service our buyers are interested in purchasing.”

• The Connecting for Growth Meet the Buyer will take place on 7 November 2018 from 9.30am-1.00pm at Belfast’s Crowne Plaza Hotel.

a firsT for MCavoy dungannon based Mcavoy Group, a specialist in off-site construction for schools, hospitals and commercial buildings, is to undertake its first ever residential scheme. It will manufacture 40 new homes on the site of the former Woodside’s foodstore in Carrickfergus for social housing provider the Clanmil Group.

The Joymount scheme will be the first social homes in Northern Ireland delivered using off-site construction. The £6.2m development is a mix of family houses and apartments for active older people and is being built with Clanmil with the assistance of £3.1m grant support from the Department for Communities.

The new homes, each made up of a number of steelframed modules, will be manufactured and fully fitted-out by McAvoy in its Lisburn factory before being carried into position on site. Eugene Lynch,

McAvoy Group’s Managing Director said: “This scheme is the first to use our new modular housing solution and successfully demonstrates its application for apartments, detached and semi-detached homes. It also illustrates our capabilities as principal contractor.”

The McAvoy method of construction will reduce the build time for the Carrickfergus development by 56 weeks compared to the traditional site-based building methods, delivering 40 new homes in just nine months. The first families will move in next spring.

Clare McCarty, Group Chief Executive at Clanmil said: “We see off-site construction as the future. It could completely revolutionise house-building and we are delighted to be partnering with The McAvoy Group, a Northern Ireland company well known for its experience and expertise in modular construction for other sectors, on this its first residential project.”

Eugene Lynch (McAvoy Group), Clare McCarty (Clanmil Housing) and David Orr ( National Housing Federation).

alMaC Group Marks 50 suCCessful years in CraiGavon Almac is celebrating 50 years since its founder, Sir Allen McClay, opened the doors of his pharmaceutical development business on its Craigavon headquarters.

The organisation, which now operates in 17 locations across Europe, North America and

Asia, was founded as Galen Limited in 1968.

Following floatation on the New York, Dublin and London stock exchanges in 1997, Galen Holdings Plc became Northern Ireland’s first billion pound company.

When the company took a different path to that which Sir Allen had envisioned in 2001, he sold the majority of his shareholding and, in 2002, he founded the Almac Group.

Sixteen years later the campus at Craigavon serves as the organisation’s global headquarters, housing seven business units. This year saw the recruitment of Almac’s 5000th employee globally.

Almac’s Board of Directors: Stephen Campbell, Alan Armstrong, Colin Hayburn and Kevin Stephens.

Alan Armstrong, CEO

8

and Chairman of the Almac Group said: “When he opened the doors of his business 50 years ago in Northern Ireland, Sir Allen had a vision of making a substantial contribution to healthcare across the globe.

“We are proud of our global reputation for excellence built over those 50 years. Our client service, scientific and operational expertise right across the drug development lifecycle offers a tailored solution to each of our clients. It is the dedication of our exceptional employees that enables us to provide this service and we pay tribute to their work as we reflect on the success of our company.

“We are excited about the future of our company.”

The company’s most recently published financial figures show a 19% rise in revenue to £531m. It also reported an increase in pre-tax profits, up from £27m in 2016 to over £33m for the year ending 30 September 2017.

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NEWS

DANSKE BANK CREATES NEW JOBS IN NORTH WEST Danske Bank is creating 67 new jobs in Londonderry in a new Customer Protection Centre. The Centre will complete due diligence checks on personal and business customers, as part of regulatory requirements for all banks to demonstrate an increased responsibility for knowing and understanding how customers operate their bank accounts.

Invest Northern Ireland has offered Danske Bank £234,500 towards the creation of the roles. Once fully operational the Centre will generate nearly £1.5 million annually for the local economy in salaries.

Jeremy Fitch, Executive Director, Business & Sector Development, Invest NI said: “As well as offering starting salaries in the region of £17,000-£18,000, those joining the team in the North West will receive high quality induction training, enjoy a modern working Jeremy Fitch, Executive Director of Business & Sector environment, competitive pension benefits, healthcare benefit and a defined career path.”

Development, Invest NI and Stephen Matchett, Chief Danske Bank is the biggest bank in Northern Ireland, with an extensive network of Financial Officer, Danske Bank. branches and Business Centres, employing about 1,400 staff.

Stephen Matchett, Danske Bank’s Chief Financial Officer, said: “Our successful bid for this new centre to be located here, rather than at one of the Danske Bank Group’s existing European centres, ensures that we remain close to our customer base in Northern Ireland.”

The new Customer Protection Centre will be based in the upper floors of the Bank’s historic Shipquay Place building in Londonderry city centre.

IN SHIP SHAPE Stena Line has welcomed the Stena Forerunner to Belfast ahead of the ferry’s first sailing from Belfast to Liverpool.

The 3,000 lane metre Stena Forerunner has been introduced as a result of growing market demand and the need for increased capacity and will increase weekly freight capacity on the service by almost 10%.

Paul Grant, Stena Line Trade Director said: “We are delighted to welcome the Stena Forerunner to Belfast and the introduction and investment of this larger vessel demonstrates our ongoing commitment to the freight market. This year we’re experiencing strong growth of

6% on the Belfast to Liverpool route and future plans include the introduction of two new build ferries on this service during spring 2020 and early 2021.”

Stena Line is currently the largest ferry operator on the Irish Sea, offering the biggest fleet and the widest choice of routes between Ireland and Britain including Belfast to Liverpool and Heysham, Belfast to Cairnryan, Dublin to Holyhead and Rosslare to Fishguard routes, with a total of 232 weekly sailing options between Ireland and Britain.

Stena Line also offers a direct service from Rosslare to Cherbourg with three return crossings a week.

GALGORM RESORT & SPA SCOOPS TOP GLOBAL AWARDS

Galgorm General Manager Colin Johnston accepting Galgorm’s prestigious awards with Mid and East Antrim Borough Council Mayor, Cllr Lindsay Millar (left), Joanna Evans and Linda Cooper Executive Managers for the World Luxury Spa & Restaurant Awards.

Captain Marcel Schaar of the Stena Forerunner is welcomed to Belfast by Belfast Harbour CEO Joe O’Neill ahead of the ferry’s first sailing from Belfast to Liverpool.

Galgorm Resort & Spa, Northern Ireland’s globally-recognised luxury hotel and wellness destination, scooped two hugely prestigious awards recently.

The resort, based near Ballymena, won the coveted title of Best Luxury Countryside Spa (UK) while the it’s 3AA Rosette River Room Restaurant was named the Best Luxury Hotel Restaurant (Northern Europe) at the World Luxury Spa & Restaurant Awards 2018.

Galgorm was privileged to have been selected to host the event, one of the world’s most prestigious hospitality award ceremonies, which attracted over 200 guests including VIP’s, luxury spa and restaurant owners from 42 different countries and global media. It was the first time the awards have been held in the UK or Ireland with previous hosts having included Qatar, Vietnam, South Africa and Thailand. Accolades are presented to winners on a country, regional, continent and global basis. Speaking at the event, Colin Johnston, Galgorm General Manager, said: “With more than twenty awards scooped in the last year and now to have coveted another two prestigious titles we are no stranger to being recognised for our exemplary standards. The Resort has invested more than £35 million over the past 10 years and we have plans for further expansion of over £14 million over the next 5 years.

“The vision behind our continued growth is a commitment to enhancing the tourism infrastructure in Northern Ireland by delivering world-class facilities and providing an unrivalled customer experience.”

The team at the World Luxury Spa & Restaurant Awards extended their thanks to the Resort, saying; “Hosting an event of this stature is no small feat, every detail needs to be considered and every task and request undertaken with care. We chose Galgorm because we knew this would be of no consequence to their highly professional team and we know that the evening was thoroughly enjoyed by all who attended.”

12

4c, finding what is invisible to others @4cexecutive

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FEATURE

Stairway to Seven My seven steps for business success Barry Smith, Founder and Managing Director of MCS Group, has a successful track record spanning 24 years in specialist recruitment and search & selection. MCS Group is a market leading Northern Ireland specialist recruitment and talent acquisition consultancy.

1. HIRE GREAT PEOPLE AND LOOK

AFTER THEM Talented people make great organisations, so it’s important to attract the best. Be open minded – talent comes in many different forms and if you only hire from your competitors, how likely is it that you can differentiate your particular offering.

Be aware that often the best people aren’t active on the market and need to be enticed to join you. When you are lucky enough to get great people, then reward them well, appreciate them, have fun together and give them plenty of reasons to stay.

2. HAVE A CLEAR VISION WHICH ‘LIVES’

IN THE BUSINESS Knowing why your business exists and where you want to take it is fundamental to success. However, ensuring that vision is ‘alive and breathing’ in your business is the critical factor. The whole business needs to know what that vision is, be totally bought into it, know what part they will play in achieving it and understand how the achievement of that vision will benefit them.

3. PLAN WELL – BUT BE FLEXIBLE

Effective planning is another business fundamental.

However flexibility is important. While the vision will remain constant, the external operating landscape or the internal environment can and will change, so the tactics you employ to succeed must be modified to reflect the actual reality at any point in time.

4. CONTINUALLY INVEST IN THE

BUSINESS Businesses need ongoing investment to succeed and keep succeeding. Investing in

people, technology, marketing or business improvement initiatives will improve your offering, gain efficiencies and ultimately make your company more sustainable. It will also provide a platform for ongoing growth. Think long term.

5. FOCUS ON BEING THE BEST

If you’re not the best in your market, why should customers come to you or stay with you? Often companies measure their success or progress on financials only. Know your competition and try measuring how your product or service compares. Focus your efforts on being the best, which, if achieved, will make growing your customer base and retaining hard won customers so much easier.

6.

CONTINUALLY RE-INVENT YOURSELF Your company is not going to fundamentally change track every six months, but it is important to continually innovate and

14

evolve. What works well today may not be good enough five years or even 12 months from now. Have your eye on industry developments at a global level. Be tuned into technology innovations. Be brave and proactive when it comes to implementing new ideas, technology, ways of working or in taking advantage of new business opportunities. Stay ahead of the curve and the competition.

7. DON’T “LOSE THE RUN OF YOURSELF”

A very common saying where I grew up and one never to be forgotten. I believe in staying grounded when things are going well and remembering that however great things appear to be, there is always plenty to improve upon. Likewise, in difficult times, things are never quite as bad as they seem and if people work together a solution can be found to most problems – especially if you have that great team around you, all pulling in the same direction.

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COLUMnIST

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

In the driving seat… at last

A new era has dawned for females in Saudi Arabia.

T

he 32-year-old Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman made headlines this year by decreeing that from 24th June women would be allowed to drive, motor cars.

While welcomed by the nation’s women the new decree has been dammed by the nation’s clerical hierarchy. One Saudi cleric thundered that allowing women to drive would lead to immorality and a lack of virgins. Still another

to Bahrain where Saudis have long enjoyed

The listing was expected to raise some $1.6

cinemas and other entertainment banned at

trillion and would represent approximately 5%

home. It is noteworthy that there was never

of Aramco’s net worth. However King Salman

any law in Saudi Arabia explicitly prohibiting

(Prince Mohammed’s father) has stepped

women from driving but police enforced the

in at the last moment to scupper the plans

ban and driving licences were only ever issued

much to the annoyance of many of the world’s

to men.

Similarly the male guardianship

largest stockbrokers who stood to make a

system required females to get their male

packet from what was expected to be the

relatives’ permission to acquire a passport, to

world’s largest ever flotation. The 81-year-

marry or to travel abroad. At the same time,

old monarch’s decision to block the proposed

Prince Mohammed has reined in the Kingdom’s

listing reputedly came after meetings with

once-feared religious police, allowed cinemas

family members, bankers and oil executives.

to open and promised to push for more

They are said to have been warned that it could

entertainment options for young Saudis. King

seriously undermine the Kingdom by leading to

Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, the

necessary disclosures about the make-up of

Kingdom’s top public university for science and

Aramco’s finances.

engineering, recently announced it would allow

King Abdullah Economic City will be home

female students to enroll for the first time in

to the country’s first championship golf course

its history.

known as Royal Greens.

Prince Mohammed has many great ideas

And the European Golf Tour is taking some

to improve the economy and one is to raise

of the credit – its CEO Keith Pelley said: “We

some £300 billion to build a smart city known

really pride ourselves at the European Tour in

as King Abdullah Economic City. Using artificial

leading the world in the transformation of the

intelligence and green technologies, this new

game in this part of the world.”

city would make the country stand out against

Having taken years for the country to allow

many of its rich neighbours. A good chunk of

women to drive a car, I question if this

the capital to fund this was expected to come

development will be blessed with any female

from a proposed partial flotation of Saudi

golfers being allowed to drive ‘the little white

Aramco on the world’s largest stock exchanges.

ball’ off the first tee in the immediate future.

drew on his view of science, ruling that driving would damage their ovaries and their capacity to produce children.

In carrying out this transformation the young Prince is weakening the old pillars of Al Saud rule, while at the same time turning his popularity among females and the youth into a political force to be reckoned with. In the past, most women graduates went into the teaching profession. This year the prosecution service began training its first intake of female investigating magistrates and on July 3rd the Justice Ministry began recruiting female assistants to its male judges. Changes are also underway to allow female lawyers to speak in court.

A female television presenter hailed the changes as “an historic time for every Saudi woman” before driving across the causeway

16

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FEATURE

Brexit uncertainty rumbles on While some progress on Brexit has been made, many unknowns still remain as Conor Lambe, Chief Economist with Danske Bank tells Adrienne McGill.

W

hen the UK Government’s long-awaited White Paper on the future UK-EU relationship was released in July, Dr Adam Marshall, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce, welcomed its publication.

However he noted: “Momentum and pace are now needed to translate ambition into answers to the realworld. Even with the welcome direction of travel in the White Paper, companies still don’t know how they’ll be paying VAT, how they can move people between offices, or whether goods will get across borders with a minimum of fuss.”

Echoing these concerns, Conor Lambe, Chief Economist with Danske Bank, says exporters have particular worries about what their future trading relationship with Europe is going to look like.

“For exporting businesses, there are three things to note from the White Paper.

“Firstly, the UK has proposed a common rulebook for goods which would see some rules staying aligned with those of the EU to try and make it easier for exporting businesses to continue to sell across borders. However, the EU has concerns because it would not include all rules, like those around food labelling. The alignment suggested by the UK would only apply to rules for which compliance is checked at the border.

“Secondly, the UK has put forward a proposal for a Facilitated Customs Arrangement. Under this approach, UK tariffs would be applied

to goods destined for the UK market, while EU tariffs would be applied to goods that will end up in the EU. If the end destination can be reliably demonstrated – to do that, the business in question would need to be registered as a ‘trusted trader’ – then the appropriate tariff would be levied at the point of entry. However, if it can’t be reliably demonstrated, then the higher of the two tariffs would be applied. If it is later proven that a good’s final destination meant that a lower tariff should have been levied, then a business could claim a repayment from the Government equivalent to the difference between the two tariffs. Clearly, this is quite a complicated arrangement. We also don’t know exactly how long it would take for repayments to be paid and the process could involve a lot of additional paperwork.

“The EU does not appear to be a fan of this system. It said it is not prepared to allow a non-member, which would be outside of its governance structures, to be responsible for applying the EU’s customs rules.

“Thirdly, the services sector in the UK makes up about 80% of the economy but the Government has said it wants to deviate from the EU on rules governing services. For service providers that sell into Europe, this could mean that the market access they currently enjoy across the continent would be restricted under the new trading relationship.

“Overall, while it is good for businesses here to see some progress in the shape of the UK Government signalling a willingness to align

18

with the EU on rules for goods, future customs arrangements remain an issue and more details are needed on what the White Paper proposals would mean for businesses which provide services. A lot more work is needed before an agreement on the future trading relationship between the UK and the EU is reached.”

Conor also points to the pressures businesses are facing around labour, as the UK Government’s migration policy post-Brexit also remains unclear.

“EU net migration remains positive but is much lower than it was before the referendum given the UK’s vote to leave, the depreciation of sterling and the relatively strong performance of the European economy.

“Future access to workers from the EU is a very important issue for businesses across a number of sectors including, for example, hospitality and construction.

“But we don’t yet know what the UK Government’s migration approach is going to be after leaving the EU. This is another key area in which more detail is needed to allow businesses to prepare for life after Brexit.”

you

Upfront Cost

Length of Plan

Data

COLUMnIST

Brian Murphy, Managing Partner at BDO Northern Ireland

Building resilience

Close management, mitigation of risk and informed decision making must guide the construction sector.

C

onstruction has rarely been described as a radical industry. Despite driving ambitious transformations and moulding the face of dynamic urban environments, it is generally a traditional industry that places emphasis on cold hard data and spreadsheets to measure sector health.

That might sound like a negative connotation, but it is in fact a sign of a well-grounded sector that values business fundamentals. Getting the basics right during a time of political uncertainty and reduced public spending is simply good business.

For those keeping score of sector outputs and investment plans, the first quarter of 2018 has been noted for its challenges. We’re not going to deny that pressures and blockages have hit some growth plans and confidence, but we’re not looking at an imperilled sector – far from it.

Beyond the early headline figures for 2018, a lot more has happened. In recent weeks, the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) Northern Ireland published the results from its latest State of Trade Survey. It painted a picture of small construction firms enjoying strong growth in the second quarter despite the ongoing uncertainties.

The main performance indicator for local construction SMEs rose sharply by 21 percentage points reflecting positive workloads, enquiries and expected assignments. Indeed, only seven per cent of returns sensed a decline in current or future workloads. These are seriously good results in a time of serious challenge. So how do we galvanise this optimism in the face of mounting pressures?

While we all wish for the immediate return of a functioning Executive that can unlock key decisions for economic and infrastructure

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development, it is critical that all organisations look at the practical actions they can take now to support growth and insulate their plans from further turbulence. In a nutshell: it’s about getting the fundamentals right.

BDO Northern Ireland understands the challenges facing the sector and we know that good performance hinges on close management, mitigation of risk and making smart decisions. For almost three decades, our professional advisors have been providing effective finance, risk and reporting services that can improve efficiency and minimise costs.

We appreciate what it takes to deliver complex construction projects in accordance with strict deadlines and we, like our clients, take a project-managed approach. As audit, tax, and consulting advisers, BDO Northern Ireland provides swift resolution to issues and challenges, from acquisitions and funding, family business and succession issues to real estate tax and other incentives.

Our specialist advice and services are geared towards the emerging needs of the sector and its long-term prospects. They offer practical planning support and expertise that can help boost jobs and growth potential.

Construction firms who proactively plan are best placed to succeed in any scenario. We know there may be bumps in the road ahead, but at BDO Northern Ireland we’re doing our bit to ensure construction businesses do more than just stay on their feet.

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BELFAST

David Meade calls on pupils to put their minds towards the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition

At Abbey Community College in Newtownabbey is BTYSTE ambassador and television illusionist David Meade with students Kassie Stewart, Mya Cunningham, Trinity Scanlon, Reese Mawhinney and Dylan Kernaghan.

TV illusionist and mentalist David Meade has joined BT in urging secondary school students from across Northern Ireland to put pen to paper and submit an entry for the 2019 BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition (BTYSTE), ahead of the September deadline.

Now in its 55th year, BTYSTE is one of the largest and longest running STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) events in the world. The exhibition allows students the space to explore STEM subjects and demonstrate creativity by creating a project of their choice that can help them to turn an idea into reality.

Getting involved is simple: students can enter either as an individual, or as part of a group, and submissions can be made in any one of four categories. These include: technology, social and behavioural science, biological and ecological science, or chemical, physical and mathematical. Students are asked to upload a one-page proposal outlining their idea before the deadline of Tuesday 25th September 2018 to www.btyoungscientist.com.

David Meade, official ambassador for BTYSTE, said: “The BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition is a one-of-a-kind event and encourages students to really challenge themselves and to develop their interest in STEM subjects. It’s also a great opportunity for young people to just have fun and explore their interests, expand their imagination and make new friends from across the island of Ireland.

“I am incredibly passionate about the

exhibition and everything that it represents and each year I love going to the RDS to soak up the atmosphere, which is like nothing I have ever experienced before. I would strongly encourage as many students as possible to get their thinking caps on and to work with their teachers and friends to come up with a project idea and hopefully they will catch the BTYSTE bug too!”

Mairead Meyer, Managing Director of NI Networks at BT in Northern Ireland added: “This year’s theme is ‘It Starts Here’, signifying that BTYSTE really can be the starting point of a bright and brilliant future for our young people. Taking part allows them to engage in independent learning.

“Over the years, we’ve seen a wide variety of unique and unusual projects submitted and I’m sure this year will be no different. We’re really looking forward to seeing what students from Northern Ireland come up with.”

Maths teacher Amy McConnell says she and her fellow teachers at Abbey Community College in Newtownabbey have been encouraging students to come up with ideas and work on potential BTYSTE projects over the summer holidays.

Amy says: “Ever since I attended the exhibition in January, I felt inspired to encourage our students to start thinking of potential project ideas. We want our students to aspire to great things and reach their full potential and the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition can help them do that. I really hope we have at

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least one Abbey Community College shortlisted project on show in Dublin in January.”

The BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition will take place from the 9th -12th January 2019 at the RDS in Dublin. The exhibition offers one of the most coveted awards for participants, with a substantial prize fund and the BTYSTE perpetual trophy, as well as over 140 prizes for individuals, groups, and teachers.

BT has also reinforced its commitment to supporting schools from across Northern Ireland to enter this year’s exhibition with a travel and accommodation grant. Schools which are located over 70km from the RDS in Dublin, where the exhibition is held, are eligible to apply for a grant of up to £1,350. The BT grant allows an ever-increasing number of young people from both rural and urban areas to participate in the exhibition.

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

TEN TIPS ANY NEW BUSINESS SHOULD KNOW 3. GDPR You need to understand how GDPR affects your business and what procedures need to be put in place. You should seek legal advice in this area to ensure compliance.

4. Insurance This is essential to protect any business.

Check whether your insurance covers legal expenses insurance and shop around to get the best package.

S

5. Contracts The importance of contracts is commonly ignored by start-ups but can cost the most in terms of expensive litigation. Problems occur when a customer/client won’t pay for a product/service. If you have a contract you are in a stronger position to take legal action and many disputes can be mitigated or even avoided by good communication upfront.

1. Legal structure You need to choose the right legal structure to suit your circumstances and ambition.

You can set up as a sole trader, partnership or company. This is one of the most important decisions you will make from the outset. Partners and shareholders will need an agreement to govern the relationship between them e.g. dispute resolution and sale of business.

6. Employees Make sure every employee has a contract and a staff handbook with the right policies in place. A contract will minimise the impact of any disputes and protect the business e.g. sharing of confidential information and restrictions on departing employees.

Remember the workplace pension.

tarting out in business is daunting and most start-ups will want to focus on bringing in money. However, it is important to take the right legal steps at the beginning to avoid time consuming and expensive issues later.

This short checklist is designed to help businesses mitigate the legal risks and achieve commercial success.

2. Protect your brand You will need to seek specialist advice on IPR protection as the brand is another important asset of the business (e.g. trademarking, copyright protection, design registration or patents).

8. Online presence Protect your online presence by ensuring that the website includes the terms of use and a privacy policy.

9. Registration & Records It is important to remember to register the new business with HMRC and retain accurate financial records.

10. Common mistakes The most common pitfalls is choosing the wrong legal structure or failure to put contracts in place.

This checklist emphasises the importance of getting the right legal advice from the outset so that your business is efficiently structured to grow and succeed.

Catherine Cooney is a Partner at Worthingtons Solicitors specialising in Corporate, Commercial and Charity law.

She advises on setting up new businesses, mergers and acquisitions, restructuring, partnership and shareholder

7. Lease Negotiating a new lease with a landlord can be difficult but is important to seek experienced legal advice. Many new businesses will need an early break clause in the first 12-18 months and mitigation against expensive dilapidations costs by agreeing a condition report so that there is no dispute upon termination.

agreements, negotiating contracts and advising on governance.

For advice please telephone 028 9027 9500 or email: catherine@worthingtonslaw.co.uk

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www.worthingtonslaw.co.uk 23

COLUMnIST

Áine Smith, Specialist EU Procurement Lawyer with Eversheds Sutherland

Spotlight On Public Procurement We should all be concerned by the public procurement processes carried out on our behalf.

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ublic procurement has continued to make waves in the news this year, as the fall-out from the collapse of Carillion, a long-time beneficiary of many public procurement processes and the winner of multiple public contracts, ripples through the UK economy. On top of this, there was the furore over the outcome of the procurement process for the contract to print the new postBrexit British passport, with the award decision going against the incumbent UK provider and in favour of a Franco-Dutch firm. And as the Grenfell Tower inquiry gathers momentum, the spotlight seems likely to fall on the procurement process and award decision made by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea on the refurbishment of the tower block back in 2014, with revelations pointing to a process which prioritised the lowest price for the job.

In Northern Ireland, public procurement processes with a value above certain financial thresholds are regulated by the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. These Regulations transpose into domestic

legislation the requirements of EU Directive 2014/24 on public procurement, the principal aim of which is to ensure that contractors across the EU are able to bid for opportunities in Member States on a footing equal to that of national suppliers. Transparency, equal treatment and non-discrimination are key tenets of public procurement law, which aims to remove impediments to access to contracts across the single market and to eradicate protectionist policies such as “buy national” campaigns.

The types of contract caught by procurement law are extremely broad; they range from the mundane, for example, the supply of office furniture, to the highly specialised, such as the multi-billion procurement of the Galileo sat-nav system by the European Commission, currently making headlines. Between these extremes are all sorts of procurements, from the routine purchase of drugs or uniforms by the NHS to the construction of roads or schools by local government to major infrastructure projects such as the Belfast Transport Hub. Regardless of the nature of the purchase, the same rules will apply where the value of the contract exceeds the financial thresholds (currently for supplies or services contracts, £118,133 or £181,302 [ex VAT] depending on the nature of the contracting authority, and £4,551,413 [ex VAT] for works). Only certain types of service contracts – for social, health and education services – are exempt from the

24

full rigours of the procurement rules, because by their nature such contracts tend to be of lower interest to cross-border competition.

Contracts caught by the procurement rules must be awarded on the basis of the most economically advantageous tender. This legal requirement is somewhat deceptive as price only can constitute the basis for contract award. However, for most procurements (other than the most routine or straightforward), the basis of contract award generally involves an evaluation of price together with other factors such as the quality of bidders’ offerings.

Often perceived as a maze of onerous and ponderous procedural rules to be navigated by bidders and procuring authorities alike, there has been much talk of the disappearance of EU procurement law in the post-Brexit world.

But the rules are unlikely to change soon after Brexit, if at all. And what the cases in the news illustrate is that public procurement is not some remote concept, divorced from the realities of our lives. At the most basic level, because taxpayers’ money funds these procurements, we should all be concerned by the processes carried out on our behalf. And as the headlines so eloquently demonstrate, the outcomes from poor procurement practice and bad decisions can be profound, reverberating long after award decisions are made.

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COLUMnIST

David Clements, Client Director at Fujitsu

In an age of digital disruption

Prominent trends that are likely to shape the economy and society by 2030.

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n Northern Ireland, we are more aware than most of the power that comes from harnessing technological and digital disruption. For the 4th consecutive year, Northern Ireland has the second fastest growing knowledge economy in the UK. The organisations and people operating in our knowledge economy have a clear aptitude for innovation as reflected in its productivity levels – almost a third higher than any other sector in our economy. As well as being a wealth generator and a provider of highly paid jobs, new business creation in our local knowledge economy is at an all-time high, as is its exports sales. While the latest Knowledge Economy Report by Connect at Catalyst and the Ulster University’s Economic Policy Centre flags opportunities, it also points to the need for radical change to economic, educational and forward planning to adequately cope with the impact of automation and to boost productivity further.

With the advent of Industry 4.0, it’s clear that we are all at something of a crossroads. We have the choice to act now and use technology to take us on a path to prosperity and at the same time ensure digital advancements don’t lead to some people racing ahead while others are left behind. At Fujitsu, we believe that timely and co-ordinated action across governments, business, education and society as a whole will ensure that as technology advances, we have the right leadership, skills and workforce to embrace and prosper from the shift from the industrial age to the digital one.

Our latest research ‘Timeline 2030: finding our path to prosperity’ carried out by independent insight and consultancy firm Trajectory, includes horizon scanning, expert interviews, scenario creation and outputs that can help businesses. organisations and government chart their course through issues presented by digital disruption. Three key areas that stood out for me to reflect on include how best to implement automation, opportunities presented by urbanisation and building skills.

Automation Speed of uptake, global investment, skills investment and mindset are core areas businesses should address if they are to embrace automation within their organisations.

By taking a people-first, responsible approach to adopting automation, companies can avoid the risk of a shell-shocked labour force and marketplace.

Urbanisation Following the trend from the last hundred years, cities are going to become bigger and more populated requiring even more services and infrastructure to connect people and organisations at every stage. Even today, multiple urban activities can be analysed in real time to provide insights on how people are moving around a city, traffic levels, where energy is in particular demand or on the security of resources. We are just scratching the surface of what we are able to achieve if we work together and for the strong leaders ready to invest in R&D, innovation and technology to examine and tackle these issues, there is a wealth of opportunities available.

Learning It cannot be overemphasised how important

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skills development and ongoing learning opportunities are to our economic future.

While it is well known that STEM and creative skills should be a key focus, soft and transferable skills not only drive value with specific jobs, but enable us to better collaborate, communicate and co-create across the board. Perpetual learning should also by a key consideration for every business.

Surrounded by digital disruption, the need for new skills and services can appear at any given time. This topic was one hotly discussed at the recent ‘Powered By Talent’ conference held in the Waterfront Hall and I would encourage you to search the #PoweredByTalent hashtag for key talent management insights from the 300+ local business leaders in attendance.

Boosting the talent pipeline is a keen focus for Fujitsu.

We strongly believe that we can fuel Northern Ireland’s economy by fully harnessing the unique abilities and approaches of everyone in society with school programmes, educational partnerships and industry collaboration a key part of our outreach strategy.

While there may be difficult decisions ahead and a sense of the unknown, Northern Ireland has the clusters and talent base to help nurture creativity and progress in an age of digital disruption.

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UPDATE Chamber Chief’s

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

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ll in all, it has been a glorious summer with the weather definitely on NI Chamber’s side as we hosted a sparkling evening of drinks, tapas and networking at Belfast’s newest waterfront hotel, AC Hotel Belfast.

Situated at City Quays, AC Hotel is the first Marriott in Northern Ireland and we were thrilled so many members and guests were able to join us for NI Chamber’s Summer Networking Social in this beautiful and stylish hotel which offers panoramic views across Belfast Lough towards Titanic Quarter.

Amanda McBride (AC by Marriott), Jean-Christophe Novelli and Louise Turley (NI Chamber).

It was a perfect summer’s evening at the AC Bar and signature restaurant, Novelli … and the man himself… Jean-Christophe Novelli, the 5 out of 5 AA Rosette and multi Michelin Star award winning chef was there to meet and greet…and sizzle in the kitchen.

Regarding a meeting of a very different kind…and NI Chamber never misses an opportunity to advocate for its members and raise issues and concerns with those at the highest level of Government.

We were therefore delighted to host a business roundtable with the Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond recently.

Speaking at the event, which took place in Limavady and was attended by eight of Northern Ireland’s top firms, Ellvena Graham, President of Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry, used the opportunity to press the Chancellor to do more for businesses here.

Chancellor Philip Hammond with NI Chamber President Ellvena Graham and Vice-President Ian Henry at a briefing hosted by NI Chamber in Limavady.

She said the message from businesses was that the Government must use the Autumn Budget to prioritise ways of getting businesses investing and in these challenging times it was important to have a Budget that puts the economy at the centre.

She urged the Government to improve the areas that are in its control, such as skills, training and infrastructure, to increase business confidence. She said businesses also require incentives for investment and asked the Chancellor to consider an increase in investment allowances.

She also outlined how business costs such as the Apprenticeship Levy and administrating auto enrolment are reducing margins significantly.

The President said it was encouraging to hear the Chancellor talk about the huge opportunities that the new technologies of the 4th Industrial Revolution can bring

NI Chamber members who met the Chancellor pictured with East Londonderry MP Gregory Campbell, NI Chamber President Ellvena Graham and DUP leader Arlene Foster.

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to the Northern Ireland economy and that if businesses can see movement in these areas, they will be more confident and invest.

It was indeed a very positive and wide ranging meeting with other areas discussed including Brexit, the lack of an Executive, addressing Northern Ireland’s low productivity, City Deals and the importance of key infrastructure projects such as the North South Interconnector.

Meanwhile, NI Chamber has been delighted to work in partnership with Heathrow Airport and Heathrow’s Expansion Procurement Director Maya Jani to welcome the first Heathrow Business Summit in Northern Ireland.

Conor Murphy MLA (Sinn Féin) with Maya Jani (Heathrow), Ann McGregor (NI Chamber) and Arlene Foster MLA (DUP).

The Heathrow Business Summit is about connecting businesses in Northern Ireland with the Airport’s procurement team and principal suppliers and opening the door to a huge array of business opportunities from construction to catering and from technology to transport.

On the day, Belfast City Hall played host to 11 buyers, including Balfour Beatty, Mace, Siemens and Wilson James and 10 exhibitors including, Invest NI, Belfast City Council, Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council, Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council, Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council and Mid and East

chamber chief’s update

Antrim Borough Council. Over 200 delegates attended throughout the day with 160 buyer appointments facilitated.

Staying with aviation and the Chief Executive Officer of Flybe, Christine Ourmières-Widener will jet into Belfast in October for a business

Chief Executive Officer of Flybe, Christine Ourmières-Widener.

breakfast event hosted by NI Chamber in partnership with Ulster University Business School.

The lively and inspiring event, headlined ‘Managing Dynamic Change Through Strong Leadership’, will see Christine address some of the leadership challenges of working in a highly competitive, fast-paced and safety-critical industry highlighting how she is leading Flybe through a three-year Sustainable Business Improvement Plan.

With extensive international experience across the aviation and travel sectors, Christine possesses a Master’s degree in Aeronautics from the Ecole Nationale Superieure of ENSMA and an MBA from Essec Business School.

She is a board member of the European Regions Airline Association (ERA); and a member of the Board of Governors for the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

• registrations for the event, which takes place on 7 november 0 from 0 . 0 .00 at the Crowne pla a hotel, Belfast can be made on www.northernirelandchamber.com On policy issues, NI Chamber has been active with a hectic round of meetings with government and political representatives.

These have included discussions with the Permanent Secretary for the Department for the Economy, Noel Lavery; Lord Mayor of Belfast, Deirdre Hargey; DUP Policy Group (Gordon Dunne, Gary Middleton and George Dorrian) and Sinn Fein Special Advisor Eoin Rooney.

Finally, with NI Chamber’s most glamorous event of the year on the horizon, the annual president’s Ban uet 0 is set to be yet another night of sparkle as we welcome more than 800 guests to the glittering gala dinner.

The event, at Waterfront Hall, Belfast with headline sponsor Communications Partner BT; supporting Sponsors, Tughans and Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council and drinks reception sponsor, Grafton Recruitment is a firm fixture on Northern Ireland’s business calendar with lots of business and social connections made on the night – but hurry – tables are selling fast!

As always, it will be a thoroughly enjoyable event and we look forward to seeing as many of our members and guests there as possible getting immersed in conversation, contacts and conviviality.

Business Services Clockwise river house Granite e change padlock security Charity Guide dogs Construction Balloo hire Engineering little electrical engineers Mde installations Health & Social Work prodigy healthcare ltd Legal davidson Mcdonnell Manufacturing Blk Bo fitness Public Relations Experience Epic Training aps learning diversity ni Wiser Working Wholesale & Retail Trade hunter apparel

neW GroWTh MeMBers Engineering pro ect design engineers ltd

• registrations for the event, which takes place on october 0 from .00 . 0 at W5, odyssey arena, Belfast can be made on www.northernirelandchamber.com Meanwhile, companies from across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland are being encouraged to come along and meet with some of the top names in business at a ‘Meet the Buyer’ event in Belfast in November.

There will be a wide range of high-profile buyers wishing to meet with local businesses on the day.

The event, which forms part of the NI Chamber and Bank of Ireland UK cross-border ‘Connecting for Growth’ programme, will allow businesses to make a pitch to these buyers whilst networking and developing links with each other through a number of activities including speed networking.

neW essenTial MeMBers

Global Payments Company TransferMate

neW CorporaTe MeMBers Wholesale & Retail Trade Musgrave retail partners ni ltd Save the date for the President’s Banquet.

• Bookings for the event, which takes place on november 0 from . 0 .00 at Waterfront hall, Belfast can be made on www.northernirelandchamber. com or by emailing petrina.mcauley northernirelandchamber.com

To become a member of ni Chamber oin online at www.northernirelandchamber.com or phone the membership team on 0 0 .

Summer Networking Social

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1. Louise Turley (NI Chamber); Multi-Michelinstarred Chef Jean-Christophe Novelli and Lisa Steele (AC Hotel by Marriott Belfast).

2. Richard Taylor (Outsource Solutions) and Brendan Catney (Forde May Consulting Ltd).

3. Guests enjoying‌ AC Hotel Belfast.

4. Bill Lennox from AC Hotel by Marriott Belfast.

5. Christopher Jarvis (Blue Arrow).

6. Peter Browne (The McAvoy Group) chats with Jean-Christophe Novelli.

7. Simon Magee (Mercer).

8. Di Yin (Charlesworth Engineering).

9. Guests savour the food delights at AC Hotel Belfast.

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8.

Tanya talks... scaling new heights as a subcontractor A significant proportion of our SMEs are subcontractors on large construction and infrastructure projects in both Northern Ireland and other parts of the UK. These sectors have faced well-documented challenges and, as such, a comprehensive contract, close project control and investment in the working relationship with the main contractor are integral to the subcontractor’s success and, in turn, their ability to achieve scale. Tanya Anderson, Head of SME Development at NI Chamber, answers some commonly asked questions posed by SME subcontractors.

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s a small business, how do I get in front of the main contractors on large construction and infrastructure projects?

Subcontractors are often required to get prequalified before being invited to submit pricing on projects. Typical information required includes safety record, finances, bonding capabilities, litigation history, insurance coverage, and relevant work history.

Like any business, subcontractors also need an effective website to provide details of their capability in terms of licences held, insurance coverage, typical project size, complexity and location. SMEs should be active on digital channels such as LinkedIn and Twitter to build their profile as well as possibly creating YouTube videos to demonstrate expertise and build brand awareness.

From a practical perspective, networking and making relevant connections is key – typical platforms include Meet The Buyer events whereby the SME can secure an appointment with procurement personnel in a large organisation or Trade Missions which afford the business the opportunity to meet large contractors, understand their supplier requirements, lead times, and procurement processes. NI Chamber experience dictates that Trade Missions also encourage supply chain linkages and collaborative tenders between subcontractors.

Upon winning work, how do I ensure that the contract I sign up to provides my company with maximum protection?

Subcontractor rights are governed by the contract with the main contractor, the end client has no direct contractual relationship with a subcontractor. Any contract should set out the rights, obligations and duties of both parties and include timelines, fees and an indemnity clause to specify that the subcontractor is not liable for any breach of contract that the general contractor commits. The date work is to begin and end also needs to be listed on the agreement.

Be careful of “paid when paid” provisions and avoid “paid if paid” clauses: - “Paid when paid” means the main contractor does not pay the subcontractor until the owner pays them.

- “Paid if paid” means if the owner never pays the main contractor then they are not obligated to pay the subcontractor.

A payment schedule that requires a subcontractor to invoice the main contractor on a specific date each month with payment to follow within a specified number of days, regardless of whether the main contractor has been paid by the end client, is ideal.

A subcontractor should always take time to read and even challenge the terms in a subcontractor agreement and take legal advice if there is any doubt. The recently launched QDOS service provided

by NI Chamber includes a legal advice line with unlimited access to experienced legal advisors and downloadable documents available to all members at no cost.

How can I ensure that the business gets paid the correct amounts on time?

Fundamentally, understanding the financial strength of the main subcontractor before entering any business arrangement is key i.e. review financials (available online https://beta.companieshouse. gov.uk/), become familiar with previous projects fulfilled and talk to companies in their supply chain.

In the event that a main contractor withholds funds they must, by law, issue an appropriate notice in writing i.e. a “pay less” notice within a specified time frame allowed for in the contract and set out the detailed reasons as to why the amounts are being withheld, showing the basis of calculations used. If the main contractor does not comply with the correct formalities the subcontractor is in a stronger position to recover disputed amounts. However, getting paid what the subcontractor thinks they are owed very much depends on the contract terms signed up to in the first place, thus getting the initial contract right is essential (see above).

Public sector contracts in Northern Ireland require key contractors to be registered on the Supply Chain Payment Charter which ensures that full correct payments are made to subcontractors as and when they fall due – this is policed at regular intervals with the client government body following up with a sample of subcontractors at regular intervals to ensure they are being paid as specified in the contract.

Further, some larger public sector construction projects (worth more than £1M) can utilise a project bank account arrangement (PBA) – this account acts as a channel for payment on construction projects to ensure that contractors, key subcontractors and key members of the supply chain are paid on the contractually agreed date.

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Chamber Award’s regional winners set to be announced

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he winners of the 2018 Chamber Business Awards will be revealed later this month.

Nine companies from across Northern Ireland are in line to scoop a top accolade at this year’s Chamber Business Awards, hosted by Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NI Chamber) and the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC).

The regional winners will be announced on 24 September 2018 following a morning of judging where submissions were scrutinised from an independent judging panel.

The winning companies will be presented with their awards in early October and then go forward to compete against fellow category winners from the 11 other UK regions, culminating with a Gala Awards Dinner at Tobacco Dock London on 29 November 2018.

The Chamber Business Awards is now in its fifteenth year, and one of the showpiece events in the business calendar.

Regional award judges Richard Sherriff (Business Correspondent at the News Letter); Gary McDonald (Business Editor at the Irish News); Clodagh Rice (BBC Business Correspondent); Chris Sherry (Editor of Ulster Tatler); Maureen O’Reilly (Independent Economist) and Chris Morrow (Head of Policy and Communications at NI Chamber).

NI Chamber hosts In Camera with Infrastructure sector

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orthern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NI Chamber) recently hosted an In Camera dinner with John McGrath, Deputy Secretary, Department for Infrastructure and four senior representatives from the Infrastructure sector.

The event, in partnership with SSE Airtricity, took place at Hilton Hotel, Belfast and was attended by 50 NI Chamber members. It allowed senior representatives from the Infrastructure sector a platform to provide an update to business on the major projects/initiatives in planning and outline the current challenges and implications.

In addition to John McGrath, members heard from Sara Venning, Chief Executive of Northern Ireland Water; James Stinson, Regulatory Affairs Manager at Ofcom Northern Ireland; Chris Conway, Group CEO at Translink and Kyle Kirkpatrick, Head of Operations at SSE Airtricity.

Christopher Morrow (NI Chamber); Chris Conway (Translink); Sara Venning (Northern Ireland Water); John McGrath (Department for Infrastructure); James Stinson (Ofcom Northern Ireland) and Kyle Kirkpatrick (SSE Airtricity).

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Ulster Carpets to roll out energy strategy at NI Chamber & SONI Forum

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lster Carpets will share its energy strategy at the latest NI Chamber & SONI Energy Forum event being held at the Ulster Carpets Castleisland Factory in Portadown.

The world-renowned firm opened a new Dye House and Energy Centre at its headquarters in 2017 which not only facilitate a number of manufacturing efficiencies, but also many environmental benefits in line with the company’s Sustainability Policy.

The new facilities, costing £10m, are part of a £35m investment by the third-generation family firm which is a major supplier of luxurious Axminster carpets, with exports now accounting for 70% of company sales. The new technology being introduced to the manufacturing company’s processes will ultimately improve capacity by more than 20%.

The new energy centre includes a dedicated steam production plant and advanced heat recovery system so that energy supply can match demand and reduce the environmental impact of the company’s work.

Also speaking at the event will be Neasa Quigley, Partner at Carson McDowell Solicitors and Joe Reynolds from the Energy Division at the Department for the Economy. Both will discuss the importance, and required content, of a future Energy Strategy for Northern Ireland.

• The Energy Forum will take place on 25 September at Ulster Carpets, Castleisland Eddie Ruddell (Quality and Environmental Systems Manager at Ulster Carpets Group); Natasha Factory, Garvaghy Road, Portadown starting at Sayee (Senior Lead Public Affairs Specialist at SONI); Nick Coburn (Group Managing Director, Ulster 09:30am until 11:45am, concluding with a tour Carpets Group) and Christopher Morrow (Head of Policy and Communications at NI Chamber). of the Dye House and Energy Centre.

Champion to lift trophy at NI Chamber & Forde May Annual Golf Day Ann McGregor (Chief Executive of NI Chamber); Valerie Reid (Founding Director at Forde May Consulting) and Gerry May (Managing Director at Forde May Consulting) take to the fairway ahead of the annual golf day at Malone Golf Club.

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I Chamber is getting ready to tee off its popular annual Golf Day which will take place at the prestigious Malone Golf Club on Friday 21 September 2018.

The Golf Day, which is held in partnership with Forde May Consulting, is aimed at providing NI Chamber members and their clients with an opportunity to make new business connections, whilst testing their golfing skills.

Prizes to be won include the Forde May Perpetual Golf Challenge Trophy, in memory of the late Dr Forde May who founded the executive recruitment company in Belfast more than 20 years ago. It has grown to become Northern Ireland’s longest standing executive recruitment company.

The trophy will be awarded to the player with the best individual score.

Buoyant export markets

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orthern Ireland’s supremacy in the interior transformation of cruise ships for major cruise lines across the world continues to wow the industry.

One company which continues to floor the competition in this specialised sector is Ulster Carpets which has gained an unrivalled reputation for its expertise.

The Portadown based firm has become one of the world’s most prestigious carpet designers and manufacturers with its sensational creations installed in many major cruise ships across the globe.

The company, which has been manufacturing carpet for 80 years in Portadown, produces custom designed Axminster carpets for overseas markets which account for 80% of the family-owned firm’s business in which the cruise market features prominently.

The company has proven that it is possible to successfully sell to every continent in the world despite many barriers and challenges.

Ulster Carpets has always taken a long view of continually investing for the future and has always maintained its pride in being the leading company in its industry on the international stage.

Earlier this year, Ulster Carpets was the headline sponsor of NI Chamber’s Learn

Ulster Carpets Managing Director Nick Coburn speaking at NI Chamber’s Learn Grow Excel conference earlier this year.

Grow Excel conference in Belfast at which the company’s Managing Director Nick Coburn addressed more than 150 delegates on the importance of entering and growing export markets in a bid to ‘Learn Grow Excel’ in business.

He said: “Ulster Carpets began exporting in the early 1990’s initially to the US. It was tough but we learnt a lot. By the late 90’s we started to grow and we are now perceived by the market to be the number one manufacturer of Axminster carpet so we have excelled. We are still growing and will excel further.”

Ulster Carpets’ stunning creation adorns the atrium of the Arcadia cruise ship.

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Mr Coburn is a former President of NI Chamber and in his tenure in office in 2016 he helped launch the Learn Grow Excel programme which inspires business, shares learning and experience, builds the capacity for growth and business development and offers one to one advisory support and connections to other business people.

Attendees were captivated by the Ulster Carpets growth story and success in export markets. A recent contract has seen the company re-fit all the areas on the stylish Arcadia cruise ship operated by P&O Cruises.

The Portadown company worked with RPW Design to create over 15000m² of custom axminster carpets for the ship’s bars, restaurants, lobbies, spa and fitness centre, galleries, reception, atrium and guest suites.

A stunning example is the carpet in the atrium which references global travel with overlaid patterns and textures. Sections of this pattern are featured in the carpets in circulation spaces throughout the ship providing a common link and continuing the design story.

Speaking about Ulster Carpet’s expertise in supplying the marine market, Nick Coburn said: “Ulster Carpets has significant experience in providing premium quality carpet specifically for the marine industry.

Over the years we’ve supplied custom carpets to many well-known cruise lines around the world including Royal Caribbean International, Cunard, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Princess Cruises and Holland America Line.

“By combining creative design talent with our unique, innovative weaving technology PSYLO, Ulster can offer unlimited design possibilities without the need for a repeating pattern, resulting in unprecedented depth and texture of design. These design capabilities combined with the high level of customer service are the reasons prestigious clients continue to work with Ulster project after project.”

Emerging technologies and your business Wednesday 10th October 2018 // 9.30am - 1.30pm Craigavon Civic & Conference Centre

Are you questioning what value and impact emerging technologies will be making on your business practice? Do you think that virtual reality and artificial intelligence have a place, but are unsure where?

This half-day event hosted by Digital Catapult is a unique opportunity to allow you to try out some cutting edge Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) hardware, hear stories of how innovation is changing business and engage in a lively discussion with practitioners all of which will be presented

by Austin Tanney, Head of Life Sciences and Healthcare at Analytics Engines.

AGENDA: 09.30 - 10.00 10.00 - 10.05

10.05 - 10.20 10.20 - 10.40 10.40 - 11.00

Who for: SME, Large scale enterprises, Sole Traders, Entrepreneurs, anyone interested in finding out more about immersive technology and its application. It’s a great way for small companies to meet larger ones.

Programme: We will have hands on demonstrations of the major VR and AR headsets with some engaging content that shows off the possibilities these exciting technologies are offering. Delegates are asked to bring business cards to promote their business and a full delegate list will be provided in advance.

11.00 - 11.20 11.20 - 11.40 11.40 - 12.10

12.10 - 12.15

12.15 - 13.30

Registration Welcome from Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon Borough Council Introduction from Digital Catapult NI Axial 3D - 3D modelling AR and AI in new healthcare RPS - VR technology in growing business Tea/Coffee Break Max Cleary - Digital Catapult NI Artificial Intelligence 101 Panel discussion with Q & A Key emerging technologies and their impact on enterprise?

Close from Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon Borough Council Lunch and Departure

Places are limited. For more information or to book your place at this FREE EVENT please click here or contact ND EVENTS on 028 9263 3232 by Thursday 4th October 2018.

AMBITIOUS, COMMITTED & PASSIONATE? JOIN NI CHAMBER LET’S FIND THE RIGHT MEMBERSHIP FOR YOU NI Chamber works for all Northern Ireland businesses - no matter the size or sector.

BUSINESS SUPPORT Connect with key influencers, fast track growth locally and internationally.

PROFILE ENHANCEMENT Get people talking through magazines, websites, social media and awards.

INFLUENCING POLICY Get your opinions heard in government, from Stormont and Westminster to Europe and the Dáil.

BUSINESS NETWORKING Connect through high profile networking events, connections and forums.

COST REDUCTION Save your business time and money through insurance, advice, fleet, and healthcare. There is also a new and free suite of professional advisory services across HR, legal, tax, health and safety provided by QDOS plus legal expenses insurance cover of up to £1 million.

ESSENTIAL

GROWTH

CORPORATE

Get well connected.

Growing your business.

Maintain a competitive edge.

If you’re a business owner, networking is invaluable. NI

It takes ambition, commitment and passion to take your business from

No matter how big or influential your business is there’s always room for

Chamber Essential membership is specifically designed to provide opportunities for businesses to learn from other companies, share best practice and develop effective business networks.

its beginnings and transform it into a thriving enterprise, and NI Chamber can help.

extra leverage to elevate it above the competition.

As a member you’ll be invited to vibrant, informative events where you’ll meet like minded ambitious business people, allowing you to make connections and explore new business opportunities.

NI Chamber’s Growth membership is specially designed for those businesses that are ready to grow to the next level – locally or internationally.

And as a Growth member you’ll get all the benefits of the Essential membership along with bigger perks such as higher level networking

You can raise the profile of your business through our range of communication channels including

events, sponsorship opportunities and a whole lot more.

the opportunity to exhibit at select NI Chamber Events.

Our Growth members also enjoy the benefit of our free Chamber Essential

Plus, you’ll get plenty of support:

Business Services providing advice and support on HR, Legal, Tax

our Essential members love the benefits they get from the range of free Chamber Essential Business

and Health & Safety issues. With up to £1,000,000 of legal expense insurance cover completely free, as

Services which provide advice and

well as discounted AA Roadside

guidance on HR, Legal, Tax and Health & Safety issues. They also enjoy Legal Expenses Insurance,

Assistance and Westfield Chamber Health Cover, Growth members enjoy protection and peace of mind so

discounted AA Roadside Assistance and the Westfield Chamber Health Cover.

that they can focus on the important work of growing their business.

Whether it’s to attract the very best talent or to highlight your social responsibility, as an NI Chamber Corporate member you can utilise our communication channels to further enhance your profile and amplify your voice in the Northern Ireland business community.

NI Chamber Corporate membership gives your business a direct route into supporting the growth of Northern Ireland PLC. Your membership allows us to develop business support programmes such as Learn Grow Excel, designed to help our members accelerate growth, identify and develop export markets and build capacity and capability for future expansion.

As a Corporate member you’ll receive invitations to bespoke Corporate Only VIP events, get access to Northern Ireland’s political leaders and influencers at intimate private ‘In Camera’ events, and have opportunities to speak at and even host our events.

HOW NI CHAMBER MEMBERSHIP HAS HELPED US. HLM ARCHITECTS Nicola McKay

LINWOODS HEALTH FOODS Brian Brannigan Three years ago we found the need to raise our profile both within

Winning the Export Business of the Year Award at the Chamber Business

Northern Ireland and further afield, so we joined Northern Ireland

Awards in 2017 I think takes us to a slightly different level because

Chamber of Commerce and Industry to help with this. The main ways NI

so much of our business is export focused. To be able to interact with

Chamber Membership has helped HLM is through networking, making connections and profile

companies and organisations in other parts of the world and to be able to say to them that we

enhancement.

are the ‘British Export Company of the Year’ immediately improves credibility and they take you seriously. We are not only very proud of it but it is an award that has a huge

We have been able to expand our network and as a result we have seen an increase in awareness and recognition of our brand. We regularly upload to the member section of NI Chamber’s website, this is a great platform for us to

practical benefit to the business.

One of the benefits we got from NI Chamber Membership

promote the work that we are doing and also a great tool to get information out about our brand to the Northern Ireland

recently was a facilitated meeting with a representative of the British Chamber from Thailand and he was very quickly

business community. We have been able to expand our network and as a result have seen an increase in awareness and brand recognition.

able to put us in contact with one of the largest retailers in Thailand. We are very hopeful that we will be able to establish some business there in the near future.

ENVIRONMENTAL STREET FURNITURE Alan Lowry

BAILIES COFFEE COMPANY Brendan Gallen

One of the main reasons I joined NI

One of the reasons we joined NI

Chamber was for ‘Business Support’.

Not only does NI Chamber help in the day to day running of my business, but

Chamber was to get access to the portfolio of members who are part of the Chamber of Commerce. It

the Export Documentation Services have helped us to secure extra business internationally.

has been a great opportunity for us to learn from some of the other members of the Northern Ireland

Through NI Chamber Connections we have been introduced to people from the Ethiopian Embassy and the

business community and we have found it really beneficial to our business.

British Malaysian Chamber of Commerce. We have been

We have found the Meet the Buyer Event, part of the

participating in the Scaling for Growth programme and with the assistance of Tanya Anderson from NI Chamber we have been looking at our opportunities for 2018 and beyond.

Connecting for Growth programme, very useful and we are already seeing benefits for us as a business in terms of getting in front of a lot of businesses that otherwise would be quite hard to get in front of. I think through networking events, businesses come to those events ready to do business and that’s not always the case for a lot of other marketing channels that we would use.

Being part of NI Chamber has allowed us to reach a lot of businesses that otherwise we would have had to spend quite a lot of marketing expenditure to get to.

NI CHAMBER WORKING FOR MEMBERS NI Chamber knows what it takes to grow a thriving business and works hard to cultivate a world-class

NI Chamber has its members at the centre of all its activities:

environment which provides economic opportunity and prosperity for its members.

•

Builds an interest in your company and helps to create new business opportunities

The organisation enables members to tap into vast business

•

Uses networking to advance your business and gain

resources and benefits developed to enhance the growth and expansion of their enterprises.

Over the years NI Chamber has adapted and expanded its core member benefits to better aid businesses across Northern Ireland. These include a robust calendar of events,

insights on industry trends •

Meets key decision makers to ensure you operate in a business-friendly environment

•

Develops a dynamic range of initiatives to help your bottom line and increase your opportunities for growth

programmes, initiatives and unprecedented access to key decision makers, thought leaders and elected officials.

Members rely on NI Chamber to advocate for the interests of business with governments locally, nationally and internationally.

NI CHAMBER’S MEMBERSHIP TEAM VALERIE GOURLEY

ANDREW SMYTHE

Head of Business Development

Business Services Manager

Valerie is responsible for all membership business development involving customer relationships and helping members to develop their

Andrew interacts with companies who are looking to grow their business and helps them to maximise their membership by understanding their

professional networks in order to enhance their profile.

She also provides direct support to corporate members and focuses on managing long-term relationships and ensuring

business objectives. With his assistance, he can ensure companies attend the right type of events, provide access to one of NI Chamber’s growth programmes and help with

members receive relevant services of the very highest quality

choosing the right platform to promote a firm and enhance

that will assist them in achieving their business objectives.

its brand.

NICOLA WOODS

RYAN BELL

Business Development Executive

Business Development Executive

Nicola focuses on members in the IT and manufacturing sectors and helps

Ryan is responsible for recruiting and retaining NI Chamber members and

them identify opportunities to grow their businesses across the range of services offered by NI Chamber.

ensuring that members maximise NI Chamber’s services including events, business growth initiatives and marketing platforms.

He particularly engages with members in the agrifood, hospitality, hotels and tourism sector.

JOIN NI CHAMBER TODAY CONTACT THE MEMBERSHIP TEAM membership@northernirelandchamber.com 028 9024 4113

FEATURE

A Good Sport Kieran Harding, is Managing Director at Business in the Community, a business-led organisation dedicated to corporate responsibility and has worked for the group in a number of leadership roles since 1990. With a life-long passion for football as a player and in management, he has played for Newry, Ards, Drogheda United and Ballyclare Comrades and is currently Assistant Manager and Coach at Glentoran Football Club.

Are you a spectator or a participant?

As a spectator I can enjoy the theatre and the passion and appreciate the physical, technical and tactical aspects of any sport, but participation either as a player or coach provides the greatest satisfaction. There is nothing quite like the challenge, the energy expelled and the adrenalin rush that you get from competing. I’ve also been fortunate throughout my career as a player and a coach to enjoy a fair degree of success, which of course helps!

What’s your favourite sport and why do you like it?

I enjoy all sports, both team and individual, but given that I played football competitively and have been a Coach now for many years with Portadown, the Irish FA and now Glentoran, you can appreciate that football is my true passion.

I enjoy the tactical and coaching challenge, the competition, managing players and particularly the camaraderie and dressing room banter which cannot be understated.

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

I learnt at an early stage in parenthood that children must make their own mind up (even though they are often wrong!). You cannot force your opinion on them, but you can encourage and support them once they commit. What I do champion is a healthy lifestyle whether through sport or physical activity as I appreciate how this impacts on the mind and body.

What team (across any sport) do you follow?

Whilst I’m a Leeds United supporter born and bred, my family are appalled to find that the team I have followed over the recent past is Arsenal, influenced by my admiration for Arsene Wenger. I recognise what he, more than any, has done for football on these islands and how the game has changed for the better as a consequence. Wenger was a visionary and his teams coupled with their success helped transform the game by the way they played and prepared.

Do you think the games we play as children in many cases were designed to prepare us for life as functioning adults?

I wouldn’t stop at children. I would argue that the sport and games we participate in, even as adults, help shape who we are and how we behave. When you are young, you play for fun or because your friends play. As you grow older you appreciate more what it means to play, what hard work is, what sacrifices you have to make and how to cope with winning or losing.

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

I have been fortunate throughout my career to apply the learning I have achieved in sport

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to business and vice versa. It is an exercise in shared learning which can apply to us all. Take British Cycling’s mantra of “marginal gains” which has brought the team so much success in recent years. In a similar vein in business, the language is continuous or incremental improvement which has brought significant returns to many businesses. We find so many lessons that have a read across between business and sport. However there is one stand out for me, in the words of the great US Football Coach Vince Lombardi: “The price of success is hard work.”

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

I can only speak for myself, considering my role at Business in the Community and suggest that team sport has taught me many things that have helped me become a better leader, none more so than humility. The teams I have been involved in don’t let you get carried away or forget where you have come from and have taught me that we all rely on each other to achieve success. I wouldn’t suggest that I am a good leader, but I am a better one for my experiences in team sport.

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

Let me turn that round. I cannot think of a time when you would ‘play to lose’. What satisfaction would that bring or send out to your team? I can appreciate that there may be perhaps an occasion as a leader when you may choose not to prioritise winning (I also dislike the word lose!) if it was part of a bigger plan or goal to achieve a greater outcome. The analogy here may be playing a weakened team in a match before a Cup Final in order to avoid injury or suspension. But then as I have learnt from past experience, it doesn’t always work out that you achieve that bigger goal!

BACK TO SCHOOL AND BACK TO BUSINESS

BY PAUL MCCLURG, HEAD OF BELFAST BUSINESS BANKING AT BANK OF IRELAND UK. It’s that time again, time to ramp up to year end. Not that Northern Ireland business stopped through the summer months - whether it was in the tourism sector, which continues to see increases in visitor numbers, tourist spending and hotel rooms occupied, manufacturing companies making acquisitions, opening new premises or innovative SMEs launching new propositions - at Bank of Ireland UK we witnessed our highest levels of activity in a decade in the July /Aug period.

Our customers are on trend as increasingly Northern Ireland businesses continue to adapt their models and operations to meet the expectations of their customers and the markets they operate in, to meet the demand of being accessible, open for business, always on.

As summer comes to an end, it’s heads down for the busy run into the last quarter of 2018. Shifting towards achieving annual sales targets, new customer acquisitions,

revenue generation and delivery on investments as well as mapping out the plans and ambitions for 2019.

Bank of Ireland UK is working closely with businesses to help drive growth and we are excited to continue enabling our customers to seize the opportunities to do business with NI Chamber through both the Scaling for Growth Programme and Connecting for Growth Programme at the November Meet the Buyer Event in Belfast. Always ambitious, we are looking to beat 2017’s success and aiming to attract over 150 participants for over 100 one to one meetings, opportunities to win new business and build new commercial relationships.

Our local team will be there to chat through helping businesses to develop and advance their business growth plans, working together to provide support, advice and flexible funding options – as well as opportunities to network, meet new customers, make contacts and win contracts.

There are some challenging times ahead for industry, however, it’s also an exciting time for business to explore ways to innovate to stay relevant and Bank of Ireland UK is committed to supporting its customers’ opportunities to thrive.

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FEATURE

KEEPING IT IN THE FAMILY Having firmly established itself as one of the most respected groups in Northern Ireland’s hospitality industry over the past 25 years, the McKeever Hotel Group is driven and inspired by the dedication of its founder and Managing Director Eugene McKeever MBE. Together with his wife Catherine, a Director in the business, the couple (who are celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary this year), have grown the McKeever Hotel Group exponentially to include a portfolio of five hotels across Ireland; the Adair Arms, Ballymena; Dunsilly Hotel, Antrim; Dillons Hotel, Letterkenny; Corrs Corner, Newtownabbey; and their most recent addition, the Dunadry Hotel, Dunadry. The Group employs over 200 staff. Two of the couple’s five children have followed their parents into a lifetime of working, living and breathing the McKeever Hotel Group with son Eddie as Operations Director and daughter Bridgene who is Marketing Director.

Father:

Eugene McKeever MBE Working in the hospitality industry was always going to be the path for me, having been lucky enough to land a job working part time at the young age of 12, in what was, the very first hotel that I ever bought, Corr’s Corner. When I was young, school was never really a priority for me. I left when I was 15 to become a full-time chef, gradually making my way to head-chef, a position I held for 11 years.

In between, Catherine and I raising a young family, and both of us working, I made the decision to return to the books. Following completion of my catering and hospitality management exams, I studied for a Postgraduate degree in Management Studies which I gained from Ulster University.

Sometimes I wonder how we managed to juggle everything at once, but we made it work and I am very thankful that we did.

The idea of running my own business started to become a possibility for us and in 1986 I said goodbye to Corr’s Corner (or so I thought) and opened up my own restaurant in Randalstown. However,

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Corr’s Corner always held a special place in my heart, and seven years later when the opportunity arose to purchase the hotel, with some encouragement and much needed support from Catherine, 1993 saw the very first hotel under the McKeever Hotel Group name and the rest is history.

When you have a family, you hope that someday your children will have the same love for the business as we have, however we never forced it. It was never planned for Eddie and Bridgene to follow in our footsteps, as I always believed that it was important for them both to make their own decisions and find their own path.

The hospitality industry can be extremely challenging and testing at times, so you really have to be passionate about the industry. It was important to us that each of our children established their own career path for themselves, whether that love and passion was there and thankfully with Eddie and Bridgene it was, and I am very proud of what we, as a family, have achieved.

Mother:

Catherine McKeever When we started out, I would say many people thought we were mad, what with the troubling times in Northern Ireland and the fact that we had a young family, but Eugene has always been so driven and passionate about the industry and that very much rubbed off on me.

I think the fact that the McKeever Hotel Group has a strong family ethos is part of the reason why our hotels have been such a success. In the early days, particularly in Randalstown, the restaurant was also our home, and as we welcomed customers in, we were also welcoming them into our home.

We carried that ethos through to the hotels; we consider each one a home to us and we have worked

hard to ensure that this sense still stands today.

When we say family run business, we not only talk about Eugene, myself, Eddie and Bridgene, but we account for every single member of staff. Without that family ethos running through the veins of our hotels, I honestly don’t believe we would be where we are today.

Each of us brings different qualities to the Group and I think that’s why it works so well.

Although myself and Eugene are not planning our retirement anytime soon, I look forward to seeing how Eddie and Bridgene grow the business in the future and I only hope that they reap the rewards as we have over the last 25 years.

Son:

Eddie McKeever From a young age, I was fascinated with hotels, each one under the McKeever Hotel Group name had something very unique, which differed from the others.

For as long as I remember, Dad and Mum work tirelessly to create a home away from home for their guests and I don’t think much has changed. You will still see both of them taking a very active role in the business and it is purely out of love that this is the case. I like to think that I do the same.

There is an idea that if you work in a family business, your position or role within the company is just handed to you on a plate. Often a misinterpreted concept, it certainly wasn’t the case for us.

Bridgene and myself have been working in the hospitality sector from as early as we can remember.

Growing up, our parents instilled in us a hard work ethic as well as to have respect for every member of staff. That is the differentiating factor to success and that still stands today.

Every team member is a vital component in ensuring the success of the company – from the people who work hard to ensure each of our hotels is pristine, to the receptionists who offer a warm welcome and the chefs who serve a delicious meal to enjoy – it takes an army to drive the success of a business. I feel very lucky that in our case, that army is family.

Daughter:

Bridgene McKeever Eddie and myself have always got on. Although we are in business together, our brother/sister relationship will always be at the essence of who we are – with it comes the typical squabbles both in business and in personal life that comes with every family – but we have learnt to respect each other’s opinions and it works well for us.

I have always looked up to our parents, From humble beginnings, they have worked tirelessly all of their lives to ensure that there was never a stone unturned. As children we received everything we could have ever hoped for in terms of love

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and support and as members of staff throughout the years, we could see that same continuous encouragement and support, not only for us but for everyone who worked for them.

They have always been a fantastic role model for all of us. We were never under any illusion that success doesn’t come without hard work, as well as some high and low moments along the way, but the benefit of working in a family business is that you can lean on each other as a means of support and that is something I am very grateful for.

FEATURE

My Ambition is to...

ANDY MCNEILL, GENERAL MANAGER, STORMONT HOTEL, BELFAST.

I

went to Newtownabbey Tech many years ago to study a GNVQ in Hospitality Management and a NVQ Level 2 in Food Preparation and Cooking. I also have a HND in International Hotel Management from the Catering College and a BA (Hons) in Hospitality Management from Ulster University.

I am from the Shore Road in Belfast and started working in the Hastings Europa Hotel in the city when I was 16 and stayed there for 19 years, steadily working my way up the ranks. I started as a function bars waiter and during my placement year I was night auditor. When I graduated, I became a full-time barman and within six months I was promoted to Function Bars Manager. I then moved to Front Office Manager before being promoted to Front of House Manager.

Because I worked in the Europa Hotel while I was studying, I got a real feel for the hospitality industry and the courses I studied provided the knowledge I needed to begin my management career.

The hospitality industry is one that I have always had a passion for and my ambition throughout my career was to become a General Manager. I was delighted to be appointed GM of the Stormont Hotel in February of this year.

Hastings Hotels is a great company to work for and they have helped me develop my career through on the job training and training courses including the Manager Ambassador Programme at Ulster University and an Executive Management Programme with the Irish Management Institute in Dublin.

I had only ever worked in the Europa Hotel before taking up my role as General Manager in the Stormont Hotel. I don’t have a typical day but the first thing I do every morning is check my emails before meeting with the management teams to discuss what activity is on that day. It’s a busy hotel and I always like to check the restaurant during breakfast and

meet with the Executive Head Chef to ensure we are set up for the day ahead. We meet regularly to discuss new menus and to ensure we are making the most of local produce.

I have a daily meeting with our Events Manager to ensure we are ready for any weddings or events we have that day and throughout the week. We have a busy Confex Centre for business events so it is important to be on top of what is happening as we can have up to 10 separate functions in any one day.

Throughout the day I will meet with various heads of department and members of staff to ensure the smooth running of the hotel.

It is a demanding role and there are a lot of different departments to keep on top of. But

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there is no better feeling than knowing that you have made someone’s stay very special and they are leaving happy.

My ambition has always been to become a General Manager and I am enjoying the challenge of helping to develop my team and the continued success of the Stormont Hotel.

I can’t see my career outside of Hastings but one day I would like to manage one of the group’s larger hotels if the opportunity presented itself. The group has seven fabulous hotels and I really couldn’t pick my favourite but I would definitely love to manage the Culloden Estate & Spa, Grand Central Hotel or the Slieve Donard Resort & Spa in the years to come.

LEARNING FROM THE TOURISM SECTOR

BY RICHARD DONNAN, HEAD OF NORTHERN IRELAND, ULSTER BANK. As our economist Richard Ramsey has noted, Northern Ireland has one sector in particular which has experienced recent transformative growth – tourism. Belfast and Northern Ireland have significantly climbed the rankings in terms of tourism competitiveness globally; for instance ‘Belfast and the Causeway Coast’ was ranked ‘the number one region’ to visit in the world for 2018 and Titanic Belfast was voted the 2016 top international attraction to visit. The hospitality and leisure industry in Northern Ireland ‘exports’ an image of Northern Ireland that is attractive to both near-market visitors as well as those from further afield. So in the interests of staying competitive in an uncertain environment, what can other sectors learn?

First and foremost, there is collaboration even in an intensely competitive trade – what researchers working in game theory call ‘coopetition’. Our hospitality and leisure sector has clear corporate beliefs and aims on the attractiveness of Northern Ireland as a destination and campaigns for them assertively, with the clear view that a rising tide of visitor numbers has benefits for almost everyone operating in the market. There’s also a willingness to borrow ideas, enhance them and continually improve them that has generated a compelling product.

Secondly, the industry is unafraid about

promoting its superstars as a means of cutting through to the attention of buyers shopping from an international menu. Ably supported by bodies like Belfast City Council, Tourism NI and the various BID districts, the industry is good at putting its best foot forward in terms of meeting consumer need – stating what are the must see attractions. They have also invested in their capital assets as a real statement of intent. This is a cultural mindset that should be encouraged across all NI businesses seeking to grow and scale, as we can sometimes be hesitant in speaking confidently about the areas in which we excel – or dealing frankly with the areas in which we don’t.

But most successfully, the industry has also well managed the pivot from being a provider of services to a provider of experiences that modern, millennial and Gen Z consumers are demanding from all brands. We know in particular that Northern Ireland customers are price savvy, but to avoid a simple race to the bottom, you’ve got to demonstrate how you can offer more than just a price tag to customers – whether that’s signposting the place for a perfect Instagram shot, or detailing this history, provenance and ethical care that’s gone into producing a product or service.

And without a willingness to replicate these efforts, the danger for other sectors is clear. We

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exist and compete in a global market for tastes and trends – our many food and drink producers will attest to that.

Regulations and trading arrangements change. Without investment and continuing to pitch for relevance, brands sink lower down the pecking order, even with established audiences. So let’s take a break with some of the people in Northern Ireland who are managing this best and see what we can learn.

FEATURE

Security giant taking big steps in technology Global knowledge combined with a local service has provided leading security giant Securitas with the ability to respond swiftly to any risk a company may face. Adrienne McGill talks to Reece Edwards, Securitas’ Protective Services Branch Manager in Northern Ireland.

T

he security industry has moved on a long way from the times of a night guard in uniform and peaked cap roaming around business premises and shining a torch into corners to make sure no prowlers are hiding and all is in order.

It’s a lot more high tech and sophisticated now.

Securitas, the global security company, is one of the leaders in the sector. With over 300,000 employees in 58 markets, it has grown to become a security giant providing services to tens of thousands of clients across the world ranging from SMEs to global multibillion industries. The company provides tailored solutions based on client-specific needs.

The Swedish owned company which has operated in Northern Ireland since 2002 and currently employs 330 people, opened new headquarters in Belfast in 2014 underlining its long term commitment to the region.

The Northern Ireland operation is headed

by Reece Edwards who was appointed as Protective Services Branch Manager in April this year.

Reece is responsible for the delivery of Securitas’ security services to clients, this includes onsite, mobile, electronic and remote security, fire and safety, and corporate risk management.

Among its many clients in Northern Ireland are Caterpillar, Coca-Cola, NI Chamber and Stena Line.

“The fact that Securitas is such a global company and has experience in so many different sectors, means we have operations knowledge and expertise across the board,” says Reece.

“Within Northern Ireland I have a very skilled team, including service delivery and operations managers, who report to me and who are responsible for our clients which gives the

company a very local feel while being able to tap into global and national knowledge.”

The Securitas Operations Centre (SOC), in the UK in Milton Keynes, connects employees, technology and processes, enabling the company to use key information from real time monitoring to deliver a comprehensive security solution and to take the correct action for clients, 24/7. Through the SOC, Securitas

“Security is higher on the agenda now as companies want to look after their people, property and assets. ” 46

is able to coordinate its security solutions efficiently and with great accuracy.

All remote video surveillance is monitored from the centre and when an alarm is triggered anywhere in the UK, operatives will verify if the alarm is genuine and take appropriate action which may include deploying Securitas’ local mobile team to site.

Specialist operatives, who manage the different components of the protective security solution, are experts in quickly addressing any problems and solving them according to each client’s requests.

A knowledge of a client’s security needs is combined with data and intelligence to optimise the mix of on-site, mobile and remote security.

“We can transform how a business manages its security – an officer no longer needs to be on a client site 24/7 if electronic and remote technology is in place. This allows us to upskill officers in other areas, so they add even more value when on site,” says Reece.

“For us, it’s all about blending people, technology and knowledge. The technology is not replacing people, it is redefining their role and giving us the opportunity to upskill them and make the best use of their time which makes their job more interesting because they gain a wider skillset.

“At the end of the day – while technology is vital – so is a person’s judgement. A person will know what to do in a particular situation while the technology will support and enhance that.”

Securitas was founded in Sweden in 1934 when entrepreneur Erik Philip-Sörensen bought a small security company and over the years grew with huge expansion internationally through acquisitions.

The name Securitas comes from the Roman goddess of security and stability and its logo consists of the name and three red dots

Reece Edwards, Securitas’ Protective Services Branch Manager in Northern Ireland.

representing the group’s core values of “Integrity, Vigilance and Helpfulness.”

“Technology now is at the heart of everything.

Our technology team is constantly exploring new technology with CCTVs now becoming increasingly more sophisticated with thermal imaging, as just one example,” says Reece.

“Technology and customer needs are evolving. Securitas is at the forefront of innovation, moving the industry towards predictive security by harnessing ‘big data’ to provide intelligent, pro-active solutions.

“Through a blend of people, technology and knowledge, we are changing the perception of the security industry.”

Reece says addressing negative stereotypes of security personnel and working to change perception is important. He says it is time to move the entire security industry forward and reinforce the important reality that security officers protect people, property and assets and

deserve support and respect. They are often put in high-risk situations as they confront and detain criminals engaged in theft, trespassing, gang activity and other unlawful behaviour.

“We are trying to drive a change in thinking so that working in security is seen as a serious career option and not as a hum drum job,” he says.

“We are putting our officers through a City and Guilds accreditation in protective services so they will be qualified as Protective Service Officers (PSO) which will equip them with skills such as protective services methodology, first aid training, fire marshalling, counter terrorism measures and customer excellence. The aim is for all officers to have a PSO qualification by 2020.”

Businesses are increasingly having to engage corporate risk management specialists in a bid to protect their assets.

Securitas therefore combines cutting-edge technology with top security intelligence and its global network of experts to identify and protect all areas that may threaten a business and its operation such as hazards and events, technology and information, markets and economies, operational and physical risks.

“We are moving into predictive security which

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is associated with our expertise in corporate risk management. We suggest measures to clients that they should consider in order to prevent a breach in security,” says Reece.

“We help identify and communicate to clients what the potential risks are to their business and identify solutions to either stop it from happening again or stop it from happening in the first place. It is then up to the client to decide if they want to engage our solution.

“Security is higher on the agenda now as companies want to look after their people, property and assets.“ Last year the firm launched Securitas Future Lab online, a collection of new technologybased concepts set to change the industry, and shared it with clients, partners and the industry at large in order to stay on top of IT developments in security.

“We have clients who may have been used to onsite security and are not aware of the other options, but we can advise them on the latest technology based security and they can save money at the same time,” says Reece.

“We can reduce people’s costs, whilst still maintaining high security standards, by offering them the newest technology based solutions and encouraging them to embrace change.”

AMBITION SPECIAL SECTION

Solid Foundations In Construction

C

onstruction companies operate in a global business environment where economic conditions can change, sudden cuts to government funding are not uncommon and unpredictable politics can transform an attractive new region for investment into a serious threat.

Risks and challenges can be extremely difficult to manage and influence in a project, thus making completion harder to control.

Ambition talks to the chiefs of some of Northern Ireland’s leading construction companies and hears how they have met challenges and overcome difficulties by using ingenuity, innovation and experience while looking forward to pipelines of landmark projects in the years ahead.

Rich histories combined with the engineering and technical expertise of their teams have made these firms the giants of the construction industry.

Inside this Issue: 44

A titan in the construction industry Graham Group

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Winning contracts and meeting the unforeseen Gilbert-Ash

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History in the making H&J Martin

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Building out business Henry Brothers

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Going Underground FK Lowry

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Paving the way to success Tobermore

A titan in the construction industry In demand to lead multi million pound building projects across the retail, office, commercial, healthcare, residential sectors and infrastructure throughout the UK, Graham Group is a force to be reckoned with as Adrienne McGill hears from Executive Chairman, Michael Graham.

The name Graham towers above the construction industry in Northern Ireland and beyond. The privately owned company is a titan in the sector and is responsible for constructing some of the region’s most technically demanding and complex buildings all of which have called on the firm’s supreme skill and experience in overcoming engineering challenges…and evidenced in a recent project.

“Every project brings with it significant elements of complexity. There are always challenges to navigate around but again harnessing our inhouse expertise and technical capacity ensures that we can resolve them swiftly and, more often than not, innovatively,” says Michael Graham, Graham Group Executive Chairman.

“The transformation of the former Windsor House in Belfast into the stunning Grand Central Hotel was one project where we encountered a plethora of challenges. For example, we had to manipulate the tallest crane in Ireland, standing 475 feet tall, over the course of a complex twoyear construction programme. Incredibly, this necessitated one flight path adjustment into Belfast City Airport. Indeed, one of our rail projects involved the “Live Launch” of a 55m span 515 tonne bridge structure over ten railways lines while trains continued to run in South London.”

Graham boasts an impressive history – founded in the mid 18th century, documents show by 1878 it was headed by John Graham who set up offices in Dromore from where growth was rapid in the following decades. It is where the company remained until relocating to a new £10m flagship head office in Hillsborough in 2010.

Over the years, the company has grown steadily and significantly to become a leading player in all areas of construction throughout the UK and Ireland. In 1985 the company made its first ventures into England when construction operations were set up in the East of England.

Twelve years later, the scope of services was expanded further following the establishment of Graham Facilities Management.

The introduction of Graham Investment Projects followed soon after, acting as a vehicle for the group to invest in PPP and revenue funded projects.

The most recent change to the Group structure

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came in 2007 when a Holding Company structure was established with the creation of John Graham Holdings Limited and three main subsidiary companies – Graham Construction, Graham Asset Management and Graham Investment Projects.

The Group has over 2,200 on its payroll, close to 5,000 people working as part of its construction supply chain while the facilities management pool is roughly 1,050 strong resulting in a total workforce of more than 8,000 employed directly or indirectly. The company now operates from 23 regional offices in the UK and Ireland and delivers building excellence with award-winning and highly acclaimed projects. Its expansive building portfolio ranges from critical healthcare projects to the complex construction of state of the art office space.

“The company’s plans for strategic growth are built on a foundation of collective expertise,” says Michael.

“This has enabled us to considerably strengthen our reputation throughout the UK and also the Republic of Ireland. We are a truly national business and are now viewed by our clients and partners as such. As we expand, so too does our network of regional offices and we recently opened a new Liverpool office, complementing our existing Manchester base, which is a tangible example of our increasing work portfolio in the North West of England.”

Graham’s split between private and public sector work is currently evenly split. Around 20% of the company’s business operations are in Northern Ireland but that figure would be much higher, says Michael, were it not for the current political deadlock.

“The lack of a functioning government in Northern Ireland is starting to have a significant effect on this. It is estimated that some £2bn of construction projects are stalled and unable to commence, as they require ministerial approval.

Frankly this is an appalling situation and it is not only affecting the delivery of public services across the country but also livelihoods of many SMEs who work in the sector. While Northern Ireland remains an important region for us, we also appreciate the considerable opportunities for expansion in other areas of the UK. “ Graham implements creative solutions that

Executive Chairman of Graham Group, Michael Graham.

We’re optimistic for the future. The Graham name is synonymous with quality and technical expertise, and it is our record for consistently following through on our promises, which fills me with confidence that we will continue to be a leading name in the construction industry in the future,” says Michael.

He points to the industry accolades, which Graham has collected as proof, including the ‘Major Contractor of the Year 2017’ Building Magazine award and its 16th position in the

Sunday Times Grant Thornton Top Track 250 (2017).

“With a turnover of £767m, and importantly a healthy cash balance, we are in a strong position,” says Michael.

“However, we are most certainly not complacent. We are consistently looking to improve how we deliver while identifying ways on how to improve productivity and quality. As a result, we’ve invested over £1m in training and skills development for our colleagues, we’ve considerably strengthened our talent pool, focusing on areas like digital construction, and continue to actively explore avenues for innovation and investment in technology and processes.

“Our focus is on ‘delivering lasting impact’ and we firmly believe that we achieve this, in differing forms, in every project that we undertake. When I see the final product that our talented teams produce, you get a real sense of legacy, but behind the infrastructure there is a broader story around our positive contribution to the local communities, job creation and sustainable development. Perhaps this is what I’m most proud of.

“Every project is unique, each with individual aspects that always leave me marvelling at the engineering and technical expertise of our teams. We’ve a long history of successful project delivery and I’m confident that we’ll continue to leave a mark that stands the test of time.”

Winning contracts and meeting the unforeseen

Not even a civil war will stand in the way of Gilbert-Ash when it comes to completing a contract as Adrienne McGill hears from the company’s Managing Director, Ray Hutchinson.

In the construction industry, being able to adapt quickly to the unexpected is imperative – but what happens if it’s due to civil and political unrest…and lives are at risk?

This was the dire situation Northern Ireland construction, refurbishment and fit-out contractor Gilbert-Ash faced when working in Albania during the outbreak of the civil war in March 1997. At one point its workforce had to bury their tools and materials deep underground mid-way through a major building project before fleeing the conflict-stricken area and return home in safety.

They then had to make it back to Albania to retrieve their plant and finish the project after the civil war ended one month later.

If ever there was a lesson on the drama and dangers that a construction company can be met with while engaging in an overseas contract – this is it.

However, while the pursuit of global growth exposed the Belfast-headquartered company to an unforeseen risk, the dramatic episode has not stopped GilbertAsh from being involved in opportunities to expand beyond its borders.

In 2015 the company was in Nepal in the wake of the Gorkha earthquake. The team was working closely with Nepalese construction companies in the rebuild of devastated areas, adapting to their local culture and introducing new skills and infrastructure.

Gilbert-Ash, which employs 180 people, has been yet another Northern Ireland construction company to have obtained lucrative contracts abroad in Great Britain to compensate for limited work on home turf.

Ray Hutchinson, Managing Director, Gilbert-Ash says: “Our strong growth is being driven by our continued focus and

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investment in the GB market and around our chosen markets, along with capabilities including landmark buildings, arts, culture, science and technology.

“We have completed very specific landmark projects such as the Everyman Theatre in Liverpool, the Lyric Theatre in Belfast and the Giant’s Causeway Visitor centre on the North Coast. We have a very clear understanding of the type of projects that we excel in and they tend to be very technically challenging. We wanted to move our knowledge and expertise into the market in GB where we have started to create a real footprint of bespoke projects.”

This move has seen Gilbert-Ash complete a number of high profile projects in London including the £13m refurbishment and extension of the National Army Museum, which was officially opened by the Queen in April; the £22m refurbishment and extension of the Institute of Engineering

SOLID FOUNDATIONS IN CONSTRUCTION

reduce cost, drive efficiency and enhance outcomes for clients and each of its divisions is currently involved in a range of major projects. Locally, it is supporting the strategic upgrade of the road network at the A6, constructing the Royal Victoria Hospital’s new Belfast Maternity Unit and continuing to change the face of Belfast city centre with the construction of Erskine House in Chichester Street. It is also making its presence felt in England, Scotland and Wales and is working across a range of sectors including healthcare where it is undertaking a number of capital building programmes, such as the Baird Family Hospital and ANCHOR Centre projects (£134m), on behalf of NHS Grampian in Aberdeen.

The company continues to work in partnership with Barnet Council in London who appointed it to build an estimated £150m of major projects including new schools, leisure and community centres.

Graham is also a delivery partner for the Scape Group’s Regional Construction Framework with responsibility for the delivery of construction projects within Warwickshire. Meanwhile, the company’s interior fit-out teams are in the midst of significant projects in the retail, office and commercial sectors.

“In April 2018, we launched our new brand, which was not only a significant investment but a statement of our intent.

SOLID FOUNDATIONS IN CONSTRUCTION

and Technology building in Savoy Place; the £20m Bartlett School of Architecture at University College London; the Fetal Medicine Research Institute on Harley Street; the new £17m headquarters for the Royal College of Pathologists; the £19.5m Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts project; and the Royal College of Music.

“In Gilbert-Ash we have a broad talent of people, many of whom have been exposed to very technically challenging projects that they otherwise would not have gained exposure to if we had concentrated all our efforts in Northern Ireland,” says Ray. The company’s broad portfolio of successful construction projects also includes offices, hotels and leisure, retail and residential schemes.

Regarding its international work, GilbertAsh has worked alongside the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) for many years.

The company has carried out work in 43 countries around the world for embassies, consulates and British High Commissions in locations as far afield as Australia, Dubai, Cuba, Mongolia, Sri Lanka, Japan and Trinidad and Tobago.

Its relationship with the FCO goes back 25 years and projects have included the

Gilbert-Ash Managing Director, Ray Hutchinson.

The British High Commission Office, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.

British Consulate in Marseille, France, the £5.5m refit at the British High Commission in Colombo, Sri Lanka and Trinadad & Tobago offices of the European External Action Service (EEAS) – the EU’s diplomatic service.

Just last month, the company received confirmation of yet another FCO project, this time in Dusseldorf.

Ray says the embassy work is a prestigious niche: “The FCO is a great client. We are currently working at the British Embassy in Paris which is one of the finest buildings in the FCO estate.

“Many of the Embassy buildings occupy magnificent historical buildings and therefore require specialist skills in heritage and restoration.

“Our teams imbue themselves in new cultures and work side by side with local people in the country where a project is taking place, learning from them but also sharing their knowledge.”

In Northern Ireland, Gilbert-Ash, which recorded a turnover of £165m in 2017, has just completed several major schemes in Belfast including a £22m student accommodation development at Great Patrick Street, as well as the £25m AC by Marriott Hotel in City Quays.

“Ten years ago, 95% of our turnover came from Northern Ireland while today 85% of turnover is from projects outside the region. That has been driven by a conscious decision on our part to grow the company outside Northern Ireland following the recession when the construction sector was very badly hit.

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“For three or four years we had no major projects in Northern Ireland but there’s been a surge. This has given us a chance to bring our staff back home again,” says Ray. In July this year, Gilbert-Ash scooped a prestigious national award when crowned Contractor of the Year at the Construction News Awards at the Grosvenor House Hotel, London.

Judges noted the company’s focus on design, technical difficulty, array of complex projects and investment in people.

“The award is due to the commitment across our team, the high quality of our projects and to the excellent collaborative relationships we have developed with our clients, partners and suppliers,” says Ray. The company also continues to work with hotel group Whitbread on numerous projects throughout the UK including its next generation, technology-enabled Premier Inn hub hotels. It was named Whitbread Supplier of the Year 2017, delivering more than 1,800 hotel rooms in the last three years.

Returning to unexpected occurrences, Ray says a lot of Gilbert-Ash’s success is due to the company’s ability to overcome challenges on site and that has made it the right choice for clients.

“No matter what project you are working on, you can hit a problem,” says Ray. “But it is how you deal with that problem which makes you what you are. Our relationship with the FCO has taught us an awful lot in terms of working in countries across the world – no matter what the challenges are.”

H&J Martin has an impressive history in construction but has its eye on the future as Managing Director, Nick Fletcher tells Adrienne McGill.

When a devastating fire swept through the former Victorian-designed headquarters of H&J Martin in Belfast reducing it to rubble earlier this year, it dramatically marked the end of an era…but also the beginning of a dynamic new one.

The blaze in June at the firm’s historic building yard on 163 Ormeau Road brought to a close H&J Martin’s presence on the site from which the company masterminded the construction of Belfast City Hall in the early years of the 20th century.

However, that presence was due to end in any event following the decision in January 2018 by Belfast City Council to grant permission to H&J Martin, merged since 2015 into the Lagan Specialist Contracting Group, for the development of its Ormeau Road site for residential use in the form of 7

townhouses and 40 apartments. No.163, an important unlisted building which was the epitome of quality construction that would be expected from a firm of master builders, was to be retained, with change of use, as part of the approved plans. Unfortunatley, such was the damage caused by the fire, the building could not be saved and was demolished.

In the months before the inferno, the company and its 250 staff had already relocated to new state of the art, naturallight filled, airy premises on the Sydenham Road heralding a new period in the company’s rich history.

“It was a huge disappointment that the building was burnt by arsonists,” says Nick Fletcher, H&J Martin Managing Director.

“We had decided to keep a taste of

H&J Martin Managing Director, Nick Fletcher.

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history and incorporate this into our design and went to great lengths to convince the planners but following the fire the building was unstable and had to be demolished so we have had to redesign the project without that corner of history.”

H&J Martin, which was founded in 1840 by the Martin family, is renowned as one of Northern Ireland’s oldest and most respected construction firms and is credited with having constructed some of Northern Ireland’s finest buildings. In addition to Belfast City Hall, the firm’s legacy includes many Ulster landmarks such as the Ulster Museum, The Grand Opera House, Elmwood Hall, and further afield, the restoration of the King’s Theatre in Edinburgh. Today the company’s work is split equally across the public and private sector in construction,

SOLID FOUNDATIONS IN CONSTRUCTION

History in the making

SOLID FOUNDATIONS IN CONSTRUCTION

fit out and also asset management which manages the assets of many bodies such as the Stormont Estate, the National Football Stadium at Windsor Park, Eason, Boots, IKEA as well as clients in Scotland and Ireland.

“H&J Martin have a proud and extensive history in the building of iconic buildings like the Slieve Donard Hotel in Newcastle built in 1898, Belfast City Hall in 1906 and Strandtown Primary School in 1930 which today we are delighted to be extensively rebuilding close to 100 years later,” says Nick.

“It is a testament to our quality that the building has functioned so well over the years. Currently, we are also building two private residential schemes in Salford and Glasgow and we will be starting shortly on the re-development of our original office site on the Ormeau Road and transforming it into a residential scheme. We are also working on a private housing scheme in Greenisland – so it is a really busy time for us in construction.

“In fit out we have completed phase 1 at George Best Belfast City Airport transforming the airside and duty free retail areas. We have also completed a 30 bed hotel for Travelodge at Bromley, South London. We have been working for TK Maxx for 18 years and have just started another project at its site in Altnagelvin. Many of our retail clients are rethinking their strategy on store design because the footprint of the floor is reducing due to the increase in online shopping. They therefore need to create an experience that surpasses the online shopping experience.

“In the same way office requirements

are changing as people increasingly work remotely and companies need more meeting and collaborative working areas.

“With commercial, retail and office environments changing all the time, that provides us with great opportunities.”

While the company is actively engaged in projects across Northern Ireland, it is winning an increasing amount of contracts outside the region which Nick says is partly due to the current political impasse here.

“We are doing more work outside Northern Ireland because of the lack of government here with projects not progressing. England and Scotland is such a massive market and we have the expertise to have a huge impact.”

Meanwhile, H&J Martin’s expertise in complex restoration projects has won national acclaim.

In 2016 the company scooped a top award for its restoration of the Grade A listed house, Mount Stewart, an 18th-century neo-classical house located on the banks of Strangford Lough in County Down.

It picked up the ‘Building Conservation Accolade’ at the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in London with judges praising H&J Martin’s “highly innovative” techniques to “repair serious structural defects throughout the property”.

The client was The National Trust and the £3.5m project took 3 years to complete.

Works to the house, which is the home of the Marquesses of Londonderry, involved the repair of serious structural defects and upgrade heating, plumbing, drainage and lighting, re-modelling the east wing

of the building, converting and restoring some rooms of the House as an enhanced education facility, with new contemporary interiors into former out buildings and a new build orientation pavilion.

Nick agrees that projects have become more challenging over the years as clients and their designs become more demanding.

“There are many pressures on clients, not least the modern technology requirement in buildings, the new regulations for escape and security and the aim to reduce energy consumption whilst making buildings more airy and attractive to be in,” he says.

“Yet the main pressures on clients are the same as always - build quick and at the lowest cost and build a bespoke building that is flexible to use and can adapt to the changing world.

“We pride ourselves in offering high quality services and project delivery and therefore our experts can meet the specifications easily but where we really excel is by offering alternatives to our customers due to our experts’ knowledge of the best products available on the market and always challenging the status quo and always improving.

“We work with many partners including clients, architects, structural designers, interior designers, landscapers, fire and security personnel and logistics staff.

“We aim to continue to support the brand through delivering quality projects on time, safely and within budget. We do this with the great people we employ in our company. We are simply the best contractor in Northern Ireland and we aim to stay there.”

Building out business From constructing jet engine testing facilities to university science buildings, Henry Brothers thrives on challenges. Adrienne McGill talks to Managing Director, David Henry.

Tucked away in the countryside amid the lush and undulating landscape of Mid Ulster are the discreet headquarters of one of Northern Ireland’s most successful contractors. Henry Brothers, part of the wider Henry Group, has grown from a small construction business set up in 1976 by Jim Henry to become a major contractor in the industry.

The Magherafelt based company, which employs 250 staff and 600 subcontract workers, is now headed by his son David who has helped grow the firm’s contract wins substantially outside Northern Ireland to other parts of the UK. Currently, in the English Midlands where the firm also has an office, these include the first phase of £30m of full improvements to Loughborough University’s science buildings

which are set for overall completion in autumn 2019 and the construction of a new £13m engineering facility for Nottingham Trent University.

In Northern Ireland, Henry Brothers projects have previously included the iconic Lanyon Plaza in Belfast, a mixeduse development on Belfast’s waterfront; the PSNI Down Patrick area command unit which includes a state of the art energy centre building; and the complex refurbishment of Stormont Castle.

And there’s no sign of any shortage of work in the pipeline. Henry Brothers is currently building the new £4m Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) Learning and Development Centre at Desertcreat, near Cookstown; the new Service Centre for Belfast Rapid Transit’s

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(BRT) Glider buses in a £22m contract and a contract for the NI Prison Service. The company is also the main contractor to deliver the refurbishment and extension to the McClay Library and David Bates building at Queen’s University in a project valued at £6.6 million which will run until August 2019.

“As a company, Henry Brothers has significant experience of partnering with major universities to create inspiring buildings,” says David Henry.

“We are delighted to be working on our first project with Queen’s University and also with Nottingham Trent University.

Following the award-winning STEMLab project in 2015 at Loughborough University, our team is currently on site on a fourth project with the same client delivering the

£30m refurbishment of a 1960s building which houses science labs and teaching spaces.

“We are currently working for the Ministry of Defence in Gosport in the south of England and on other contracts throughout England and Scotland which are mostly new build projects.”

Henry Brothers has been engaged in projects outside Northern Ireland for the past 30 years.

Around 18 months ago the company’s split of work in other parts of the UK and at home was

80/20 but now stands at 50/50.

“Working outside Northern Ireland started out of necessity because of the downturn in construction,” says David.

“But it helped us to spread our wings and to push for more work and more clients. We would not have done that if the recession had not hit Northern Ireland so hard.

“At the same time we do not want to be flying our people out of Northern Ireland all the time. I would rather have our people based in the Midlands to work there and have

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our people in Northern Ireland busy here.

“A 50:50 split of work is good for us. If we can keep that rate I’ll be happy.”

Henry Brothers works across a vast range of sectors including education, defence, accommodation, commercial, industrial, transport and healthcare all of which require adherence to very different designs and architectural concepts.

So as the design and build of projects has become more challenging, so too has the ingenuity of contractors to think their way around problems and come up with innovative solutions. The increasing use of technology in building projects has been a big help.

Building Information Modelling (BIM) for example is an intelligent 3D model-based process that gives architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) professionals the insight and tools to more efficiently plan, design, construct, and manage buildings and infrastructure.

“3D technology has been a real breakthrough,” says David.

“A lot of people can’t visualise something until they actually see it built. BIM allows the client to visualise what their completed building will look like at the same time enabling contractors to be better coordinated before getting on site and that means being able to build better.”

While Henry Brothers has been involved in many challenging projects, one of the most complicated was at RAF Lossiemouth to support the station’s Typhoon aircraft in a £9m contract. The firm worked on a building which houses aircraft undergoing testing following the repair or replacement of an engine. The enclosed facility is highly specialised and contains an instant fire suppression system along with technology to keep the aircraft in place while the engine is running at full capacity. It also includes soundproofing technology to reduce engine noise to a safe level and deaden sound waves, which could otherwise damage the aircraft.

At the end of the day David says understanding the client is central to the delivery of a first class project.

“We operate in a very competitive business but for us it is imperative to understand the client. If we have worked for them before, our track record will stand us in good stead. Of course…the price of the project has to be right.

“Tenders are quite different because every client will want something different in terms of price, quality and added benefits.

“Sometimes when you tender for a contract you can be left wondering am I going to get it or not? Once you are told you have got a job you could be on site in 2 weeks. You are very often tendering for several contracts at once. The balancing act is having the right people at the right place at the right time and ensuring you have not taken on too much at once.”

SOLID FOUNDATIONS IN CONSTRUCTION

Henry Brothers Managing Director, David Henry.

SOLID FOUNDATIONS IN CONSTRUCTION

Going underground

FK Lowry is a company with piles of experience in ensuring buildings have solid foundations as Adrienne McGill finds out from Managing Director, Niall McGill.

For many people, the most important part of a building is what they can see from the ground up.

But there’ s more to it than that – the piles underground should command admiration.

They are an essential component of many construction projects because they provide a strong, firm foundation for a structure regardless of soil quality or harsh environment.

Piling works by inserting large amounts of wood, steel or concrete into the soil of the ground. The deep insertion of these elements ensures a sturdier base for a construction project to take place.

There are numerous geographic locations where buildings would ordinarily not be able to be constructed due to the soil. Dams and bridges also benefit greatly from the use of piles since soil in water typically has a low bearing capacity. There are many different types of pilings available, which must be selected based on the particular demands of the project and environment.

Each and every day, more construction projects are being undertaken, and sometimes, a site investigation report will reveal that the ground is not suitable to support the load of the structure being erected. In these scenarios, the installation of pilings is vital to increase the safety of the building, especially if it is particularly heavy and to transmit the load of the building onto the foundation.

Belfast-based FK Lowry, part of the Lagan Specialist Contracting Group, is a leader in this specialised area and undertakes complex piling and ground engineering schemes for a broad range of clients across the UK and Ireland. The firm’s Managing Director Niall McGill says piling has a critical role in civil engineering.

“The piling/foundation element is crucial in terms of a successful start to a project given that it is on the critical path of the contract programme and must be planned, supervised and executed to budget and programme to ensure the project gets off to the best possible start.

“There is a lot of preparatory work that is undertaken well in advance of piling rigs arriving on to a site. For example – there is ground site investigation, scheme design, detailed design incorporating the pile design, estimating/tendering and securing of the works – these are all crucial elements of the process.”

The company, which employs 55 has invested over £7m in new plant and equipment over the past 4 years with all of its massive piling rigs equipped with the latest telemetry that displays and records

FK Lowry Piling at the £4.2bn Thames Tideway Tunnel Scheme in London.

important parameters of pile installation including concrete pressures and pile depth and diameter “Regardless if we are piling in London or Lossiemouth, Anglesey or Aberdeen, we are constantly supervising and monitoring the live information of our rigs from our head office in Belfast and from this can detect and be ahead of any issue that may arise,” says Niall.

There are numerous piling techniques/ disciplines that can be incorporated into a structure such as driven precast, continuous flight auger, rotary bored or bored displacement. However, Niall stresses that choosing the correct one is sometimes the most difficult issue and can make all the difference in losing a competitive tender.

“Driven piling can be a very cost effective solution. However, there are instances where it may not be the most suitable technique –

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for example in towns and cities the noise and vibration can cause some issues.

“FK Lowry is the only piling contractor on the island of Ireland who can offer the full range of disciplines of piling techniques to our clients, can concentrate on developing the correct solution to them and use the most efficient and cost effective technique available without having any preference that may influence one over another.

“However, there are several parameters which must be considered when choosing the right piling technique – for example ground conditions, axial loads from the structure environmental considerations and site constraints.”

Most recently, FK Lowry has been engaged in one of the UK’s most advanced, complicated and costly engineering projects – the Thames Tideway Tunnel Scheme which is estimated to cost £4.2bn and take

FK Lowry Managing Director, Niall McGill.

from telemetry, recording, analysing and reporting on pile production to being able to remotely ‘dial in’ to the piling rig’s engine diagnostics which allows us to highlight any potential plant issues,” says Niall.

“Piling and piling plant rely heavily on the use of technology and we at FK Lowry have been driving that change through our work with manufacturers such as Soilmec and the Federation of Piling Specialists (FPS).”

All in all, laying a strong foundation allows a construction project as a whole to operate more safely and efficiently, ultimately helping a facility or building to reach its full potential of long term success and sustainability.

“Soil reports or Ground Investigation Reports are a pre-requisite in being able to provide a client with the optimum piling and foundation solutions for a scheme,” says Niall.

“What makes the piling industry so exciting is that sub-soils can be unpredictable. Regardless of how thorough a Ground Investigation Document might be, there will always be risk that has to be managed.

“We undertake challenging projects.

However, we approach these schemes with meticulous planning from the outset so that when we arrive on a project we are prepared to deliver the scheme safely, to programme and to budget. We want that just as much as our clients do.”

Paving the way to success Tobermore, amid a symphony of colour and design, continues to pave its way to growth as Managing Director, David Henderson tells Adrienne McGill.

Paving has come a long way since the days of bland, grey concrete bricks being the dominant feature outside business premises and on residential driveways.

For decades it was like this…but then along came Tobermore, a pioneer in concrete paving block manufacturing who introduced new sizes and shapes and more than a splash of colour, design and creativity by developing a state of the art production plant and supplying to the domestic and commercial sector.

Over the past 75 years, the familyowned company has built up vast experience working with concrete and an understanding of the ever-evolving needs of the construction industry. With a current workforce of 260 people, it has grown

to become one of the largest and most successful paving block manufacturers in the UK, sourcing materials from its own quarry in Lough Fea and manufacturing products at its extensive plant in the village of Tobermore.

Tobermore’s range stretches across block paving, permeable paving, paving flags, steps, kerbs and edging, walling and masonry and retaining walls. The company prides itself on its world-class technology and the unrivalled quality of its products.

It all began in 1947 when David Henderson’s grandmother gave David’s father, Sam Henderson, £500 to invest in a fledgling sand and gravel business established by two of his uncles 5 years earlier in Tobermore.

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Sam saw the huge potential of the business which had grown substantially by the time his son David joined the company in 1976 as a Production Manager after gaining a degree in Engineering at Queen’s University, Belfast before becoming Managing Director in 1987.

Under his leadership and with an entrepreneurial zeal akin to his father’s, David focused on filling a gap in the market – making residential and business premises more attractive with eye-catching paving products.

“My father and uncles quickly moved from selling sand and gravel used in the manufacture of concrete to producing concrete themselves and selling that directly to the local construction industry.

SOLID FOUNDATIONS IN CONSTRUCTION

7 years to complete.

The ‘super sewer’ is London’s proposed solution to sewage overflows into the River Thames. It will be a 7.2m diameter, 25km-long tunnel, up to 65m below ground and will run from Acton to the Abbey Mills Pumping Station in Stratford, mostly under the river. It will collect dilute sewage that currently pollutes the Thames.

“Without doubt, the most challenging schemes are the most rewarding and we have been very fortunate to have been involved in the Thames Tideway Tunnel Projects in London over the past couple of years,” says Niall.

“The Thames Tideway Tunnel Scheme is the highest profile civil engineering project to have taken place in the UK over the past 10 years. FK Lowry has been to the fore in delivering over £6m of piling using various techniques across three sites in West London.”

Other major schemes for the firm have included an extension of the South East Pier of Edinburgh Airport, the construction of new retail space at Thorpe Park in Leeds, student accommodation at the University of Essex, and in Dublin the redevelopment of Howth Harbour and a residential development in Hannover Quay.

The company has also embraced new technologies developed in recent years which have been instrumental in advancing building techniques associated with piling.

“There have been major developments

SOLID FOUNDATIONS IN CONSTRUCTION

Tobermore Managing Director, David Henderson.

“The business evolved from there but slowly. When I joined we were still producing bricks, building blocks, readymix concrete and footpath slabs – but they were all rather basic grey concrete products, very low margin and very hard to make a profit on.

“We understood if we made grey concrete – we couldn’t make money – it was as simple as that.

“We were supplying a broad range of general concrete products to residential and commercial building contractors but I knew there was something more we could offer.

“We started to make more decorative products and paving blocks, which were more difficult to manufacture and required investment.

“We could see the potential. In the 1980s there were emerging markets of block paving for driveways and decorative slabs for patios and we started to see more people putting in patios because there was an emphasis on enjoying the outdoors.”

However, while the company enjoyed decades of growth, David was forced to rethink strategy when the economic recession of 2007/2008 took its toll on the business.

“Our customers in the Republic of Ireland went out of business because of the recession – and that hit us hard. We had to make redundancies and reduce the workforce from 250 to 140 people,” says David.

“We had to re-think our strategy and decided to focus on the GB market. We pushed hard into the market and it has paid off.’’

Ten years on and with many high profile GB installations under their belt such as The Chris Hoy Velodrome, Scotland Yard and Terminal 2 at Heathrow Airport to name but a few, Tobermore’s play into the UK market has certainly been a success. ‘’It has been a difficult market to break into, but more and more of the big players in GB are recognising Tobermore for its quality, service and price,” adds David. ‘’One of the reasons is our most amazing delivery service which has an error rate of less than half a per cent.’’

Their move into the GB market is continuing to grow, with 800 loads of concrete delivered to sites across GB in their busiest month this year. Of Tobermore’s 9.97million pre-tax profits last year, 80% of this came from GB sales ….and the company isn’t stopping.

Continuous improvement is David’s mantra; it has brought the firm to where it is today and will guide Tobermore’s future.

Three ultra-modern factories with state of the art equipment producing block paving operate at Tobermore’s operation in Co Derry and an investment of £4m was made in the last year in machinery and a new line to facilitate the sealing of slabs in a new easy clean process. The company produces ½ million tons of products annually.

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“We invest in the highest calibre machines using world-class technology.

When we first started, we were working with a very basic brick machine, now we use a sophisticated German technology. It is like comparing a Morris Minor with an S-class Mercedes’’,” says David.

“But it’s not just the machines that make our products, it’s our people too, they are the heart of our business and most have been here for many years and are experts in all things concrete. These are the people who ensure the product is the best it can be, checking and applying quality standards.

Not only do we manufacture our products with a hard-wearing surface layer, but we also source the very best iron oxide colour pigments available in the market which is how we make products with such strong, vibrant and long-lasting colours.”

What’s next for Tobermore? Well, the future looks solid. Sales are at their highest since the recession and Tobermore is continuing to go for growth. ‘’We are setting ourselves apart in the GB marketplace with our superior product range, innovative manufacturing and first class customer service,” says David. ‘’I am very proud to say that if you travel around GB you will see hospitals, schools, public realm, government buildings and airports featuring Tobermore products.

The list continues, and is evident of our successful break into the GB market.’’

Power NI ready for I-SEM lift-off

Alan Egner, Commercial Sales & Marketing Manager at Power NI.

The scorching summer of 2018 will long be remembered for days of endless sunshine, rain-free barbeques and a hose pipe ban amongst other things. Our air conditioning struggled to keep us cool at work, Amazon reported a 2,100% increase in sales of portable fans and ice cream manufacturers went into overdrive.

Alan Egner, Commercial Sales & Marketing Manager at Power NI, comments: “The sustained searing temperatures across Europe brought an increase in the demand for energy, and for gas in particular as a primary fuel source for many power stations. Energy market disruption began with the “beast from the East” sub zero weather system and coupled with production and supply chain issues there was quite a bit of volatility in the fuel markets, with prices at times reaching record highs. This, of course, has an impact on these shores, with gas being the main fuel used in local power stations.

“After a period of stability and relatively low prices the cost of generating electricity is now considerably higher than this time last year and suppliers across the UK and Ireland have been announcing price increases.

“If your contract is up for renewal, make sure

to shop around and get a few prices to make a comparison. Ask to see both fixed and variable price options and then decide whether you want to track the market or lock-in at today’s rates to protect yourself from further potential increases. If you are thinking of engaging an Energy Broker, ask about their commission fee structure to make sure they get the best deal for you and not for them. Power NI has produced a free Buyer’s Guide, which offers tips on how to get the best energy deal for your business. As with all business decisions, there is an element of risk involved, but at least if you go in with your eyes open and ask the right questions, you are in with a better chance of getting a good deal.”

After a delayed launch, the Integrated Single Electricity Market (or I-SEM) is due to go live in October. The main aims of I-SEM are to strengthen the security of supply and deliver increased levels of competition in the wholesale market, which should help create a downward pressure on prices.

Alan continues, “Power NI is ready to embrace the opportunities that the I-SEM will undoubtedly bring by providing a wider range of products that will deliver even better value.

Working with new systems and sourcing

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electricity from new markets will no doubt have its challenges, but the end result should be deals that are more competitive for our customers.

“Finally, we all know that being energy efficient can make a big difference to our bills.

Low energy lighting, wall and loft insulation and energy efficient appliances are all tried and tested ways to save the pennies. Power NI, with support from the Northern Ireland Sustainable Energy Programme, offers grants to help with the cost of converting to LED lighting and installing Variable Speed Drives which greatly reduce the amount of electricity used by motors, pumps and fans.

“Energy is essential and at Power NI, we believe in making it simple. You can trust us to give you competitive rates, make it easy for you to manage your account and have expert local support on hand when you need us.”

Power NI supplies around 35,000 businesses and is the largest electricity provider in Northern Ireland. They have produced a free Buyer’s Guide to electricity at www.powerni.co.uk/businessplans.

To switch your Business Energy back to Power NI, visit www.powerni.co.uk/welcomehome or call the Business Hotline on 03457 455 455 (option 4).

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COLUMnIST

Maureen O’Reilly, NI Chamber Economist

Small group carries large input into economy

High Growth Business – Relying too much on the few.

M

y sense from working with the NI Chamber/BDO Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) over a number of years is that around 5% to 10% of businesses here are high growth orientated. These businesses drive forward generating significant sales, exports and jobs regardless of any of the ‘noise’

in the economy around issues including Brexit, the Assembly (or lack of) or anything else for that matter that gets in their way. That’s not to say that many businesses here aren’t in growth mode. In fact, 7 out of 10 members surveyed in Q2 2018 said they had plans to grow the business over the next 3 to 5 years. However, that sense of really strong high growth orientated businesses appears to centre in and around a top tier of 5% to 10%. While my estimation is by no means scientific, it does largely mirror the findings from a number of international research organisations including the OECD, NESTA and others. European Commission research1, for example, highlights that on average 9% of firms with at least 10 employees in the EU-28 ‘business economy’ are high-growth2. Comparative figures for Ireland and the UK are higher at 13% for both.

Definitions are important and a recent report

by Octopus defines high growth small business (HGSBs)3 as having more than 20% annual average growth over a three-year period, and an annual turnover of between £1 million and £20 million. It suggests that, in 2016, HGSBs made up less than 1% of UK companies, just 22,000 businesses. Northern Ireland is very much a lagging region on this measure recording fewer

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than 400 small businesses in 2016 that could be defined as high growth making up just 0.6% of the business population here4. This is the smallest number recorded across the UK regions ranking Northern Ireland at the bottom alongside Wales and the North East. All 3 regions are among the least productive regions in the UK (not great considering that the UK’s productivity ranking within an EU and wider context is low).

The really concerning figure is the fact that this research estimates that 389 locally-based businesses were responsible for half (51%) of Northern Ireland’s economic growth in 2016.

As the table below shows, Northern Ireland really does stand out in terms of its reliance on a small number of businesses for a large share of its economic growth. Even if we look at Wales and the North East, their small number of HGSBs account for 17% and 24% of economic growth in their regions respectively. That is less than half the figure for Northern Ireland.

The figures also suggest that the difference in productivity (or how efficient a business is) between HGSBs and the rest of the small business population in Northern Ireland is very pronounced. In fact local HGSBs are estimated to be 57% more productive than the average business in Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland records the highest regional productivity difference between HGSBs and the wider business population with the difference as low as just 2% in London 4% in the South East.

What do we know about these HGSBs? The research suggests that HGSBs accounted for an estimated 22% of UK economic growth in 2015/16 and 20% of jobs created – substantive given their small numbers. They are more productive than the average business and invest more in skills and innovation. They are spread across all industrial sectors, not just in the ‘techy’ ones. In fact the top 3 HGSB sectors in the UK are Construction, Wholesale/Retail and Admin/Support Services. They have a strong regional presence with around 3 in 5

HGSB businesses and half of HGSB growth located outside London and the South East.

However, those regions that have fewer HGSBs tend to rely on them the most. Almost all are struggling to find skilled workers particularly those with the right technical or practical knowledge related to the job. The state of digital infrastructure is another significant constraint on business growth.

Northern Ireland is too reliant on a small number of businesses for its growth. If we have fewer than 400 businesses making up 51% of economic growth, what is happening with the rest of the business population? We need more of our existing and new businesses to scale up and become high growth. We know it can significantly boost productivity which is the key economic priority here. It can also help reduce regional inequality, of particular importance given Northern Ireland’s typically low ranking regional status across many key economic indicators.

However, this is a disparate group made up of businesses spread across every sector of the economy. They don’t necessarily fit into sectors that are typically the focus of government strategy around economic growth. This makes creating the right business environment all the more important. It sounds clichéd but it is about making sure that the education and skills system works for all businesses, that our infrastructure makes it easy to provide goods and services as fast and efficiently as possible, that business costs are competitive.

The Octopus report recommendations focus on improving access to capital and support, addressing skills shortages and future skills needs and improving connectivity. I believe that, particularly in light of Brexit, a serious rethink is needed more widely around government policy to boost business productivity and growth.

Back to the drawing board please!

1. Annual Report On European SMEs 2016/2017, European Commission, 2017 2. Defined as enterprises with at least 10 employees at the beginning of their growth spurt and showing average annualised growth in number of employees greater than 10% per annum over a three year period 3. High Growth Small Business Report 2018, Octopus 4. Based on 69,000 Northern Ireland VAT registered business in 2016.

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Talk to us on 028 9099 6808 Visit closecommercialfinance.ie

Close Brothers | Modern Merchant Banking Close Brothers Limited (being a UK registered private limited company and its Irish registered branch of the same name having registration number 907899), trading as (and having as registered business names) Close Brothers Asset Finance, Close Brothers Commercial Finance, Close Brothers Premium Finance Ireland, Close Brothers Motor Finance and Braemar Finance, is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority in the United Kingdom and is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority in the United Kingdom and is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland for conduct of business rules. UK registered address: 10 Crown Place, London, EC2A 4FT, registered at Companies House, Number 00195626. Directors: M. Biggs (UK), O. Corbett (UK), G. Howe (UK), J. Howell (UK), L. Jones (UK), E. Lee (UK), B. Macaskill (UK), M. Morgan (UK), P. Prebensen (UK) and A. Sainsbury (UK). Close Brothers Invoice Finance and Close Brothers Commercial Finance are registered business names of Close Invoice Finance Limited, a UK registered private limited company (and its Irish registered branch of the same name having registration number 908024). UK registered address: 10 Crown Place, London, EC2A 4FT, registered at Companies House, Number 00935949. Directors: J. Brown (UK), C. McAreavey (UK), A. Sainsbury (UK), I. Steward (UK), D. Thomson, (UK).

CBCF NI CoC Ambition mag 178x130.indd 1

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29/08/2018 11:42

FEATURE

Start-ups gear-up Ulster Bank’s Entrepreneur Accelerator programme helps to drive young firms ahead as they set out on the road towards business success. Lynsey Cunningham, Regional Director, Entrepreneurship, Ulster Bank and two participants Jenny Gregg of Crafted e uestrian and ames Gumble of pand tell ambition about the journey which starts at Ulster Bank’s business hub on Lombard Street, Belfast.

Lynsey Cunningham, Regional Director, Entrepreneurship, Ulster Bank July’s publication of the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) made some stark reading for anyone connected to entrepreneurship. The ‘state of the nation’ report, supported locally by Ulster Bank, found that Northern Ireland continues to lag behind other areas of the UK when it comes to promoting entrepreneurial opportunities and, that fewer people here believe they have the skills to start a business, compared with other UK regions.

The picture isn’t all bad, however, thanks to our millennials who are showing a higher rate of entrepreneurial activity than their peers in Scotland or Wales. So, why is Gen. Y outperforming previous generations and how do we encourage more people to create entrepreneurial businesses?

At Ulster Bank, we believe that early intervention and tailored support for individual businesses are key components in helping start-ups and scaleups to succeed. This is why we have a specialist and focused entrepreneurship team which builds on the bank’s existing provision for would-be entrepreneurs.

Made up of myself and three colleagues, the appointed team brings an enormous amount of talent and experience to the entrepreneurial ecosystem. From expert coaching, a strong and diverse mentor pool, an events programme, insight into funding growth and, most importantly, first-hand experience of how it feels to be an entrepreneur.

One thing that always strikes me when working with entrepreneurs on the Ulster Bank Accelerator is how variable their needs are. While there are some fundamentals to starting and scaling a business, it’s clear that one size doesn’t fit all and I’m confident that our entrepreneurship team can provide more bespoke, tailored support to businesses. Whether their goal is to achieve a small business venture or scale to become a global powerhouse, our team has the skills, network and know-how to help make this happen.

Our Entrepreneurship proposition goes beyond delivering assistance to those who’ve already started out on the path to entrepreneurship and we’re as passionate about encouraging more people to consider entrepreneurship as we are about working with those who have already started a business.

How entrepreneurs are viewed by society has changed enormously in recent years. The GEM report states that around 80% of people in Northern Ireland feel those who have started their own business can command a high level of respect

in society and we’re pushing for this to grow even further and for entrepreneurship to be deemed as a viable, lucrative career path.

I feel enormously privileged to work with such a driven team and the hugely talent and inspiring entrepreneurs who apply to the Accelerator. Yes, there are challenges and more work needs to be done but we’re committed and poised to pick up the gauntlet and develop the entrepreneurial mindset.

It’s important that we work to continue this upward trend among young people and I would encourage anyone with an innovative idea or a

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passion that could lead to an untapped market, to find out more about the Ulster Bank Accelerator, which is currently accepting applications. Through the accelerator and the entrepreneurship team, we’re determined to challenge any barriers, actual or perceived, preventing entrepreneurs from taking the first step and giving confidence to those who wish to start their own business.

• if you’re interested in how we might help you, find out more at www.ulsterbank.co.uk accelerator

Jenny Gregg , Crafted Equestrian, www.craftedequestrian.com What does your business do and who does it serve?

Crafted Equestrian in Newtownards aims to improve quality, performance and welfare within the equestrian industry. We want to change the lives of horses and riders on a global scale and become the market leader with our pressure relieving girth.

We initially plan to target the UK population which has over 19 million equestrian consumers and then venture into the USA and European market.

Where did you get the idea to start the business?

It came about when my own horse, Elvis, developed a common injury known as girth galls which are caused by friction and sweating around the girth area and result in incredibly painful and uncomfortable injuries. These can cost on average £100 in veterinary bills per treatment. While studying Product Design in the University of Ulster, I designed a girth that prevents this problem and improves the welfare and comfort of the horse. I realised the potential it has to help both horse and rider on a global scale in the equestrian industry.

Using a variation on Elvis for over 18 months, I developed my product and so Crafted Equestrian was born.

and achieved great results. Over 70% of equestrians have been in contact with a horse with a girth gall which confirmed my theory that there was a huge need for my product on the market. I have personally been doing the research and development myself and tested a variety of prototypes. I am now at the stage where I am finalising the manufacturers who will be able to produce my product on a large scale.

What have been the challenges?

One challenge has been protecting my idea. In January this year, I was able to pitch my product to Innovation Ulster Limited and received funding for

James Gumble , Xpand, www.xpandacccess.com What does your business do and who does it serve?

Xpand, based in Belfast, builds software to support and grow local economies helping project teams and businesses make data-driven decisions about how to grow and expand businesses into new markets.

Did you have to do a lot of R&D before setting up?

The team has lived and breathed R&D for the last 3 years, pulling our collective research together through completing prototype versions of the applications to investigate new ways of working with data sources.

We have two products on the market: Xpand Access is a tool to help businesses understand their markets and signpost them to relevant available support.

What have been the challenges?

R&D takes a lot of time, money and talent. We have been lucky to have great connections with the wider UK development community and our team have a wide knowledge background of business development, design and marketing and product development, but getting the time and resources for the team to work together and focus 100% on our products has been a frustration.

What do you hope the business will achieve?

We want Xpand to be the first platform businesses and organisations think about when they need to make data-driven decisions and carry out analysis.

By seeing businesses use our software to grow and expand into new markets, we know we are on our way to accomplishing our goal.

How helpful has it been for you and for your company?

The programme has allowed me to develop my business knowledge and helped me with my confidence in pitching my product. This has helped me to make it to the final of Invent 2018 and most recently pitch my product in America.

Would you recommend the Ulster Bank Entrepreneur Accelerator programme?

Yes – the hub is full of help, contacts and advice on business which any entrepreneur can get great value from.

Did you have to do a lot of R&D before setting up?

I have completed two rounds of market research

Where did you get the idea to start the business?

We were surprised to find out how hard it was for business owners to access relevant research they needed to help scale their business and how complicated the experience was.

After spending 3 years researching the experience that businesses faced in Europe and America, we realised that this was a global problem that needed to be solved.

Why did you apply for the programme?

I knew the accelerator programme would be extremely beneficial and help me learn more about business, meet like-minded people and develop valuable contacts.

What about taking your business to the next level?

My future plan is to launch Crafted Equestrian’s first product in 2018/2019 and initially target the UK market. We are also going to file our US patent and then plan how we are going to penetrate the US market. Following the launch of our first product we plan to continue to expand our range to include rugs, saddle cloths and other equestrian products.

What do you hope the business will achieve?

My goal is to make this a viable business and a successful career for me to continue designing products for the industry I love.

Xpand Insights is a data-driven dashboard that helps organisations design and manage the programmes that they are developing. Insights is a tool for businesses and project teams that simplifies the research and analysis required to deliver relevant business support and services.

my UK patent, a company rebrand and funds for the filming of a video. My most recent challenge has been sourcing manufacturers and refining samples to achieve the best quality product possible.

Why did you apply for the programme?

We realised that we needed to expand our team and get our products out to market quickly. The Ulster Bank Entrepreneur Accelerator programme looked like the perfect fit for our business and seemed to offer the facilities and guidance we required.

How helpful has it been for you and for your company?

The programme has been perfect for our business, we needed focus, guidance, connections and a working environment to bring our team together and build our initial version of our products.

The accelerator programme has lived up to its name and certainly accelerated our business!

What about taking your business to the next level?

Everyone we’ve been in contact with have said this is the ‘right time’ for our products and the enthusiasm that has been shown from local and

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national government bodies has been extremely positive.

We are currently developing our next release of products and have other complementary products in development to be released at the end of the year.

We also have exciting news about a European level project to announce late September.

Would you recommend the Ulster Bank Entrepreneur Accelerator programme?

Absolutely – younger and older entrepreneurs should apply! Whether you get onto the programme or not, the feedback will be invaluable in order to assess your idea and business. Just be prepared for the ‘acceleration’ your business will receive.

COLUMnIST

Brendan Duffy, Chief Technology Officer, Neueda

Using Data to Drive Development and Delivery

Predicting the future – the next phase in data’s evolution

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hink about the data your organisation generates – sales and finance information, customer transactions, asset and resource information and the rich data within your business systems. Now think about the less obvious data - system performance, emails, calendar events, documents, sensor information embedded within manufacturing lines, performance figures from your vehicle fleet, entry and exit events from your buildings.

Used correctly, data provides information that drives value and efficiency, allowing you to personalise and enhance your customer and employee experience, automate services and operate more successfully.

But how do we achieve that goal? The focus on data has undergone a major evolution in recent years. Historically, organisations used data to analyse the past – how they performed last week, last quarter. More recently it has been used to look at real time, present tense performance, allowing organisations to stay nimble. The next natural stage in this evolution, and where technology is increasingly leading us, is using data to predict the future –that’s where its real value lies.

The era of future-focused data is largely down to the growth of cloud computing.

Organisations have extremely easy access to cost-efficient amounts of storage and compute power. For example, we’ve built a full Artificial Intelligence stack in the cloud for a Utilities customer with a snapshot of their data landscape, in less than 10 days, with no capital expenditure on hardware at a low running cost which can be turned off immediately or flexed and scaled as required.

Organisations are rightly starting to view data as a key asset and are more inclined to break down internal barriers that historically meant data was held within silos. Now internal teams and IT partners are gaining access to the complete landscape of enterprise data.

However, most organisations don’t realise how much data they have, never mind how to use it to its best advantage. Discovering what data you have is the essential first step in enabling you to generate valuable insights that lead to better decision making.

To demonstrate how data is evolving, let’s look at an example we can all relate to – Emergency Department services. In the past, hospitals looked at waiting times in retrospect to assess performance – information that would be built into resource plans but not really exposed to the end patient.

Currently, hospitals publish near real time waiting times from which patients can determine how long they should expect to wait before treatment – see https://www.nidirect. gov.uk/emergency-department-waitingtimes.

To really provide efficiency of service, automatically balancing demand against supply and taking into account each potential patient’s context, data can be used even more comprehensively.

In the event of an emergency, a patient could ask their home voice assistant device to tell them which Emergency Department (ED) they should go to. That request would automatically use the patient’s location, identify ED departments within reach, use real time traffic information to determine how long

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it would take to get to each and use historic ED waiting time data to predict which would have the shortest waiting time. It would use contextual information such as the day of the week, the month, whether it’s a bank holiday or there’s a concert in town, the weather and so on. It would do this in a fraction of a second, tell you where you’ll be seen fastest and, just as importantly, where you won’t overburden current services.

This example of a personalised piece of advice through the use of data shows how the future use of data benefits both the citizen/ customer and the service provider, enabling them to automatically balance their resources.

At Neueda, data services have increased by 210% over the last 18 months as organisations continue to invest further into data capabilities.

We have expanded our data teams in Belfast and Malaga working with clients in sectors ranging from healthcare to education, transport to energy, banking to capital markets.

Our role is to help clients discover the data that drives their organisation, identify how internal and external data can be harnessed to help them personalise their services and automate the delivery of services, driving efficiency and effectiveness.

I urge you to start the journey on the next phase of data’s evolution. Discover what data you have and explore how you can radically innovate your services to attract and retain more business, perform more efficiently and effectively, minimise risk and ultimately be more profitable as a result. This is an evolution every organisation needs to be part of sooner rather than later.

'ĂƐ ĂŶĚ Kŝů ,ĞĂƟŶŐ ^ĞƌǀŝĐĞƐ 'ĂƐ ĂŶĚ Kŝů ,ĞĂƟŶŐ ^ĞƌǀŝĐĞƐ ŽŶƚĂĐƚ ƵƐ ϬϮϴ ϵϲ ϵϮϯ ϯϱϬ ŽŶƚĂĐƚ ƵƐ ϬϮϴ ϵϲ ϵϮϯ ϯϱϬ 'ĂƐ ĂŶĚ Kŝů ,ĞĂƟŶŐ ^ĞƌǀŝĐĞƐ ŵĂŝů͗ ŝŶĨŽΛŚĞĂƚƐĞƌǀŝĐĞƐŶŝ͘ĐŽŵ ŵĂŝů͗ ŝŶĨŽΛŚĞĂƚƐĞƌǀŝĐĞƐŶŝ͘ĐŽŵ

HEAT

ŽŶƚĂĐƚ ƵƐ ϬϮϴ ϵϲ ϵϮϯ ϯϱϬ ŵĂŝů͗ ŝŶĨŽΛŚĞĂƚƐĞƌǀŝĐĞƐŶŝ͘ĐŽŵ

^ĞƌǀŝĐĞ ĂŶĚ ZĞƉĂŝƌ ďŽƚŚ 'ĂƐ ĂŶĚ Kŝů ĂƉƉůŝĂŶĐĞƐ

^ĞƌǀŝĐĞ ĂŶĚ ZĞƉĂŝƌ ďŽƚŚ 'ĂƐ ĂŶĚ Kŝů ĂƉƉůŝĂŶĐĞƐ

'ĂƐ ^ĂĨĞ ĂŶĚ KŌĞĐ ZĞŐŝƐƚĞƌĞĚ ĂŶĚ ZĞŐŝƐƚĞƌĞĚ /ŶƐƚĂůůĞƌƐ

'ĂƐ ^ĂĨĞ ĂŶĚ KŌĞĐ ZĞŐŝƐƚĞƌĞĚ ĂŶĚ ZĞŐŝƐƚĞƌĞĚ /ŶƐƚĂůůĞƌƐ ŌĞƌ ,ŽƵƌƐ Ăůů ŽƵƚ ^ĞƌǀŝĐĞ

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ŌĞƌ ,ŽƵƌƐ Ăůů ŽƵƚ ^ĞƌǀŝĐĞ hƉŐƌĂĚĞ LJŽƵƌ ŚĞĂƟŶŐ ƚŽ ĂŶ ŶĞƌŐLJ ĸĐŝĞŶƚ 'ĂƐ Žƌ Kŝů ƐLJƐƚĞŵ ǁŝƚŚ ĐŽŶƚƌŽůƐ

'ĂƐ ^ĂĨĞ ĂŶĚ KŌĞĐ ZĞŐŝƐƚĞƌĞĚ ĂŶĚ ZĞŐŝƐƚĞƌĞĚ /ŶƐƚĂůůĞƌƐ

ϯϬ LJĞĂƌƐ ĞdžƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ /ŶĚƵƐƚƌLJ hƉŐƌĂĚĞ LJŽƵƌ ŚĞĂƟŶŐ ƚŽ ĂŶ ŶĞƌŐLJ ĸĐŝĞŶƚ 'ĂƐ Žƌ Kŝů ƐLJƐƚĞŵ ǁŝƚŚ ĐŽŶƚƌŽůƐ

ŌĞƌ ,ŽƵƌƐ Ăůů ŽƵƚ ^ĞƌǀŝĐĞ ^ƉĞĐŝĂůŝƐĞ ŝŶ KŶĞ ĂLJ /ŶƐƚĂůůĂƟŽŶƐ ϯϬ LJĞĂƌƐ ĞdžƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ /ŶĚƵƐƚƌLJ

ŶĞƌŐLJ ĸĐŝĞŶĐLJ ĚǀŝĐĞ ĂŶĚ ^ŽůƵƟŽŶƐ hƉŐƌĂĚĞ LJŽƵƌ ŚĞĂƟŶŐ ƚŽ ĂŶ ŶĞƌŐLJ ĸĐŝĞŶƚ 'ĂƐ Žƌ Kŝů ƐLJƐƚĞŵ ǁŝƚŚ ĐŽ ^ƉĞĐŝĂůŝƐĞ ŝŶ KŶĞ ĂLJ /ŶƐƚĂůůĂƟŽŶƐ &Ƶůů ,ŽŵĞ /ŶƐƵůĂƟŽŶ ŝŶ WĂƌƚŶĞƌƐŚŝƉ ǁŝƚŚ ĞŶĞƌŐLJƐƚŽƌĞ

ϯϬ LJĞĂƌƐ ĞdžƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ /ŶĚƵƐƚƌLJ ŶĞƌŐLJ ĸĐŝĞŶĐLJ ĚǀŝĐĞ ĂŶĚ ^ŽůƵƟŽŶƐ

dĞů͗ ϬϮϴ ϵϮ ϵϮϯ ϯϱϬ

ŝŶĨŽΛŚĞĂƚƐĞƌǀŝĐĞƐŶŝ͘ĐŽŵ ŝŶĨŽΛŚĞĂƚƐĞƌǀŝĐĞƐŶŝ͘ĐŽŵ

&Ƶůů ,ŽŵĞ /ŶƐƵůĂƟŽŶ ŝŶ WĂƌƚŶĞƌƐŚŝƉ ǁŝƚŚ ĞŶĞƌŐLJƐƚŽƌĞ ^ƉĞĐŝĂůŝƐĞ ŝŶ KŶĞ ĂLJ /ŶƐƚĂůůĂƟŽŶƐ

FEATURE

Getting in gear for change

Agnew Leasing, the new name for Agnew Corporate, is driving ahead with growth plans as Managing Director Graham Thompson tells Adrienne McGill.

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ne of Northern Ireland’s top contract hire and leasing companies is driving ahead with a fresh, new look. With a full rebrand and plans to invest heavily in new technology, Agnew Corporate’s new name, Agnew Leasing, has been established to offer a true representation of who the company is and the services it offers.

With over 20 years of industry experience, managing more than 5,000 cars and vans in the UK, Agnew Corporate has established a strong reputation as one of the leading leasing companies in Northern Ireland, serving a wide range of business and personal customers.

The company can source any make or model of vehicle, passenger cars and light commercials, for any customer, whether they may be a private individual, a small/medium sized enterprise, or a global organisation.

However, as Managing Director Graham Thompson, who has been with the Group for over 14 years, explains, the market is changing and with that change comes a shift in the company’s focus: “The company has been known as Agnew Corporate since 1995 as, over the years, we have predominantly operated as a business to business contract hire company. However, with personal contract hire becoming more popular, our company has evolved to meet new market needs. More and more customers are choosing to fund their vehicles via personal contract hire and we want our company name to be allinclusive, reflecting the fact that we provide leasing services for a variety of customers, both business and personal.

“Currently, around 90% of our business operations evolve around business contract hire. However, over the next 5 years, we predict a significant shift in the split of sales between business and personal, due to the everchanging nature of the market.

“Personal contract hire continues to gain momentum, with attractive rental rates for private individuals, the option of fully maintained contracts and fixed cost motoring contributing toward this growth. Another key factor affecting the leasing market is the temptation to move away from company cars and offer cash allowances, due to the recent

WLTP changes and the impact this has had on CO2 emissions. We are entering a period of uncertainty within the fleet market and Agnew Leasing want to be best placed and equipped to manage the anticipated increase in personal contract hire.

“We pride ourselves on finding the best individual deal or overall fleet solution for our customers, whether it be a business or personal contract hire deal done directly through Agnew Leasing or via a brokered arrangement of some sort, we can offer it all. A one stop shop one might say.”

The company’s transformation goes far beyond a new logo and brand design. With a team of in-house developers, Agnew Leasing has been working hard to develop innovative technology to make customers’ lives easier and attract new business.

The company will soon be introducing a new online quotation system for personal contract hire by way of an Affinity Car Programme.

More and more vehicle manufacturers are keen to offer enhanced support terms for schemes such as this. The online solution will cater for all makes and models of vehicles. It will be retail orientated and easy to use. Employees

“We pride ourselves on finding the best individual deal or overall fleet solution for our customers, whether it be a business or personal contract hire deal...”

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Graham Thompson, Agnew Leasing Managing Director.

will not have to put down a deposit but can do if they wish, both term and mileage will be configurable, and maintenance is optional including tyres. Once you have selected the vehicle of your choice, you can officially place an order and submit a finance proposal for credit approval, all online. At the end of the finance contract you simply hand the vehicle back, so there are no disposal concerns and no residual risk. A very attractive proposition, overall.

“We want to roll out the quotation system via businesses to their employees as a valueadded benefit to staff, who can then avail of attractive Affinity Scheme terms. I’m confident many Managing Directors and/or HR Directors will be interested and would encourage them to contact Agnew Leasing to register their interest in this new Affinity Scheme and find out more about the benefits for both company and employee,” says Graham.

Going forward, the primary focus will be to ensure Agnew Leasing is perceived as more than a business to business contract hire company. Personal contract hire will become an increasingly important market for the company, who promise to continue to develop innovative solutions to ensure the best possible services are available for all customers.

“We are totally focused on customer satisfaction and we’re continually making improvements so that our level of service is of the highest possible standard and exceeds customer expectations,” says Graham.

“We will strive to continue to nurture our current customer base, while also winning new business and expanding our reach within the personal market. The next few years will be both challenging and exciting for Agnew Leasing, but we welcome this and look forward to the opportunities that lie ahead.”

FREAKISHLY GOOD EVENTS MANAGEMENT. ND Events is a fresh and innovative Events Management Company in Northern Ireland. We thrive on producing incredible events for a wide range of clients.

A young company, full of creativity and passion to deliver unforgettable experiences for our clients. We are deeply passionate about what we do, focusing on delivering and exceeding client objectives every time.

We have experience in organising a vast ar ray of events including th e following:

Award ceremonies Company annivers ary celebrations Conferences Corporate hospitalit y Destination manag ement services Exhibitions Family fun days Gala dinners Office launches Product launches Showcase events

View our website for more information – www.ndevents.co.uk or for an informal chat to discuss how we can help you with your future events, please call Neil Dalzell on 028 9263 3232.

ND Events, 15 Market Place, Lisburn BT28 1AN Tel: +44 (0)28 9263 3232 Email: neil@ndevents.co.uk Web: www.ndevents.co.uk

FEATURE

Word From Brussels Ambition Looks at Recent Developments in Brussels as the UK Prepares to Leave the EU.

European Commission proposes EU’s biggest ever research and innovation programme The European Commission has proposed €100 billion (approximately £88 billion) for the next EU research and innovation funding programme, Horizon Europe, between 2021 and 2027. The new programme will build on the achievements of Horizon 2020, but it will put even stronger emphasis on turning research into results, in areas such as medicine, food and tackling climate change.

Each euro invested by Horizon Europe could potentially generate a return of up to 11 euro in GDP over 25 years.

Presenting the new programme, EU Science, Research and Innovation Commissioner Carlos Moedas acknowledged the importance of the UK for European science. He said: “It is very important for the UK and it is very important for the EU to have a relationship in science and innovation. We’ve had this relationship for so long, so many of our scientists live in the UK and so many of the UK scientists live in the EU, that we really want this to work”. But the Commissioner made clear that the future relationship in science and research depends on negotiations.

He added: “We want to open our programme to the world. We have increased the way we look at third countries and increased the ability to have more associations. That was not done specifically for the UK because we don’t know what is going to be the result of the general negotiation between the UK and the EU. We cannot have an agreement on science with the UK if there is no specific agreement for all the other programmes.”

A new phase in European transatlantic partnership

European Commission President Jean-Claude

Juncker was in Washington recently where he met US President Donald Trump. The two leaders agreed to work together toward zero tariffs, zero non-tariff barriers and zero subsidies on non-auto industrial goods. They also agreed to strengthen their strategic cooperation on energy and to launch a close dialogue on standards. An agreement was also reached to join forces to protect American and European companies better from unfair global trade practices. President Juncker said: “When I was invited by the President to the White House, I had one intention: I had the intention to make a deal today. And we made a deal today. We have identified a number of areas on which to work together.”

European Commission offers further support to European farmers dealing with droughts The European Commission is standing by Europe’s farmers as they grapple with the difficulties of extreme droughts. Farmers

will be able to receive their direct and rural development payments in advance and will be granted more flexibility to use land that would normally not be used for production, in order to feed their animals. The ongoing and prolonged drought situation in several EU countries is having a significant impact on the production of arable crops, as well as animal feed which could also have an impact on animal welfare. In addition, the reduction in the level of animal feed is having a particular impact on the income of livestock farmers, as this will increase their input costs if there is a shortage of fodder later in the year. Commissioner for Agriculture,

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Phil Hogan, said: “I am very concerned about these prolonged climatic developments.

I have been in contact with a number of ministers from affected countries to discuss the situation and get up-to-date assessments of its impact. The Commission, as always, is ready to support farmers affected by drought using a number of instruments, including higher advance payments, derogations from greening requirements and state aid. The Common Agricultural Policy already provides a safety net for farmers who have to deal with unpredictable events. I am encouraging all Member States to look into all possible actions and measures provided for in our legislation.”

INTEREST RATE TIME BOMB LOOMS IN FINANCIAL ‘FOOL’S PARADISE’

COLM MCELROY, A FINANCE PARTNER AT LEADING LAW FIRM ARTHUR COX, EXPLAINS WHY THE ONGOING LOW INTEREST RATES ENVIRONMENT COULD SPELL TROUBLE FOR THE UNPREPARED WHEN THE COST OF BORROWING INEVITABLY STARTS TO INCREASE.

Borrowers in the United Kingdom have enjoyed a sustained period of low interest rates as a result of the measures introduced by the Bank of England in the wake of the financial crisis more than a decade ago.

Over the same period, debt levels have soared, with both corporate and personal borrowing now at record highs. As signs mount that the base rate will continue to rise, albeit gradually, it means that the impact on those borrowers could be severe.

The current Bank of England Base Rate has languished well below 1 per cent for some time but even a modest rise back above that threshold could have a major impact, with the situation likened to a ‘ticking time bomb’ by some commentators.

Economists predict that a ‘new normal’ for the base rate is likely to be between 1.5 and 2.5 per cent. This would still place the rate well below historic averages and the Governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, has indicated a rise in interest rates should only happen gradually. However, the Bank has shown that it will not be unduly cautious – raising the base to 0.75% in August when many commentators were split as to whether this rate rise should actually occur.

Earlier this year, the Financial Conduct

Authority said even small increases could spell trouble.

“While interest rates are expected to remain low, a gradual increase in interest rates could have a detrimental impact on consumers who carry high levels of debt,” the body said in its annual Business Plan.

It is also concerning from a corporate debt perspective because the overall debt of companies in the UK in the financial year 2017-2018 was £391 billion – the highest on record for any single year. The figure, contained in the Debt Monitor report published by Link Asset Services UK, is significantly greater than the pre-crisis levels of £286bn. It is also considerably higher than the most recent low point of £160bn recorded in 2010 -2011, when companies tightened their belts in the years immediately following the crash.

Meanwhile, it is estimated that personal debt in the UK amounts to around £1.6 trillion.

High levels of personal debt also carry significant concerns for some businesses because a change in consumers’ circumstances could lead to a major shift in their spending habits as they realise it will take a greater sacrifice to pay off debts than had previously been envisaged. While this

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would be felt immediately by those firms that rely on consumer spending directly, the knock on effects for the economy as a whole would undoubtedly be felt across all sectors.

Furthermore, businesses are already operating in a climate in which they face many other considerable challenges, such as Brexit and what that is going to mean for future trade as well as the ongoing political impasse at Stormont which has stymied local investment, particularly in infrastructure projects.

Firms therefore need to be prudent and ensure allowances have been made in their forecasts for a possible rise in interest rates. A full audit of all current and planned borrowing arrangements should also be carried out to raise any potential red flags.

Seeking professional advice can assist with this process, which, if not already under way, should be commenced now rather than waiting for the interest rates time bomb to ignite.

The Finance team at Arthur Cox is well positioned to advise on all aspects of corporate borrowing. Please call: +44 28 9023 0007 for further information from Colm or your regular Arthur Cox contact.

FEATURE

The Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge on the stunning Causeway Coast.

Swinging into shape Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council’s tourism strategy aims to build on all that this most scenic of regions has to offer as Chief Executive David Jackson tells Adrienne McGill.

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auseway Coast and Glens is one of the most stunning parts of Northern Ireland – there are not enough superlatives to do justice to the miles of golden beaches, imposing mountains, emerald glens, commanding attractions, championship links courses and flawless flora and fauna which make it a must-see destination.

It is the most visited tourist area of Northern Ireland and is the location of some of our most iconic attractions such as the Giant’s Causeway, Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, Bushmills Distillery, Dunluce Castle, the Mussenden Temple and the Dark Hedges. There are also hidden gems such as Banagher Glen and the view from the summit of Benbradagh Mountain.

No wonder then that the destination, which has been named Lonely Planet’s Best Region to Visit in 2018, is celebrating its best ever tourism performance.

According to the latest figures from the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA), in 2017 the area recorded over one million overnight trips for the first time generating a £194 million contribution to the local economy – this represents a 42% increase on the previous year.

An impressive 21% of all overnight trips across Northern Ireland were made to the Causeway Coast and Glens, up from 17% in 2016. Tourism accounts for more than 4,750 related jobs or over 12% of local employment illustrating the sector’s importance as a key economic activity and a major prosperity driver for the area.

Shortly after it was formed three years ago, the new Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council published a tourism and destination management strategy 2015-2020.

This mapped out the way forward for tourism in the region and identified its importance, how it should be structured, the role of the Council and its relationship, engagement and communication with tourism operators in the area.

At its core, the strategy pointed to a need for a management approach that works best for the area to deliver benefits to the economy, support for the local community and the protection and enhancement of the built and natural environment. However, there are

challenges which include a high dependence on the domestic market and the fact that half the visitors and value from tourism are experienced in the four summer months.

Chief Executive of Causeway and Glens Borough Council David Jackson says tourism is the lifeblood of the area but it has to be sustainable.

“I am very privileged to have a job where I live and work in such a beautiful area which is defined by its geology. It is a beautiful landscape boasting beaches, coastlines, rivers, glens and mountains. However, we have to make sure that the tourism proposition is sustainable while at the same time protecting the beautiful environment given the ever increasing number of tourists.

“When we set out a tourism strategy in 2015, we recognised there was an opportunity to try to increase the dwell time and bed nights of tourists as an economic driver.

“Key to this is extending the tourist season – by putting on fabulous entertainment such as the Bushmills Salmon and Whiskey Festival and the Danny Boy Jazz and Blues Festival.

“We have seen huge enhancements to the hospitality proposition inside the last couple of years with more high end B&Bs and an increase in the number of restaurants and coffee shops but we would like to see more signature attractions.”

In addition to generating more visitors and motivating them to spend longer in the area and visit throughout the year, key elements of the Council’s strategy include supporting tourism operators throughout the area to start up new businesses and to grow and become more competitive and innovative and developing initiatives that will encourage growth in specific sectors and enhance the area’s tourism provision.

David points to the importance of partnerships with Tourism NI , Tourism Ireland, Causeway Coast and Glens Heritage Trust, government, the National Trust, the hospitality industry and the private, voluntary and community sector all of whom have been vital in helping to create the strategy.

Of course, positioning the region as a mustvisit golfing destination, has been made all the easier by the the Irish Open at Royal Portstewart in 2017 and the forthcoming Open

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David Jackson, Chief Executive of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council.

Championship at Royal Portrush in 2019.

One economic impact study estimates that £17.5m will be spent off course during the week (14-21 July 2019) of The Open in local hotels, shops, restaurants and bars in the Causeway Coast and Glens council area.

“Golf has been a huge catalyst for tourism,” says David.

“A television audience of 400 million viewed the Irish Open in Portstewart and it’s estimated that the Open championship next year will bring £110m of economic benefit which will have a direct impact on the local area.

“However, across the Borough challenges centre on the volume of traffic and increasingly congested roads and the infrastructure. We are looking to work with key partners at transportation hubs to deliver park and ride experiences.”

A £17m initiative to help regenerate Portrush ahead of The Open is currently underway which will include £6m of environmental improvements, the £3m redevelopment of the Harbour, and a new railway station at a cost of £6m.

Separately, there is also the proposed expansion of Bushmills Distillery in a £10m project and a raft of hotel developments, both new and existing. Currently, 12 hotels, some of which are high end, are at different stages of planning.

David is confident that the best is yet to come in terms of expanding the tourist offering of the Causeway Coast and Glens.

He says: “If we can get the right hotel proposition, an events programme lasting 10 months of the year, more signature attractions and for visitors to stay longer – that would be a huge benefit. We certainly want to make it happen.”

NI Chamber and charity partner on course together

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I Chamber’s forth-coming Annual Golf Day is set to raise funds for the President’s chosen charity which for 2018/19 is Samaritans.

The Golf Day on 21 September at Malone Golf Club, Belfast sponsored by Forde May Consulting, will see Chamber members and guests donate funds and there’ll be a raffle with a range of prizes including a signed picture of Rory McIlroy and afternoon tea for four at Belfast’s Europa Hotel.

In June this year, a grand total of £4,255.64 was raised for the charity at the NI Chamber President’s Annual Lunch which took place at Belfast City Hall.

Samaritans is available 24 hours a day 365 days of the year via telephone, email, app and post, to provide confidential support for people who are experiencing feelings of emotional distress or despair, including those which may lead to suicide. The charity has offices across the UK including Northern Ireland and also in the Republic of Ireland.

NI Chamber President, Ellvena Graham, said: “Samaritans does invaluable work in helping people talk about serious problems which are affecting them emotionally, mentally and sometimes financially. As the charity relies on donations in order to operate, NI Chamber is

delighted to raise money to help fund the amazing work which it does.”

Samaritans operates 201 branches across the UK and Ireland and has 21,000 volunteers.

Robert Bell, Director, Belfast Samaritans said: “In some ways it’s difficult Robert Bell, Director, Belfast Samaritans with Ellvena Graham, to capture President NI Chamber and broadcaster Andrew Neil at the NI in words the Chamber President’s Annual Lunch earlier this year. significance for us of being chosen as the President’s charity for this enables us to plan and promote our programme year. We’ve already been bowled over by the of Outreach to schools and public events for the enthusiasm and positive energy from the team autumn. Such generous support enables us to at NI Chamber. The wonderful practical support effectively promote our upcoming recruitment shown for us by members at the President’s activities which will ensure we can continue lunch in June provides us with the certainty to to provide vital support to those who need it support those who come to us for help. It also around the clock, every day of the year.”

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Delap & Waller Ltd, 12 Technology Park, Belfast Road, Antrim BT41 1QS | Tel: 028 9448 3800 Email: antrim@delapandwaller.com 71

COLUMNIST

Sync NI’s Alan Meban

Techie Talk Time

Tracing the provenance of your tipple

SoundHound obeys on command, whisky goes crafty and all things new in laptops.

It’s all happening in the tech world.

Next generation voice search

‘Generation V’ is sometimes used to describe children born after 2015 who have no hesitation in using their voice to interact with technology. A lot of us are more inhibited about barking questions at smartphones and smart speakers.

SoundHound’s VP of Sales and Marketing Katie McMahon gave a live demo of their next generation Hound voice search and assistant app at the recent Mobile Journalism Festival in Galway.

Speaking rapidly she asked: “What time is it in Tokyo and London when it’s 5pm here?”

In the blink of an eye the app’s voice replied to the compound question that required an understanding of location as well as time with the answer: “It’s 1am the next day in Tokyo and 5pm in London when it’s 5pm here.” Similar queries to Siri and Alexa came back with confused and incorrect answers.

Hound also impressed with its answer to “show me Italian restaurants in downtown San Francisco that are open after 10pm and have outdoor seating?”

Under the hood, the Houndify platform offers very accurate voice recognition on top of an engine that has a deep understanding of context and meaning, allowing brands to create custom domains for their sectors and locations, and giving users the ability to verbally filter results.

Belfast-based startup arc-net use the power of blockchain technology to help agrifood producers and retailers assure customers of the origin and authenticity of their products.

Blockchain is the technology behind Bitcoin, a much-talked about and volatile, virtual currency.

Aside from financial applications, the technology is disrupting many different industry sectors.

Arc-net’s secure, immutable, distributed ledger has now been put to use on bottles of ‘The Brisbane’ whisky from Fusion Whisky and Adelphi.

Blockchain technology records the complex production history – each bottle is uniquely identified with a QR code.

On top of collaboration with Ireland Craft Beers, arc-net are technology partner to the EU Horizons 2020 project tracing pork products from the UK to China and back.

Chief Development Officer Brendan Smyth says: “With the uncertainty that Brexit has created for businesses, the ability for producers to demonstrate the provenance of their products and be able to track and trace them across borders provides a significant advantage to producers wanting to differentiate themselves and build trust in their brand.”

Laptops with two screens and maybe no keyboard Is our insatiable desire for more screens about to clash with consumer demand for quality keyboards as laptop manufacturers announce plans to innovate portable computing?

In 2016 Apple added a long and thin OLED touch bar above the keyboard in their top-ofthe-range MacBook Pros. Now Asus have launched a new laptop with a screen embedded in the touchpad. Their Zenbook Pro 5.5 inch second display doubles up as an application launcher and number keypad. While you can watch YouTube videos on the touchpad, the strange viewing angle knocks a third off the battery life. Writing on smartphone screens was briefly popular in the late 1990s and early 2000s with the Graffiti handwriting recognition system on Palm OS devices. A ‘Tiger Rapids’ dual-screen laptop concept from Intel replaces the physical keyboard with a flat e-Paper display, building on Lenovo’s 2016 Yoga Book with its keyboard-sized touchpad.

Intel’s second display doubles as a keyboard, with haptic feedback replacing physical key travel. Hold the laptop like a book and watch a video on the main screen while scribbling notes on the other. Let a spreadsheet run down off one screen and continue under your fingers. Time will tell whether these innovations offer genuine productivity boosts or turn out to be expensive gimmicks.

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Want to be the first to find out what’s happening in Northern Ireland’s tech scene?

Stay up to date with www.syncni.com or follow us on Twitter @syncni

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WHAT’S NEXT FOR PROCUREMENT?

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he continuing rationale for public procurement policy is to ensure value for money, quality and the ability to produce the desired result through a process of transparency and open competition.

Despite Brexit, EU legislation continues to be adopted into UK law to ensure a level playing field for those competing to secure public contracts. Whilst Brexit looms closer, there is as yet, no definition to the future relationship between the UK and the EU. It is clear that in order for international trade to continue between the UK and EU, then the UK must ensure that the process of procurement remains compliant with EU law.

It is foreseeable that both present and future Directives will play a very significant role in the procurement process. The Public Sector Directive, Concessions Directive and Utilities Directive have all been implemented and have had a significant effect on procurement processes. The UK‘s Public Procurement Scheme also continues to be compliant with

the World Trade Organisations Government Procurement Agreement.

The Public Contract Regulations 2013 have greatly enhanced the procurement process. Different rules apply depending upon the threshold of the procurement contracts, and it is likely that these rules shall continue. Moreover, it is clear that the principles of fairness, openness, transparency and equality are now well established and those involved in setting the procurement process at whatever threshold, are required to ensure that these policies are adhered to.

Traditionally, procurement was seen as a vehicle to simply obtain goods at a competitive price, to achieve a reduction in costs and an increase in profits. Procurement has now moved a stage further insofar as it is now being used to reduce the running costs of companies, eg. the cleaning of offices, repairs to buildings and services generally.

The reduction of these costs should also lead to enhanced profitability.

The continued innovation in technology, particularly cloud based, has facilitated the continuing advancements of procurement.

These advances in technology allow for instantaneous transmission of vast amounts of information, resulting in an ability to supervise and manage procurement transactions. Moreover, technology is becoming more user friendly and the actual process of procurement itself has become more efficient. The sharing of data during the process of procurement allows for all concerned to have a much greater control on invoicing, payments and the rectification of incorrect charges.

With the process firmly in place, and with further technological advances, procurement will increase substantially with the result in benefits to the commercial entities.

Companies, which do not invest in the technologies and do not enter wholeheartedly into the procurement process will quickly find themselves left behind.

Should you require any advice or assistance please contact Caroline on 029 9020 0050. Caroline is a member of the Procurement Lawyers Association and is also a qualified mediator. She is ranked as a leading individual in Legal 500 and Chambers UK. Caroline advises regularly on public procurement issues.

E: caroline.prunty@mmwlegal.com

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T: 028 9020 0050 4-10 Donegall Square East, Belfast BT1 5HD 396 Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast BT4 3EY

Millar McCall Wylie

www.mmwlegal.com

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FEATURE

Top Young Talent

Jan Donaldson, Head of Stakeholder Engagement Young Enterprise with Oliver Cooley, student and Darina Armstrong, Chief Executive of Progressive Building Society.

Putting Young People in the picture

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tudents from schools across Northern Ireland are on course to work with local charity Young Enterprise and Progressive Building Society to develop skills for a future in business through the ‘Learn to Earn Programme’.

The programme was created to inspire students to take ownership of their life choices and think about the careers they can have and the qualifications they need to pursue, preparing them for destinations and life beyond education.

Students will engage in a range of hands-on activities including role-play interviews and a board game to help them understand how education is key to their future success and happiness. They will explore themes including career choices, personal skills, job interviews, financial planning and budgeting.

Students are guided to learn more about themselves, consider their own strengths and build greater self-awareness, exploring career options aligned to personality traits.

Information is provided on a wide range of

career opportunities within the context of Local Market Information. Students individually explore career options which they may not have considered previously.

Experienced staff from Progressive will assist in the delivery of the programme, lending their experience to each session they attend and providing some context to the students.

Darina Armstrong Chief Executive of Progressive Building Society said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Young Enterprise to leverage the ‘Learn to Earn’ programme in schools across Northern Ireland.

It is important for businesses to continue to support the development of young people in order to provide future generations with the skills needed to build a knowledge-based economy. Investing in a programme like this enables us to provide students with a greater insight into possible future careers and helps equip young people with the knowledge required to make informed choices in the years ahead.”

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Young Enterprise NI Chief Executive, Carol Fitzsimons MBE, said the goal of the charity is to provide every young person in Northern Ireland with the opportunity to develop and explore their entrepreneurial, enterprise and employment skills.

She added: “All Young Enterprise programmes complement the educational curriculum, offering young people, irrespective of their background and abilities, the opportunity to participate. Given the rapid pace of change in the global economy, the need for business and enterprise has never been greater. It is vital that we establish a more entrepreneurial workforce that is able to make and take opportunities; individuals empowered to take control of their own futures. We are excited to be working with Progressive Building Society on this important programme”.

• visit yeni.co.uk to see how you can get involved with Young Enterprise, empowering young people with the skills and confidence to succeed in life and work.

TOP YOUNG TALENT

Young females encouraged to learn about IT

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group of teenage girls graduated recently from a special IT summer camp aimed at helping them develop skills and get their foot on the ladder of a career in this lucrative and rapidly growing industry.

A total of 42 girls, aged 15 to 19, took part in the free of charge week long camp which was held at Belfast Met’s state of the art Titanic Quarter Campus in Belfast.

Young women are dramatically underrepresented in the industry and the focus of the camp was to develop their creative digital skills and enrich their knowledge of ICT by participating in workshops centred on Cyber Security, Internet of Things and Tech web development.

The girls also got the chance to meet, chat and learn from successful females in the IT

and digital related disciplines from firms such as EY, Liberty IT, Allstate, and Neueda which sponsored the initiative along with the DfE funded Bring IT On programme and Invest NI. Eve Brennan (18) from Belfast took part in the camp and said: “I really enjoyed the whole week-long programme. I especially enjoyed listening to the inspirational women who work in various IT companies tell us about how they got to where they are. The cyber security and Internet of Things aspects were my favourite.”

The graduation event was attended by industry professionals and representatives from the Department of the Economy including Beverley Harrison, Director of Further Education.

Director of Curriculum and Learner Success at Belfast Met, Dr Jonathan Heggarty MBE said: “We are delighted that we have run this

very popular summer camp for the past four years. The goal of Belfast IT Girls is to help participants to hone their digital skills and introduce them to leading professionals so that they get a taste of what it is like to work in the IT sector. There is a huge demand for talent in this growth area, and this is reflected in Belfast Met’s wide range of courses and apprenticeships developed in conjunction with industry. We designed this programme with industry partners in order to encourage female students to consider future education and employment within the exciting world of digital technologies. It is vital that the under representation of females in the UK ICT sector and in education is addressed and Belfast Met, which is a leader in IT education and training, is keen to support efforts in addressing this.”

Beverley Harrison (Department for the Economy) and Lisa Sweeney ( Nueuda) with Setanta Gorman Crane (student), Justin Edwards (CCEA) and Eve Brennan and Lucy Jordan (students) at the Belfast IT Girls Summer Camp.

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NEWS

Concerns abound for businesses QES reveals recruitment difficulties and tougher trading conditions face firms amid sluggish growth.

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usinesses experienced a modest improvement in performance for Quarter 2 of 2018 after what had been a poor start to the year. However, growth still remains subdued according to the latest Quarterly Economic Survey published by Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce (NI Chamber) and business advisers BDO. The survey also revealed that businesses in Northern Ireland believe the lack of devolved government is damaging the local economy.

In the survey, which covers Q2 of 2018 and whose findings were analysed by Economist Maureen O’Reilly, 55% of members said their main concern in trying to grow their business centred on how Northern Ireland is governed with many believing the Stormont impasse is damaging the local economy. There is also concern about the outcome of Brexit with 53% saying it would affect growth plans while competition remains a worry for 44% of businesses. Overall, the report shows peaks and troughs in the performance of both the

manufacturing and services sector during Q2 2018.

Manufacturing

The survey revealed a pickup in manufacturing during Q2 after a particularly challenging Q1 for the sector. Most key balances are positive (only 1 of 14 negative) signaling growth – and most balances are up on Q1 (10 of the 14).

Expectations to take on staff are also up in Q2 and 3 in 4 manufacturers are trying to recruit. Investment intentions are stronger with the percentage of firms planning to invest in training highest across the 12 UK regions. Confidence is up around turnover and profitability. However, Northern Ireland ranks below the UK average for 12 of the 14 key balances, making it one of poorest performing UK regions. The survey also revealed that domestic and export sales balances are still weak with Northern Ireland’s export sales balances weakest across all of the regions.

Services

The services sector experienced modest improvement in some key balances in Q2 after a sluggish Q1 performance. 13 of 14 key balances are positive this quarter although only 5 of the 14 balances are up on Q1 2018. Export sales and orders balances turned positive this quarter and the sector’s performance on export sales was good from a regional perspective (5th highest). NI has the highest share of services businesses working at full capacity – NI 46% vs. UK 39%.

However, confidence within the services sector weakened in Q2 – continuing a downward trend since the end of 2016. Investment intentions also fell in Q2 and remain low.

Key concerns

The biggest concern for businesses continues to be the difficulties they face when trying to access skills, with 3 in 4 of those trying to recruit finding it difficult to attract the right staff. 69% of manufacturers are finding it difficult to recruit skilled manual workers.

Competition is also a key concern for members in Q2 with 44% of members highlighting this as a growing concern. Exchange rate pressures continued to ease during Q2.

Brexit Watch

The latest Brexit Watch suggests that 1 in 3 members believe that Brexit has had a negative impact on turnover/sales while for 7% it has meant a boost to their business.

The most negative impact, however, has been around costs, particularly raw material costs, with 46% of members stating that their business has been negatively impacted by higher costs since the vote took place – sterling’s depreciation being a major factor.

There has also been a negative impact on the employment of non-UK nationals for 26% of members. Brexit’s negative impact does appear to be accelerating with a larger share of members negatively impacted in terms of sales, exports and the employment of nonnationals in Q2 2018 than in Q3 2016 when the first effects of the vote were being felt.

Brexit is also having a more negative than positive impact on business growth plans.

Some 37% of members are scaling down/ freezing growth plans because of Brexit while 10% are expanding them. In addition, 14% of members are expanding investment plans outside Northern Ireland

Future growth plans Ann McGregor (Chief Executive of NI Chamber); Brian Murphy (Managing Partner at BDO) and Maureen O’Reilly (Economist for the QES).

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In order to understand medium term growth plans, members were asked if they had plans to grow their organisation over the next 3 to 5 years. Around 7 in 10 members (69%) did have

Quarterly Economic Survey Q2 2018

Key Findings

There were some signs of recovery in Q2 after what had been a poor start to 2018, with most key balances being positive.

northernirelandchamber.com

Business Concerns

More businesses in manufacturing and services are reporting increases in sales and jobs than those reporting falls.

Competition is becoming increasingly more important for members with 44% highlighting this as a key concern.

However NI’s regional position remains weak with a number of key balances ranking bottom across the 12 regions.

Exchange rate pressures eased during Q2. Though 31% say exchange rates are now more of a concern to their business.

concerns also eased. In Q2 just 15% stated that interest rates were a concern, down from 28% in Q1.

Brexit Watch

Despite a better quarter for manufacturing, growth is subdued with domestic sales and export balances still fairly low.

service sector has continued to weaken and investment intentions remain low.

1 in 3 members believe that Brexit has had a negative impact on turnover/sales while for 7% it has meant a boost to their business.

manufacturing and service sectors remains precarious.

The most negative impact has been higher costs, particularly for raw materials, with 46% stating that they have been negatively impacted.

Local Governance

Recruitment Issues 3/4 of those trying to

69% of manufacturers are

to attract the right staff.

Members are largely split on how to ensure key strategic and other spending decisions in Northern Ireland are progressed.

Members are split between restoring devolution, implementing direct rule or introducing some form of ‘holding’ action.

Members believe that NI’s governance impasse is damaging the local economy.

Businesses are equally split on what should be done to ensure key strategic and other spending decisions in Northern Ireland are progressed. The survey identified restoring devolution (25%), implementing Direct Rule

ANALYSIS

BY BRIAN MURPHY, MANAGING PARTNER, BDO NORTHERN IRELAND

skilled manual workers.

Almost 228 members responded to the NI Chamber of Commerce & Industry Quarterly Economic Survey, in partnership with BDO, during the 2nd quarter of 2018. Together they account for over 21,000 jobs. the % reporting a decrease.

plans to grow their business, 12% had no plans and 19% were not sure. How Northern Ireland is governed (55%) and the outcome of Brexit (53%) are main concerns in trying to grow the business but almost 1 in 2 members also lack confidence in the economy (46%) and are concerned about recruiting/retaining skilled staff (45%).

Local governance

37% of members are scaling down/freezing growth plans because of Brexit while 10% are expanding them.

(27%) or the introduction of some form of ‘holding’ action (27%) as the options put forward by businesses in an open-ended question.

Commenting on the survey, Ann McGregor, Chief Executive of NI Chamber, said: “There is no doubt that business confidence would rise if we had an Executive restored immediately to focus on the fundamentals for business – such as improving infrastructure, incentivising investment and addressing the skills shortage.

“Big, bold action is needed with major new incentives for business investment, confidence-boosting infrastructure projects, and a concerted effort to slash the up-front

Manufacturing businesses have performed better in the second quarter of the year, exceeding the expectations of many. This is to be welcomed as a sign of the strength, determination and resilience of the private sector in Northern Ireland.

An increase in confidence in the manufacturing sector for greater turnover and profitability is bolstered by strong investment intentions and recruitment expectations. With local unemployment at its lowest rate in a decade, this commitment to investment is a positive indication that, despite the challenges businesses face, there will be even greater opportunities for firms to continue to grow and expand their workforces. Although some businesses are concerned about the uncertainty of Brexit and the potential implications, it is wonderful to see that our local manufacturing

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

cost of doing business, which is putting consumer-facing businesses especially under intense pressure.

“The availability of skilled staff remains the biggest issue that businesses face. Access to people and skills is a top priority for employers and firms are doing everything they can to recruit, retain and up-skill their workforce.

“We must continue to address this at a local level, and Westminster must set out a clear immigration policy that addresses the skills shortages that are critical to local businesses.

Failure to do so means that the economic potential of Northern Ireland will continue to be held back.”

sector leads the way in the UK with its commitment to investment in training for its staff. What is notable, however, is that a greater number of businesses are more concerned about the absence of our devolved Government, than they are about Brexit. While local political leaders may not be able to determine the outcome of the Brexit negotiations, they can shape the future of governance for Northern Ireland.

The private sector has continued to grow and create jobs in the absence of local Ministers and the Assembly, however, we cannot continue like this indefinitely. We would encourage our politicians to follow the lead of the business community and re-establish the Executive to take decisions and support us in growing the economy and creating employment opportunities for the people of Northern Ireland.

COLUMnIST

Mark Haslam, Managing Director of Loud Mouth Media

Digital Tourism – Transforming the Industry

Mobile and digital technology is as important for holidays as packing your sun cream.

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igital tourism has revolutionised the way we research, plan and experience our holidays. If your business depends on tourism, it is fundamentally invisible without digital. Mobile technology has ensured that global travel is now an ‘on-the-go’ experience, and travellers now know as much as they want about the world around them at any stage

of the tourism journey, so it is not enough to merely have an online presence. Digital efforts need to be clever, considered and captivating.

The journey to a destination starts long before a consumer books, packs their bag and leaves the house. The average trip will be researched and planned months in advance, with 40% of travellers initiating destination research with a Google Search. Mobile also now accounts for 27% of total travel booking, growing at an exceptional rate of 13% year on year.

This presents a wealth of opportunities for brands to connect with users in these ‘micro moments’, encouraging people to progress through the various stages within a travel search journey – researching, planning, booking and experiencing. This means that having a multi-platform digital strategy and engaging at every micro moment is key, incorporating Search, Display, YouTube and Social.

Your target customers are using digital before travelling to plan every detail of their trip, during travelling to share their experiences and after travelling to review, recommend and rebook. For example, people who are interested in Northern Ireland attractions are highly influenced by YouTube, being 2.5 times more likely than a standard UK internet user to watch travel guides on YouTube. There are therefore massive opportunities for Northern Ireland tourism brands to showcase their

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services and engage with users visually via YouTube, as well as utilising Search & Display with features such as price extensions, review extensions and remarketing to target previous site visitors.

Once a person arrives at their destination, the search for the best places to visit continues, and with half of all international travellers using mobile to search for things to do once they have arrived, it is crucial that you are in front of them when and where they crave this content. For example, mobile ad extensions can be utilised to reach those searching for places ‘near me’ on mobile searches.

Furthermore, 97% of millennials also say they share pictures during and after their trip on Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp and Snapchat. Social advertising is the ideal strategy to ensure your brand is in front of an active, hyper-relevant user base whilst they are engaging with their newsfeeds during and after a trip.

Mobile and digital technology has ensured that global travel is no longer a leap into the unknown. People are spending more and more time researching and planning travel than ever before. We need to be there at every micro moment, maintaining consistent visibility across all platforms and utilising all information available to connect with new and existing customers.

SUPPORT THE CAMPAIGN TO SAVE CHILDCARE VOUCHERS CHILDCARE VOUCHERS ARE DUE TO CLOSE TO NEW ENTRANTS ON 4 OCTOBER – AS A RESULT WORKING FAMILIES STAND TO MISS OUT ON SAVINGS OF UP TO £1,866 PER YEAR ON CHILDCARE COSTS. IF THE SCHEME CLOSES, EMPLOYERS WILL ALSO LOSE OUT FINANCIALLY ON SAVINGS ON NATIONAL INSURANCE CONTRIBUTIONS. 3. Communicate with your employees Ensure your employees don’t miss out on the opportunity to sign up to Childcare Vouchers before they close. Communicate your payroll cut-off date with staff as soon as possible. Employers For Childcare can provide you with information to share with staff.

The more employees you have using the scheme, the more money you will save through reduced employers’ National Insurance Contributions!

4. Get support from the Family Benefits Advice Service If you would like to arrange for our trained advisors to provide free, impartial and confidential advice to you or your staff call us on 028 9267 8200 or email hello@employersforchildcare.org.

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mployers For Childcare is urging the Government in Westminster to reverse its decision to close this vital form of financial support for working parents. Employers in Northern Ireland tell us they need an affordable childcare infrastructure so they can recruit and retain the skilled staff they need, driving the development of the economy – Childcare Vouchers are a key pillar of this.

Here’s how you can support the campaign: 1. Lobby your MP Write to your MP via theyworkforyou.com and urge them to put pressure on the Government to keep Childcare Vouchers open to new entrants. It’s free, easy and takes less than five minutes.

Personalise your email, setting out how your employees have benefited or how the scheme helps you recruit and retain staff.

Act now – time is running out!

There is less than a month left until Childcare Vouchers close to new entrants. Time is running out to safeguard the future of this important support for working parents. We are urging all employers to get behind this campaign and act now to #SaveChildcareVouchers – your employees will thank you for it!

Full details on how to do this are available on our website www.employersforchildcare.org. We are encouraging everyone to get behind this campaign – we truly believe ALL children and parents should be able to benefit from affordable, accessible childcare.

Share the campaign via Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn using #SaveChildcareVouchers and tag your MP – here’s a sample post you could use and personalise: “Please [tag MP] stand with employers and urge @hmtreasury to halt the closure of Childcare Vouchers to new entrants #SaveChildcareVouchers” 2. Sign the business pledge Join over 75 national employers – including Kettle Foods and Barnardo’s – representing more than 45,000 workers, and sign a petition urging the Government to reverse its decision. Simply email cvpa@wacomms.co.uk with the name of your business and the number of employees to find out more.

For further information contact: Employers For Childcare T: 028 9267 8200 www.employersforchildcare.org E: hello@employersforchildcare.org 79

FEATURE

A switch in media watching habits Globalisation is everywhere these days… even in the world of TV, which presents opportunities and challenges for local broadcasters and production companies, writes adrienne McGill.

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he success of Game of Thrones and other big budget television and film productions in Northern Ireland has given the creative industries here a massive boost in recent years.

Northern Ireland is now a familiar stopping off point for A-list stars and film crews, feeding a growing appetite at home and around the world for high-quality TV series.

It’s a theme that was picked up by the media regulator, Ofcom, in its most recent Media Nations report, which highlights the rise of online streaming and internet giants like Netflix as something to watch out for.

The money that Netflix, Amazon video and others are pumping into the sector is eyewatering. According to the Economist magazine, this year Netflix alone plans to spend some $12bn-13bn on content, including 82 original or exclusively licensed feature films and hundreds of television programmes. Warner Brothers, a major Hollywood studio, plans to release just 23 films.

In such a vibrant marketplace, the opportunities for the programme and filmmaking end of the business are obvious.

Equally, these new global players pose challenges to UK and Northern Ireland-based broadcasters.

According to Ofcom, half of adults (55%) in Northern Ireland now use on-demand / streaming TV services and, among these, Netflix is the most popular (29%), followed by the BBC iPlayer (22%) and YouTube (14%).

Traditional TV watching, via satellite, cable or a rooftop aerial, still commands the lion’s share of media watching but there are big generational differences.

Younger people watch less than a quarter of the traditional TV that older viewers do.

Those same viewers are watching more non-broadcast content, such as YouTube, Netflix and Amazon Prime Video delivered over a broadband connection.

This change in media watching habits has been made easier by increased availability and take-up of faster broadband services, says Ofcom.

Eighty per cent of households in Northern Ireland now have a fixed internet connection.

More than two in five (43%) TV households

now have a smart TV, compared to 6% in 2013.

Some 80% of people now own a smartphone, compared to just 45% in 2013.

Ofcom Northern Ireland Director Jonathan Rose says the challenges provided by the new global internet players cannot be underestimated.

“What we watch and how we watch it are changing rapidly, which has profound implications for UK television,” he says.

“We have seen a decline in revenues for pay TV, a fall in spending on new programmes by our public service broadcasters and the growth of global video streaming giants.

“The challenge for broadcasters nationally and locally posed by online competitors is to ensure they continue to make great programmes to appeal to viewers in Northern Ireland in the digital age.”

At a Northern Ireland level, there is a lot to cheer local broadcasters. The Media Nations

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report highlights that local content and local voices on our TV and radio continues to be popular with viewers and listeners. TV especially still plays a hugely important role in people’s lives when it comes to keeping up with the news.

The second and third most watched TV programmes in Northern Ireland last year were BBC One’s Newsline and UTV’s UTV Live on 16 October, as viewers looked for the latest updates on Hurricane Ophelia.

And local radio, commercial and BBC Radio Ulster/Foyle, are far more popular in Northern Ireland than their peers in other parts of the UK, accounting for more than 60% of listening share. This is considerably higher than in Scotland (43%) and Wales (29%), underlining the popularity of familiar voices and local news to listeners in Northern Ireland.

• ofcom’s Media nations report for northern Ireland is available at www.ofcom.org.uk

REALISING AMBITION WITH TYSON WILSON RECRUITMENT

Michelle Tyson

Tyson Wilson Recruitment is a dynamic new force within the Northern Ireland recruitment sector working to deliver on their core values of helping every client achieve their full potential and professional ambitions. Tyson Wilson Recruitment, headed by Michelle Tyson, offers a dedicated and personalised service specialising in the hospitality, IT and call centre sectors across the UK and Ireland. Since opening their doors in 2015 the Belfast based agency has worked diligently to gain a well-deserved reputation for excellent service and customer care and already enjoys an impressive client base.

Michelle, tell us a bit about yourself and Tyson Wilson Recruitment?

I began working in hospitality management at the age of 20 and having spent considerable time assisting in the recruitment and headhunting process I realised that I wanted to carve out a career for myself within this field. I established Tyson Wilson Recruitment in October 2015 and have gone from strength to strength working with some of NI’s largest businesses, hotels and call centres.

What sets Tyson Wilson Recruitment apart?

We work by our core values and really want to enable our clients to achieve their full potential.

We ensure that we place staff who are professional, experienced and perfectly suited for each vacancy, helping everyone to achieve their aspirations and professional goals. We care about what we do, and we work hard to ensure we get a win-win result.

What are the main personal skills your job requires?

You need to be a strong communicator and great problem solver. This means spending a lot of time listening to clients to establish where their problems lie. Understanding their needs and industry is crucial to ensuring a service, and staff, that is the best fit for their business, which will help them achieve the success that they are working towards.

What do you predict to be the greatest trends in recruitment over the next year?

As Northern Ireland’s hospitality sector continues to grow I see an increasing need for professional and experienced staff within this sector. Hotel expansion across NI has been a regular news feature this year with Belfast having broken the 9,000-room barrier in June and the market in Derry-Londonderry isn’t

far behind. With the UK hospitality industry expected to create over 500,000 new jobs in the next five years there is a clear need for professional and experienced staff within this sector.

And finally, what’s the key to any successful job search?

Begin with a reputable recruitment agency with specialist knowledge in the sector that you work within. Ensure that you chose an agency who is the right fit for you and your business as this will pave the way to a strong relationship with a clear understanding of your unique professional needs.

For individuals considering new employment, speak with consultants within the agency to get a feel for what is available, what to expect in terms of salary and to offer some advice on ensuring that your CV and skills are a good fit for the roles that you are after.

Michelle can be contacted on +44 (0) 7860636486 or via email at info@tysonwilsonrecruitment.co.uk www.tysonwilsonrecruitment.co.uk 81

appointments

New Appointments

Tughans, one of Northern Ireland’s leading commercial law firms, has promoted Patricia Rooney to Partner within its employment team.

Patricia (right) is pictured with Tughans expanded Employment Team which includes Rachel Richardson (Director), Anna Beggan (Partner and Head of Employment) and Jack Balmer (Solicitor).

Claire Ball has been appointed Senior Graphic Designer with Morrow Communications.

Matthew Roddy has been appointed Graphic Designer with Morrow Communicaitons.

Leeanne Armstrong has been appointed legal director in the Belfast office of UK-wide law firm TLT.

Temporary | Permanent | HR Consulting www.graftonrecruitment.com 82

Kate McIlvenny has been appointed Associate in the Litigation Department of Corporate law firm A&L Goodbody.

The Northern Ireland Sales and Marketing Sector

By Ross McConville, Sales and Marketing Specialist, Grafton Recruitment.

The Sales industry has remained at a busy level with a lot of companies continuing to seek the best sales people as the market remains very competitive. Companies who are exporting are continuing to reap the rewards due to Brexit and the value of the pound. We have seen an increase in more high-level Sales roles along with larger geographical areas to increase sales further afield such as USA and mainland Europe to accommodate this.

The market continues to get more competitive and is gradually becoming more candidate focused as good candidates have numerous offers at once. Having worked as a Sales and Marketing Specialist

Katrina Morgan has been appointed Director of Community with Mid and East Antrim Borough Council.

Robert Maye has been appointed Group Sales Manager with private health care company 3fivetwo Group.

for 5 years and worked in sales for 8 years prior to this, I know it remains vital for companies to attract the best sales people by keeping in line with market trends and salaries.

The Marketing industry is continuing to remain as vital as ever as it is still hand in hand with the sales function. More companies are now looking for candidates with a knowledge of digital marketing as the digital world continues to grow. There are still traditional marketing roles as companies continue to see the value of trade shows and exhibitions etc. as people get to physically interact with potential clients. Of course most marketing roles will now involve both digital and traditional elements.

Gareth Crudden has been appointed Simon Sharkey has been appointed Sales Executive with private health Graphic Designer with private health care company 3fivetwo Group. care company 3fivetwo Group.

Temporary | Permanent | HR Consulting www.graftonrecruitment.com 83

RTU HAS IT COVERED - INSIDE AND OUT! With over 20 years’ experience in the industry, RTU is a market leader in the supply of ready mixed concrete, mortar, plaster and screed as well as two unique products – Ultraflo Hemihydrate liquid floor screed and Exposa Decorative Concrete.

ULTRAFLO HEMIHYDRATE LIQUID FLOOR SCREED As Ireland’s only ready mixed hemihydrate liquid floor screed, Ultraflo® is a unique product and is produced in RTU’s state of the art manufacturing facilities (accredited to ISO 9001), ensuring a perfect screed every time.

Ultraflo’s® unique properties make it an ideal solution for all domestic or commercial projects and being a hemihydrate screed means it does not suffer from surface laitance (a scum/dust of material adhering to the top of the screed during the curing process), and therefore requires no buffing/grinding to the floor surface.

Improved energy efficiency with underfloor heating is an important advantage as the heating pipes are encapsulated to a depth of only 50mm with Ultraflo®, compared to 100mm with non-compacted sand and cement screed. Ultraflo® therefore allows enhanced thermal control with underfloor heating and overcomes heat lag commonly experienced with sand and cement screed, thus reducing energy costs.

Furthermore, as a re-cycled product, our eco-friendly Ultraflo® does not contain cement, a major contributor to greenhouse gases.

With a proven track record of success over more than 10 years, Ultraflo® has been tried and tested is now the trusted choice and the perfect partner when installing underfloor heating.

EXPOSA DECORATIVE CONCRETE A highly durable range of decorative concrete which can be used as an alternative to traditional paving, asphalt, tarmac and loose gravel, Exposa® is a first choice for any hard landscaping project.

It is ideal for use on residential driveways, patios, and footpaths as well as commercial applications in large pedestrianised zones.

With a natural aggregate finish, Exposa® has the durability and structural integrity of concrete and is designed to withstand heavy traffic and extremes of weather without deterioration. With a low maintenance finish, Exposa® also inhibits the proliferation of weeds and moss. It is a naturally slip resistant product, laid as a continuous surface, thus reducing trip hazards in large surface areas.

The flexibility of the product allows designers and architects alike to be as bold or subtle in their design as required. If you cannot find your desired colour in the standard range, then RTU can tailor the aggregate and colour to your specific individual requirements.

RTU manufactures Exposa® under stringent quality control procedures, ensuring conformity to the requirements of BS EN206. They also recommend that Exposa® is installed by RTU approved installers in order to ensure the quality workmanship and attention to detail that is required for the product to have maximum aesthetic appeal.

For more information please visit www.rtu.co.uk or call the Sales Team on 028 9085 1441, Option 2

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Building the future together As a first choice supplier for leading architects, construction companies, builders and the self-build sector, RTU is helping shape the architectural landscape of Northern Ireland.

RESOLVE - SOFTWARE THAT TAKES THE WORK OUT OF WORKFLOW MANAGEMENT

BOOST PROFITS BY PARTNERING WITH PENINSULA

Many organisations find themselves jumping between various off-the-shelf products that “kind of” do what they need.

In reality, these often become inefficient workarounds.

Alternately, businesses don’t have the time or budget to invest in a costly, bespoke solution.

With Resolve, we have developed a set of triedand-tested templates, adaptable to an array of business processes, which are then tailored to your unique requirements, all with a turnaround time of just a few weeks.

Peninsula has been providing professional services to small businesses since 1983. Having started out small themselves, Peninsula differentiates itself from competitors by retaining the values of a small business. By taking care of your employment issues, a partnership with Moira Grassick, Peninsula allows you to concentrate Associate Director on what you do best…growing your business. Peninsula provides advice on employment law and HR, a service that’s available to partners 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. You can benefit from on-site HR audits, bespoke documentation, online employee management tools, and legislation updates, all of which are custom-tailored to your business. Peninsula’s services are truly unique and unmatched in the market. Today, Peninsula’s services go beyond employment law and HR and have now expanded to health & safety management, insurance, employee wellbeing and much more. With an experienced team managing all your professional needs, you are free from staff and employment law stress and now have the time to develop your business.

Thousands of users are already experiencing the benefits of Resolve software. To find out more, get in touch with: sales@gdresolve.com

Call 0800 917 0771 or visit www.peninsulagrouplimited. com/ni to learn more about how partnering with Peninsula will boost your business.

AGNEW CORPORATE REBRAND AS ‘AGNEW LEASING’ Agnew Corporate have announced the launch of their new brand identity, under the name Agnew Leasing.

When the company started out back in 1995, Agnew Corporate catered to a predominantly business cliental, providing specialist contract hire and leasing services to companies across Northern Ireland and beyond. However, in recent years, the motor industry has evolved at a swift pace, presenting new challenges in the business market and opportunities for expansion in the personal market.

With personal contract hire rising at a rapid rate, Agnew Corporate have announced an exciting rebrand, designed to cater to the company’s evolving customer base. Welcoming more private individuals than ever, Agnew Leasing has been created to offer a true representation of the company and where they’re headed in the future. Under their new name, Agnew Leasing will serve both the business and personal leasing markets, across the UK. The company’s plans go far beyond a new logo and brand design. Expected to launch in the coming weeks, Agnew Leasing are working on an exciting refresh of their in-

house fleet management software, Agnew Fleet Manager. Further plans include a new affinity scheme for business customers, with an online personal contract hire quotation system to enable employees to source personal vehicles, effortlessly.

This continuous innovation on the development of tools designed to assist both business and personal customers is

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testament to the company’s dedication to both markets, as they continue to invest heavily to ensure customers are offered the highest quality of services and benefits.

For all enquiries regarding the rebrand, contact Agnew Leasing on 028 9038 6600 or email: agnewleasing@agnews.co.uk.

Business Class Motoring

By James Stinson

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

Sponsored by

LIFESTYLE

James Stinson

Dawn of the Dacia

The Dacia Duster is refreshingly simple.

I

n recent years, these pages have usually covered high-end models which look, feel and sometimes cost the earth. And that’s great if you can afford to splash out forty, fifty grand or more on a new motor.

But what if you don’t, or simply prefer to spend your money elsewhere? You can buy used, but you can also buy new and still pick up a bargain.

Dacia has been landing plenty of best value awards since it launched in the UK back in 2013 with a small range of simple but incredibly cheap cars.

With prices starting from £6,995, the Sandero remains the UK’s cheapest car, and by a margin, while the Logan MCV estate (from £8,495) isn’t far behind. Both are commendable little motors but won’t set the pulse racing.

However, this bigger SUV-like Duster is something different. It’s still cheap, starting at a whisker under ten grand, but has a far more upmarket appearance and is proving a real hit with savvy buyers.

Prior to being bought over by Renault in 1999, Dacia (pronounced “dat-cha”) was making mostly bad cars for its home market in Romania. A few years later and after much investment, Renault launched the brand internationally, chiefly targeting emerging markets with affordable motors but its value offerings have struck a chord everywhere, including the UK. The idea is simple. Buy a brand and a factory in Eastern Europe where labour, which is still a significant cost in making cars, is cheaper and create a range of cars using proven components from other parts of the business (mostly Renault). The result is cars that are up to 50% cheaper than similarly sized cars from more upmarket rivals.

As with most reborn or new car brands, the first-generation models are a little unrefined but Dacia, like those that have gone before, has upped its game considerably with this second generation Duster.

Not only does it look much better – like a mini Freelander – but it’s nowhere near as

Introducing

Formerly known as Agnew Corporate Ltd. 18 Boucher Way, Belfast, BT12 6RE W: agnewleasing.com

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spartan as its predecessor. The interior is more refined and comfortable with new seats, more storage, reduced cabin noise and increased storage. It’ll be an easier drive too with power steering added.

And it’s kept the best bits from the original, with a spacious interior, generous boot, highriding stance and a cabin that’s easy to get in and out of.

The entry-level Access model steals the headlines with its £9,995 price but it comes in just one colour – white – and is barely equipped, lacking climate control and even a radio. Step up to Essential (from £11,595) and you get these and a wider colour palette to choose from.

Most buyers will probably opt for the Comfort spec (from £13,195), which adds a colour touchscreen, sat-nav and a parking camera, as well as alloy wheels and cruise control.

The engine range is just as straightforward, presently made up of a 115bhp 1.6-litre petrol or 115bhp turbo diesel, with a 130bhp turbocharged 1.2-litre petrol joining the range early next year. Four-wheel-drive versions are available for around two grand more, which could be money well spent if future winters are anything like the last.

You won’t get much, or any, discount from dealers but even at these prices, the Duster is still miles cheaper than say a Nissan Qashqai.

Sure, it’s not as quick, modern or refined but the Duster has a downmarket kudos that says I don’t care, just look at how much I paid!

Introducing

Formerly known as Agnew Corporate Ltd. The motor industry is changing, and we’re changing too. We are proud to introduce our new official company name; Agnew Leasing.

When Agnew Corporate Ltd. was founded in 1995, we provided a dedicated leasing service for the business market.

Times have changed. With our personal customer base on the rise, we want our name to offer a true representation of who we are and what we do.

Leasing, for everyone.

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

LIFESTYLE

VOLVO PLAYS IT SAFE WITH NEW S60

H

aving launched a range of great SUV and upper-end executive saloons in recent years, Volvo has now launched a new compact executive – the S60.

Notably, there won’t be a diesel version with Volvo polishing its green credentials, and instead offering four 2.0-litre fourcylinder turbocharged petrol engines; two

of which add supercharging, all-wheel drive and plug-in power. It’ll also be one of the safest cars yet, with a host of innovative features such as an autobrake system that spots pedestrians, cyclists and large animals. It’ll also get Run-off Road Mitigation and Oncoming Lane Mitigation, while Cross Traffic Alert with autobrake will be on the options list.

It’s a great looking car with a cabin that’s stylish and well built, with better than average space in the back and a decent boot. However, if you want an S60 you’re going to have to wait – UK cars are not likely to arrive before May next year. That means confirmed prices are some way off, too, although these will likely start from around £30,000.

NEW ELECTRIC KONA TRAVELS FURTHER

G

one are the days when electric cars were a bit quirky and odd looking. You can now buy electric SUV-like models, with this new Hyundai Kona among the first to launch.

This and other new cars that will launch in the months ahead could even bring electric cars into the mainstream. What’s most impressive about the Kona is the range or how far it will travel on a single charge.

There’s a 39kWh ‘small battery’ version that can travel around 200 miles on a single charge, while the 64kWh model manages another 100 miles on top of that. Those are very impressive numbers by any electric car’s standards, let alone one of this size.

Performance isn’t bad either. It’s a heavy car, because of those batteries, but 0-62mph is doable in a fairly rapid 7.6 seconds, thanks to the instant torque from the electric motor.

On-the-road pricing for entry level versions of the shorter range version start at less than £25,000. Even the longer range model, in generous Premium trim, comes in around £31,000, including the UK government’s £5,000 plug-in car grant.

That’s a bit of a game changer when you consider that established sub 30k electric vehicles like the Nissan Leaf are delivering barely half the Kona’s range, for only a few pounds less.

The car is largely the same as the existing petrol version. It’s decent to drive, refined and comfortable, and it’s just about big enough for a small family.

The potential is obvious… as Tony

Introducing

Formerly known as Agnew Corporate Ltd. 18 Boucher Way, Belfast, BT12 6RE W: agnewleasing.com

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Whitehorn, President and CEO Hyundai Motor UK says: “With the 64kWh offering a potential 300 mile range, KONA Electric will not only appeal to customers who are already familiar with battery electric technology but perhaps more importantly, will enable some customers to take the step into electric vehicles by not only removing range anxiety but by doing so with a stylish, technically advanced and affordable package.”

feaTure

Checking in to new role Flybe’s Country Manager-Ireland Ken Harrower who has been in the new role less than a year has been getting to know corporate and business travellers in Northern Ireland.

K

en Harrower is a man with many hidden talents … more later … but one thing he’s not shy about is the passion he has for the new position he holds at Flybe to which he was appointed last November.

‘Country Manager-Ireland’ is the title and it’s a post which has been created to help better serve Flybe’s customers across Northern Ireland and Ireland.

Ken met corporate and business travellers in Northern Ireland recently at an event in Belfast’s Grand Central Hotel to get a feel for their specific travel needs or experiences relevant to Flybe.

“Flybe is passionate about connecting regional communities and George Best Belfast City Airport is of particular significance,” says Ken. “As our third largest base operating up to 570 flights a week and carrying 1.7 million passengers annually, it’s strategically important to our network. As such, it was decided to provide a renewed sales focus and become closer to our customers and stakeholders in order to understand their specific travel needs.

So the Country Manager role was created to embrace this ethos and provide a commercial link between Flybe and the community which we are proud to serve.

“The primary purpose of the role is to drive sales and improve brand awareness. I will be doing this by building and promoting strong, long lasting customer relationships.

I want our customers to always feel they are benefiting from the relationship and to recognise that Flybe is an airline that they can trust and form a professional partnership

and long-term alliance.”

With a career steeped in sales, Ken is ideally suited to the role. He has been with Flybe for 13 years, having started his working life 30 years ago in aviation as a customer sales agent for British Midland at Heathrow. Rising to Business Development Manager, he then left the airline industry in 1996 to pursue other professional sales posts, in Group 4 Security Systems and Yellow Pages. Aviation came knocking again in 2005 when he moved to Northern Ireland to take up the role of Regional Sales Manager with Flybe.

“I’m passionate about driving sales, creating and rewarding loyalty and making Flybe the airline of choice for our diverse range of Northern Irish customers, whether they are business travellers, students, sporting fans, commuters or those travelling to visit family and friends. Flybe has been serving Northern Ireland for 35 years and, during this period, has grown significantly. We now operate 15 routes and offer worldwide connections with our global airline partners. More recently we added a sixth rotation to our popular London City service, increased frequency too on our Cardiff route and have just started new flights to Doncaster Sheffield.”

Ken particularly enjoys the unpredictability of his job. He says: “As Country ManagerIreland there is no ‘typical week’. The majority of my time is spent working with our key travel agents, corporate and leisure partners in Northern Ireland. Some weeks involve me travelling to our Head Office in Exeter to attend internal meetings or I could be at one of our other Irish bases representing Flybe at various

events. For example, in June I spent two days at NI Travel News’ Big Event.”

And as for those ‘hidden talents’ – Ken is not only a massive music fan but is also an accomplished drummer having played in a number of bands over the years. When he’s not following his beloved Chelsea Football Club or playing tennis, you can find him pursuing his latest passion at the piano – practising his scales. One thing’s for certain, he’s a guy who is always busy and that can only be good news for Flybe’s customers in Northern Ireland.

Meanwhile, Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry in partnership with Ulster University Business School, is hosting a breakfast event next month with the Chief Executive Officer of Flybe, Christine Ourmières-Widener.

Christine will address some of the leadership challenges of working in a highly competitive, fast-paced and safety-critical industry highlighting how she is leading Flybe through a three-year Sustainable Business Improvement Plan.

• The event with Chief e ecutive officer of flybe, Christine ourmi res Widener takes place on october 0 in W5 at the odyssey, Belfast. further details on www. northernireland chamber.com

4C EXECUTIVE BEGINS SEARCH FOR ULSTER RUGBY CHIEF EXECUTIVE 4c Executive has begun the hunt to find a dynamic and visionary leader to fill one of the most exciting and high-profile roles in global sport, the Chief Executive of Ulster Rugby.

The executive search firm said the successful candidate will be in charge of implementing the organisation’s ambitious plans for the future, both on and off the pitch and, crucially, will provide inspirational and strong leadership for the game throughout the province.

Paul Terrington, Chair of Ulster Rugby Management Committee, said: “There are firm foundations in place at Ulster Rugby and sound structures for both the professional and amateur game. However there is work to do to make the most of opportunities ahead and the appointment of a new CEO is a key element in future success.”

Gary Irvine, Founder of 4c Executive, added to this by acknowledging that “this is a very high-profile role which demands a lot but offers an excellent opportunity for the right candidate. A true understanding of both the game and business of rugby will set the successful candidate apart.”

Gareth Hanna, Search Consultant at 4c Executive, said: “Rarely does such a unique opportunity emerge - we are looking for a highly skilled and experienced individual who can not only lead Ulster Rugby as a commercial and sporting organisation, but who can represent its interests to the wealth of stakeholders who are essential to its success.”

Should you be interested in applying for the role, please visit the 4c Executive website.

Closing date 14th September. www.4cexecutive.com

STABLE FUNDING IN THE FACE OF BREXIT As businesses across Ireland continue to be challenged by the extended period of uncertainty caused by Brexit, Close Brothers Commercial Finance, understand the significant impact this is having on businesses and borrowing confidence. Their refinance packages can help firms improve liquidity, without the risk associated with conventional loans and overdrafts.

By securing debt against existing assets, business owners and lenders alike can be reassured. Refinancing releases equity from items on your balance sheet without limiting access to equipment or disturbing workflow. Their experienced specialists will value your asset, purchase it from you in the short-term, and lease it back over an agreed period. This gives you fast access to working capital, and by the end of the refinancing period, you own the asset outright again.

This type of lending allows for greater flexibility. At Close Brothers, they can tailor repayments to match seasonal income patterns, and even restructure existing debt to make monthly outgoings more manageable.

They offer quick decision making, excellent customer service, and leading technology to help your funding.

To find out how one of their refinancing packages could help your business, speak to their local funding experts on 02890998601 or visit: www.closecommercialfinance.ie/

ULSTER TATLER GROUP TERMS & CONDITIONS Opinions expressed in Ulster Tatler Group publications are those of the individual contributors and do not necessarily represent the views of the publishers. NI Chamber of Commerce and Ulster Tatler Group do not accept responsibility for the views of the correspondents or contributors. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that all the material within is accurate at the time of going to press, Ulster Tatler Group cannot be responsible for mistakes arising from clerical or printing errors.Advertisements for Ulster Tatler Group publications are accepted only on condition that the advertiser warrants that the advertisement does not in any way contravene the provisions of the Copyright Text and Advertising Trade Descriptions Act 1968. Where advertisements and art work have been specially designed for Ulster Tatler Group, copyright is strictly reserved. The entire contents of the magazine, articles, photographs and advertisements, are the copyright © of NI Chamber of Commerce and Ulster Tatler Group., and may not be reproduced in any form without written consent from the publishers.

The publishers will institute proceedings in respect of any infringement of copyright. Please note that whilst every effort is made to ensure that any submitted items which you wish returned are sent back in the condition in which they were received, Ulster Tatler Group cannot accept responsibility for any loss or damage. All items submitted are at the owner’s own risk. Manuscripts and photographs/illustrations submitted should be accompanied by a stamped addressed envelope. If possible do not send original or irreplaceable material - to avoid disappointment please send copies only. The Publishers - Ulster Tatler Group - reserve the right to reject any advertisement submitted.

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Ulster Tatler Group, 39 Boucher Road, Belfast, Co. Antrim, BT12 6HR Tel: 028 9066 3311 www.ulstertatler.com info@ulstertatler.com

AN AWARD-WINNING AIRPORT More than 18 million passengers have travelled through Dublin Airport in the first seven months of this year, as the award-winning airport continues to grow its extensive long-haul and shorthaul networks.

This summer, Dublin Airport has flights to 195 destinations in 42 countries, operated by 56 different airlines. Fourteen new routes were launched for the new summer season.

Aer Lingus launched new direct routes to Philadelphia and Seattle, while Air Canada started a new Dublin-Montreal service. The airport also saw two major new services to the east, with Cathay Pacific flying direct to Hong Kong and Hainan Airlines operating a new service to Bejing.

Thanks to the new transatlantic routes and expansions of some existing services, the number of seats to and from North America was up14% over the summer season, with an extra 391,000 seats. Dublin currently has 10 airlines flying 446 flights per week to and from 16 destinations in the US and four destinations in Canada. These 64 flights per day toand from North America provides Dublin Airport passengers with unrivalled choice.

Two new transatlantic routes have already

been announced for next year, as American Airways will operate a daily Dublin-Dallas service next summer and Norwegian will have a service to Hamilton, Ontario in Canada.

There’s also more choice on European

routes, with one million extra seats and new direct destinations such as Dalaman, Marrakesh, Paphos and Zagreb.

Visit www.dublinairport.com for bookings and route information.

NIE NETWORKS: HELPING TO FACILITATE YOUR LOW CARBON FUTURE NIE Networks has been successfully developing the electricity network in Northern Ireland for generations to provide a safe and secure supply to all customers. They are continually working to improve and modernise it to

ensure that it is meeting the needs of the customers of today and tomorrow.

Changes driving the decarbonisation of energy mean that they need to plan for a future with increasing levels of renewable energy, more electric vehicles and more

electric heating systems. They are also seeing growing levels of prosumers – customers who both use and produce electricity in their homes and businesses.

Ian Bailie, Network Development Manager at NIE Networks said: “To meet these requirements we need to change how we plan and manage the electricity network for the future. If the change is managed effectively, this will deliver significant benefits to customers. It will create new opportunities - more intelligent management of the network through active customer participation and for the network to act as a platform for greater deployment of smart energy technologies.”

Ian added: “We would like customer feedback to help us develop plans for the future of energy and identify functions that may require change. This will help us to plan the best possible technical solutions at the lowest cost to customers.”

You can find out more by visiting the website where they have published a Call for Evidence on their plans for the future: www. nienetworks.co.uk/future NIE Networks are keen to hear from as many people as possible. If you would like to hear more, you can join them at their workshop. It is being held at The Crowne Plaza Hotel, Belfast on 14 September 2018 from 9.30am 2.30pm. Contact: carl.hashim@nienetworks.co.uk to register.

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LIFESTYLE

Joanne Harkness

GO WILD FOR ANIMAL PRINT HERBIE FROGG

JAMES LAKELAND

Everyone is going wild for animal print in womenswear for Autumn/ Winter 2018. Brown is the in-trend colour for menswear from deep chocolate to burnt umber.

Chelsea boots, £53, Next.

Pleated skirt, £44, Lipsy.

Shirt, £20, Burton.

Leopard print coat, Katriona.

River Island.

Animal print wrap dress, Wallis.

Animal print detail bag, £36, Next.

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Brown shoes, Jacamo.

This is a very simple light dish from Chris Rees, Head Chef at the River Room Restaurant at Galgorm Resort and Spa. It relies on very good quality produce and uses fresh North Sea halibut, Strangford mussels, local broad beans and purple cauliflower. A loose purée of fennel spiced with a little curry powder adds a richness to the dish and for texture and presentation it’s finished with a piece of crisp seaweed.

lifestyle LIFESTYLE

Dine & Wine

Pan roast halibut with mussels, cauliflower, broad beans and a curry dressing

For the curry purée: Slice the whole bulbs of fennel very thinly and place in a saucepan with half the butter and the curry powder, add a splash of water and simmer until the fennel is very soft and breaks apart, add more liquid if necessary. Once at this stage, add the mixture to a blender and blend until smooth. Check the seasoning and add the juice and zest from the lemon. Pass through a sieve and keep warm.

For the mussels: Clean the mussels with a small knife scraping off any dirt, remove the beards and run under cold water for 5 mins.

Discard any broken or open mussels.

Place a large saucepan on the heat and once the pan is hot add the mussels and the white wine, cover and cook for 4-5 minutes until they open fully. Remove the mussels from the pot and then strain the liquid and return it to a saucepan with the remaining butter. Pick the mussels from their shells and reserve aside.

For the cauliflower and broad beans Place a large pot of water on to boil with a good pinch of salt then start to remove the broad beans from the pods and break the cauliflower into neat florets.

When the water begins to boil add the beans and cook for 30 seconds.

Remove the beans from the smaller shells.

Add the cauliflower to the water ensuring there is only just enough water to cover the florets (this helps keep the colour) and once cooked dress with a little seasoning and olive oil. Again, keep these aside.

To assemble the dish Lay the washed pieces of seaweed out on a well-oiled tray and dry in a low oven until crisp.

Place the fillets of halibut in a hot pan with a little oil and cook until lightly golden (it’s best to cook this fish around 70°C on one side), remove the pan from the heat and turn the fish allowing to rest in the warm pan, it should still be firm in the middle and slightly undercooked.

While the fish is cooking, heat up the saucepan with the mussel stock and butter, add the broad beans and cauliflower and warm through. Place a few spoonfuls of the hot mixture into the centre of a bowl and lay the fish on top.

Using a small squeeze bottle, lay the curry purée around the outside.

Finish with the crisp seaweed on top.

This dish can be served with boiled or crushed new potatoes.

Ingredients (serves 4) 1kg fresh halibut fillet (or any other meaty white fish) 450g mussels (in shell) 200ml white wine 200g butter 3 bulbs fennel 80g curry

powder 1 lemon 200g broad beans 1 large purple cauliflower (or any colour) Few pieces of seaweed (from a deli or Asian supermarket) Olive oil and salt

Need the perfect pairing?

Drinking good wine with good food is one of life’s great pleasures. The River Room Restaurant’s resident wine expert, Andrea Mola, recommends the perfect wine to accompany Head Chef Chris Rees’ delicious light dish.

RESERVE NO1 CHENIN BLANC UNWOODED 2014 SOUTH AFRICA Vineyards are situated in the prime Paarl region with varying climatic zones from where grapes are hand selected for the Reserve No1 Chenin Blanc.

Cool breezes from the nearby Atlantic Ocean from the early afternoon result in cool night temperatures of 15-17 degrees Celsius. Moderate temperature differences allows vines to rest during the night. This combined with the hardy soil type leads to

robust ripe fruit flavours.

Colour-wise this wine is deep, bright gold.

It has a super attractive nose with waves of tropical fruits, citrus and honeysuckle backing and is rich and full in the mouth with deep flavours and crisp acidity. With guava, granadilla and some mango with lots of citrus, the flavour seem to be endless as with everlasting finish.

Perfect to stand against the curry element

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of the dish.

This Chenin Blanc shows an exceptional expression of the Chenin Blanc variety. The perfect balance between the prominent litchi fruit and the depth of guava flavours on the palate. The ‘sur lie’ extended lees contact period (referring to the aging of the wine and translating to ‘ageing on the lees’), add complexity and a creamy, textured mouth-feel to the wine.

COLUMnIST

Jim Fitzpatrick, Journalist and Broadcaster

The rapid pace of change Slow down or speed up?

It’s about managing change.

I

t’s more than thirty years old, and it was a very corny movie. But some of the lines from Top Gun still stick stubbornly in the memory.

“I feel the need… The need for speed!” is one of the most quoted exchanges in movie history.

And in some ways the world has been accelerating, getting faster and faster in so many ways since those words were first uttered back in 1986.

Within three years the Berlin wall was down and as communism collapsed a new Europe and a new world order began to emerge.

Except, as we now know looking back in 2018, there wasn’t much order to it.

Beyond the political changes, horrors of war, environmental concern and a new terrorist threat, we’ve seen economic change that shows no sign of abating.

We love our new smartphones, on-demand television, and instant service economy. But there isn’t a day that passes without some scary headline about political calamity, high street devastation, a collapse in educational standards, low wage stagnation, or robots stealing all the jobs.

The future is bright, but also blinding.

It leaves many, including those struggling in businesses big and small to manage all this change, feeling the opposite of what Maverick and Goose sought in Top Gun: they want things to slow down just a little so that everyone can draw breath.

It’s like our systems – government, business and even biological – can’t quite catch up with the pace of technological change.

But they’ve no choice and the primary challenge for government is to find ways to

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ensure a free market economy can continue to serve its citizens with appropriate regulations, laws and taxes that maintain some kind of equilibrium.

The big problem is that government and democracy isn’t designed to be nimble. In the face of rapid change it can often look slow and ill-equipped which may be part of the reason why we see a move in many countries towards populist movements offering quick and easy solutions to complex problems.

But despite the current chaos, there are signs that politicians and governments are beginning to grasp the need to respond more effectively to the rapidly evolving global economy of the 21st century.

We’ve seen the Chancellor talk about new ways to tax the online retailers to protect the High Street and the Leader of the Opposition suggest new ways of taking online content platform like Facebook and Google to fund independent journalism.

But a more system approach to the problems of concentrated power will inevitably involve international co-operation on trade, tax and regulations. It will probably mean big battles between governments and some global corporations. If successful, it will begin to even the playing field and some form of equilibrium will return.

We may, occasionally, feel the need to slow things down. But the world won’t stop spinning. We’ve just got to try and ensure that everyone can enjoy the ride.

VIRTUALOSO Martin Cowie Private Business NI and confidante

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