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Are you hiring the right candidates?
DAVY UK FLAGSHIP EVENT Davy UK were delighted to host its flagship event on 24th January 2020 in The Merchant Hotel. A panel of speakers from Davy including Donough Kilmurray, Chief Investment Officer, Andrew Campbell, Managing Director at Davy UK, and Angela McGowan, Director of CBI (Confederation of British Industry) discussed the economic and political outlook for 2020 and sketched out some key factors that might influence the economic growth of Northern Ireland in light of the Brexit uncertainty. The feedback received from the attendees has been excellent.
Visit www.davyUK.co.uk
HONEYCOMB’S LOUISE QUINN RESPONSIBLE FOR STRATEGIC APPOINTMENTS
Due to the surge in growth within the Business Support sector, Honeycomb has seen the need for a dedicated experienced consultant to look over specialist senior roles that often require strategic appointments for organisations anything from a SME to Multinational businesses.
Louise Quinn, who has worked within recruitment for the last 15 years is the Professional Services Team Manager and is responsible for Specialist Senior Appointments within Honeycomb. Louise Quinn, Professional Services Manager.
If you are looking for your next strategic appointment, contact Louise on 028 9620 7050 to guide you with expert advice and market trends.
4 LAUNCHES NEW DIVISION 4c Executive, Northern Ireland’s leading provider of true executive search services, recently launched an exciting new division, 7twenty Professional Search, at its ‘Building Winning Teams’ event at The MAC in Belfast.
Compered by the BBC’s Holly Hamilton, speakers at the event included Ulster Rugby’s CEO Jonny Petrie, and Bryn Cunningham, Head of Rugby Operations and Recruitment alongside 4c Executive’s Managing Director, Gordon Carson and Gareth Hanna, Head of Search for 7twenty.
“The launch of 7twenty stems very much from significant client demand from 4c’s clients over the past six years,” explained Gordon Carson. “Whilst 4c concentrates on filling senior-level, business-critical roles through a methodical executive search process, 7twenty will focus exclusively on finding the best available talent to fill middlemanagement level roles in the core business services through search and advertised selection.”
Jonny Petrie, who was, himself, placed in his role as CEO at Ulster Rugby a process supported by 4c Executive in December 2018, said: “We have already completed a successful assignment with 7twenty to fill a middle-management role at Ulster Rugby. The launch of this new division for 4c has been very timely for us in helping to ensure that we have the right people in the right place.”
To get in touch with a search consultant at 7twenty, contact us confidentially on +44 (0) 28 9033 2243 or visit our website at 7twentysearch.com.
PASSENGER NUMBERS UP AT DUBLIN AIRPORT
Dublin Airport welcomed a total of 32.9 million passengers during 2019, setting a new record for traffic at the airport. About 30.7 million people started and ended their journey at Dublin Airport last year, while almost 2.2 million passengers used the airport as a hub.
Passenger numbers were up 4% during the year, as a stronger first half performance gave way to more modest growth in the later part of the year. An additional 1.4 million passengers passed through the airport during 2019.
“Dublin Airport had its ninth consecutive year of passenger growth in 2019 and this has had a hugely positive impact on the entire Irish economy,” said Dublin Airport Managing Director Vincent Harrison. A new study has found that Dublin Airport supports or facilitates almost 130,000 jobs in the Republic of Ireland and contributes a total of €9.8 billion in Gross Value Added (GVA) to the Irish economy. “The connectivity provided by Dublin Airport is essential, as the Irish economy is one of the most open in the world,” according to Mr Harrison. “Our economy depends on trade, exports, inbound tourism and foreign direct investment and Dublin Airport is delighted to be able to facilitate these key sectors.”
This year, Dublin Airport will welcome 12 new routes. New long-haul services for summer 2020 include Shanghai via Helsinki with Juneyao Air and San Francisco with United Airlines. New short-haul destinations include Cairo with EgyptAir, Marseille with Ryanair, Rhodes with Aer Lingus, and Tel Aviv with El Al.
Dublin Airport has flights to more than190 destinations in 42 countries operated by almost 50 airlines. It is the tenth largest airport in the European Union.
For more information visit www.dublinairport.com
NEW APPOINTMENT ADDS SPECIALIST EXPERTISE TO CLEAVER FULTON RANKIN’S PRIVATE CLIENT TEAM
Cleaver Fulton Rankin has added to the specialist expertise of its Private Client team with the appointment of Associate Director, Brid McColgan. This senior appointment will add a wealth of experience and expertise to develop the team’s offering in private client matters.
The team, led by Director, Michael Graham, is recognised as one of the largest specialist Private Client teams in Northern Ireland, consistently recognised in UK Legal Directories, Chambers and The Legal 500 as a leading practice. The Private Client team provide high quality specialist advice on wills & estates, trusts & tax planning, elderly clients & capacity, residential conveyancing, and family & matrimonial matters.
Brid McColgan joins the firm after previously working for over 10 years at a large commercial law firm in Northern Ireland in their private client department. Brid has over 16 years’ experience in private client matters, specialising in the drafting of wills and the administration of estates as well as matters relating to capacity, including Enduring Powers of Attorney and other applications to the Office of Care and Protection.
Brid will also add to the team’s expertise as a full member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP). Directors, Michael Graham and Timothy Rankin, and Associate Solicitor, Paula Gibson are all full members of STEP. The STEP accreditation is a specialist certification, allowing practitioners to demonstrate knowledge of current issues affecting trusts and estates, whilst also providing assurance to clients that they are highly qualified trust and estate practitioners and trusted advisors.
The appointment of Brid, comes shortly after Associate Director, Timothy Rankin was promoted to Director-level, which further illustrates the investment Cleaver Fulton Rankin has made to its senior team. Timothy’s promotion recognises his significant experience, expertise and achievements within the firm and Private Client team.
Michael Graham, Head of Private Client at Cleaver Fulton Rankin commented;
“The appointment of Brid will complement our existing private client offering, as we continue to provide high quality legal advice on high value and complex private client matters.
Due to Brid’s wealth of experience in private client matters, she will add to the strength and depth of our team, and I look forward to working alongside her going forward.”
Our Private Client team offers practical advice and sound guidance on all personal legal matters. Should you wish to make an appointment or speak to us, please contact Michael Graham on 028 9024 3141.
SIMPLE CONNECTIONS, BETTER RETURN
The new ‘BuySupplyNI’ portal – aimed at simplifying the process of connecting manufacturing companies to potential suppliers in Northern Ireland – was recently launched at the NI Manufacturing & Supply Expo.
Developed by companies on Mid and East Antrim Borough Council’s (MEABC) Manufacturing Task Force (MTF), the NI-wide portal will benefit both buyers and suppliers. For Buyers the benefits include reduced costs of sourcing materials and components and reduced lead times for delivery. For Suppliers, the benefits include the potential to increase sales and open direct lines of communication with buyers.
Anne Donaghy, Chief Executive of MEABC, explained: “Responding to a clear need identified by our MTF, this innovative portal will increase the nimbleness and responsiveness of procurement through the easy identification of local suppliers. This is just one of a number of excellent MTF-led initiatives to be developed in recent months.”
Visit www.buysupplyni.com
CELEBRATING MICROSOFT’S POWER PLATFORM IN A WORLD OF DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
Microsoft have recently been positioned as a leader in the Gartner 2020 Magic Quadrant for Analytics and Business Intelligence Platforms (source: Gartner (February 2020).
Visualise how your business is performing and drive smarter decisions for promoting growth and sales by harnessing the power of Microsoft Power BI. Turn those insights into actions by using Microsoft Power Apps and Microsoft Power Automate to create business applications and automate workflows.
Then take the next step in the digital transformation journey with Microsoft Power Virtual Agents to create chatbots that resolve customer issues quickly.
To find out more about how the Microsoft Power Platform can help your business, visit https //www.endeavour-is.com/microsoft-power-platform and arrange a free visit from our data experts to discuss how you can release the power of your data.
DISCOVER CORPORATE OPPORTUNITIES ACROSS ODYSSEY
Odyssey is a unique entertainment and education venue sited at Queen’s Quay Belfast, comprising of The SSE Arena, Belfast; W5 Science & Discovery Centre; The Stena Line Belfast Giants and The Odyssey Carpark. As part of the Landmark Millennium Project for Northern Ireland, they first opened their doors in December 2000. Since then, they’ve hosted thousands of memorable concerts by international artists, state of the art exhibitions and thrilling sporting events.
Welcoming over a million visitors per year, Odyssey is one of Northern Ireland’s most iconic venues. Offering a diverse range of stunning event spaces and incomparable sponsorship and hospitality opportunities, their award-winning venue in the heart of the capital has everything you need.
Located in Belfast’s thriving Titanic Quarter, Odyssey is just a short walk away from the city centre, 10 minutes away from George Best City airport and adjacent to major bus and rail links. The Odyssey Car Park, serving the entire development, contains a total of 1500 parking spaces across the front, rear and overflow car parks.
Their experienced events team can create bespoke venue/room hire and hospitality packages to suit your event requirements.
www.odyssey-corporate.com
IS YOUR BUSINESS PROTECTED?
Davison Lamont are Northern Ireland’s premier commercial insurance consultants, providing bespoke insurance solutions across all industries. Trading for 10 years and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, Davison Lamont has a wealth of expertise and extensive knowledge of the UK insurance market.
Taking the time to understand your business and all potential risks allows Davison Lamont to provide tailored insurance requirements to meet evolving operational needs.
Brian Davison stated: “We are not insurance brokers, intermediaries or appointed agents, therefore our experience and partiality allows us to provide a unique and bespoke annual insurance procurement service resulting in the confidence that the correct cover has been placed at the best possible price.”
From a fleet of one to a fleet of many
We understand that vehicle management is not your core business and can be both time consuming and costly. Our Fleet Management solutions are designed to remove the administrative burden while keeping you in control, saving you both time and money.
Contract Hire & Vehicle Funding • Fleet Breakdown • Accident Aftercare • Fleet Management • Driver Assistance App
NEW A PPOINTMENTS IN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY
MARK MCBRIEN
Financial Director at Douglas and Grahame
NEIL HUGHES
Associate Director, People and Change Consulting, at Grant Thorton
PETER GAMBLE
Finance & Assurance Executive at Northern Ireland Chamber of
Commerce and Industry
PETER GIBSON
Finance Director at Hastings Hotels
STEPHEN MASTERSON
Solicitor in the Planning and Environmental department at
Cleaver Fulton Rankin
CORRIGAN TOMAS
Litigation and Dispute Resolution Associate at Arthur Cox
JAMIE CAIRNDUFF
Investment Analyst at Whiterock Finance
KRISTINA CUNNINGHAM
Litigation and Dispute Resolution Associate at Arthur Cox
Total Recruitment Solutions At PRL Recruitment we have been identifying and introducing exceptional talent since 1973
Business in the Community Northern Ireland (BITCNI), the responsible business network, has appointed Translink Group Chief Executive Chris Conway as its new Chair.
Chris brings the benefit of extensive international business experience and a passion for tackling climate change and reducing carbon footprint to the role.
Pictured are Kieran Harding, Managing Director of Business in the Community NI, and Chris Conway, Group Chief Executive, Translink and New Business in the Community NI Chair.
TRANSLINK GROUP CHIEF EXECUTIVE APPOINTED NEW CHAIR OF BUSINESS IN THE COMMUNITY NORTHERN IRELAND (BITCNI)
ARE YOU HIRING THE RIGHT CANDIDATES?
The process of hiring new staff can be a time-consuming task. This can be made worse, if after a few weeks in the job, what you thought was the ideal candidate turns out to be less experienced than you first thought and not the right fit for the position. So how can you avoid this happening?
1. Step outside of the box
When it comes to interviews, think beyond the normal question-answer format. Perhaps you could put their practical skills to the test by giving them a task to complete that would replicate what they would be doing in their new role.
2. Get a second opinion
The rest of your team and employees will have to work with the new candidate, so it would be good to get their opinion on who they think would be the right candidate for the job. They could advise you on the skills and traits they think would be best suited to the role or they could be present in the interview stages to ask specific job role related questions.
3. Go beyond the boardroom
For a lot of employers, part of the interview process can involve taking the candidate out for coffee or lunch. By doing this they can get a feel for the candidate’s personality, allowing you to see if they will connect with the team, which can be just as important as having the right skills.
4. Mix it up
The majority of candidates will have practised the usual interview-style questions until they can recite it like a script; where do you see yourself in five years time? How can you work as part of a team? To avoid the same repetitive questions, it is a good idea to add in a curveball. For example, if it is for a sales position, you could ask them to sell you their pen. This might catch people off guard, but the right candidate will be able to think on their feet and improvise.
At PRL Recruitment, we deal with many of the top companies across the island of Ireland across every sector, which provides us with a unique knowledge of what companies are looking for in a candidate. If you would like to find our more, please email Glenn McCormick; glenn.mccormick@prl.uk.com
www.prlrecruitment.com
Belfast Office: +44 28 9077 0999 Dublin Office: +353 1 668 5144
