Ambition Issue 41 (September 2020)

AMBITION MAGAZINE OF NORTHERN IRELAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

ISSUE 41 £2.95

TESTING TIMES

CIPR PRIDE AWARDS 2017 - BEST PUBLICATION

SEPTEMBER 2020

How Fortress Diagnostics has responded to the COVID-19 challenge

PAGE9.indd 1

24/08/2020 11:56

BAR AND RESTAURANT HOP ON OVER TODAY rabbithotel.com

PAGE9.indd 1

24/08/2020 11:54

A unique position Local knowledge with global reach Lawyers offering domestic legal excellence and a truly international reach, providing the legal guidance you need in a fast-moving commercial world.

Our outstanding connectivity with 68 offices worldwide (including 8 across the US and 11 in the UK) and full service coverage on the island of Ireland, enables our Belfast team to advise local clients from a unique perspective.

We don’t just give advice: we solve problems, we help you manage risks, we open up opportunities and deliver outcomes that save you time and money.

Find out how our legal team – now in Montgomery House, 31 Montgomery Street, Belfast, (+44 (0)28 9526 2000) – can support your growth and development ambitions, wherever you want to be.

Peter Curran Partner, Commercial +44 28 9526 2000 petercurran@eversheds-sutherland.ie

Matthew Howse Partner, Dispute Resolution & Litigation +44 28 9568 2040 matthewhowse@eversheds-sutherland.ie

Lisa Bryson Partner, Employment & Immigration +44 28 9568 2020 lisabryson@eversheds-sutherland.ie

Gareth Planck Partner, Real Estate +44 28 9526 2060 garethplanck@eversheds-sutherland.ie

eversheds-sutherland.ie

September 2020 Issue 41

Contents

NI CHAMBER COMMUNICATIONS PARTNER

46

The Key to Success Aine O’Hare, the newest partner at PwC in Belfast, on her path to the top.

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

NI CHAMBER PATRONS

2

PAGE2-3.indd 2

14/08/2020 14:59

At a Glance

News: 06 Investment and New Jobs at

Mackle Petfoods Columnists: 10 Kate Marshall 16 Paul Murnaghan 22 Claire Clerkin 24 Maybeth Shaw 40 Jonie Graham 44 John Campbell 56 Professor Mark Durkin 89 Paul Stephens 90 Brendan Drain 96 Jim Fitzpatrick Chamber Chief: 25 CEO Update 26 Membership Benefits 28 NI Chamber Welcomes New

Board Members 30 The Latest Quarterly

Economic Survey 32 NI Chamber Events

Together 58 The Future of Fibre 64 Investing in the Best 67 Civica Delivers Employee App 68 Work to be Done 70 Cool Runnings 72 Safety First 74 Diversity and Inclusion Makes

Sound Business Sense 78 The Office Agenda

12

Appointments: 77 The Latest Appointments in the

Business Community

52

Lifestyle: 82 Business Class Motoring James Stinson 92 Dine & Wine - Chris Rees

and Andrea Mola 94 Fashion: Stripe Dreams Joanne Harkness

58 18 Cover Story AMBITION MAGAZINE OF NORTHERN IRELAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

SEPTEMBER 2020

ISSUE 41 £2.95

74 TESTING TIMES

CIPR PRIDE AWARDS 2017 - BEST PUBLICATION

Features: 12 The Land of Opportunity 34 My Ambition 36 Part of Something Bigger 38 Climbing the Ladder Out

of Lockdown 42 The Property Market’s

Tentative Recovery 46 The Key to Success 50 Navigating Landlord and Tenant

Lease Options During COVID-19 52 Shaping the Future Workforce

How Fortress Diagnostics has responded to the COVID-19 challenge

78

3

PAGE2-3.indd 3

14/08/2020 15:00

EDITORIAL

President’s Perspective

Acting Now Could Mitigate Against Damage to Businesses

T

he latest labour market figures published by NISRA in August revealed a concerning decline in the number of employees on payrolls, with almost 2,000 proposed redundancies in July, following a record high of 2,500 in

June.

There is no doubt that these alarming figures provide further evidence of the damage being done to the labour market by the Coronavirus pandemic and highlight how important it is for new training and reskilling programmes be put in place for the people affected. The furlough scheme has been successful in preserving thousands of jobs here, but recently just over half of our members told us that they will be reducing staff numbers post COVID-19. This comes as businesses continue to face increased costs, reduced demand and diminished cash reserves meaning unemployment is likely to surge, especially as the furlough scheme winds down – unless action is taken.

There is still such a lot of uncertainty for businesses at the moment, both with the pandemic and also with Brexit looming, that unless some effective support package is put in place, these figures will get a lot worse. Acting now could mitigate against some of the inevitable damage that all of this has caused – and will cause – going forward.

In addition to the fall-out from COVID-19, businesses are also concerned about the impact of Brexit. The Trader Support Service (TSS), announced by the UK government during Michael Gove’s recent visit to Northern Ireland, has been met with a warm welcome from businesses, as a free service for any company who would like to bring in goods from Great Britain or the rest of the world. There is however more to be done including resolving SPS issues, VAT and legislating to protect Northern Ireland’s position in the UK’s internal market. Also, although there may be no cost in terms of money for firms, it will still cost them significantly in terms of time – filling in paperwork and providing instructions to intermediaries for example.

At NI Chamber, the team facilitates trade documentation and provides customs training, and we are concerned, from a practical perspective, how companies will be able to deal with the preparation involved in the timeline now available. What the UK government is proposing is a challenge and completing it in a few months is an even bigger challenge, particularly as HMRC haven’t widely tested the IT system that they’re proposing to use.

As companies continue to face an extremely challenging business environment, with so many Brexit uncertainties remaining, businesses urgently need further support from government along with answers to

all of their questions. Government must urgently provide this and with practical considerations, not politics, at the heart of any future policy.

Ian Henry President Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry

making workspaces work

CONTACT US FOR YOUR HOME OFFICE FURNITURE

028 9070 1080

|

think@1080.co.uk

1080 IS PART OF THE ALPHA GROUP

|

@AlphaGrpOffice

www.1080.co.uk The Alpha Group

4

PAGE4.indd 2

14/08/2020 12:10

AC T I V E LY, P R AC T I CA LLY, W E ’ LL H E LP YO U T H R I V E AG A I N These last few months have affected us all in many different ways.

But we’re here to reignite your plans – with expert advice and support, to help you look forward again with confidence.

CBCF THRIVE AGAIN Ambition ad A4+5mm 8-2020.indd 1

05/08/2020 13:05:47

NEWS

OKTO’S BREATH OF FRESH AIR Lisburn-based Smart Building Specialists, OKTO Technologies, has launched a new ‘wellness’ division - OKTOair – to eradicate the problem of indoor air contamination, kill harmful airborne viruses, and revolutionise Building Management Systems in some of the world’s most luxurious homes, offices and hotels.

OKTOair’s new suite of Wellness technologies will reassure occupants that the air they breathe is of optimum quality and free from dangerous contaminants and natural allergens/pollens.

Philip Dowds, MD of OKTO Technologies, commented: “The launch has been fast-tracked because of COVID-19. Never has the public need been more focused on feeling safe and protected in the home or work environment. OKTOair elevates our Smart Buildings Technologies ethos to a new level by creating living spaces which enable occupiers to thrive and flourish.

In the midst of the most densely populated and polluted city centres, where property prices are at a premium, our solutions offer optimum control, comfort, health, wellbeing and ultimately, peace of mind.”

WHITE’S OATS SECURES £500K DEAL WITH OCADO

£5M INVESTMENT AND OVER 30 NEW JOBS AT DUNGANNON BASED MACKLE PETFOODS

Pictured (L-R) is John Mackle, Managing Director, Mackle Petfoods with Kevin Holland, CEO, Invest NI.

Dungannon based petfood manufacturer, Mackle Petfoods is investing £5.7million and creating 31 new jobs in a major expansion plan in efforts to double its turnover.

The successful SME is well known across Europe for its Naturo range.

Over the last three years, the company has established distribution partners in Portugal, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Czech Republic, Poland, Lithuania, Croatia, and Greece.

To support this new project, Invest NI has offered £599,000 towards the new jobs and the purchasing of new equipment.

TOBERMORE INCREASES PRODUCTION CAPACITY TO MEET SURGE IN DEMAND

Porridge and oat cereal brand, White’s Oats, has secured a new trading partnership with the world’s largest dedicated online grocery retailer Ocado. The new contract will see White’s range of porridge oats and granolas available immediately on Ocado’s online platform.

GRANT THORNTON’S NEW DIGITAL SERVICE Grant Thornton has expanded with the addition of a new Digital Transformation service aimed at helping businesses grow by harnessing technological solutions.

Headed by newly appointed Technology Partner Trevor Dunne, the practice will work across Grant Thornton’s growing client base identifying opportunities to develop digital strategies and operating models and to successfully implement game-changing technology.

Tobermore Managing Director David Henderson.

Paving and walling manufacturer, Tobermore, has invested £10million in expanding their manufacturing facilities. The company is ramping up production in response to a surge in market demand for their hard landscaping products.

Construction of Tobermore’s new multi-million pound factory is currently underway with project completion scheduled for the end of the year. The new plant will have a gross internal floor area (GIFA) of 4416m2 and is expected to create dozens of local jobs from many departments including production, despatch and haulage, sales and administration.

The 1-acre expansion to Tobermore’s Headquarters brings the total site area to over 50 acres. The new factory will be Tobermore’s fourth block paving manufacturing facility which is expected to increase production capacity by over 30%.

6

PAGE6.indd 2

17/08/2020 09:21

NEWS

Brendan Monaghan, Chief Executive of Neueda; Kevin Holland, Chief Executive of Invest NI; Minister Diane Dodds and Paddy O’Hagan, Chief Operating Officer at Neueda.

NEUEDA TO EXPAND IN BELFAST WITH 230 NEW JOBS Belfast based digital solutions company, Neueda, has announced that it is to create 230 jobs as part of a £20million investment.

Neueda develops a range of software solutions for its public, private sector and Capital Markets clients globally. It has experienced major revenue growth year on year and has previously made it on to the Deloitte Technology Fast 50 list.

Announcing the major investment, Economy Minister Diane Dodds said: “Neueda is a Northern Ireland company to be proud of. It was established in Belfast in 2006 and has grown exponentially since then. This current expansion is a renewed commitment to its Belfast headquarters and sends out a clear and unequivocal message that Northern Ireland is very much open for business.

“The jobs will be created in a sector which our economic recovery plan has identified as an area where Northern Ireland can lead. The digital sector currently underpins many other sectors and has the potential to grow rapidly providing more and better paid jobs.

“These jobs will contribute over £10million in additional annual salaries to the local economy. I would like to commend Neueda on taking further steps to grow its business in such challenging times and I wish it every success for the future.”

Invest Northern Ireland has been working in partnership with Neueda for eight years and has offered advice and expertise to help it grow to scale. This new offer of £2.2million will support the creation of 230 jobs, which will include software engineers, Digital Transformation professionals and cloud

solution experts, as well as increased sales capabilities.

COO of Neueda, Paddy O’Hagan, said: “We continue to be impressed by our local talent and as we expand our Belfast team we are keen to showcase Neueda’s expertise to the world and enhance and expand our portfolio of products and services. Invest NI’s support has been instrumental in our journey so far, without it we wouldn’t have been able to scale up at the pace we have.

“Our vision is to significantly grow our customer base outside Northern Ireland and this investment will give us the resources we need to achieve this ambitious growth strategy. We hope to drive sales in the US, GB, mainland Europe and eventually into Asian markets where we see an abundance of opportunities for our services.”

To accommodate its expansion plans, the company moved to new premises in Lanyon Towers in late 2019. Currently, its staff are working from home at full capacity delivering for its clients.

Congratulating the company, Invest NI’s CEO, Kevin Holland, said: “With a first class management team and a clear vision for the future, Neueda is an excellent example of how a local company with the drive, strategy and ambition to grow, can become a well-known leader in its field. We first began working with Neueda in 2012 when it employed just nine people. Now, helped by our support, ongoing advice and its participation in our Scaling Programme, the company is announcing another large expansion taking its employment to over 450.

“We are keen to showcase Neueda’s expertise to the world and enhance and expand our portfolio of products and services.”

“This latest expansion comes just three years after a £12million investment in 2017, which we also supported, and I am confident Neueda will continue to grow further. The company’s continued ambition and focus on external markets is exactly what we are looking to foster through our Scaling Programme. Its success is a great example of what this targeted support can help a company achieve – turning a once SME into a large-scale home-grown business.”

8

PAGE8.indd 2

14/08/2020 15:03

Now that you're back to business, let us do our thing so you can do yours EMPLOYMENT LAW

Unlimited 24-7 Advice

HR Support

Contracts & Documentation

Lay-offs & Redundancy

HEALTH & SAFETY

Tribunal Representation

HR Software

Risk Assessments

Dismissal & Discrimination Claims

Furlough & Redundancy Navigator

COVID-19 Risk Assessments

Let’s talk about growing your business

0800 917 0771 peninsula-ni.com

PAGE9.indd 1

13/08/2020 15:19

Columnist Kate Marshall, Speaker, Coach, Author

Adversity – The Game Changer Kate Marshall, speaker, coach and author discusses how businesses can adapt in the face of adversity.

• • • • •

N

ecessity is the mother of change and we have had a speed course in managing in crisis that has driven extraordinary change in both our business and personal lives and whist COVID-19 still stands in our way, we have learnt and adapt to use it for the better.

Businesses up and down the country have done us proud despite the fact that they have been far from immune from the economic effects of the pandemic and while we have been taking small steps towards economic recovery, we cannot miss the growing unemployment numbers and fear that we may have a second wave. Maintaining motivation and innovation in the face of adversity isn’t easy.

One of the sources I look to for motivation is Marcus Aurelius – I have quoted his work and words many times in my talks and in my writing. He was the last of the so-called “five good emperors”.

Marcus Aurelius kept the Roman Empire safe from the Parthians and Germans between the years 161-180 CE. One of the most respected Roman emperors, he is best remembered for his rule driven by reason and his intellectual interest in Stoicism – a philosophy of personal ethics informed by its system of logic.

He reminds us we have power over our mind – not outside events.

“Dwell on the beauty of life.” “The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.” “Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact.” “Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one”.

How can we reflect on this as we continue to lead our businesses through this adversity and these still turbulent times?

The leadership shadow you cast over your organisation has never been of greater importance. Your level of personal motivation really matters. Leaders cast a long shadow: what they say and do has a very large impact. People look up to leaders and because there is a human desire to belong and feel valued, they start copying them.

After a while, organisations tend to become the shadow of their leader. The leader’s influence is far reaching and will set the levels of motivation and ability to think creatively and innovate. In short, YOUR MOOD BECOMES THEIR MOOD. Here are some questions to ask yourself.

• How has your mood changed since mid-March?

What have you noticed about the mood of others around you?

Where has your focus gone?

What has happened to your need to control?

How visible are you to your team now?

What needs to change now FOR THE BETTER OF YOUR TEAM?

An important part of your Leadership shadow is the narrative around your business. The stories you tell. Words have power, language is the window to your soul. Words can either build up or drag down. What stories are you sharing about your people and how they are working under these challenging circumstances? Are you sharing even the smallest of wins like repeat orders, contracts just won? Are some staff working from home under challenging conditions, trying to juggle young children and work and grasping any hour of the day to get the work done? Are you capturing the great acts of kindness – staff going out of their way to deliver exceptional service in difficult circumstances? The stories we tell now are a reflection of your current leadership shadow.

• •

•

•

•

•

Who are your organisational heroes?

How have you lifted them up and shared stories of their actions and results?

Are you capturing these great stories and encouraging others to do so, to share both internally and externally?

Are you creating a narrative of truths and experiences around your business that helps build motivation and drives creativity?

Is your language and story currently dominated by the opportunity this impediment brings?

Importantly, what is the story you are telling yourself right now about your ability to remain focused, motivated, resilient and leave a positive shadow across your teams?

Great adversity requires great resilience that requires healthy self-talk, selfcare and self-esteem. That brings the ability to not bounce back but to bounce forward. The game changer!

“The stories we tell now are a reflection of your current leadership shadow.”

10

PAGE10.indd 2

14/08/2020 12:14

MEET AT YOUR

SAFE HAVEN

GALGORM.COM

FEATURE

12

PAGE12-14.indd 2

13/08/2020 15:24

The Land of Opportunity Ambition talks to Lidl Logistics Manager, Daniel McCaughley

13

PAGE12-14.indd 3

13/08/2020 15:24

FEATURE

Emma Deighan goes behind the scenes at the Lidl’s distribution centre to talk with frontline worker, Logistics Manager, Daniel McCaughley, about how ramped up activity throughout lockdown continued to drive sales.

W

hen it comes to surpassing expectations in the grocery retail sector, Lidl has been leading the way in recent years. From its cheaper basket shop price, its dedication to sourcing local produce to its strong workplace culture and community spirit, the retailer has made its mark locally.

Daniel McCaughley, logistics manager, who joined the company a few years ago as a bursary student on the retailer’s programme while attending Ulster University, before working part time whilst finishing his degree, is one employee who is very familiar with the retailer’s give back culture.

He has fast-tracked his way to a senior role in the distribution segment of the business and shortly after securing his current position he was plunged into the crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It was hard, yes, but not every day is a pandemic and to have the opportunity to be able to lead and make big decisions during that time has been a great experience,” he begins.

A significant boost in customer demand meant Daniel and his team had to act fast and recruit more staff to cater to shoppers’ needs. 24,000 pallets per week came and went at the Nutts Corner site versus around 15,000 pre-COVID, where 40 new staff were employed for the selections department.

“There were 180 new staff employed during that period and across all areas of Lidl Northern Ireland, they came from a range of backgrounds including hospitality, or we had some furloughed workers make up the extra hours they lost while on furlough,” he continues.

Today Daniel is managing a team of 130 and while pressure has eased, demand is still there.

He adds: “From the end of February until the start of March, things really began to kick off. Our two main priorities were to meet and manage that demand but to do so ensuring the safety of our colleagues.

“Once we put measures in place it became easier and today, yes it has eased a lot more than back in spring, but we are still extremely busy.”

During lockdown, demands “came and went” says Daniel who witnessed the impact of the toilet roll debacle adding, “It was interesting to see those patterns change and they still are but today it has levelled out.”

In a recent Kantar survey, Lidl remained the strongest performing retailer in Northern Ireland, increasing its value sales by 10.3% and lifting its market share to 6.2%.

The growth was driven by shoppers placing more items in their baskets, with trip size up 6.1%, and a rise in pack prices, which grew by 2.6% suggesting that shoppers are trading up in store and choosing more premium options.

It’s as if the world and its neighbour has cottoned onto the brand and its local offering.

Daniel adds: “We’ve flowers coming in from Portadown as well as a growing list of local chilled products. The company has recently invested £20m into our regional distribution centre which shows that they are serious about their growth in Northern Ireland.”

Growth in sales is not the only area the retailer is investing in. Career growth and opportunity is also high up the agenda, to which Daniel is testament.

“I joined Lidl for my placement year. I spent six months in stores and a further six

months in logistics working on everything from general maintenance to managing a team of operatives.

“I studied business management at Queens University and joined the bursary programme which gave me a real rounded perspective of the business.

“I was blessed to have an executive mentor who offered invaluable guidance during that time and here I am today, responsible for the biggest department in the warehouse.

I think that shows how forward thinking the retailer is. When it comes to talent, age is not the priority, it’s about what you can bring to the table.”

Lidl’s Feed Your Mind programme is another initiative that allows those working within the retail sector to enrol on a ‘blended approach’ to learning.

Courses are tailored around the job in question and ensure the graduate leaves a Management Degree Programme (in conjunction with Ulster University and Irish Times Training) armed with all they need to effortlessly excel in the retail sector.

“Initially Lidl was seen as just a German discounter but today it is much more than that and the value the business brings to the economy and people living and working here has been noted. From local producers to the careers of NI people, the impact Lidl is having here is much bigger than ever.”

“We’ve flowers coming in from Portadown as well as a growing list of local chilled products. The company has recently invested £20m into our regional distribution centre which shows that they are serious about their growth in Northern Ireland.”

14

PAGE12-14.indd 4

14/08/2020 12:17

For when things start to pick up.

For when it’s full steam ahead.

For whenever you’re ready.

We are too.

028 9620 7050 honeycomb.jobs For when business recovery needs admin support

Columnist Paul Murnaghan Regional Director for BT’s Enterprise Division in Northern Ireland

The Skills for Tomorrow BT’s Paul Murnaghan looks at maximising the potential of technology for the future.

COVID-19 has had an unprecedented impact on businesses, society and economy and is likely to significantly accelerate the shift to digital and the pace of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

From virtual meetings to automated factories, online orders to drone delivery, digital services are growing in importance, permeating an increasing number of sectors and activities.

Digitally agile firms are adapting to the ongoing crisis more successfully, and others are rapidly upskilling in response to challenges to their business models. The COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly seen many businesses change their business models to adapt to the current situation which could have a beneficial impact on recovery. However, this will not be the case for all and it’s vital that government continues to support and deliver policies to support digital transformation and skills by SMEs. Even before the pandemic, the UK was facing an alarming digital skills gap, which has only been exacerbated by this crisis.

Millions of people and a significant number of businesses lack the essential digital skills they need, which risks widening social divides and already has an estimated £63bn annual impact on the UK’s competitiveness.

Through our Skills for Tomorrow programme we will help 10m people, families and businesses across the UK get the skills they need by 2025. But the task ahead is significant and will require intervention from multiple sectors, organisations and institutions to ensure the skills gap is bridged.

The COVID-19 pandemic will have an accelerating impact on the widespread adoption of digital technologies including IoT, artificial intelligence (AI), 5G and full fibre broadband. Left unchecked, this has the potential to further widen socio-economic inequality, with those underequipped to exploit the new technology being placed at a disadvantage, particularly within the world of work and in accessing public services.

AI technologies will represent the biggest shake-up in a lifetime to the labour market. This will present two high-level priorities for business and policymakers: retraining for people in jobs which will be displaced; and education and skills development for the jobs of the future.

The key challenge is how we can work together through and beyond the COVID-19 crisis to create a more productive economy, tackle climate change and build a healthy and more equal society.

Through initiatives such as Skills for Tomorrow, and by working with others, we are committed to helping the country navigate through this to build a better digital future – one where collaboration and innovation can provide the solutions to the challenges we face and in doing so ensuring that no-one is left behind in the transformation to a digital society.

A

s the UK works together to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s sobering to take a moment to reflect on just how big an impact the crisis has had on both our home and working lives.

BT Group has seen a significant rise in demand on both our fixed and mobile networks, as people stayed at home during the lockdown and millions of people migrated towards working from home. To give some context, in the last week of April alone, BT’s core network transmitted 103.3 Petabytes of data in a single day – the largest total since our records began. When you consider that one Petabyte is the equivalent of 13 years of HD video you’ll really appreciate how much data we have all been consuming.

Our networks have stood up well to this challenge and have been extremely resilient, but the predicament we all find ourselves

“The key challenge is how we can work together through and beyond the COVID-19 crisis to create a more productive economy, tackle climate change and build a healthy and more equal society.” in has prompted questions about what the ‘new normal’ might look like when we emerge from this pandemic.

As part of Northern Ireland and the wider UK’s longer-term economic recovery, it’s important that we collectively engage to explore how digital technologies and innovation can help, both in terms of the actions we need to put in place now, plus the steps we need to take to maximise the potential of technology and deliver a more resilient, green, thriving economy fit for the future.

For more information about BT Skills for Tomorrow visit www. bt.com/skillsfortomorrow

16

PAGE16.indd 2

24/08/2020 12:00

Do you have the Mark of Progress?

www.diversity-mark-ni.co.uk Founding Partners

PAGE17.indd 1

13/08/2020 15:37

FEATURE

Standing Up To The Coronavirus Test 18

PAGE18-20.indd 2

14/08/2020 12:23

Cherith Morris, QC Manager, Dr Rosita Zolnourian and Dr Morteza Afrasiabi from Fortress Diagnostics with Danske Bank’s Aaron Ennis.

19

PAGE18-20.indd 3

14/08/2020 12:23

FEATURE

The team at Antrim-based Fortress Diagnostics talks to Ambition about how the company has responded to the COVID-19 challenge.

T

he past few months have been filled with stories of companies rising to the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic, but for some businesses, the virus itself has created direct opportunities.

One such company is Antrim-based Fortress Diagnostics, a multi-award-winning global provider of in-vitro diagnostics which manufactures an extensive portfolio of clinical diagnostic tests.

Fortress provides over 1,000 highly accurate medical testing solutions to immunology, haematology, clinical chemistry and serological laboratories in hospitals, medical centres, clinics, blood banks and research institutions in 110 international markets.

When COVID-19 came along, the company’s research & development team were quickly able to create testing solutions for the new virus, says chief operating officer Dr Rosita Zolnourian.

“Most businesses were wondering what they were going to do about Covid and the disruption it would cause. We did too. But the nature of our business, providing diagnostic solutions, meant we had an opportunity to react positively to the disease,” she says.

“We collaborate with universities and researchers around the world, including Asia, and so our R&D team was a step ahead when it came to producing a new product for COVID-19 testing.”

Fortress quickly became so inundated with demand for Covid-19 testing products from customers around the world that it hired additional staff and now has 25 people working on its Covid test production line.

“We have probably never been busier.

Demand for our core products is now back to normal but demand for Covid testing remains high. We thought it might be a short term burst but when you look at the news you realise the virus is going to be here for some time, so our three Covid tests are now core products too,” says Dr Zolnourian.

“As people start to return to work screening and testing has become even more important because employers need to make sure they are providing a safe environment. People need assurance. Misdiagnoses can have a big effect on communities, so it is vitally important to us to make sure that accuracy and quality is never sacrificed as the volume increases.”

While Fortress received unprecedented demand, getting products to their distributors in global markets did prove challenging as countries went into lockdown and borders closed.

“The supply chain was quite difficult initially as no flights or ships were going to some destinations, so it was very hard to reach them. Every country wanted to start screening, tracking and tracing and they needed tests. We had the products but we couldn’t ship them because the supply chain was so badly affected,” says Dr Zolnourian.

“One of our Covid testing products needs to be cold stored from point of shipping to point of delivery and although there was large demand, it just wasn’t possible to get it out to people. It has now improved but it’s one of the reasons we developed three types of test, as one of them can be sent at room temperature, so it doesn’t matter if it is delayed.”

EXPANSION PLANS Fortress Diagnostics was on a fast growth trajectory even before COVID-19 arrived.

Founded in 2000 to trade in a small number of testing products, Managing Director Dr Morteza Afrasiabi and Dr Zolnourian took over the business in 2003 with just one other staff member and a vision to become a manufacturer of their own clinical testing solutions.

Today they have a team of 45 who make and supply more than 250 product types and the business completed an extension of its headquarters in Antrim Business Park in February.

The £8m development was part supported by funding from Danske Bank, who Dr Zolnourian says made the company feel valued from the outset.

“If we hadn’t moved in February it would have been impossible for us to achieve what we have. We had outgrown our previous space but the expansion allowed us to have people working in a safe, socially distanced manner,” she explains.

“The team at Danske Bank have always been supportive, they believed in the business and were with us all the way through our growth journey. They saw the business was going somewhere and showed trust in us,

going above and beyond to help us get the building project off the ground.

“We export to over 110 countries so we also have regular interaction with Danske’s locally based Markets team and Trade Finance specialists, who help us reduce the risks involved with trading internationally.”

Aaron Ennis, Head of North Region Business Centre at Danske Bank comments: “Fortress is a really innovative company which at its heart has an ethos and a desire to make a difference. They have responded admirably to the spread of coronavirus and overcome export challenges to make sure the tests they produce are getting into the hands of those who need them, all around the world.

“Danske Bank is pleased to have been able to support the company in its expansion into new facilities at what turned out to be just the right time.”

MAKING A DIFFERENCE While its plan to mark its 20th year in business might have gone out of the window with coronavirus, Fortress believes its three-year plan to grow to 100 staff remains on track.

And for the Fortress management team, growing the business goes hand in hand with developing products in areas of unmet need and helping people in the world’s most vulnerable countries.

“We have a very strong R&D team and our focus is to manufacture a high-quality product that people can afford without having to pay a premium price. This is our USP. We manufacture high quality products and we are flexible. We want everyone in the world to have access to the sort of product we make,” says Dr Zolnourian.

“The UK and Ireland are wealthy nations with access to healthcare and tests, but this is not the same in most of the markets we supply in Africa, the Middle East and Far East.

People there don’t have the same finances so we manufacture tests that anyone can have access to.”

“As people start to return to work screening and testing has become even more important because employers need to make sure they are providing a safe environment.”

20

PAGE18-20.indd 4

14/08/2020 12:23

Whiterock Finance

We invest in the ambitious Neil McCabe

07720 738974 neilmccabe@whiterockcp.co.uk

PAGE21.indd 1

David McCurley

Andrew Gowdy

07720 738973 07712 322250 davidmccurley@whiterockcp.co.uk andrewgowdy@whiterockcp.co.uk

13/08/2020 16:30

Columnist Claire Clerkin, Co-Founder at people development consultancy, Wiser Working

Optimising Our In-Built Defences Wiser Working’s Claire Clerkin discusses why now is the time to prioritise health and wellbeing.

3. Stress management Chronic levels of stress have been proven to dampen the immune system. While we cannot always control the causes of our stress, it is possible to take steps to improve our resilience and mitigate the physical impact of long-term stress and anxiety. Things you can do today to improve your resilience to stress are:

W

ith COVID-19 likely to be a permanent presence for the foreseeable future, now is the time to prioritise individual health and wellbeing to optimise our immune systems.

As a functional nutritionist, I have noticed an increase in ‘health anxiety’ over the last few months. For many the root cause of the fear is the sense of a lack of control – over a virus we can’t see, other people’s behaviours and the unknown in terms of a vaccine.

Working with individuals and groups, I have been focusing on what we do have in our control. It is comforting to know that what we choose to eat and how we manage our lifestyles can have a profound effect on the functioning of our immune systems.

- Prioritise sleep. Aim to get seven-eight hours. Netflix can wait.

- Practice regular stress management habits like reading, time in nature or mindfulness.

- Daily exercise. This can enhance sleep, build your resilience to stress and promote a healthy digestive system. Try and avoid high intensity exercise after 7pm.

4. Nutrients for immune function Research shows that certain vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids play important roles in immunity. Small tweaks to your meals can boost your intake of these nutrients:

Here are my top five tips for optimising our in-built defences. This, together with the right hygiene recommendations, will give us all a better chance of staying healthy and well.

- Oats are a rich source of beta glucans. Have these for breakfast, snack on oat cakes or blend into a smoothie.

1. Nurture your digestive system A healthy gut is pivotal in keeping our immune system operating at peak performance. Research shows that promoting a rich diversity of beneficial bacteria in our large intestine is one of the best things we can do to foster good immunity.

There are two ways we can do this. Firstly, choose foods rich in fibre and ‘prebiotic’ compounds – these feed beneficial bacteria.

They include leeks, garlic, onions, raw asparagus, lentils, chickpeas and Jerusalem artichoke.

Next, regularly consume ‘probiotic’ foods. These are foods that contain live beneficial bacteria. They include natural yoghurt or kefir, fermented vegetables like sauerkraut and drinks like kombucha. Aim to eat a portion of probiotic foods each day.

- Snack on Brazil nuts. These are an excellent source of selenium and are a good source of protein, fibre and healthy fats.

- Pumpkin seeds, black beans, lentils and hemp seeds are a good source of zinc. Add seeds to your porridge or smoothie and boost your soups or salads with lentils or black beans.

- Omega 3 fats helps the body’s response to inflammation. Add oily fish to your meals twice a week – mackerel, sardines and herring are good sources.

- Add a fruit rich in vitamin C each day. Kiwis, grapefruit, oranges and berries are great sources.

5. Minimise sugar and stimulants Caffeine and alcohol interfere with sleep and trigger the stress response – affecting good immune function. Excess sugar negatively impacts the growth of beneficial bacteria, so keep sweet foods to a minimum.

2. Vitamin D This is one of the most important nutrients for immune function, and maintaining healthy levels is vital for supporting the body’s ability to fight infection. Your skin produces vitamin D when it comes into contact with the sun’s rays. It is possible to consume small amounts in fortified foods, oily fish, eggs and mushrooms.

However, the UK Government advice during the COVID-19 pandemic is that everyone should consider taking a daily supplement of 10 micrograms of vitamin D because they might not be getting enough from sunlight if they’re indoors most of the day.

With some small tweaks and a little conscious effort when preparing meals and snacks, there is plenty we can do to take some control over our immune health.

22

PAGE22.indd 2

13/08/2020 15:42

25 years delivering HR solutions

Based in Northern Ireland, People HQ is your headquarters for everything HR. Solve Your HR And Recruitment Needs with People HQ. Offering a full range of HR support for your company.

We offer both ‘pay as you go’ and ‘retained HR’ support options to our clients.

Don’t get left behind.

Book a

FREE

Get all of the human resource support you need in one place. People HQ helps companies across Northern Ireland with first-class HR consultancy and recruitment consultancy.

e: enquiries@peoplehq.co.uk t:

02891 246 000

consultation today

Columnist Maybeth Shaw, Partner, BDO Northern Ireland

Brexit Planning – Now or Never BDO’s Maybeth Shaw looks towards Brexit planning as the deadline fast approaches.

post transition, meaning no tariffs, charges or restrictions on trade between NI and ROI. It is understood that NI businesses will have tariff-free access to both the EU and GB markets with only goods deemed of ‘high-risk’ entering the EU subject to EU customs tariffs. It will fall to the Joint Committee to ascertain which goods would be deemed high-risk.

Another key area for the Joint Committee to consider will be how it determines the destination of a product coming into NI and if it is subject to EU or UK tariffs.

Should a free trade agreement be reached prior to the end of the transition period, clarity will be needed on how this would work under the proposed arrangement for NI and their businesses. It is uncertain whether NI would be included in EU’s trade agreements.

Further information will also come regarding the future VAT system for the UK post transition and how NI will fit into this given its position of remaining in the UK’s customs territory while continuing to apply the EU’s customs rules, tariffs and quotas. The Joint Committee will oversee the application of VAT provisions.

Agreeing a comprehensive trade deal is essential if businesses are to see a seamless transition to supply chains and markets from January 2021. Without this trade deal, Northern Ireland could be looking at significant trade barriers with the rest of the UK, which could result in red tape and possible financial pressures when ‘importing’ goods from other parts of the UK. A good deal is vital for our local business community.

If you would like to discuss anything within this article, please contact Maybeth and her team on 028 9043 9009.

W

ith the deadline looming, calls to extend the Brexit transition period in the face of COVID-19 have been heard from across the UK. Business and political leaders from Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales have all called on the UK Government to offer a reprieve for businesses who have been struggling to deal with the impact of the pandemic.

Despite this call, the UK Government confirmed there will be no extension and as of January 1st, 2021 the UK will officially leave the EU with or without agreed arrangements, including a trade deal.

This leaves a small and narrowing window for businesses to plan for what their operations will look like going into 2021. Regardless of how far down the road businesses are in their preparation for post transition, one thing is for sure – it is now or never.

Evaluating the potential impact Brexit will have on your business could be the difference between success and failure. A wide range of areas will be impacted post transition, including for example, cross border trade, access to skills and workforce, tax, VAT and regulatory compliance.

The welcome announcement of a Trade Support Service from the UK Government will undoubtedly help ease the concerns of many local businesses as to the practicalities of preparing for Brexit. Whilst more detail will be released in September, it is pleasing to see that this service will focus on training, recruitment and IT upgrades for companies in order to increase capacity to make their own customs declarations.

The main issue for local businesses will undoubtedly be around trading post transition, and in particular, on trade between NI and ROI as well as NI and the rest of the UK. Until this point UK based firms have retained access to the Single Market, but this amongst many other things is set to change post transition.

When the transition period ends the Northern Ireland protocol will come into force. This allows NI to follow single market rules for goods adhering to the EU’s customs code. This will mean some new processes and checks for goods entering NI from the rest of the UK. The UK government has confirmed plans to expand infrastructure at Northern Ireland’s ports; how this will look will become clearer in the coming months.

The EU-UK Joint Committee will consider a wide range of trade implications and how these will impact business operations.

The Union Customs Code (UCC) rules will continue to apply in NI

“Evaluating the potential impact Brexit will have on your business could be the difference between success and failure. A wide range of areas will be impacted post transition, including for example, cross border trade, access to skills and workforce, tax, VAT and regulatory compliance.”

24

PAGE24.indd 2

14/08/2020 12:26

UPDATE Chamber Chief’s

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

I

am pleased to begin this update with some positive news, by welcoming two new members to the Board of NI Chamber.

Brendan Gribben from Greenfields Ireland and Cathal Geoghegan of Henderson Foodservice bring a wealth of experience and I am delighted that in their new positions, they will contribute to the strategic direction of this organisation at such a critical time.

I am also very pleased to let you know that since the last Ambition magazine was published, our 2019 Annual Networking Conference and Business Showcase was awarded ‘Event of the Year’ at the Chambers Ireland Annual Business Awards. The event is a magnificent, team effort and one of the biggest in our annual calendar, so we are delighted to have it recognised in this way.

Given current guidance, the way in which we now deliver our events has changed.

However, the quality of delivery and content certainly hasn’t. In June, we delivered the first event from ICC Belfast’s new hybrid studio, which is leading the way in virtual event broadcasting. With the support of Electric Ireland, Leadership LIVE brought world-class thought leadership to members in home offices and workplaces across Northern Ireland. As well as broadcasting some speakers live from the studio, the event also engaged a host of exceptional leaders from across the globe via video link and pre-recording including Kieran Kennedy, O’Neill’s; Laith Dajani, Queen’s University; Margot Slattery, Sodexo Group; and Mark Nevins from Nevins Consulting.

The team is currently developing and finalising a full schedule of activities for August – December. Keep an eye out for the new calendar, which will include an online networking series, In Camera roundtables with Ministers and the continuation of the

CEO Series and Growing Something Brilliant Leadership Series.

In terms of business support, our Learn Grow Excel initiative continues with a range of events covering exporting, boosting productivity and digital transformation.

Customs declarations and sales training courses are also scheduled for throughout the coming months.

Whilst continuing to support members through the challenges of COVID-19, our recent work on Brexit preparedness has also been extensive.

The Northern Ireland Protocol will have an impact on paperwork between GB and NI for the transport of goods. For this reason, we have been working at two levels; firstly at policy level to secure more information for businesses and secondly, at operational level with HMRC to understand the services that they plan to put in place. Since June, we have also been involved in a number of important meetings, including with the Lords EU Committee; the Sinn Féin Executive and with Simon Coveney, Irish Foreign Affairs Minister.

We also had an important meeting with Greg Dyke, Head of UK Internal Market, Delivery & Engagement Branch at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, to discuss how powers in more than 70 policy areas will revert back to the UK Government and the devolved nations, creating the possibility of divergence in these areas. Our concern is that because NI is economically integrated with both GB and ROI/EU, then the more divergence between the UK and EU in the future, the more difficulties there could be for trade to and from Northern Ireland.

We have welcomed the UK government’s recent package of support for traders who

bring in goods from Great Britain or the rest of the world. However, there is still a lot more to be done including resolving SPS issues, VAT and legislating to protect Northern Ireland’s position in the UK’s internal market.

We also continue to engage with the Home Office on migration, providing feedback on the design of migration processes. As part of this work, we also had a constructive meeting with Kevin Foster, Minister of State for Immigration in July.

With so much at stake, summer 2020 has been an incredibly busy time for NI Chamber and the work is far from over.

The next couple of months are set to be crucial for business and the economy, laying foundations for how we trade for years to come. We are here to listen, lobby and practically support all our members, so please stay in touch and make the most of all the help available.

NEW MEMBERS

NEW ESSENTIAL MEMBERS Foyle Foods Chromadex Absolute Organic Wines Ltd * To become a member of NI Chamber join online at www.northernirelandchamber.com or phone the membership team on 02890 244113.

25

PAGE25.indd 1

13/08/2020 15:44

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR MEMBERSHIP 5 WAYS TO USE NI CHAMBER TO HELP YOUR BUSINESS NOW

We’re here to help you and your business. During a time when you need NI Chamber most, all of our core services are fully operational and we want to make sure every member is using them to the fullest.

We have quickly adapted these services so that they are accessible and relevant to business conditions right now.

Find out more about what is available to you below and visit the member section of our website to get started.

1

RAISE YOUR BUSINESS PROFILE

2

INFLUENCE POLICY MAKERS

3

BENEFIT FROM INTERNATIONAL AND BUSINESS SUPPORT

FOR MORE INFORMATION or assistance with making the most of your NI Chamber membership contact membership@northernirelandchamber.com

Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry 40 Linenhall Street

T +44 (0)28 9024 4113 mail@northernirelandchamber.com www.northernirelandchamber.com

Belfast BT2 8BA

W W W. N O R T H E R N I R E L A N D C H A M B E R . C O M

4

ATTEND REMOTE NETWORKING

5

AVAIL OF HR & LEGAL SERVICES

Member News Online

Ambition Weekly

Ambition Magazine

Advertising opportunities

Upload your news and events directly to the NI Chamber website.

Weekly round-up of business news from NI Chamber members, distributed digitally to 12,000 people.

96-page magazine, circulated to 5,000 people. News and features exclusive to NI Chamber members.

Members have the opportunity to directly target over 8,000 individuals from across the business community via a dedicated e-shot service.

Local and National Level

Regular feedback

Direct Access

Our policy asks and wins have helped to mitigate the effects of Coronavirus on the economy and influence the implementation of support mechanisms your business requires.

Keep sharing your experiences and feedback with our team.

The next Quarterly Economic Survey is open for completion in August.

Use your NI Chamber membership to engage with policy makers. Get direct access to Ministers through our ‘In Camera’ series.

Learn Grow Excel

Training

Export Support

Our business support programmes continue to be delivered online. This series is designed to support company growth by capacity building, providing peer learning opportunities and connecting NI businesses.

Suite of up-to-date training across sales skills, customs procedures and export documentation.

NI Chamber’s export documentation service is open.

We also provide Brexit support and events focused on delivering opportunities for collaboration and learning from successful exporters.

NI Chamber LIVE Join the thousands of local business people who are accessing NI Chamber’s event calendar remotely. Connect and learn from other companies at online events including our CEO series, Networking series and sector focused forums.

QUEST All NI Chamber members have access to free HR and legal support through QUEST.

NEWS

NI Chamber Welcomes New Board Members NI Chamber has announced the appointment of two new members to its Board.

Cathal Geoghegan is Managing Director of Henderson Foodservice, part of the Mallusk-based Henderson Group. He joined Hendersons from Mount Charles in 2018, where he had presided over turnover growth of 120 per cent, restructured the senior management team and introduced the business to innovative new revenue streams in the cleaning, security and support services sectors.

Henderson Foodservice is a division of the family-owned Henderson Group of companies, who have been distributing food and grocery-related products to the convenience retail sector for over 100 years.

In 2017, Hendersons celebrated its 50th year in foodservice, continuing to provide products to a wide-range of customers including hotels, restaurants, bars, schools, cafĂŠs and fast food outlets.

28

PAGE28-29.indd 2

13/08/2020 15:46

Ann McGregor (Chief Executive of NI Chamber); Cathal Geoghegan (Managing Director of Henderson Foodservice); Ian Henry (President of NI Chamber) and Brendan Gribben (Managing Director of Greenfields Ireland).

Brendan Gribben is Managing Director of dairy company Greenfields Ireland Ltd. Trading internationally, the company supplies dairy ingredients, specialist milk products and finished dairy products to customers throughout Europe, the Middle East, South America, the Far East and Africa.

The business was established in 1992 and currently has a workforce of 30 people.

Based in Belfast, it also has regional offices in

Nantwich, England and Dubai.

Both will bring a wealth of industry experience to the Board, which already includes representatives from Allstate NI, BT, Danske Bank, Devenish Group, ESB Group, EY, Henry Group, McAvoy Group, Pinsent Masons and Ulster Carpets Group.

to welcome both Brendan and Cathal to the Board of NI Chamber. Their extensive individual experiences will be of enormous benefit as we shape the future strategic direction of our organisation and provide critical support to member companies.�

Announcing their appointments, NI Chamber President Ian Henry said: “We are delighted

29

PAGE28-29.indd 3

13/08/2020 15:46

Immediate impact of COVID-19 much greater than 2008/09 financial crash aftermath The latest Quarterly Economic Survey (QES), published by NI Chamber and BDO, highlights that COVID-19 has precipitated the worst QES performance on record.

The latest Quarterly Economic Survey (QES suggests that the immediate impact of COVID-19 is much greater than the aftermath of the 2008/09 financial crash, with dramatic falls in short term indicators around domestic sales, exports, jobs, cash flow and in longer term indicators around business confidence and investment intentions.

Impact of COVID-19 The fall-out on staffing for members from COVID-19 in just one quarter has been seismic: • 77% have furloughed employees and 12% have made staff redundant.

• In addition, 23% have reduced working hours for staff and a number of businesses mentioned salary reductions, either temporary or permanent.

• 1 in 2 members (52%) highlighted their intention to reduce staff levels post COVID-19 • Almost 1 in 5 (17%) imply that the business might not survive.

The survey also indicates that businesses will introduce new ways of working post COVID: • The biggest change is in the proportion intending to introduce flexible working (62%) but also almost 1 in 4 (23%) intend to reduce office space.

• 30% of businesses believe that they will change the products/services they supply.

Businesses are understandably more negative about future business prospects: • 7 in 10 members (69%) believe that their business prospects will deteriorate over the next 12 months. This figure was just 25% when asked in the Q4 19 survey.

• On a more positive note, there is still a core of members, almost 1 in 4, who believe their business will grow over the coming year.

In terms of the economy, the vast majority of indicators dropped to historic lows, with declines far exceeding those seen at the height of the global financial crisis.

“The services sector suffered particularly badly, with consumer-facing firms most acutely exposed to economic headwinds from the pandemic. The manufacturing sector had a dismal three months, with collapsing demand and major disruption to supply chains weighing on the sector. The unprecedented slump in business cash flow is a key concern as it severely hampers business activity and staff retention.

“Businesses were already concerned about the impact of Brexit on the economy before COVID-19, however the recent pandemic has placed this in an entirely different context – with companies facing a ‘double whammy’ of Brexit and the COVID-19 fall-out, placing a huge challenge on the business community in Northern Ireland.”

She concluded: “Whilst we welcome the formation of the EAG to advise the Economy Minister, NI Chamber believes that Northern Ireland needs a cross sectoral, cross departmental advisory group which develops a strategy similar to the Scottish Government’s ‘Towards a Robust, Resilient Wellbeing Economy for Scotland’ and Scotland’s Fiscal Recovery Plan.”

Ann McGregor, Chief Executive of NI Chamber.

Brexit Watch This quarter NI Chamber’s quarterly Brexit Watch asked members about preparations for Brexit: • 2 in 5 members are currently making preparations for Brexit (44%) while 50% are making no preparations at all.

• COVID-19 has disrupted Brexit planning with 38% of members making fewer preparations to leave the EU while dealing from the fall out of the virus on their business.

Commenting on the findings, Ann McGregor, Chief Executive of NI Chamber, said: “This survey reflects the fall-out of arguably the worst economic and social crisis of our lifetime.

ANALYSIS

BY BRIAN MURPHY, MANAGING PARTNER, BDO NORTHERN IRELAND Brian Murphy, Managing Partner of BDO NI.

There can be no sugar coating that these findings are stark. Stark, but sadly expected. Few individuals or businesses have escaped the impact of COVID-19 and the unprecedented lockdown.

What we must do now is focus on how we adapt to the new way of life and grow the economy. The UK Government and NI Executive have moved quickly to help many businesses survive and be able to reopen. The furlough scheme, which 77% availed of demonstrates that this quick action will have helped save jobs that otherwise would have been lost. It is deeply concerning that 52% of businesses plan to reduce staffing levels; however, without the furlough scheme there is no doubt this number would have been a lot higher.

To date the NI Executive and the Economy Minister have been open, accessible and proven to be willing to listen to business. We need them to keep doing so. We now need the Executive to

30

PAGE30-31.indd 2

13/08/2020 15:47

support local businesses as they innovate, looking to develop new technologies or services to meet the emerging demands – and support the 30% of respondents who are already planning to do this. We need Government to harness our worldclass digital businesses and tech sector and empower them to grow further. The Executive must also move to support new training and reskilling programmes that would allow workforces and businesses to be adaptable and flexible to meet the demands of a new world post COVID-19.

This is going to be needed in the hospitality

sector most of all.

The survey tells us that employers are still recruiting, albeit in smaller numbers.

But 50% of recruiters still face the same issues as pre-COVID, of finding suitable candidates. That is why the Executive must look with urgency to improving the skills and employability of local people.

Businesses also have their role to play; where possible they should support local suppliers, not only to secure the supply chain but also to boost the local economy.

15% of respondents indicated they were planning to do so and as time passes we

would expect this number to increase.

We would also ask that everyone shops locally too, supporting those businesses that remained open and provided for us throughout lockdown.

We don’t yet know what the new reality will be, however, it is encouraging to see from the survey that despite the challenges, four out of five firms expect to remain in business. In order to survive and thrive they need to adapt to the new normal right now and not expect life to return to how it was only a few months ago. The world has changed. Business must meet this change.

31

PAGE30-31.indd 3

13/08/2020 15:47

SOCIAL

NI Chamber Brings World-Class Exemplars to ICC Belfast for Virtual Leadership Event

Ann McGregor (NI Chamber), Kieran Kennedy (O’Neill’s Sportswear), Oonagh O’Reilly (ICC Belfast) and Ian Henry (NI Chamber) pictured on stage at the ICC Belfast.

NI Chamber hosted the inaugural event from ICC Belfast’s new hybrid studio on 25 June.

‘World-Class Leadership Live’ was a new, virtual leadership event created to help Northern Ireland’s business leaders rise to the challenge of emerging and rebuilding from the impact of COVID-19.

Key speakers included Margot Slattery, Global Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at Sodexo Group; Kieran Kennedy, Managing Director of O’Neill’s Sportswear; and Laith Dajani, Executive Director at the William J. Clinton Leadership Institute.

Making use of new technology at ICC Belfast, the event was hosted by BBC Northern Ireland’s Mark Simpson as the event broadcasted contributions live from New York, Lebanon and Dublin.

‘World-Class Leadership Live’ was supported by headline sponsor Electric Ireland and supporting sponsors Queen’s University Belfast and ICC Belfast.

NI Chamber Wins ‘Event of the Year’ Award NI Chamber has been awarded ‘Event of the Year’ for its ‘Annual Networking Conference & Business Showcase’ at the Chambers Ireland Annual Business Awards, sponsored by Zurich.

The Awards seek to recognise the outstanding work of Chambers throughout the country while providing a national platform for Chambers to share and promote how they continue to be active and excel in developing initiatives, events, campaigns and services for members.

Siobhan Kinsella, President of Chambers Ireland said, “It is brilliant that we have this opportunity to celebrate the winners of this year’s Chamber Awards. I am delighted to be able to congratulate Northern Ireland Chamber today for winning the Event of the Year.”

Also congratulating NI Chamber, Colm Blake, Head of Insurance Marketing at Zurich Ireland, commented, “Zurich is delighted to continue our support for the annual Chamber Awards. These awards showcase the important work the Chamber network is doing to support businesses of all sizes and sectors across the country. They celebrate the innovation, ingenuity and resilience shown by Chambers and their members, attributes needed in business more than ever.”

The NI Chamber Annual Networking event was supported by headline sponsor Dublin Airport, along with supporting sponsors Belfast City Council, Electric Ireland and The Open University.

NI Chamber’s Louise Turley (Head of Campaigns & Events), George McQuitty (Campaigns & Events Assistant) and Petrina McAuley (Campaigns & Events Manager).

32

PAGE32.indd 2

13/08/2020 15:49

Has your insurance broker publicly pledged to put your interests first?

There’san aneasy easyway waytoto tell.

There’s tell.

The badge says it all.

The badge says it all.

Looking for an insurance broker?

Choose Chartered.

Chartered status, explained

Chartered status in business

Royal charters go all the way back to the 13th century. The idea was simple: serve society by creating and defining the highest professional standards, uphold those standards, and drive them forward. The Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) achieved its royal charter in 1912. The CII has been entrusted with raising standards in the insurance and personal finance sectors ever since.

Attaining the highest standards in insurance isn’t easy, but with Chartered status, demonstrating a commitment to those standards is. Chartered status allows firms to make a pledge to uphold good practice. It tells their clients everything they need to know about working with Chartered professionals. It says this firm is committed to a level of clientcentricity rooted in professionalism and ethics.

Chartered status is awarded to individual professionals such as brokers, underwriters and claims practitioners who display eminence in their field, as well as to firms themselves. To become a Chartered firm involves a commitment to expertise, integrity and clientcentricity. Standards of excellence in qualifications, ethics, business practices and professional development must be maintained.

By choosing Chartered, you are choosing an insurer or insurance broker that has made a public commitment to professionalism.

The CII sets the bar, a firm meets it.

Chartered status allows customers to recognise this excellence. It represents a pledge of enhanced standards. That’s what the Chartered badge stands for.

Why choose a Chartered insurance broker?

Quite simply, it’s about dealing with a professional. Chartered insurance brokers have made a joint public commitment with the CII to deliver the highest standards of professionalism, then placed a public badge on that commitment.

It’s about being transparent, having integrity and being committed to serving society. In fact, Chartered status cannot be attained without a clear customer focus. By choosing Chartered, customers can benefit from professionals who put their needs and ethics at the heart of their business.

Where to find a Chartered firm Many insurers, brokers, underwriting agents and financial planners have been awarded Chartered status. To Choose Chartered, simply look out for the badge on a firm’s website, email or letterhead. Alternatively, go to cii.co.uk/charteredinsurancebrokers where you can check whether your broker is CII Chartered, and find more information about what it takes to achieve Chartered status.

The Chartered badge proudly tells you when a professional has made a public commitment to upholding the highest standards and putting you first.

The badge says it all.

Chartered Insurance Institute Standards. Professionalism. Trust.

32153_art_CII_Corporate_Chartered_Campaign_2020_Advertorial_210x297.indd 1

cii.co.uk/charteredinsurancebrokers

12/08/2020 16:48

FEATURE

My Ambition is to...

ANGELA ROBB, OPERATIONS MANAGER, GLANDORE

I

have always been passionate about customer experience and all aspects of the customer journey. Growing up in Glengormley, I started working part time aged 16 at Marks & Spencer whilst studying for my A levels. I left Dominican College, Fortwilliam to pursue a Marketing Degree in Ulster University.

During my degree I continued working at M&S; I loved working in a customer-facing role. I learned that I thrived under pressure and in a busy environment. In my third year of study I undertook a placement at the National Trust as Communications and Marketing Officer. I continued working in M&S alongside my fulltime role at the National Trust.

As much as I loved being outdoors promoting some of the most beautiful landscapes in Ireland, it was through my placement experience that I realised my passion was not marketing. I continued with my degree unsure of my next steps. After I graduated, I took the opportunity to take part in Marks and Spencer’s Management Programme.

I really enjoyed the Management Programme, it challenged me in such a way that I could see myself progressing and developing as a leader. I had the opportunity to learn about the different areas of the business and I worked in various departments as a section manager. From there I went on to complete the Commercial Manager programme.

My time in Marks & Spencer taught me about the importance of the people management aspect of my role. Firstly, I loved seeing the potential in members of staff and I always tried to help them along their career progression journey. I loved having the opportunity to impact the culture of my team and motivate them to ensure that we were all striving for the best results.

Secondly, and just as important, I was still very much involved in the experience of every customer in the store. I brought in new ideas and shared these procedures with my team.

Feedback was essential to ensure we were continuously improving our customer journey.

After 11 years working in Marks &

Spencer’s, I decided it was time for a change.

I moved to Glandore to work as Assistant Operations Manager and I have now taken on the role as the Operations Manager. Glandore are a flexible workspace provider with offices in Belfast, Dublin & Cork. One reason I was attracted to working for Glandore was the fact they were a family run business and how every employee feels like an extension of the Kelly family.

A lot of my values aligned with Glandore’s especially around customer service. Our MD Michael Kelly is always striving for Glandore to offer five-star service and that’s what we all endeavour to achieve.

My ambition is that every member company

that comes into Glandore will have a positive experience, our members become advocates and that we are a company who leads the way in customer experience.

As Operations Manager, the main way I directly impact our members’ experience is through the standard of the building and ensuring they are always working in good conditions. I look after the people moving in and out, ensuring it is a smooth process. I am constantly around the buildings chatting to members and helping in any way that I can. I like to get involved in every aspect of Glandore life as we aim to be more than just office space; we hope to add value to every member across all our buildings.

34

PAGE34.indd 2

14/08/2020 12:29

SPECIALISED TRAINING FOR SUCCESS

When it comes to...

Personal and professional development Motivating and retaining staff Enhancing productivity and effectiveness In-house and public delivery

There is only one provider

‘CLASSROOM’ TRAINING COURSES FOR 2020 (SMALL NUMBERS ADHERING TO GOVERNMENT COVID-19 GUIDANCE) SEPTEMBER 20 16 Sept MS Excel Intermediate 17 Sept Time Management 18 Sept Difficult Conversations 21 Sept Proofreading 22 Sept Resilience and Wellbeing 23 Sept Professional Selling Skills 24 Sept GDPR Staff Awareness 25 Sept Developing Confidence 25 Sept MS Word Intermediate 28 Sept Report Writing 29 Sept People Management OCTOBER 20 01 Oct Introduction to Project Mgt 02 Oct Competency Based Interview Skills 06 Oct Minute Taking 06 Oct Influencing & Negotiation 07 Oct Effective Communication 08 Oct Event Management 09 Oct Sage Cloud Accounting 12 Oct LinkedIn

12 Oct 13 Oct 13 Oct 14 Oct 15 Oct 15 Oct 19 Oct 20 Oct 20 Oct 20 Oct 21 Oct 22 Oct 23 Oct 27 Oct

Accredited PRINCE2 Assertiveness Skills MS Excel Advanced Credit Management Xero Cloud Accounting Customer Service Managing Change Manager as a Coach Business Continuity Planning Introduction to MailChimp HR Fundamentals Presentation Skills Storytelling Facilitation Skills

NOVEMBER 20 09 Nov Talent Management 10 Nov MS Excel Intermediate 10 Nov Adobe InDesign 11 Nov MS Project 12 Nov Time Management 12 Nov Difficult Conversations

16 Nov 17 Nov 17 Nov 18 Nov 19 Nov 20 Nov 24 Nov 24 Nov 25 Nov 26 Nov 30 Nov

Meetings Masterclass Finance for Non-Financial Mgrs

MS PowerPoint PA Development Proofreading Tender Writing Developing Confidence Interview Skills for the Interviewer

Emotional Intelligence Conducting Investigations MSP Accredited

DECEMBER 20 01 Dec GDPR Staff Awareness 01 Dec Report Writing 02 Dec Xero Cloud Accounting 03 Dec Sage Cloud Accounting 07 Dec MS Word Intermediate 08 Dec People Management 09 Dec Professional Selling Skills 10 Dec Tender Evaluation 10 Dec MS Excel Advanced

POPULAR COURSES Professional Development Communicate as a Leader Emotional Intelligence GDPR Staff Awareness Influencing & Negotiation Minute Taking Report Writing Time Management

Finance & HR Conducting Investigations Credit Management Finance for Non-Financial Mgrs People Management Xero Cloud Accounting

VIRTUAL TRAINING COURSES FOR 2020 Marketing AUGUST 20 24 Aug MS Excel Advanced 25 Aug Manage & Motivate Remote Teams 28 Aug Introduction to Business Continuity SEPTEMBER 20 15 Sept MS Excel Intermediate 17 Sept Time Management 18 Sept Difficult Conversations 21 Sept Proofreading 22 Sept Resilience and Wellbeing 23 Sept Professional Selling Skills 24 Sept GDPR Staff Awareness 25 Sept Developing Confidence 28 Sept Report Writing OCTOBER 20 06 Oct Influencing & Negotiation 07 Oct Effective Communication 08 Oct Event Management

12 Oct 12 Oct 13 Oct 14 Oct 15 Oct 19 Oct 20 Oct 20 Oct 21 Oct 22 Oct 23 Oct 27 Oct

LinkedIn MS Excel Advanced Assertiveness Skills Credit Management Customer Service Managing Change Manager as a Coach Business Continuity Planning HR Fundamentals Presentation Skills Storytelling Facilitation Skills

NOVEMBER 20 09 Nov MS Excel Intermediate 10 Nov Adobe InDesign 12 Nov Time Management 12 Nov Difficult Conversations 16 Nov Meetings Masterclass

16 Nov 19 Nov 20 Nov 24 Nov 24 Nov 25 Nov 26 Nov

PowerPoint Proofreading Tender Writing Developing Confidence Interview Skills for the Interviewer

Emotional Intelligence Conducting Investigations

DECEMBER 20 01 Dec GDPR Staff Awareness 01 Dec Report Writing 08 Dec People Management 08 Dec MS Word Intermediate 09 Dec Professional Selling Skills

Adobe InDesign & Photoshop Create Video on Your Mobile LinkedIn for Business Presentation Skills Tender Writing

Project Management Agile Project Management (Foundation & Practitioner) Introduction to Project Mgt Managing Successful Programmes (Foundation & Practitioner) PRINCE2 (Foundation & Practitioner)

*Course dates subject to change

For full range of courses and bookings visit: W: aku.training

Part of Something

BIGGER

FEATURE

PAGE36-37.indd 2

Anne O’Neill.

John Harkin’s Insurtech company, Alchemy, has done more than elevate the North West’s status in the tech industry, it has created a working culture that makes it one of NI’s most forward-thinking workplaces, subsequently attracting some of the best talent around Anne O’Neill, Head of Human Resources, tells Emma Deighan.

A

lchemy was founded in September 2018 to create a global centre of excellence for insurance software implementation. The vision was not only to bring new talent to the forefront of the digitisation of the insurance industry, but to bring meaningful, exciting, and long-lasting careers to the North West.

Almost two years on, behind that innovation is now a team of people who have created a culture based on high performance, mentoring, learning and experiencing that could be something of a benchmark for other sectors here.

Anne O’Neill says this culture is behind every fibre of the company.

“What Alchemy wants to do is to play a huge part in the socioeconomic growth in this area and we want to instil in our employees that they are part of something that is much bigger.”

It’s a mindset that breeds creativity, Anne continues. And one that is set to allow the company to grow beyond its original projections.

36

17/08/2020 14:53

John Harkin (right) with former CEO of Invest NI, Alastair Hamilton.

Currently the company has 85 staff members with ambitious growth plans that will be complemented by the company’s Academy programme supported by the Department for the Economy and Invest NI. The Academy is a tailor-made, five week, preemployment training programme delivered in partnership with North West Regional College. It’s designed to equip students with the relevant skills and certifications that are in demand in the marketplace and provide a bridge that will span the gap between finishing their course and entering a career in the industry.

“The pandemic has meant we’ve not been able to deliver the Academy and initial training in the way that is most beneficial; we feel it’s incredibly important to have face-to-face time with new recruits so we can introduce them to the culture that is crucial to our success. We are hopeful before the end of 2020 we will have our next Academy,” Anne continues.

“With every intake the dynamic of the organisation changes. The staff who have come from previous Academies are empowered to step up and take active leadership roles within their projects and to provide assistance to their new colleagues.”

Each intake includes a mix of Technical and Business Analysis roles which Anne says adds variety.

Alchemy’s Bootcamp is another nurturing offering at the company. It’s an innovative training programme which familiarises its participants with Agile methodology in a simulated project.

Anne says it’s the brainchild of one of the company’s existing employees. She adds: “We created this environment by taking user stories and problems and a project lifecycle is started.

“They create an organisation structure, reenact what they would do in real life and it’s a fantastic training ground and it allows the group to approach problems the way they would do on the job.”

There’s an all-inclusive vein that runs throughout the business, from the bottom up.

Even in its operational layout there’s a blanket feel that everyone is equal.

“We have a flat structure. There is no middle management, we have introduced a mentoring programme where our more experienced staff mentor new Academy graduates. We share and teach others about what we do and that’s not just in terms of technology, it’s also about understanding, expectations and encouragement. We give staff the freedom to innovate and put new initiatives into action,” Anne explains.

“We have no limit as to how many people we can promote each year.”

Employees, instead, are rated by progression levels; bronze, silver and gold, with the ultimate target being platinum.

“We invite them, if they feel they’ve done enough, to come and pitch for promotion and tell us why they should move up and what they’ve done to get to that level. That’s all part of who we are. We take people out of their comfort zones and when we score, tech is a small part of it. What we look for is attitude, that go-getter who is in-control of their own career.”

Growth is a given for the business. The business’ initial plan is to recruit 256 staff within the first three years – a figure that Anne says is “just us starting”. “That’s not our finish line. We can grow and grow.

“We are working with local universities and colleges to tweak courses to our needs. We’re also involved in programs aimed at getting more girls get into STEM courses and to boost their interest in a career in tech. The North West is becoming a strong tech hub and we’re delighted to be part of that.”

“We share and teach others about what we do and that’s not just in terms of technology, it’s also about understanding, expectations and encouragement. We give staff the freedom to innovate and put new initiatives into action” 37

PAGE36-37.indd 3

14/08/2020 12:31

FEATURE

Climbing The Ladder Out Of Lockdown 38

PAGE38-39.indd 2

24/08/2020 11:49

Rosie Hughes, founder of Sawdust and Rainbow, discusses experiencing business success in the midst of a global pandemic.

Coleraine native, Rosie Hughes never thought that she would be selling indoor wooden climbing frames across the globe.

In, 2017, while decorating her house for Christmas, she found her 17month-old son, Reuben on the first rung of a ladder.

Rosie then set about finding a safe climbing frame for him. After a lot of searching and not finding what she was after, she decided to put her Engineering and Manufacturing qualification to good use and make her own.

She shared a picture on a parenting group on Facebook, and the orders started flowing.

Sawdust and Rainbows was born.

She told Ambition: “I was inspired by the Hungarian Paediatrician, Emmi Pikler who was passionate about babies developing in the way nature intended, allowing the child to learn and master skills at their own pace. Creating the Pikler inspired triangle for Reuben was a slow process. He spent some afternoons on my back in his carrier singing and eating treats! But we got there and when his frame was finished he loved it – climbing on it, using it as a tunnel and sitting on the rungs.”

Rosie continued: “I started making the triangles, which I call the Wee’UN, in a shed out the back of our house. Within two years I’d outgrown the shed and had three staff.

The range has grown too, and now includes a variety of frames, tunnels, a slide and accessories for toddlers and pre-schoolers.

Last year we moved to a refurbished poultry house outside Crossgar and hired two more staff.”

Rosie Hughes at the world’s largest toy fair, Spielwarenmesse, in Germany.

The recent lockdown due to COVID-19 was a strange time for the fledgling start-up. With everyone stuck at home, orders started to go through the roof. March 2020 was busier than the previous Christmas, and this July has been Sawdust and Rainbows’ best month of trading.

Rosie now has stockists across Europe, and recently sent her second shipment to the United States. A stockist in Australia has just been confirmed.

According to Rosie, she’s ready for the challenge: “I’ve been blown away by the interest in my products. I’ve put so much heart and soul into designing, crafting and safety testing, that it’s such a thrill to be able to share them with the world.”

For more information about Rosie’s range of indoor wooden climbing frames visit: www.sawdustandrainbows.com

“I was inspired by the Hungarian Paediatrician, Emmi Pikler who was passionate about babies developing in the way nature intended”

39

PAGE38-39.indd 3

24/08/2020 11:49

Columnist Jonie Graham Senior Consultant, BRC Partnership

Fitting into the New Normal BRC Partnership’s Jonie Graham looks at what the ‘new normal’ could be for organisations post COVID-19.

meetings. Virtual meetings eliminate travel time and expense, but they also demand a new economy in how we communicate. Those proficient in being succinct, clear and unambiguous in how they get their message across will thrive in a virtual world. Those of us that struggle with this new economy can find some comfort in the knowledge that these skills can be learnt and that practice will bring a more accomplished delivery.

Attending meetings that we have no business in attending or can offer zero contribution to have a more limited impact on our time and productivity. Past negotiations with line managers and team leaders as one frantically tries to manoeuvre oneself out of attending yet another unnecessary meeting may be inappropriate to mention in polite company.

N

ow that the ‘new normal’ has arrived it is easy to feel overwhelmed or that we all have quite a bit of adjusting to do. Many of us have been talking about the ‘new normal’ for some time but none of us knew what it might look like. One of, if not the defining characteristic of this is its dynamic nature. Knowing this may just help us navigate through this current storm, although it doesn’t really help to establish a firm foundation for operational planning or clarity of strategic thought.

As we emerge out of lockdown and into what may become the ‘new normal’ for business and industry one thing we can be certain of is uncertainty. Will the handshake that closes the deal be a thing of the past? Will all of the members of the board ever again sit around that highly polished and imposing table? Will the business suit, currently hanging in the wardrobe be selected for another outing, and if so will the trousers still fit? Will my home become my permanent place of work? Are corporate office blocks destined to be restyled as the next wave of hipster homes?

COVID-19 has most certainly transformed the thinking of many.

For some businesses, working from home has emerged as the champion of increased productivity and streamliner of overheads.

Who knew that what many considered to be the easy way of putting in a working day would become the model of choice for global corporations, as they see productivity rise and offset that against the expense of a central office.

Figuring out how to maintain that personal touch in business meetings, customer and client exchanges and transactions while maximising all the lessons and benefits that the virtual and remote way of working has given us will be a significant challenge. Of course the adjustment to a socially distant method of business has been a steep learning curve for most and absolutely devastating for some, but those that can see the silhouette of their future business emerging against the light at the end of the tunnel now face the challenge of identifying, establishing and unravelling what that looks like.

The lessons and benefits may not be immediately obvious, but virtual team meetings have helped us to avoid group think. Support or opposition to an idea or concept can often be immediately established by the nonverbal response it gets in a meeting room. Many ideas may never have received the courtesy of a fair discussion just because an individual influencer’s response through their body language alone, drained any potential enthusiasm or acceptance out of the room even before the initial idea could be built upon.

We have been forced to rethink how we structure and conduct

“COVID-19 has most certainly transformed the thinking of many.

For some businesses, working from home has emerged as the champion of increased productivity and streamliner of overheads.“

Possibly the worst kept secret of the Zoom generation is that of a muted microphone and disabled camera assuring a meeting organiser that he has nothing less than a passive participant.

Turning off our laptops eyes and ears while we get on with something more productive may breach the virtual etiquette that we are gradually coming to terms with but it means virtual multitasking can at least be productive.

The implementation of changes that have been forced upon us cannot be avoided. Their permanence may remain precarious but applying the positives and implementing the necessities of what this pandemic has brought us must be at the heart of the organisation that will prevail in the ‘New Normal’.

The single most important factor for the leaders and influencers in your organisation as you lay the foundations for commerce in the future is not only to implement the positive aspects of what this pandemic has taught us and to make the necessary changes, but it is also to identify what must never change. What identifies you, what sets you apart, what makes your organisation unique?

Establish this as the key fundamental aspect of your organisation, build from there towards a more productive and lasting future.

40

PAGE40.indd 2

14/08/2020 12:33

Corporate Membership

- Support Wellbeing - Increase Skills - Gain a Mentor JOIN TODAY womeninbusinessni.com info@womeninbusinessni.com

Connect, learn and grow your career Now providing FREE online events schedule to all members

FEATURE

Jordan Buchanan.

The Property Market’s Tentative Recovery

By Jordan Buchanan, Chief Economist at PropertyPal. 42

PAGE42-43.indd 2

17/08/2020 14:57

N

orthern Ireland’s housing market has been in state of flux throughout 2020. The new decade started with strong activity following the UK General Election when the wider economic backdrop was largely favourable and house prices were growing at sustainable levels in line with incomes. COVID-19 stopped all momentum in its tracks. Lockdown measures were critical to protect society and preserve the fragility of the NHS but inevitably at an economic cost, such that 18 years of economic growth have been lost.

The housing market was effectively closed for a three-month period from March to June and transactions fell by 66% in Northern Ireland, the most of all UK nations. The government has responded with measures to maintain prices and support market activity through extension of the Help to Buy Equity Loan scheme in England, as well as reforms of the planning system aimed at speeding up development

approvals. Furthermore, the Chancellor announced a cut in the rate of Stamp Duty (a tax on property purchases in England and Northern Ireland). Under the new rules, buyers will not pay any tax when purchasing a main residence for properties valued up to £500,000 – covering more than 99% of transaction activity in Northern Ireland.

Given the relative affordability of the Northern Ireland property market, there will be negligible savings from reduced stamp duty for first time buyers. There will be a more significant impact on markets in Southern England, notably London.

Many buyers in these areas will hasten their purchasing decisions to avail of the tax cut before it ends in March 2021. This may put upward pressure on house values as sellers increase asking prices knowing that buyers are saving elsewhere in the transaction. Whilst rising house prices are not desirable for all parties, it has a ‘wealth effect’, whereby owners feel better off in a rising market and are willing to spend more. Increasing consumer spending is a key component of stimulating the economic recovery.

There may also be indirect benefit for Northern Ireland as price stabilising measures provide reassurance for lenders who have reduced their product range on lower deposit mortgages. At the time of writing, there are only a few mortgage deals available for buyers with less than a 10% deposit. This compares to preCOVID criteria when there were close to 100 products available. Furthermore, the limited deals that are available are also at higher rates of interest, despite the Bank of England reducing the base rate in March.

Overall, approximately one in every three new mortgages are for first time buyers with less than a 15% deposit. It is paramount that lending returns for this cohort or there will be added pressure on rental demand and subsequent impact on homeownership rates.

Lenders have a responsibility for safe lending practices and the material uncertainty of the economic climate has been a significant factor in the reduced volume of deals. Whilst it is still very early to tell the impact, early signs from new listings on PropertyPal have shown modest reductions in prices as values of houses fell by -0.3%, compared to -3.0% for apartments during the second quarter of 2020.

COVID-19 may already have influenced households’ priorities regarding the area and style of home they live in. Research from PropertyPal earlier this year highlighted consumers’ views on the increasing importance of a garden or outdoor space as well as being in an area with strong internet connectivity because of the accelerated shift to working from home. In contrast, more traditional drivers of housing demand, such as being close to schools or public transport, are relatively less important.

As lockdown measures continue to ease, the near-term housing market activity remains relatively positive. Construction activity is returning, transaction volumes are increasing and enquiry levels on PropertyPal are at record highs. Nonetheless, the

medium-term outlook remains highly uncertain. Much will depend on how quickly the economy recovers which in turn depends on how the pandemic and restrictions on activity develop.

There have been 240,000 workers furloughed and 76,000 self-employed claiming income support at peak claim rates, totaling more than 30% of the workforce.

It is encouraging that approximately half of those employees have returned to work according to new research from the Resolution Foundation. However, it is the unfortunate reality that redundancies are inevitable over the coming months as the government schemes are phased out. The Office for Budgetary Responsibility forecast unemployment will rise to 12% by Q4 which will have implications for the housing market. Lenders have offered mortgage payment holidays for those in financial difficulties with as many as one in five mortgagors availing of the payment break.

It is imperative that there are further efforts to encourage forbearance to prevent higher rates of default and repossessions later in the year as the labour market conditions weaken.

In line with the changing policy and mortgage environment, PropertyPal has revised forecasts for house prices. The impacts in 2020 are likely to be lower than initially expected with the main downward pressures emerging from Q4 2020 through to Q2 2021. The baseline forecast is for price reductions of -6%. In line with the uncertainty, a ‘slow recovery’ scenario could see prices fall by closer to -12% whereas a ‘fast recovery’ could see modest impacts of -1%. Prices are forecast to appreciate at much stronger rates in 2022 and 2023 as economic growth rebounds.

Prior to COVID-19, housing was growing in importance in the public policy agenda and is expected to be a priority in the forthcoming Programme for Government.

The pandemic may have acted as a catalyst for a rethink of a successful housing system.

Developers are changing schemes as more work from home through office pods in gardens or repurposing the traditional function of garages. The changing city centre landscape with reductions in commercial occupancy opens opportunities for office to residential development. The green economy is gaining momentum and government legislation can enhance eco-friendly development and retrofitting existing housing stock. Infrastructure is well recognised as a key driver of economic activity including investment in public and affordable housing. Should there be a revamp of existing strategies, it must be an interconnected process between new consumer demand patterns, water and sewerage infrastructure, broadband connectivity, local development plans and housing supply strategies more generally.

Amid the personal tragedies and economic damage, COVID-19 has forced a rethink across the board. A reflection on lessons learned, a rethink of existing strategies and a rebuilding exercise for the betterment of everyone in society might yet be a hopeful outcome.

43

PAGE42-43.indd 3

13/08/2020 15:59

Columnist John Campbell, Economics & Business Editor, BBC Northern Ireland

A New, Better Alternative BBC NI’s Economics & Business Editor, John Campbell, discusses how reliable and accessible technology has changed the way we work.

but underused tools, have become a part of everyone’s work day and IT departments have rapidly rolled out new tools. The communications network infrastructure which underpins all this has also been vital and the experience has only strengthened the case for more investment in broadband and mobile.

All this has made large scale homeworking possible in a way that many techno-evangelists couldn’t have imagined. The technology now basically works and even large organisations have been able to quickly and successfully adapt their operations.

The homeworking experience has been far from perfect for some people but for others it has become the preferred way of doing their jobs. This is likely to become a big and lasting change driven by the pandemic. When we get a vaccine people will want to return to old patterns of socialising and travelling. But many office workers will be resistant to returning to the old workplace ways having lived a new, better alternative.

From my own experience before the pandemic I would often travel into Belfast city centre for a 09:30 editorial meeting and then travel out again, less than an hour later, to start work on a story. Now I participate in that 09:30 meeting over Zoom and deploy from home, meeting the camera crew at the story location.

I don’t see that it makes much sense to revert to the old way.

People will have similar experiences in which their work and home lives have been improved by removing commutes and office distractions. Before the pandemic homeworking could be regarded in some organisations with suspicion if not outright hostility.

Institutional resistance is now surely overwhelmed and in future there will be an expectation that being a good employer will mean offering at least partial homeworking.

There are still some things which can’t be done, or can’t be done well, while working from home such as training and development, collaboration and creativity. Again from my own experience working with a video editor is something that really needs to be done in person, but with new social distancing measures in place.

So a hybrid approach of part of the week in the office and the rest working from home will probably suit most people best. This will take careful management, making sure that time in the office is properly co-ordinated so the right people are together at the right time.

Company leaders will also need to dispel any perception that more time in the office is the only way to advance in the organisation, otherwise there will be ‘creeping presenteeism.’

If this model of working does take root it will create what economists refer to as ‘negative externalities.’ Fewer people coming into city centres will means fewer customers for sandwich shops, cafes and pubs. The valuation of city centre properties, offices as well as retail, will also suffer. The retail-led model of regeneration had already run its course before the pandemic and it’s not clear what will replace it. Some radical thinking will be required about what city centres are for and how they should work.

With the Executive creating a High Street Recovery Taskforce, that thinking has already begun.

T

he last five months have been some of the most intense of my broadcasting career. Yet I have only been through the doors of BBC Broadcasting House about ten times. I’ve been in a radio studio on just three occasions. I haven’t been into a TV studio at all. It has been possible for me to keep broadcasting because the necessary technology is finally accessible, reliable and user-friendly.

I write ‘finally’ because broadcasters have for years aspired to have the ability to go live from any place, at any time. For radio broadcasters in particular this has involved using a series of black boxes of various sizes, complexity and reliability. But we have now reached the stage where with a smartphone and an app I can connect, in broadcast quality sound, to a radio studio from anywhere I can find a 4G (or sometimes even 3G) signal. It involves little more than pressing three buttons.

I was recently able to use this to contribute to Radio Ulster’s Inside Business programme while sitting in the Giants Causeway car park.

We have been using this technology for a few years but the pandemic forced my colleagues and I to quickly adopt its TV equivalent. Again it’s an app-based system, this time using a combination of 4G and broadband. It’s this technology which allowed me to broadcast from my back garden during lockdown.

“When we get a vaccine people will want to return to old patterns of socialising and travelling. But many office workers will be resistant to returning to the old workplace ways having lived a new, better alternative.”

The apps I have been using are obviously industry-specific but this general experience has been repeated in many workplaces.

Improved usability of existing technology has come good at the right time, video conferencing in particular. Other existing,

44

PAGE44.indd 2

14/08/2020 12:48

SPONSORED FEATURE

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES TO BOOST ECONOMIC GROWTH IN NORTHERN IRELAND Professor Emma Flynn, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research and Enterprise at Queen’s University Belfast, suggests how our NI Universities, industry and government can unite to bring about much-needed economic opportunities.

During the 2020 General Election, the Conservative Party and the now Prime Minister Boris Johnson, committed to a ‘levelling up’ agenda - to make strategic investments across the regions in the UK in order to boost regional economies, support more devolved decision making and increase productivity and quality of life.

The Conservative manifesto had some eleven references to ‘levelling up’ by spreading prosperity, included among them was a commitment “… to use science and research to unite and level up our country, giving people opportunity and hope.”

It is apparent that this agenda has not been diminished by the COVID-19 pandemic: in fact, the requirements to improve skills, increase productivity, support innovation and R&D and focus on growth sectors have become more urgent.

It also chimes with a number of local and national government policy announcements that have created a unique opportunity for industry, academia and government to work in partnership to transform the economic ecosystem in Northern Ireland.

Throughout the year we have seen a number of City and Regional Growth Deals confirmed supporting transformative capital projects through the Belfast Region City Deal, the Derry City and Strabane City Deal, the Causeway Coast and Glens Regional Deal, and the Mid, South and West Growth Deal. These deals, agreed between the UK Government, the NI Executive and local government, are designed to bring about long-term strategic approaches to improving regional economies.

In the present circumstances, they provide interventions which both mitigate the current economic shock and seize the opportunity for NI to have distinctive, long-term sectoral strengths. The projects target key growth sectors for the region including health and life sciences, digital technology, agri-food and advanced manufacturing.

The “New Decade, New Approach” document commits to developing an all-island

PAGE45.indd 1

Professor Emma Flynn, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research and Enterprise at Queen’s University Belfast.

research agenda, and it is clear that there are opportunities across the island to build on existing expertise in the sectors mentioned above to create leading edge breakthroughs.

This would also provide maximum leverage to the investment in the City and Regional Growth Deals.

The UK Government also recently published the “Research and Development Roadmap”, which commits to investing in R&D across the devolved regions in order to address global challenges; from eradicating our contribution to climate change by 2050 and developing new medicines, to improving life at home by strengthening national security and improving public services.

cutting-edge R&D activity, both north-south and east-west. Strong partnership between industry, academia and government can build upon this policy environment that has developed recently. This will allow Northern Ireland to emerge from COVID-19 in a much stronger position, whilst also supporting local business through the next stage of the Brexit process.

For further information email: businessengagement@qub.ac.uk www.qub.ac.uk

More recently, the Department for the Economy published a paper on priorities for economic development. The sectors identified closely align with existing regional strengths, and with co-ordinated strategic interventions can provide considerable economic benefits.

These developments provide the opportunity for Northern Ireland to become the nexus of

13/08/2020 16:01

FEATURE

The Key to Success Aine O’Hare, the newest partner at PwC in Belfast speaks to Emma Deighan regarding her path to the top and how taking “one step back to take two steps forward” was key to her success…

46

PAGE46-48.indd 2

13/08/2020 16:04

Aine O’Hare, the newest partner at PwC.

47

PAGE46-48.indd 3

13/08/2020 16:04

FEATURE

A

ine O’Hare was made Partner at PwC at the height of the COVID-19 lockdown. It’s no mean feat to reach that level of seniority at one of the world’s biggest professional services firms during a typical economic climate, however to achieve it during one of the most testing times in business and while on maternity leave, is quite the triumph.

“Throughout my professional career, I have strived to push beyond my comfort zone, to accelerate my learning, development and growth,” Aine begins, reflecting her decision to follow her heart and a path in international tax.

Aine was born in Co Wicklow and grew up in Co Down with the Mourne Mountains as her backdrop. Her studies, post A-Level in St Louis Grammer school, Kilkeel, brought her to Belfast where she completed a degree in Accounting at Ulster University followed by a MSc in Advanced Accounting.

“PwC Belfast sponsonsorship programme funded my postgrad course fees which allowed me the opportunity to complete my Masters degree and training contract with the firm,” she continues.

Following completion of the course, Aine joined the audit department at PwC where she benefited from professional training and successfully completed the Institute of Chartered Accountant qualification, whilst simultaneously playing County football for Down ladies.

Her early role at PwC saw her manage local audits and then leading multinational audits throughout the UK and the US. “Commencing my career in audit equipped me with a broad business knowledge and skills,” continues Aine. “However, my goal was tax advisor as the continuous tax

changes and complexities across the globe keeps me envigorated and challenged day to day and clients really value that technical expertise.”

Having travelled extensively throughout her teenage years and early twenties, it is no surprise that Aine’s passion for travel saw herself and her husband, Charlie, relocate to Australia in 2010. It was a move that Aine describes as taking “one step back to take two steps forward”.

Although staying with PwC, she began her tax career again, upskilling in Australian tax in the PwC Australian firm. Aine admits that while a move to the other side of the world was initially daunting, both personally and professionally, the skills, knowledge, experiences and networks she developed whilst in Australia, were the making of her and the catalyst for her fast tracking to the top back home in Belfast.

“It tested, pushed and challenged me and although, I took a grade cut moving to the Australian firm, and found the juniors naturally were more knowledgeable than I was on their own tax system, I embraced the steep learning curve over a short timeframe. I believe this continuous challenge pushed me to feel comfortable learning and developing outside of my comfort zone. I was fortunate to surround myself with exceptional teams and clients from across the globe and had the priviledge to advise multinational clients on their UK and international tax affairs.”

With a host of well recognised global clients in her portfolio and a growing expertise in international tax behind her, Aine moved from senior associate to director grade within six years, whilst also managing to become a mum to two young children.

However, the lure of home beckoned.

“With two young children, the pull of family, friends, and culture was strong and so we returned in October 2016. I had also long realised that there was a real opportunity to establish a new tax team in the PwC Belfast office focused on supporting corporate clients working beyond the UK market, including existing overseas multinationals, companies wishing to extend their footprint into overseas markets and new businesses wishing to set up in the UK for the first time,” explains Aine.

The niche Aine had carved while living abroad enabled her to create and lead a new inbound and international tax team in the Belfast office; a service that was previously not available in the region.

“That has been particularly successful,” she continues.

Three years after her return from Australia, Aine had her third child and it was during her maternity leave that she went through the process for Partner and was successfully awarded the role.

She says her goal now will be to build on the breadth of the team, as well as providing solid support for businesses operating or wishing to operate in markets beyond the UK. It’s an objective she feels strongly about and believes the ecosystem within which she works will complement her drive.

“I believe there is a healthy pipeline of investment here and that comes down to the skills and expertise of business people working and living here. I believe businesses here could showcase themselves more on a world platform, which is one of my key objectives within my new International Markets role.”

“It tested, pushed and challenged me and although, I took a grade cut moving to the Australian firm, and found the juniors naturally were more knowledgeable than I was on their own tax system, I embraced the steep learning curve over a short timeframe.”

48

PAGE46-48.indd 4

14/08/2020 14:40

AMBITION Available in Small, Medium & Large

The Magazine of Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry, is now available to view on Issuu. www.northernirelandchamber.com/ambition

An Ulster Tatler Group Publication

PAGE49.indd 1

14/08/2020 13:49

FEATURE

Navigating Landlord and Tenant Lease Options During COVID-19

By Mark Synnott, Managing Director, Real Estate Advisory Group Dublin and Davy Elliott, Senior Consultant, Valuation Advisory Services Belfast at Duff & Phelps

T

he economic disturbance in the global economy due to COVID-19 is having far-reaching consequences.

The economic shock on the property market has jeopardised the interests of both landlords and tenants, and in many instances, raised a need to revisit the terms within existing lease agreements.

Business owners and landlords should act quickly and consider the renegotiation of these terms. Proper commercial and legal advice at this time is essential to protect each party’s respective interests.

When renegotiating lease terms, it is essential that both parties fully appreciate their counterpart’s position for meaningful negotiations to take place.

Tenant Position Landlords need to understand that tenants have likely experienced a substantial collapse in turnover, which has put their business at risk. The implications of this collapse in revenue may be severe and affect the tenant’s ability to meet its contractual obligations.

Landlord Position Tenants must understand that their landlords, in many cases, have monthly obligations to a financial institution. A shortfall in rental income will not only reduce a landlord’s revenue stream, it will also jeopardise its ability to meet its required repayments, breaching contractual obligations to the bank or lending institution. If the landlord is a “professional landlord,” tenants should be aware that the landlord’s business is the operation of commercial investment properties.

Lack of rental income represents a risk to the landlord’s business, in the same way, a reduction in turnover for a restaurant represents a risk to the tenant’s business.

Landlords and tenants are struggling contemporaneously, and they both need to understand that the current circumstances do not absolve either party of their respective contractual obligations. Both parties must work together to ensure their interests are protected, and a solution should be devised with this objective in mind.

There are several options available to landlords and tenants: • Temporary rent freeze / “rent holiday”, whereby a portion of the rent is deferred until a later date • Term exchange option (e.g., a rent free / abatement for term/break extension agreement) • Implementation of stepped rent, whereby a reduction of rent in the short term is recovered later in the term • Waiving rent payments in lieu of an equity stake in the business This is not an exhaustive list, and there is no “one-size-fits-all approach” because no single lease is the same.

Additionally, all landlords and tenants have different obligations and business requirements, and what works in one scenario may not work in another.

50

PAGE50-51.indd 2

13/08/2020 16:15

Mark Synnott

Davy Elliott

Example Anecdotally, there is a perception that Q2/ Q3 2020 will be the toughest for tenants in terms of turnover. Similarly, it will be the toughest for landlords in terms of rent collection. With that in mind, a potential solution may be to defer a portion of Q2/Q3 rent on the condition that any or all shortfalls are fully paid as part of an agreement over the remainder of 2020 and in 2021.

This scenario first assumes that the landlord and tenant both have the capacity to function on this basis. Furthermore, it assumes a normal return to trade to enable the tenant to pay the required amount by the agreed deadline.

Additionally, in the case of a restaurant, the success of this approach may be predicated on the restaurant’s ability to generate revenue, for example, with takeaway services. However, as not all restaurant operators can offer this service, they may not be able to generate revenue until they can trade in the normal manner.

Furthermore, as many restaurants need to operate at full capacity to remain viable, the success of this proposal will also depend on the extent to which social distancing measures are reduced. In such cases, the proposed solution would be unworkable, and an alternative solution would need to be sought.

The above is a simple example that demonstrates a potential approach to the negotiations in specific circumstances, and that every landlord and tenant relationship

is different. The various circumstances landlords and tenants find themselves in gives rise to a variety of solutions. Obtaining proper commercial advice will ensure all options are explored and that the optimal outcome is achieved.

Since there is no certainty in relation to projected turnover to the end of the year and beyond, or when social distancing measures will be removed/reduced, there will also need to be an element of flexibility within any new agreement allowing both parties to revisit the amended terms at a later date (for example, in the event of a second wave of the pandemic). It is also essential that all parties obtain the relevant legal advice when amending lease terms, or they may be at risk of prejudicing their existing legal position.

One certainty is that tenants must act immediately, and dialogue with landlords should begin as soon as possible. Ignoring

contractual obligations in the short- to medium-term is sure to have severe longterm implications. There are instances where tenants have advised their landlord that they are simply not paying rent for the foreseeable future. Failure to pay rent or to engage with your landlord to come to an amenable solution could ultimately constitute breaches in contract, a build-up of rent arrears and costly legal disputes. In the event of a reduction in social distancing measures and a return to “normal life,” a build-up of rent arrears and impending legal disputes will certainly make the recovery of any business more difficult than necessary (noting that a landlord will have to wait until after September 2020 before taking legal action against a tenant). It is worth considering the advantage your competitors may gain by engaging early with their landlords and coming to a mutually beneficial agreement.

“Landlords and tenants are struggling contemporaneously, and they both need to understand that the current circumstances do not absolve either party of their respective contractual obligations. ” 51

PAGE50-51.indd 3

13/08/2020 16:15

BUSINESS AND EDUCATION:

FEATURE

SHAPING THE FUTURE WORKFORCE TOGETHER As companies adjust to the immediate ‘new normal’ brought about by COVID-19, Jenny Small, Vice-Principal, Performance and Development tells Ambition how Northern Regional College is evolving its education and skills provision to meet the needs of the modern workplace.

PAGE52-53.indd 2

“

Jenny Small

The COVID-19 pandemic is already having a transformational impact on the mindset of industry leaders and employers across every sector,” she said.

“It is widely accepted that, for many, the workplace will never look the same again.

“Add to that the rapidly evolving face of the business environment – particularly in terms of emerging sectors and industries, the evolution of new technologies and the new roles that follow – there is a heightened onus on business and education sectors to collaborate to shape a future-proofed workforce.”

Jenny joined the senior leadership team at the College in March 2020 from Deloitte, where she was a Director with responsibility for organisation transformation and financial efficiency engagements across the NI public sector. As Vice-Principal, Performance and Development, she leads on the College’s engagement with the local industry, both within the immediate catchment areas of its campuses and across Northern Ireland.

“Forging strong links with the local business community has always been critically important to Northern Regional College. Our campuses at Newtownabbey, Ballymena, Ballymoney, Magherafelt and Coleraine enjoy long-established relationships with employers across a wide range of sectors, who partner with us in the delivery of work-based learning

52

17/08/2020 14:55

programmes such as apprenticeships, higher level apprenticeships (HLAs) and the Training for Success scheme.

“These relationships will be even more important in the future to help us prepare our students for the rapidly changing workplace,” she said. “As a College, we must engage more meaningfully with industry, listening to their existing and future needs so that we can shape and advance our provision accordingly to help close any skills gaps identified.”

This focus on developing new skills has been in the spotlight, most recently with the re-establishment of the Economy Minister’s Economic Advisory Group and launch of a new medium-term economic recovery plan.

“The ‘Rebuilding a Stronger Economy’ plan for the next 12 to 18 months clearly highlights the development of the skills base of our young people and workforce as being central to our future economic success. Further Education colleges across Northern Ireland have a clear role to play in this,” continued Jenny.

Aimed at building a more competitive, inclusive and greener economy in Northern Ireland, the plan sets out a framework to deliver well paid/lucrative jobs and a highly skilled workforce. It focuses on sectors with potential for growth such as life and health sciences, advanced manufacturing, clean energy and big data – areas where Jenny said Northern Regional College is already leading the way.

“Northern Regional College has always been exceptionally strong in advanced manufacturing and healthcare, with an extensive provision of further and higher education courses, apprenticeships and training opportunities in these areas.

“But we realise that we must continue to expand and evolve if we are to stay relevant and align ourselves with the new work environment,” she continued.

“We have a strong track record of providing high quality industry-focused training that enables people to compete for jobs across a range of sectors and are committed to doing everything we can to equip our students with the skills needed to succeed in the modern workplace.

“In addition to tailoring our existing course provision, we are developing new courses to support local businesses. These include initiatives like the Assured Skills Programme which helps employers build a skilled workforce through the delivery of pre-employment training programmes and

InnovateUs, a fully funded skills development programme to help small businesses bring an idea to market through new product, service or process development.”

Jenny believes that an agile approach will be key to Northern Regional College’s success in future-proofing its education and skills provision.

“Agility on our part will be of paramount importance. In addition to engaging with and listening to local employers, we must be responsive and willing to react and adapt our provision according to their emerging needs. If COVID-19 has shown us anything, it’s that we, as a College, can be truly agile and capable of adapting to a rapidly changing situation.

“Throughout the pandemic our teaching and support staff were outstanding in terms of their responsiveness and innovation.

They fully embraced the need to deliver online teaching and our requirements for blended learning and quickly adapted to their new way of working to ensure minimal disruption so our students could complete their courses.”

During the past few months, in response to a new funding initiative from the Department for the Economy, Northern Regional College developed online training for those

impacted by COVID-19 or simply wishing to expand their skills base – including courses in Essential Skills in ICT, Digital Marketing, Social Media, Safeguarding, Leadership and Management.

“Traditionally, the FE sector has been perceived as catering for school leavers but in fact our adult education and lifelong learning provision remains a key focus. With the need to develop new skills extending far beyond the period immediately following school and right throughout the career life cycle, we are continuing to develop our provision to reflect the skills needs of all learners.

“Our priority in the coming months and years will be to align our provision closely with business needs. I look forward to working with local firms – both to build on the success of our already well established links and to create new ones – so that Northern Regional College can play a pivotal role in helping to shape a future proofed workforce.”

To contact Jenny Small at Northern Regional College, please email jenny.small@ nrc.ac.uk. For more information about the College’s range of further and higher education courses and apprenticeships, visit www.nrc.ac.uk

“In addition to engaging with and listening to local employers, we must be responsive and willing to react and adapt our provision according to their emerging needs. If COVID-19 has shown us anything, it’s that we, as a College, can be truly agile and capable of adapting to a rapidly changing situation.”

53

PAGE52-53.indd 3

13/08/2020 16:18

NEWS

BLK BOX COMPLETES 150TH GYM FIT-OUT FOR PUREGYM Belfast-based BLK BOX has just completed its 150th installation across the UK for PureGym, and with gyms in England having begun to reopen, it is now moving forward with the next phase of a major UK contract with the leading operator.

The arrangement will see the Titanic Quarter based company expand the Functional Training Zone (FTZ) concept that it created exclusively for PureGym to a range of new locations, including Bank, Victoria and Leytonstone in London during the next few months.

BLK BOX is one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of strength and conditioning equipment and specialises in the design and fit-out of world class training facilities. It spent almost a year creating the FTZ concept for PureGym, after securing a major tender.

FTZs are flexible spaces adaptable for both one-to-one workouts and group classes. The zones include a range of BLK BOX equipment that is designed and manufactured at the company’s Northern Ireland headquarters.

At the end of last year BLK BOX completed its 100th PureGym site at PureGym London Aldgate. This was a landmark project as it was a whole floor and a significantly larger zone within the operator’s flagship site.

Earlier this year, BLK BOX installed an FTZ with training pods at the PureGym York site which is reopening this week. These allow personal trainers (PTs) to coach individuals to train responsibly, with all equipment at an arm’s reach.

The FTZ concept will eventually be installed

by BLK BOX at all gyms in the PureGym estate.

Installing the concept in other PureGym locations will help ensure gym members can train safely and in line with guidelines.

Commenting on the project, Miles Canning, Commercial Director of BLK BOX, said: “BLK BOX FTZs are built on modern training principles, designed to differentiate PureGym from their competitors and most importantly, increase member satisfaction. The zones are tailored towards functional training and provide a distinctly innovative offering within PureGym locations. The feedback we get is

that they are significantly beyond what users expect from a commercial gym.”

“Our partnership with PureGym is a brilliant challenge for everyone at BLK BOX and it is a partnership that has been thriving and will continue to thrive as we now move forward with the contract post the lifting of the COVID-19 restrictions,” he adds.

Founded eight years ago by Belfast entrepreneur Greg Bradley, BLK BOX is headquartered in Titanic Quarter, Belfast where it employs over 60 people in a manufacturing, distribution and office facility.

Miles Canning, BLK BOX.

54

PAGE54.indd 2

14/08/2020 13:52

Columnist Professor Mark Durkin, Executive Dean, Ulster University Business School

Navigating the Route Back to Growth Professor Mark Durkin, Executive Dean at the Ulster University, discusses the university’s new portfolio of business services.

Department for the Economy, several hundred free places have been made available in July for a range of courses including the Postgraduate Certificate in Business Analysis and Consulting, the Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Development focusing on business recovery in addition to programmes in Computing and Engineering.

A series of UUBS bootcamps focusing on digital knowledge and skills has also been running throughout the summer and will continue this autumn. Delivered in partnership with global marketing agency Marvel Marketers, the bootcamps cover Digital Transformation, Automation, Digital Strategies and Insights, and are available to all organisations.

Another UUBS initiative which is free to access is the recently launched ‘Business of Possibility’ podcast series. Hosted by veteran

F

or the business sector, the past few months have been all about survival and adjustment as well as trying to anticipate the future. It’s been about finding new ways to balance home and working lives and in so doing to create a renewed emphasis on the wellbeing of work colleagues, maintaining their commitment through remote working and instilling a renewed sense of value.

The resilience and creativity demonstrated by local businesses to date has been inspiring and while there is the potential to emerge stronger, to do so requires businesses to think and act differently.

Working closely with industry has afforded Ulster University Business School an intimate insight into the pressures business leaders are facing. The key priority right now is business continuity and survival, and UUBS has been helping build resilience in the local business community while at the same time helping businesses plan for recovery.

In the past few weeks UUBS has unveiled a new portfolio of business services created specifically to address the present unique circumstances. The range of services offered draws on the expertise and knowledge of UUBS leading academics and our networks to help local businesses emerging from the crisis to re-imagine and navigate a ‘new normal’.

Faculty staff have been quick to adapt to the transition to online teaching. Whilst the delivery channel may have shifted from ‘touch’ to ‘tech’, the quality of education and approachable and accessible tone that imbues the UUBS learning experience remains. This means UUBS remains very much ‘in-touch’ with the business community in order to deliver practical and impactful support solutions.

Whilst the pandemic has had a devastating impact across all business sectors each individual business will have had its own particular challenges. For this reason, UUBS’s free one-to-one business support sessions have been especially popular. UUBS staff can help guide businesses in a range of key business areas such as Marketing, Digital Strategy, Competitiveness, International Business, Leadership and Management.

Also on offer is a series of webinars led by key members of UUBS Economic Policy Centre. These free sessions provide regular updates on the impact of COVID-19 on the local economy and detailed analysis of the implications for businesses. They are further supported by blogs and articles from academics and the Economic Policy Centre which are also accessible on the website.

Developing key entrepreneurial leadership, business and management skills has always been the cornerstone of UUBS’s activity in supporting business competitiveness across Northern Ireland. For furloughed staff or workers who have been made redundant, there has never been a better time to upskill and prepare to bounce back from career disruption. Thanks to funding from the

“UUBS staff can help guide businesses in a range of key business areas such as Marketing, Digital Strategy, Competitiveness, International Business, Leadership and Management.” broadcaster Wendy Austin, the series explores the world of business in Northern Ireland looking at how businesses are staying afloat in the current climate. Through conversation with business leaders and UUBS experts the podcasts examine themes such as leadership, innovation and the skills challenge in these uncertain times.

Navigating a route back to growth will require businesses to have nimble leadership, management skills and entrepreneurial thinking. Those who take time now to invest in their own capability will exit this period stronger and be better positioned to grow as the economy recovers. Support and input from UUBS can help bring a clarity of thought and action and will help ensure efforts are directed to the areas that provide the highest return.

The first step for any business looking for assistance is to check out the UUBS dedicated COVID-19 website. This easy to access platform outlines the comprehensive range of services currently available, provides continuously updated advice and signposting to other sources of help and information.

To access the UUBS COVID-19 resources, services and economic analysis please contact engage@ulster.ac.uk or visit https://www.ulster.ac.uk/coronavirus/research/covid-19support-for-business

56

PAGE56.indd 2

13/08/2020 16:23

COLUMNIST

We Have Entered Next Phase of Crisis and Focus Needs to be on Recovery

BY MARK CRIMMINS, HEAD OF NI, ULSTER BANK.

I

think it’s fair to say that we have moved to the next phase of the economic crisis we are currently in. The economy has endured and emerged from lockdown, and whilst there is of course uncertainty ahead, the focus now needs to move towards stimulating and supporting a recovery.

Ulster Bank has lent well over £215million in Bounce Back Loans (BBLS) to more than 7,000 businesses to date which has been part of the bank’s wider effort to help firms through the immediate period of the crisis. This wider effort has also included support under the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS), capital repayment holidays, overdrafts and overdraft extensions.

We’ve widely communicated our commitment to supporting customers who have included business such as Kerr’s Tyres & Auto, WS Dennison, Bob & Berts and Shnuggle.

This kind of support for thousands of customers has helped sustain businesses through the ‘lockdown’ period.

As such, BBLS, CBILS and other bank and government interventions have been essential lifelines for many companies in Northern Ireland and for the economy as a whole. These supports have helped some customers to remain in business, retain employees and in many cases, where trading had to temporarily cease, to reopen. This has been a major effort by the banks,

Government and other stakeholders as they collectively responded to the immediate priorities of the crisis.

However, whilst Ulster Bank will continue to support customers, new thinking is required as we move into the next phase of the crisis. As part of this, government, businesses, banks and other stakeholders should work together on this to support the recovery.

We need to look towards the next phases of the crisis, quickly identify the opportunities presented to Northern Ireland, but also deal with the many structural challenges that the crisis has left, including overall levels of corporate indebtedness.

Generally, businesses had been de-gearing before Coronavirus and whilst it was right to get funding urgently into the economy, many have taken on additional debt which may constrain their future investment intentions. Strategic solutions to corporate indebtedness may be required.

But the economy also needs innovative ideas and measures from all stakeholders and government. What we need is an ongoing significant discussion at NI Plc level, and very little should be off the table given the scale of the challenge.

Our purpose as a banking Group is to champion potential, helping people, families and businesses to thrive. Ulster Bank is committed to

helping stimulate discussion and to support the recovery with the full strength of the NatWest Group behind it.

You can hear stories of customers who have adapted during the pandemic with Ulster Bank’s support in the bank’s Thrive in the New World podcast on all main podcast platforms.

occupational health, risk & disability management consultancy managing health - enabling business

Our Services Fitness for Work Medicals: • • • • • •

Pre Employment assessments Sickness Absence examinations Safety Critical Workers e.g. drivers, machinists, at heights Noise, Vibration and Respiratory and Skin assessments DSE eye tests, Food handlers and Night workers Stress, Blood Pressure, Diabetes and Cholesterol assessments • Workplace Visits and Risk assessments

Also including:

• ‘Health Wise’ our free on line health programme, for your staff • ‘Aura’ a unique document management programme

Check out :

www.ohrd.net

Service Delivery: • Using only highly experienced nurses and doctors

• Nurse clinics at your

premises e.g weekly, monthly

• Individual referrals to clinics in Belfast, L’derry or Enniskillen

• Providing excellent value for money

• Our Nurses specialise in DSE assessments, providing ergonomic solutions for health problems at work

Contact:

admin@ohrd.net for information and quotes

COVID 19 Update: OHRD remain open throughout the crisis, assisting employers and their staff through this challenging period - Contact us if you think we might be of help to your workplace. OHRD are planning to introduce Covid-19 Anitbody testing soon watch out for further updates We already work with public and private enterprises of all sizes, and insurance, pension and legal professionals.

With clinics throughout Northern Ireland including Belfast, Londonderry and Enniskillen, contact us to discuss further on:

OHRD Princes House 44–46 Princes Street, Belfast, BT1 3FP T: 028 9026 8460 E: enquiries@ohrd.net W: www.ohrd.net 57

PAGE57.indd 1

14/08/2020 13:57

FEATURE

The Future of Fibre

Mairead Meyer, Director of Openreach in Northern Ireland, talks to Ambition about the role that Full Fibre broadband could play in recovery and long-term economic growth.

58

PAGE58-60.indd 2

13/08/2020 16:24

Mairead Meyer, Director of Openreach in Northern Ireland.

59

PAGE58-60.indd 3

17/08/2020 15:00

FEATURE

I

t would be hard to dispute that now, more than ever, broadband is playing a crucial role in our daily lives and the strength of our broadband connection is high on our list of priorities.

Over the last few months, we’ve seen families and friends turning to video calls to stay connected as well as schools and universities moving to teach online. The impact has also been felt across all business sectors in Northern Ireland (NI) and many companies, and their staff, have had to make the shift to remote working in an incredibly short period of time and adapt to this new way of operating.

Openreach, who builds and maintains the largest fixed communications network in NI, has played a central role in keeping people connected during this time. Over the last few months, their team of over 750 engineers has worked to ensure that essential services continued to function and that the broadband network kept running.

As policymakers and industry now look to develop a recovery plan to rebuild and revive the Northern Ireland economy, we spoke with Mairead Meyer, Director of Openreach in Northern Ireland. Mairead looks ahead, sharing her views on the role that Full Fibre broadband could play in recovery and longterm economic growth, commenting: “Before the pandemic, Openreach was focused on driving NI’s digital economy through the roll out of Full Fibre broadband technology across the region. We’re now back up and running and in June we reached a milestone in our build programme with 360,000 homes and businesses, more than 40% of properties, now able to access Full Fibre broadband at speeds of up to 1 Gbps.

Since then we’ve made great progress and we’re on track to reach 525,000 premises by the end of March 2021 – putting Northern Ireland well ahead of the rest of the UK to achieve the Government’s target of 100% access to 1 Gbps speeds by 2025.”

“The Full Fibre build programme is central to NI’s digital future and economic growth and will provide the region with more reliable, faster and future-proof broadband.

We also know that the potential economic, social, and environmental benefits that could result from further investment in the Full Fibre network are far-reaching.

“In a recent paper* commissioned by Openreach, the Centre for Business and Economic Research (Cebr) estimated that full deployment of Full Fibre broadband by 2025 could boost the NI economy by £1.3billion and employment by 1.6% – as older workers, carers and working parents are supported and able to engage in the world of work.

“We also know that with more reliable, faster, and future-proof broadband, we will see greater regional rebalancing, with jobs being located both in rural and urban areas, further digitalisation benefiting healthcare and education as well as improved sustainability.

“As NI continues to grow a global reputation as a tech hub with world leading financial technology and cyber security clusters, we’re proud that our build programme is part of this – helping to make NI a leader within the UK and keeping the region at the forefront of digital technology.

We have 72%** coverage of Full Fibre in Belfast City, making the capital the secondbest covered city in the UK, and 7 out of 11 NI council areas are within the top 20** council areas in the UK for access to faster connectivity speeds.

“As one of the biggest investors in infrastructure in Northern Ireland, Openreach is committed to bringing ultrareliable and ultrafast broadband to as many people as we can, as quickly as possible.

With that in mind, we’ve announced a further 94 towns and villages that will be

part of our ‘Full Fibre’ build programme and are particularly pleased that so many of these areas are in rural communities.

“This is important to us as we look to play a role in the economic recovery and long-term growth of NI. Ensuring that we’re balanced in our build programme is central to this and our engineers are building to over 750 homes every day in both rural and urban areas. In addition, we also have schemes in place, such as our ‘Community Fibre Partnerships’, which are bringing broadband to areas that are harder to reach and making sure no one gets left behind.

“To support the build programme, we’ve also announced that we’re recruiting more than 100 apprentice engineers across the region between now and March 2021. I am really delighted that even given the current economic climate that we’re still able to progress with our apprenticeship development programme, doubling the number of places available from last year.

Our new recruits will join our dynamic engineering team at an exciting time for Openreach and help support our ambition to deliver the best possible connectivity to everyone, everywhere, across NI. “We’re hopeful that with continued investment in the ‘Full Fibre’ broadband network, there will be benefits for everyone right across NI, no matter where they live, work or study and we’re proud to be building a strong and resilient network that will meet the needs of everyone, now and in the future.”

“As NI continues to grow a global reputation as a tech hub with world leading financial technology and cyber security clusters, we’re proud that our build programme is part of this” *https://www.openreach.com/content/dam/openreach/openreach-dam-files/images/hidden-pages/full-fibre-impact/ CebrReport_online.pdf **https://www.thinkbroadband.com/news/8757-may-2020-update-on-broadband-availability-across-the-uk-nationsand-regions

60

PAGE58-60.indd 4

14/08/2020 14:03

COLUMNIST

Together We Will Begin Again

BY GAVIN KENNEDY HEAD OF BUSINESS BANKING NORTHERN IRELAND AT BANK OF IRELAND UK.

A

t Bank of Ireland we are really focused on practical initiatives that can help the local economy recover and reboot. In addition to providing funding support to over 8,000 business customers since mid-March, we are now inviting towns, cities and urban centres across Northern Ireland to enter the newly launched Bank of Ireland Begin Together Awards.

With a prize fund of over £180,000 the initiative is being fast-tracked to support towns across the island of Ireland as they reboot and recover from the impact of COVID-19. The funding will be provided to the winning towns by the beginning of October 2020 to directly assist with their COVID-19 recovery.

The awards celebrate and support the enterprising spirit and ‘can do’ attitude of communities, as these qualities are more important now than ever before as we strive together to get back on our feet. They will recognise local towns, urban areas and cities where business and community groups are working together to recover and rebuild as restrictions are lifted and communities get back to work.

With 21 monetary prizes available across 10 categories, including the overall winner receiving £45,000 and the title of ‘Most Enterprising Town’, there is also a prize of £18,000 for the winner of the ‘Rising Star’ award.

In addition to the population categories and others

DS

mentioned above there are three special COVID-19 response awards that reflect the current challenges faced by towns: · Local Town Promotion Initiative – A marketing or promotional campaign designed to help kick start the local economy. · Local Community Enterprise Initiative – A local enterprise initiative established specifically to ease the impact of COVID-19 or one that repurposed itself during the pandemic and was ready to begin operation on the easing of restrictions. · Local Business and Community Response Initiative – A joint initiative by local businesses and the community to manage the impact of COVID-19 through lockdown and beyond as towns start to reopen.

The Begin Together Awards are part of a £2.5 million investment by Bank of Ireland in the ‘Begin Together’ all island initiative, a three-year campaign launched in Northern Ireland in February to improve the financial, physical and mental wellbeing of Ireland’s communities while supporting the underlying local economies.

There is no doubt that COVID-19 has presented the biggest challenge to our physical, mental and financial wellbeing in living memory, which makes the enterprising spirit invaluable. With numerous examples of local

MOVERS “the relocation specialists”

The closing date for entries is 24 August. For more information on the awards, please visit: https://businessbanking.bankofireland.com/ campaigns/begin-together-awards

LEADERS IN COMMERCIAL RELOCATION AND MOVE MANAGEMENT

Our Services:

Northern Ireland’s

• Business relocations • Complete workplace solutions

Leaders in Commercial Relocation Delivery Services are one of the industry’s leading commercial relocation and specialist transport providers, with a commitment to providing top-quality and professional services at competitive prices to customers across the UK and Ireland. We have over 40 years of experience in office relocation.

Commercial Relocation

enterprise, resilience, community spirit and innovation, I know there are plenty of deserving towns, urban areas and cities, and business, industry and community projects and initiatives who are ideal candidates for entry and so I hope to see Northern Ireland well represented.

Over the last few months we have all seen what can happen when communities pull together to overcome adversity.

Specialist Transportation

1. IT relocation, installation and server moving 2. Office furniture supply and installation 3. Specialist medical and laboratory equipment transport 4. Confidential document & furniture recycling 5. Move Management and Space Planning 6. Secure IT Recycling and Destruction

• Secure city centre storage solutions • Free quotation and consultation

Workplace Solutions

Environmental Strategy

sales@dsmovers.co.uk | 028 9031 5080 | 16 Genoa Street, Belfast, County Antrim, BT12 5BG 61

PAGE61.indd 1

14/08/2020 14:05

SPONSORED FEATURE

DIGITAL DNA MOVES ALL EVENTS ONLINE FOR 2020 The host of Northern Ireland’s biggest tech events has announced that they will be taking their major tech Awards and Conference virtual this year due to the continued uncertainty around large indoor gatherings.

The Digital DNA Awards and Digital DNA 2020 had been rescheduled from their traditional dates in March and June due to the Covid-19 pandemic. But with uncertainty remaining for the rest of the year and capacity in venues being significantly limited, the team behind the hugely successful tech events in NI have made the decision to move online for 2020.

The Digital DNA Awards, sponsored by MCS Group, were scheduled to take place in March and organisers had been expecting over 650 guests to attend the highly anticipated awards ceremony, celebrating the very best of the NI tech community. Whilst Digital DNA 2020 had originally been scheduled to take place in June in the iconic St George’s Market. The event is once again sponsored by PwC NI and regularly attracts upwards of 3,000 delegates, the biggest gathering of business and tech professionals in Northern Ireland.

In-person experience to be “restrictive” Looking ahead to the rest of the year and with social distancing measures and restrictions likely to still be in place, Digital DNA CEO, Simon Bailie has said that the experience for people attending in-person events would be somewhat “restrictive” and “fall way short” of their own high expectations for hosting the much anticipated events, which regularly attract over 3,000 delegates to Belfast, providing a significant economic boost to the local economy and are must attend events for many of the regions tech and business professionals.

“Back in March, the right thing to do was to reschedule our in-person events to later in the year as the safety of our attendees, partners and staff was of paramount importance. What has become clear in recent weeks is that there still remains a great deal of uncertainty around large indoor gatherings for the weeks and months ahead,” said Mr Bailie.

“With so many of us having to reimagine how we adapt and navigate the way we work, taking the biggest tech events in NI online feels like a natural progression for us. Digital DNA is very much about pushing the boundaries of what is possible, therefore the opportunity to deliver what we do best in the virtual world is one we are very excited about.”

The Show must go on The Digital DNA Awards were only 2-weeks away when organisers made the decision to

Simon Bailie

effectively “put them in deep freeze”, just as lockdown restrictions were being rolled out across the country and large swathes of the world in mid-late March.

With the awards now being presented virtually, the organisers hope it will provide a moment to take stock and celebrate the success of the local tech community in Northern Ireland. It will also provide an opportunity for many people who would normally not have been able to attend to follow proceedings online, with several international companies expecting their US offices to tune in and follow proceedings via the live stream.

The event is in partnership with MCS Group and commenting on the new format, Sean Devlin, Associate Director has said that MCS “cannot wait” to see how the team at Digital DNA deliver this year’s awards and are looking forward to being part of “highlighting all that is good about the industry in Northern Ireland right now.”

Mr Devlin added, “Clearly the world has changed significantly since March, but one thing that has stayed consistent is the ability of NI’s Tech Sector to step up to the mark and consistently compete on a global level. MCS Group have had the privilege of witnessing first-hand both exceptional local leadership and the grit and determination of the people in the sector as they embraced change while delivering exceptional results to their respective customers. We are delighted to be headline sponsors for the Digital DNA awards once again this year as we celebrate the best and the brightest in Northern Ireland’s thriving Technology Sector.”

First of its kind event for NI Whilst the Digital DNA Awards may only need to be “thawed out”, the flagship event of Digital DNA’s calendar has been completely “reimagined” for the post Covid-19 world.

On making Digital DNA 2020 uniquely

different, Simon Bailie continued by saying, “A big part of what makes Digital DNA special is its ability to bring such a large number of people from all corners of the tech industry in NI together under one roof. Reimagining how we do this in a virtual world and differentiating ourselves from the multitude of “zoom webinars” out there has been our biggest challenge. But working closely with our partners, we believe we have a uniquely different proposition that we are genuinely excited about.”

For the third year running, PwC is the headline partner, and Lynne Rainey, PwC Partner, says the changing nature of work underlines the importance of promoting the local digital Economy.

“As the pace of change in the world of work accelerates as a result of the global pandemic, it’s critical to highlight the range of opportunities in the digital sector. We know how important this industry will be to our recovery and it’s more important now than ever that we meet disruption with a desire to find opportunity.

“It’s no surprise that there’s huge ambition to transform this year’s event to do justice to the ingenuity and innovation that Northern Ireland’s tech sector is known for. We’re delighted to partner with a team which is as passionate about showcasing what we can offer to the rest of the world as we are.”

The online edition of Digital DNA 2020 promises to be the ‘first of its kind in NI’, that will be broadcast live from Belfast to an online audience in NI and beyond, with organisers saying it will “provide a much-needed shopwindow into what makes NI such a special place to do business and to showcase the amazing tech talent we have in this region.”

For more information, visit www.digitaldna.tech or email engage@digitaldna.tech

62

PAGE62.indd 2

24/08/2020 11:51

DELIVERING YOU THE BEST IN CATERING SOLUTIONS Cater2 Equipment Sales are a leading supplier of commercial catering equipment with a combined 30 + years’ experience within the catering and hospitality industry. From it’s inception the directors have applied their vast knowledge of catering equipment design and specification to offer the foodservice industry a professional and informed service.

We are a main distribution agent for Electrolux Professional and many other leading brands. We offer commercial catering equipment to meet all budgets while working with businesses to create innovative and functional kitchen, deli and bar facilities. From design to delivery our customer benefits from dealing with

an experienced team who will help guide them every step of the way.

Our Offering • Affordable turnkey solutions.

• Concept to completion service.

• Full Auto CAD design.

• Kitchen and bar experts.

• Retail & Public sector.

• Major brand supplier.

• 30+ years’ experience.

• Close working relationship with clients.

• Quality workmanship.

• Expert installation.

• Tailormade client solutions.

• Full service backup.

• UK & Ireland coverage Whether it’s a single piece of commercial catering equipment priced to meet your budget, or a full new design and installation package, Cater2 are with you every step of the way.

Finance available and can be approved within hours.*subject to T&C’s

Equipment Sales

DESIGN - SALES - SERVICE Unit 10, Ballymena Business Centre, 62 Fenaghy Road, Galgorm, Ballymena BT42 1FL T: 028 2568 9605 www.cater2.co.uk

cater 2 equipment ad version 2.indd 2

17/08/2020 15:52

FEATURE

Keith Farley, Managing Director of Aflac NI

64

PAGE64-66.indd 2

17/08/2020 15:02

Investing in the Best Managing Director of Aflac NI, Keith Farley, talks to Emma Deighan about why the Fortune 500 company chose Belfast as its cyber security innovation hub and why growth for the business here is a certainty‌

65

PAGE64-66.indd 3

14/08/2020 14:07

FEATURE

K

eith Farley is the ideal person from which to get a foreign investor’s perspective on Northern Ireland.

The American native reflects fondly on why one of the States’s largest names in insurance would set up shop here.

“We looked to 15 global cities and we saw Belfast’s ability to redevelop itself and to innovate as a major pulling point. If you look at the history of the city; it was once the rope and linen capital of the world, then the shipbuilding capital and today it’s got world class film studios and a worldrenowned tech scene. Belfast continues to rise to whatever the world needs. And with the speed of change in technology, it is great to be in a place known for adaptability, innovation and reinvention.”

In addition to NI’s ability to evolve, Keith comments on “the warmth and talent of the people.”

“The talent of the people we saw here was very impressive and everyone from the government officials to the universities were beyond anything else we saw elsewhere.

Belfast also has a very welcoming culture, which we noticed on our first trip and every visit thereafter.”

The Managing Director’s recommendation reads like a quintessential testimonial that should be given to all prospective investors interested in the talent of NI, but back to what the company is really here for – to build a world class Cyber Security team which will safeguard its 50 million customers in the US and Japan.

Aflac is the largest insurance company in Japan in terms of policies in force, and the largest supplemental insurance firm in the US. “When a policyholder gets sick or hurt, Aflac pays cash benefits quickly, to the policyholders, in their time of need. For more than six decades, Aflac insurance policies have given policyholders the opportunity to focus on recovery, not financial stress.”

In Northern Ireland, Aflac created a technology company to support the US and Japanese businesses. With 46 people already employed in Belfast, they will be ensuring the digital offering from the company is safe and secure, through innovative cyber security solutions. The company’s NI arm has, already, more than doubled in size since entering a work-from-home mode caused

by Coronavirus.

“The digitalisation of our service has continued to grow and I think the pandemic

has pushed it to grow faster and more people expect to transact online. If you take, for example, someone who never ordered groceries online, they may have found themselves doing that over the past few months. The world has more digital users now and there is much more data roaming around. COVID-19 has been an accelerant for digital experience, and makes cyber security even more important.”

The latter statement has meant that the team at Aflac has had to work harder and faster to protect its vast number of digital users. It’s a move that has been quite fluid for the company, which plans to take up residency at City Quays when lockdown is completely lifted.

“We are building a solid base across core security capabilities to include Application Security, Security Engineering, Data Protection, Threat Modelling, and Identity Access Management and taking ownership of critical functions of the Global Security Program,” says Keith.

“We have a few different areas at Aflac NI in our cyber security team. One is looking at external threat management – that is essentially a team that looks at closing vulnerabilities to attacks. Then we have identity, as in access management, which looks at how we can validate someone is who they say they are.

“Cyber innovation is also on the radar for the company in Belfast. It is essentially looking at new ways to protect the enterprise, and looking beyond passwords to leverage data to bring in security.

“Everything we do in Belfast is the newest and most innovative. It’s a place of fresh perspective where people haven’t looked

at these problems before and it is home to some of our highest skilled people.”

As well as cyber security, the Belfast team is made up of ITC professionals – from software development to testing and deployment. The IT team has a current focus on mobile apps and automation. The company plans to expand to 60 people this year, 100 in year two and 150 in year three.

Beyond creating employment, Aflac NI is hoping to contribute much more to the NI economy, Keith continues.

“Even though we are a large multinational company with partnerships across the world, we very intentionally decided to leverage a farm-to-fork model here in Northern Ireland.

All our suppliers are local. Our accountancy firm is in Belfast City Centre. Our marketing firm sits above the Dark Horse in the Cathedral Quarter and our staff benefits come from a company in Magherafelt. Our solicitors are beside the Albert Clock, and our applicant tracking systems are out of Portstewart. We’ve been very intentional not to come in as a big US international using US partnerships because it’s important to us to build local relationships.

“We might be a big brand in the US and Japan but here in NI we are relatively unknown and we want to approach this the right way; by fitting in with the community and building our local company with the help of other local companies.”

And while the company is ahead of its growth plans, it’s not ruling out further expansion.

“We are almost 50 people today, we’re tracking ahead and we think 150 people in Belfast is enough but we’re open to see where that goes,” says Keith.

“We might be a big brand in the US and Japan but here in NI we are relatively unknown and we want to approach this the right way; by fitting in with the community and building our local company with the help of other local companies.”

66

PAGE64-66.indd 4

14/08/2020 14:07

FEATURE

Denise Mulholland, ward assistant at Craigavon Area Hospital.

CIVICA DELIVERS EMPLOYEE APP FOR SOUTHERN HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE TRUST New Connect app developed in four weeks to boost communications and share real-time information with employees during COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

Southern Health & Social Care Trust (SHSCT) is working with Civica, a global leader in software for public services, to provide its employees with the new SHSCT Connect App. The app will play a vital role in keeping the Trust’s employees informed of the latest updates during the COVID-19 pandemic, providing a central hub for information and issuing alerts.

SHSCT provides health and social care services across five council areas in Northern Ireland, and employs more than 13,000 people.

As an established partner Civica has been working with the SHSCT to support delivery of care using its patient administration and document management systems. Following Civica’s collaboration with the Northern Ireland Department of Health to develop the COVID-19 NI mobile app, the Trust commissioned Civica to help build an app to ensure vital information is shared with all its staff, including those with no access to corporate systems such as contract and agency staff. The app is a vital source of information, guidance and engagement for employees during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The app provides the Trust with direct control over all content using a flexible content management system, providing complete autonomy. It was developed in four weeks following a virtual design workshop with Civica, SHSCT and UX design company, Big Motive, as just one innovation within the Civica North Star lab.

This is a first for the Trust and will give all employees access to the content they need on a day-to-day basis, as well as provide a

central hub for podcasts and newsletters.

Chatbot functionality enables employees to ask questions and get a response at any time of day or night. It then provides a daily breakdown of questions being asked so the Trust’s communications team can refine the content and resources within the app accordingly. In addition, the Trust can send out push notifications for important announcements, such as notifying employees of a new PPE delivery.

Vivienne Toal, Director of Human Resources and Organisational Development at Southern Health & Social Care Trust said: “Together with Civica and Big Motive, we have been working extremely hard over the past month to find a way to ensure all our employees, including those who do not have easy access to a computer, can access information regarding news, benefits and health and wellbeing on a regular basis.

“Engaging with and listening to our staff is fundamental to helping us create a great place to work. One of the key areas we identified for improvement following our 2019 staff survey was communication and engagement, so we are thrilled that this app will enable us to connect and engage with everyone across the organisation quickly and effectively. This roll-out is just the first phase and we are very excited about how the app will develop over time.”

Steve Brain, Executive Director, Health and Care, Civica added: “Technology and software are key enablers to improving communications and driving efficiencies across the NHS. The SHSCT Connect App will allow the Southern Health & Social Care Trust

to share focused, easily consumed content with its 13,000 employees, ensuring they are always kept up-to-date. We are delighted to be supporting the Trust with its digital transformation strategy at this crucial time and improving its employees’ engagement and wellbeing at work.”

While COVID-19 drove the creation of the app, it has also been designed as part of the Trust’s wider digital transformation plan and will continue to function as a key HR and Communications platform post-pandemic.

The Trust is also looking at using the app to provide online and virtual training as well as clinical guidance for medical workers in the future.

67

PAGE67.indd 1

13/08/2020 16:33

FEATURE

Conor O’Hagan of Brightwater NI

68

PAGE68-69.indd 2

13/08/2020 16:34

Work To Be Done The dynamics of the recruitment world changed dramatically during the Coronavirus pandemic and while there are small shoots of recovery, Conor O’Hagan of Brightwater NI says some industries will recover more slowly.

Here he talks to Emma Deighan about everything from ramping up CVs to Zoom etiquette in the new normal.

W

hen lockdown was announced in March, every industry felt the impact, but recruitment was one such sector that had to readapt to ensure those who were in the fortunate position to hire could do so, at a distance, and safely.

“We were doing really well prior to the pandemic; building relationships with both clients and candidates. We were in a really good position but unfortunately everything changed on lock-down and we had to move our services remotely,” begins Conor, who manages Brightwater’s Belfast office.

Conor’s speciality is engineering and operations, one of few that, during lockdown, experienced an uplift in demand and sought the services of Brightwater to accommodate that surge.

“Engineering moved very fast. I was able to quickly see where the focus was. Any company involved in food manufacturing and grocery retailing was recruiting, whether that was packaging, plastics, all of those types of firms were recruiting heavily.

“We saw accountancy recruitment slow down, a lot of practices went into lock-down for a few weeks and as time progresses, we’re seeing some firms begin to interview remotely,” continues Conor.

“Sales and marketing seem to be the first of those that have quietened down to open up again while rethinking their way of working. That sector has adapted by looking at changing the usual open plan office environment and group training sessions. It’s a good sign when you see that.”

Conor joined Brightwater in 2016 and is well placed to discuss the changes in the recruitment industry having seen it thrive and subsequently dive during COVID-19 but he’s confident that NI firms’ ability to adjust to unusual circumstances will reopen the recruitment field as it once was, albeit using different methods.

He believes tools like Zoom and Microsoft Teams will prove something of a pandemic legacy and cut out the need for face-to-face first interviews, although he’s quick to point out the importance of human interaction, in person.

He adds: “Even in the last five years technology has moved on massively in the recruitment industry. Today we’re having virtual meetings all the time;

before COVID that would have been mainly for international appointments but we’re seeing now that this is something that can work. Since lockdown, the majority of our interviews have been virtual.

“In the engineering sector we pushed the use of virtual interviews across both Microsoft Teams and Zoom. At Brightwater we always do the initial phone call and interview to meet the candidate but there are possibilities to now do online meetings in the first instance, especially where the candidate might live far from Belfast.

“At the beginning of lockdown the firms who were continuing to recruit adapted quickly to the process, introducing new ways of getting people in safely including temperature checks, social distancing, sanitising, and I noted that most of the companies recruiting were well set up to do so.”

Looking at the immediate pipeline of jobs coming through, Conor notes that those in the FMCG sector are the most active, alongside pharmaceuticals.

He adds: “Sales and marketing is trying to get up and running and those roles that were put on hold are coming back to the market. Accountancy is moving forward gradually, at a slower pace, and IT has never really been quiet at all — it’s remained steady with a freeze on recruitment but we’re seeing more of those roles released.”

And where there are job losses, Conor says Brightwater can help on the redirection of valuable skills.

“Aerospace has had an awful hit and that’s affected many other sectors too but most of the professionals working in these sectors have really good skill sets that can be applied elsewhere and we can help identify where.

“A lot of skills are transferable across many disciplines and time will tell how much of that talent can come through. We’ll know better when the furlough scheme ends but more promising is the pipeline of FDI coming through so opportunity will be there too.”

For those firms ready to resume recruitment, Conor concludes: “Reach out to ourselves. We can give you as much advice as possible. We can inform you on what’s out there. Sometimes our clients have a gap in the business and they aren’t sure what type of person they need, but we know first hand what’s there and who would complement your operations.”

69

PAGE68-69.indd 3

13/08/2020 16:34

FEATURE

Rachel McCausland, Sales and Marketing Director of Lowe Rental

70

PAGE70-71.indd 2

17/08/2020 15:05

Cool Runnings Lowe Rental, a leading supplier in refrigeration products, is on an upward trajectory and it’s diversifying and adapting to trends, demands and environmental events to ensure that growth is consistent no matter what the economic climate says Rachel McCausland, Sales and Marketing Director at the business.

L

isburn-headquartered Lowe Rental is a global name in the refrigeration rental world. It’s the go-to for many food and beverage (F&B) giants around the world and over the past 10 years it has delivered 600% growth on top line sales. It’s a figure that can be attributed to its ability to adapt to meet the current trends, whether they be technological or environmental, Rachel McCausland tells Ambition magazine.

“Our core offering up until 2008 was renting refrigeration display equipment to the world’s leading F&B exhibitions, providing a high quality service from Boston to Beijing,” Rachel begins.

“Since 2008 we are delighted to have delivered 600% growth on top line sales and diversified significantly into new verticals, offering an extended range of refrigeration and catering equipment to sporting events and retail markets worldwide.”

The dramatic surge in sales can partly be attributed to new owner Rodney Lowry who purchased the business from the Lowe family in 2008 back when 90% of the business’ revenue came from the exhibition rental market. Last year that figure sat at 20%. It’s a change that Rachel says has been a “fantastic journey”.

External influences are also driving innovation at Lowe Rental, Rachel continues.

“End users want more energy efficient technology, with natural refrigerants, which are more friendly to the environment.

Retailers also see the value of renting refrigeration over long-term periods, as a substitute to sale, and in order to avoid large up-front capital expenditures. More recently retailers want state of the art

temperature monitoring services to drive the next generation of efficiencies within their estates.

With just over 250 staff at the company in 10 locations; from Atlanta to Singapore and all headquartered from Lisburn, Lowe Rental has been successful even during the challenges of the pandemic, which hit exhibitions and the hospitality trade particularly hard.

Rachel says instead of slowing down, the company branched out to other markets to keep business buoyant. She adds: “During the pandemic we quickly diverted our attention to supporting front line services with equipment to aid the operations of hospitals, funeral care and Ministry of Justice to name but a few. In the USA we are supporting the storage of testing kits in the state of Ohio and in Asia we are renting cold storage facilities to online food retailers to cope with additional capacity demands.”

And another area of growth for the business has come about from Lowe Rental’s

acquisition of PKL Group, last summer.

Rachel says the purchase has enabled Lowe to become more capable of “delivering mega kitchen infrastructure projects”.

“Through this acquisition we have further differentiated our offering into more foodservice focused sectors including Cloud Kitchens and kitchen refurb projects.

We have also taken PKL’s UK based E-Commerce rental platform to the USA, which launched on 27th July as www. foodserviceequipmentrental.com – the first of its kind on the continent.”

And growth plans don’t stop there.

Rachel concludes: “We have very recently launched the technology arm of Lowe and we are focused on delivering a connected building strategy to the world’s leading food retailers over the coming months.

With our pioneering monitoring technology that provides two-way communication to connected assets through MQTT and NB IoT principles. We are bringing the smart home vision to the commercial world.”

“During the pandemic we quickly diverted our attention to supporting front line services with equipment to aid the operations of hospitals, funeral care and MOJ to name but a few. ” 71

PAGE70-71.indd 3

13/08/2020 16:52

FEATURE

James McGilligan, Commercial Manager of Crossfire Specialist Contracts

72

PAGE72-73.indd 2

13/08/2020 16:36

Safety First Set up as a supply and fit fencing company in the late 90s, Maghera-based Crossfire Specialist Contracts has experienced a substantial evolution over the years to become one of the most respected fire protection contractors in the UK and Ireland. Here James McGilligan, Commercial Manager of the company, talks to Emma Deighan about heightened regulations and why safety is always first.

“I

f you have to think ‘is my building safe?’, nine times out of 10 the answer will be no,” says James McGilligan who is currently, alongside his team of more than 30 staff, working on some of the major building projects here, in the South of Ireland and across the water.

Virtually every crane in the Belfast skyline alone will mark a contract for the company that has worked with some of the biggest hospitality establishments, retail names and commercial firms around.

“Due to the effects of the Coronavirus, we had a huge backlog,” James continues, speaking from the former Oxo factory on the Beersbridge Road, Belfast. To have so many ongoing contracts is a good position to be in given the economic uncertainty presented by Covid-19 for many sectors.

“Lockdown caused a lot of disruption, but everyone was in the same boat and now there is some sort of normality. Clients are pushing to get jobs running again but there is a lot of understanding.”

He describes the firm’s current level of work as “quite active” adding that most of it is in its native NI, but there are numerous ongoing contracts in the UK as well as in the South of Ireland.

“Today there is a lot of demand for fire protection. If you look at the construction work currently going on in Belfast alone, there are four new student residential blocks going up, the Ulster University project and the City Quays Phase 3, all of which will require thorough passive fire protection works,” he continues.

In 1997 James’ father, Finbar McGilligan, set up the business, primarily as a supply and fit fencing firm; however in 2012 the management decided to diversify into Passive Fire Protection and quickly it became recognised for its fire protection services. The growth of the Passive Fire Protection side of the business led to a rebranding exercise in 2016 and a lot of hard work and several accreditations later it has found itself attracting the newest and biggest construction projects on the island of Ireland as well as updating the fire protection in existing buildings and businesses here.

Among its services are fire safety upgrades – from live, fully occupied commercial premises to “significant historical” buildings.

Fire protection surveys, Fire paint inspections, safety door upgrades and fire safety upgrade works have beckoned big names too including multiple National Trust properties, several establishments in the Hastings portfolio, the Full Circle Generation

Waste to Energy project in Belfast’s Harbour Estate, the NI Hospice, a major chain of nursing homes across the UK and many more.

In the South, Bewleys and the Olympia Theatre are among its many clients, but James keeps tight-lipped on some of the highest profile jobs the firm has played a role in; some controversial, some less so. He adds: “Marketing our work is often difficult due to its highly confidential nature. A lot of our work is conducted in existing hotels and office blocks – live buildings. Naturally, those clients don’t want the works or indeed our active involvement acknowledged or publicised because it might provoke concern, so discretion is at the heart of what we do.”

Indeed, on the lengthy list of testimonials which it can publish on its website, discretion is among the many compliments paid by top names in the commercial sector.

James goes on to explain that the Crossfire team’s ability to carry out upgrade projects without advertising and identifying the nature of their work has become something of a skillset. “It’s sensitive work that our clients entrust us to complete whilst being discreet and we strive to complete our works to ensure full compliance for our clients whilst ensuring a level of privacy surrounding the works.”

In recent years fire and safety regulations have been heightened, seeing more work flood into the business.

“Over the past 10 years we have seen fire regulations develop and increase dramatically.

This of course is due in part to the numerous high-profile fire-related tragedies in recent years.

“We have noticed a vast increase in the awareness of the necessity for Passive Fire Protection along with heightened regulation enforcement as a result of these events.

“What concerns us most is that there still remains, in Northern Ireland particularly, the very dangerous mentality of ‘what’s the least we have to do to be compliant?’, an attitude which is not as prevalent in other geographical areas where we carry out works, such as the Republic of Ireland. Ideally, we would like to see here, specifically in Northern Ireland (and indeed elsewhere), a greater enforcement of those new regulations to ensure that buildings are not just ‘compliant’ but that developers and owners go above and beyond to ensure the safety and protection of the occupiers of their buildings.”

The firm is also working closely with Professor Ali Nadjai from the Ulster University to understand travelling fire behaviour in large modern open compartments. James informs, “Over the course of the past year we have been working closely with Professor Ali Nadjai, providing our services to assist in the carrying out of three large ‘real-world’ experiments based on a purpose-developed testing site in Fermanagh – these experiments and the findings and reports are one of many examples of Crossfire’s dedication to innovation within the industry.

“Our skills have been put to the test and there is a lot of work on this research which will be completed shortly.”

Addressing businesses that may require the advice/assistance of the Crossfire team, James concludes: “We have no ability to stop fire breaking out, but we have the experience, expertise, knowledge and discretion to install the correct, compliant systems that, in the event of a fire, will allow the occupants of your property to leave safely.”

It’s a stark reminder that safety in the workplace should always be a top priority.

“We have no ability to stop fire breaking out, but we have the experience, expertise, knowledge and discretion to install the correct, compliant systems that, in the event of a fire, will allow the occupants of your property to leave safely.”

73

PAGE72-73.indd 3

14/08/2020 14:12

FEATURE

Margot Slattery, Global Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Sodexo Group

74

PAGE74-76.indd 2

17/08/2020 15:07

Diversity and Inclusion Makes Sound Business Sense Margot Slattery, Global Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Sodexo Group, tells Ambition about the importance of diversity and inclusion to business.

M

argot took on her present full-time global role in September 2019, having previously been country president for Sodexo on the island of Ireland. As a leading on-site catering and facilities management services provider, Sodexo’s employees are geographically spread across client sites, with many working for the same client in the same place by choice for years, even decades.

“In those circumstances, it would be easy to feel more part of the client’s company than your own. It’s why fostering a sense of inclusiveness and belonging has always been a vital part of Sodexo’s human resources strategy.”

Margot has always been committed to the diversity and inclusion agenda and under her leadership, Sodexo was one of 11 founding signatories of Ireland’s first Diversity Charter.

She has received many accolades for her commitment towards diversity and inclusion in the workplace and supporting women in business, including a place on the Financial Times/OUTstanding Top 100 list of LGBT Business Leaders and the Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite, among others.

An individual’s sense of inclusion is influenced by their experiences with the organisation. To Margot, inclusive leadership is someone who challenges non inclusive environments and behaviours and never stops doing so. While leaders may have shifted their focus to urgent strategic needs amid the pandemic, organisations can consider using this time of historic disruption and heightened discourse about injustice to advance diversity and inclusion rather than allowing those priorities to recede.

Margot said, “Diversity and Inclusion is not a plaque that you can polish and put on the wall and then forget about it. Diversity can help organisations increase innovation, reconsider entrenched ways of thinking, and improve financial performance. Organisations can take full advantage of the perspectives of a diverse workforce only if leaders and employees enjoy a sense of inclusion.”

Good manners, decency and respect towards your employees and customers are always free. Go from the golden rule which is to treat others as you would like to be treated to the platinum rule, which is to treat others how they wish to be treated.”

Margot said Sodexo has moved beyond asking why diversity matters, to asking how it can create a more inclusive culture together.

The fact is that diverse organisations are more profitable, enjoy better employee retention and engagement, and outperform their competitors across a range of other measures.

Consequently, Margot reports directly to the Group’s chief people officer with open and ongoing communication to Group CEO Denis Machuel and the global executive committee. She and her team set annual KPIs and Key Actions across the Group’s five global D&I dimensions: Cultures & Origins, Disabilities, Gender, Sexual Orientation/LGBT+ and Generations. Recently, Margot has been engaged in tracking the effect of COVID-19 on those dimensions and supporting the global human resources teams around racism and intersectionality.

About her own background, Margot grew up in a loving family in a close-knit but conservative rural farming community in the west of Ireland in the 1980s. “I always felt somehow different and that sense of not truly belonging definitely made me feel a bit fearful in my teenage years.

Once I completed my chef training at Galway-

75

PAGE74-76.indd 3

14/08/2020 14:14

FEATURE

Mayo IT, I began working in Dublin and then London. But that fear persisted until I returned to London and joined Sodexo Ireland in the early 1990s as a very junior manager.

“At Sodexo, it was immediately obvious that being different wasn’t a negative and the culture of inclusion was lived out every day.

When I finally came out, it was no surprise to my colleagues or even my family.”

“It’s a joy to know that I can be myself, speak up and be in an environment that allows me to bring my whole self to work and has encouraged and supported me in promoting diversity and inclusion outside work as well.”

Margot moved up through the ranks to become managing director of its Irish corporate services division in 2012 and country president

from 2015 to 2019, before moving into her present role.

“Sodexo has a strong culture of people development and you could say that I am a walking example of that.”

Margot agreed that being a leader can be a lonely place as you are often in the position of having to make difficult decisions. “This can be tougher if you must make them about colleagues with whom you have come up through the ranks. My advice is to make clear decisions and make them fast. Uncertainty is uncomfortable for everyone and gives rise to rumours that ultimately can cause more damage than the reality.“ When asked what leader she most admired, Margot’s answer was immediate: “Former

president Mary Robinson for her work on social justice, her amazing attitude and resilience.

I have been inspired by her over the last 30 years, she is a leader who has values and works for change, not ego.”

Outside Sodexo, Margot sits on the National Council of the business lobby group IBEC, president of the France-Ireland Chamber of Commerce and is a member of the National Competitiveness Council. Her board memberships include the Dublin Chamber of Commerce, Business in the Community Ireland, Bord ná Mona, Out and Equal Workplace Advocates, and Sofinsod Insurance DAC, amongst others.

Margot said that a commitment towards educating themselves on diversity, inclusion and bias is the first step that a leader can take.

A recognition of one’s own privilege is also a vital first step. Margot said that understanding your privilege is often said to be the first and most important step in becoming an ally.

Behind every privilege lies an imbalance of power. It’s invisible to those who possess it and ever-present for those who don’t.

Making diversity and inclusion part of everything a company does to create a sense of truly belonging comprises both mental and physical elements of the workplace environment. For instance, does the actual structure of the building suit workers and visitors in terms of accessibility. How does a company manage some of the COVID-19 restrictions like wearing a mask, when an employee or visitor may have a learning or speech problem?

To those who might argue that diversity and inclusion is a financial luxury in these times of COVID, Margot has this to say: “When a company is battling for survival, diversity and inclusion can make a fundamental and positive difference. Consumers have never been more attuned to companies and their actions. Look on diversity and inclusion as an opportunity, not a threat.”

“Diversity and Inclusion is not a plaque that you can polish and put on the wall and then forget about it. Diversity can help organisations increase innovation, reconsider entrenched ways of thinking, and improve financial performance. Organisations can take full advantage of the perspectives of a diverse workforce only if leaders and employees enjoy a sense of inclusion.”

76

PAGE74-76.indd 4

13/08/2020 16:38

appointments

A

NEW

PPOINTMENTS IN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY

KEVIN MACALLISTER

IAN KELSALL

FIONA HANNA

MARV VAN NIEKERK

Regional Leader for PwC in Northern Ireland.

Audit Partner at Deloitte in Belfast.

Director at Jago Communications.

Head of Operations and Customer Success at Flowlens.

Lisburn-based business advisory firm Pinnacle Professional has recently welcomed two new staff to its team.

Pictured with Pinnacle’s Commercial Director Lisa Keys (centre) is Marcus Lynn who joins the firm as Trade & Business Specialist and newly appointed Marketing Assistant, Erin Davison.

77

PAGE77.indd 1

13/08/2020 16:39

FEATURE

78

PAGE78-80.indd 2

14/08/2020 15:14

Allister Mulligan, Director of DESK Warehouse.

The Office Agenda Desk Warehouse has been trading for 27 years but 2020 has marked its most challenging, and indeed one of its most promising yet, Director Allister Mulligan tells Emma Deighan.

79

PAGE78-80.indd 3

14/08/2020 14:19

FEATURE

“F

ootfall has been amazing. We’ve had more people through the door than we’ve ever had,” Allister tells Ambition, just weeks after reopening his new 15,000 sq ft retail space after a worrying lockdown period.

“We were lucky because we had a lot of stock while other outlets were struggling with supply chain issues that had 12-14 week lead times because of COVID-19. In a way we benefitted when others simply didn’t have the stock to meet demand.”

When lockdown was announced on March 23rd, Allister had made his peace with the belief that his firm would be in for a compromising few weeks or months but the e-commerce side of the business skyrocketed.

“Amazon and our online sales went through the roof. We were selling hundreds of pieces, to everywhere from Inverness to Landsend.”

The majority of customers during that rush were corporate clients, Allister says, with many banks seeking office furniture and commercial chairs for their work from home staff.

“There was an emphasis on chairs and we’re finding that people are very conscious of health and safety while working from home. Many employers want their staff to work in the same standard office they were used to prior to the pandemic. They want a happy and safe environment.

“I also think demand was led by people’s changed attitudes towards working from home. They are looking at it like a longer term arrangement whereas in the past they may have temporarily suffered sitting at a dining table but now they are spending

“We have a good news story to tell. We want to continue growing and create more employment in the area. ” time and money on making that home office work.”

New office set ups to accommodate social distancing also saw firms flock to Desk Warehouse to cater to their new environmental needs and a surge in new businesses, despite the challenging climate, also pushed sales, Allister reveals.

“There was a perception that there would be fewer people working in commercial premises and we didn’t know how that would affect us, but no matter what the situation or what the economy is like, there are always companies starting up and expanding and we have seen many brand new companies coming through the door every day.

“Some of those were born from the crisis; those who are making products that are in demand because of the current situation,

like PPE manufacturers or those who are still able to grow and expand.”

Based in an old mill on the Beersbridge Road, Desk Warehouse is fresh from a £500,000 expansion and ready to add the final touches to the premises which boast a total of 15,000 square foot.

It’s a roomy space that allows it to accommodate walk-ins safely while showcasing its variety of products – from boardroom tables to storage and executive chairs among a host of other ranges. It’s an investment that is illustrative of the ClogherValley reared businessman’s ambitious plans for the firm and employment in the area.

“It’s fantastic from a perception point of view with customers able to see what we have,” Allister continues. “If lockdown hadn’t happened we would’ve had an official opening.”

Looking to the future, Allister, an accountant, is hoping that after almost 30 years in the retail sphere, he will have nurtured a strong enough team to allow him to take a back seat in the firm.

At present Desk Warehouse employs nine staff and all but one have returned back to the business full time.

“We have a great structure in place here and I would like to step back a little. That’s the objective. I’m the typical small business owner who works every evening and having a strong operation in place that allows the business to run itself would be ideal.

“We have a good news story to tell. We want to continue growing and create more employment in the area. Ideally I would like to double the number of staff and continue to trade as successfully as we have been.”

80

PAGE78-80.indd 4

14/08/2020 14:49

Business Class Motoring

By James Stinson

18 Boucher Way, Belfast, BT12 6RE W. agnewleasing.com T. 028 9038 6600

Sponsored by

LIFESTYLE

James Stinson

Mazda’s SUV Charm Offensive

SUVs shouldn’t be pretty but this new CX-30 shows they can be, writes James Stinson.

Mazda is celebrating a hundred years in business. And while we know it for producing cars, it actually started off making cork before branching out into rock drills and trucks.

It wasn’t until 1960 that it started making automobiles… and the rest as they say is history.

And for the last 30 years or so that history has been pretty memorable, not least for cars like the MX-5 – a sportscar so good that everyone else pretty much gave up trying to compete with the Japanese car maker.

Latterly, Mazda has like most other car makers been ploughing its considerable expertise into making SUVs in the shape of the CX-3 and CX-5. And now there’s this CX-30, a

compact crossover to rival the likes of the Seat Ateca and Skoda Karoq.

Though while the Skoda and the Seat are great cars, they look functional by comparison.

It’s a useful trait Mazda has harnessed in recent years – making cars that look and feel more upmarket than their mainstream competitors.

The all-new CX-30 is based on the familysized Mazda 3 and so sits between the aforementioned CX-3 and CX-5. Consequently, it has a fairly modest footprint but, crucially, it sits higher on the road which is what most drivers are searching for these days.

The sleek body and sculpted panels make it very easy on the eye. And that hat tip to luxury is carried through to the interior where fit and finish is top notch.

While there’s plenty of room in the front, the rest of the cabin isn’t especially roomy. Some of that is a trade-off for that eye-catching silhouette. Rear passenger space lags behind best in class while the boot is just adequate so if you are looking for a load lugger, look elsewhere.

Under the bonnet is a choice of two 2.0-litre petrol engines, both of which use mild hybrid technology; the CX-30’s small electric motor and 24-volt lithium ion battery working together to improve efficiency and response at low speeds.

Both engines come with a six-speed manual gearbox as standard, with a six-speed automatic optional. The most powerful engine

NEW

gives you the option of four-wheel drive, should you want or need a bit more traction in slippery conditions.

In front-wheel drive form, it hugs the road nicely though with none of the body roll you sometimes get with similar-sized SUVs. The lesser-powered Skyactiv-G 2.0 litre, with some 120bhp, is perfectly adequate with enough zest to move the CX-30 along at a decent pace though more energetic drivers will like the extra 50 or so horses that come with the Skyactiv-X version. Expect real-world fuel consumption in and around the low-to-midforties.

Equipment levels are strong throughout the five trim levels. The SE-L kicks things off with 16-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, rear parking sensors, a head-up display, and an 8.8-inch infotainment system with navigation and smartphone integration.

The SE-L Lux is the sweet spot in the range, adding niceties such as a reversing camera, front parking sensors and keyless entry, while the Sport Lux gets 18-inch wheels and a sunroof, among other things. The infotainment system scores highly for sticking with a manual dial over the in vogue touch screen affairs which can be fiddly and distracting for drivers.

Prices start from £22,940 with the highlighted SE-L Lux fitted with the lower powered Skyactiv-G engine costing from £24,440. The bigger engine and automatic gearbox add around £1,500 each. All-wheel drive versions start from £29,540.

Affinity Car Scheme Any make, any model Contact Agnew Leasing on affinity@agnews.co.uk to find out more

82

PAGE82.indd 2

14/08/2020 14:51

NEW

Affinity Car Scheme Any make, any model Our NEW Affinity Scheme has been designed to enable companies and organisations, across the UK, the opportunity to offer their employees/ members a secure, tailored, online quotation system to help them find their perfect car.

Users will be able to log in and generate an unlimited number of quotes, selecting any make or model of vehicle and establishing monthly costs that suit their budget by adjusting deposit, term, and mileage per annum.

Key Benefits • Configure & Order Car Online • Secure Platform • Flexible Deposit, Term & Mileage • Automated Finance Decision • Full Maintenance (Optional) • RFL Included for Contract Term • Accident Management • Breakdown Recovery • Enhanced Support Terms • Competitive Rentals • Hassle Free

To find out more or register interest for your company, please contact us on affinity@agnews.co.uk

PAGE83.indd 1

13/08/2020 16:31

LIFESTYLE

PEUGEOT’S POWERS INTO ELECTRIC

T

here’s nothing certain in this world anymore except perhaps the ability of French car makers to make really good small cars. It’s in their DNA – as proven by various Renaults, Peugeots and Citroens through the decades.

But sometimes even the best can lose their way, with the last Peugeot 208 one of the less remarkable of the breed. It wasn’t a bad car but in a class currently defined by cars like the Ford Fiesta and VW Polo, it wasn’t good enough.

Thankfully, the latest 208 isn’t just an evolution of the old car but is new in every way. In some ways, it’s a follow on from the 508 Executive saloon, reviewed on these pages last year. Things we liked about that car were the better quality but, more than anything else, the fresh new styling approach.

After a good decade and more of making mostly unremarkable and sometimes downright frumpy cars, Peugeot has rediscovered its design mojo. Hallelujah! The new 208 is a little longer and a little flatter than its predecessor, while the bonnet is a slightly longer too. It looks far more purposeful.

Add to this a meaty front grille, with the model number boldly displayed at the foot of the bonnet and the striking fang-like

daytime running lights and it has real on the road presence. The rear too has some nice touches including the black panelling that runs along the boot connecting the rear lights. Sportier models also add some neat black detailing around the wheel arches and matched with some of the more garish colours on offer, it looks fun and funky.

You can choose petrol, diesel or an allelectric version. Diesels aren’t big sellers in cars of this size anymore so the 1.2 litre petrol, which comes in three states of tune – 75bhp, 100bhp and 130bhp – will make up the bulk of sales. The middle of the range 100bhp motor strikes a good balance between price, economy and performance.

0-60mph is doable in around 10 seconds while delivering sub 100g/km CO2 and high forties mpg. This motor also comes with the choice of six-speed manual or eight speed automatic gearbox. The entry level motor only comes with a five-speed manual and is a good three seconds slower reaching 60mph from a standing start.

But perhaps the most interesting is the new electric version – the e-208. It’s the first mainstream small car to get the all-electric treatment and it’s likely to tempt many more buyers on to the electric bandwagon.

It has a 50kWh battery that powers a

NEW

134bhp electric motor – enough to propel the-208 from 0-60mph in a spritely eight seconds. Peugeot claims an impressive range of 217 miles though depending on driving style and conditions this will likely mean somewhere between 150-200 in the real world.

Still, that’s more than enough for most drivers and the vast majority of trips. You can charge at home overnight or top-up to 80% of full charge in around half an hour on one of the growing number of rapid charging points around the country.

It costs from £26,025, including the government’s £3,000 plug-in car grant.

That’s about £6,000 more than the 100bhp petrol engined version in the same trim. It’s still a hefty premium but you’ll make a fair chunk of that back in lower tax and running costs.

Whatever the powertrain, all 208s feature a quirky arcade game-like driving position with a nice low slung steering wheel and driver enveloping dash along with state-ofthe-art infotainment system.

Even the cheapest trim level, Active, is quite well equipped, listing 16inch alloy wheels, heated door mirrors, automatic lights, air conditioning and a leather steering wheel among its highlights. Entry-level prices start from £17,155.

Affinity Car Scheme Any make, any model Contact Agnew Leasing on affinity@agnews.co.uk to find out more

84

PAGE84.indd 2

14/08/2020 14:53

NEWS

BT LAUNCHES MAJOR NEW DRIVE TO SUPPORT OVER 124,000 SMALL BUSINESSES BT has launched an unprecedented package of support to help over 124,000 small businesses in Northern Ireland get better positioned for recovery and growth following the Coronavirus outbreak and as they prepare for a post-Brexit future.

The launch of the Small Business Support Scheme sees the company introduce a range of new measures to help small business boost their connectivity, cash flow and confidence.

BT’s action plan includes a commitment to pay its 4,500 small business suppliers promptly and within 30 days of being invoiced, to helping firms fund the cost of ultrafast business connections, as well as access to free resources such as business mentoring, digital skills, marketing tools and mental health support.

Paul Murnaghan, director of BT’s Enterprise business in Northern Ireland, said: “Small businesses are the beating heart of our economy, high streets and communities. The past few months have been amongst the most challenging in living memory for SMEs. As they employ the majority of private sector workers here, their success is key to securing Northern Ireland’s economic recovery from the pandemic.

Small businesses deserve the support of each and every one of us to help them thrive into the future.

“At BT, we can use our technology, scale and expertise to help small businesses kickstart recovery and growth by boosting their connectivity, cash flow and confidence. So we’ve listened to the needs of small businesses and are stepping up to deliver a support scheme which should have something for everyone – whether you’re a sole trader, tech-start up, micro business or a larger firm.”

Ann McGregor, Chief Executive of Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry, added: “The past few months have been amongst the most challenging in living memory for businesses and BT’s commitment to supporting local SMEs through these tough times will be particularly welcome by the sector.

“The Small Business Support Scheme is directly targeted at a number of the pressure points facing businesses now. Its assistance with relieving cash flow pressures for suppliers and improving digital skills across a wider business base is extremely important. As thousands of businesses here look to digitally transform operations and how they service customers, BT’s continued focus on connectivity is also going to be central.

“I encourage small businesses from every sector across Northern Ireland to take advantage of the expertise and support on offer.”

BT’s team of 40 store-based, local business consultants are on hand to help small business customers access the wide range of support available. These specialist experts can provide personal advice around the best technology options for an individual business, together with digital skills support for employees.

They are joined by a network of 40 BT Local Businesses around the UK – independently owned businesses who work in partnership with BT to deliver a personal, local service to

small business customers across the length and breadth of the country.

This sees BT supporting and rejuvenating the UK’s high streets, as well as levelling up the regions and devolved nations by making specialist local tech and digital skills support as accessible as possible – no matter where firms might be based.

BT is exploring ways of adding further initiatives to its Small Business Support Scheme to bolster its support for the sector and will announce more details in due course.

85

PAGE85.indd 1

14/08/2020 14:26

HELPING YOU RESTRUCTURE YOUR TEAM

WOMEN IN BUSINESS SUPPORTING HEALTH AND WELLBEING FOR EMPLOYERS

2020 has been an extremely challenging year for business.

With lockdown imposed in March, organisations have faced unprecedented trading challenges and have had to adapt their business models to facilitate new ways of working or eke out new markets to Erin Butler continue trading.

With some sectors seeing tentative signs of recovery, businesses are now looking ahead to a post Brexit environment and are aligning their teams to ensure they have the skills required to continue the movement of goods throughout Europe, whilst maintaining accurate and detailed records for reporting purposes.

At Honeycomb, we have experienced an increased demand for professionals with expertise in Customs Clearance, Import/Export Administration, Freight Forwarding and Change Management to support businesses post Brexit.

If you are seeking a consultation on how to effectively build out or restructure your team to support business growth, contact Erin Butler on 028 96207050 or visit www.honeycomb.jobs.

Women in Business NI has seen an increasing demand in membership over recent months from progressive employers wishing to provide that vital health and wellbeing provision to staff.

Through a successful transition into online webinars and events Women in Business has been highlighting the importance of keeping staff healthy in mind and body and providing that much needed support.

Chief Executive, Roseann Kelly highlights the importance of a healthy mindset. “Women in Business has been as busy as ever in supporting our members from the corporate sector providing webinars on resilience and handling conflict to nutrition and health. We have found this to be extremely important in helping employers and their staff stay healthy and positive through these uncertain times.”

With a packed schedule of online events offering a mix of business development, industry based online networking and a focus on health and wellbeing, Women in Business has a plethora of opportunities for you to support your staff in their personal wellbeing and professional growth.

For more information on Women in Business membership opportunities visit: www.womeninbusinessni.com

FLEET MARKET POST LOCK DOWN With motor retail and fleet virtually coming to a standstill in the months of April and May, dealerships and fleet businesses started to re-open their doors at the beginning of June.

David McEwen, Head of Business Development at Agnew Leasing, said: “With over two months of trading now under our belts it would be fair to say that sales have been buoyant with plenty of pent up demand and a strong used car market. How long this will continue is the million-dollar question with everyone hoping that another COVID-19 outbreak doesn’t put us into hibernation again.

“In the fleet world, the demand is patchy across the various businesses, but I think that most are pleasantly surprised by the amount of activity overall. At the beginning of lockdown, we had the WLTP/RDE2 recalibration of Co2 levels which have ultimately impacted all company car drivers today. Hence, since re-opening our doors we have been busy consulting with all our clients in relation to their company car choice lists and how we may assist them and their drivers from an overall cost and BIK perspective. Adopting a scientific and methodical approach to the creation of company cars choice lists and bandings with consideration given to alternative fuelled vehicles has allowed us to control the costs for our clients/drivers.”

If you are a business owner or key decision maker in a business and are in any doubt about your vehicle choices and/or commercials, Agnew Leasing would encourage you to get in touch for a free consultation on your whole fleet. Feel free to contact David McEwen, Head of Business Development at Agnew Leasing on 028 9038 6600 or by email to david.mcewen@agnews.co.uk. Agnew Leasing will be delighted to help and look forward to hearing from you.

86

PAGE86.indd 2

14/08/2020 14:32

KEEPING YOUR MONEY IN SAFE HANDS Managing cash security has proven to be problematic for many retailers. Preventing theft is a top priority. From robberies to staff skimming cash during busy periods or when the safe key holder is absent from the premises.

• Reduce the associated risk to staff in the event of a robbery • Improve productivity with better cash flow through the cash office • Key holder not required on premises to deposit cash into the safe •Can be connected to most existing safes

Several solutions are available to assist but a proven product that is available is “Safe-linK”, The Cash Security Solution.

The “Safe-linK” pods are available in 10 different colours to facility different staff shifts or days.

“Safe-linK”, designed and manufactured by Advanced Pneumatic Technology Ltd (APT) in Balbriggan, Co. Dublin, is a modern and secure way of transporting cash in-house from the point of sale directly into a locked safe in a secure part of the premises.

WHO USES “SAFE-LINK”?

Convenience stores, supermarkets, hotels, pubs, off-licences, restaurants, petrol retailers, department stores; infact all have one thing in common – cash security.

HOW DOES IT WORK? “Safe-linK” are installed in over 1200 outlets across the island of Ireland and are connected to a wide range of safes with insurance cash rating from £2k to £100k sterling.

The cashier loads the “Safe-linK” pod with the surplus cash and inserts it into the send station. The system controls start and delivers the pod directly to the safe through a network of tubes by air vacuum. The sending station is situated adjacent to the cash register for regular ease of use.

“The journey takes just a few seconds….but the peace of mind lasts forever.”

Further information available from APT, 17 Balbriggan Business Park, Balbriggan, Co Dublin, K32 DK44 +353 1 8413005 info@safelink.ie

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS? • Cash is removed regularly and in smaller amounts • Reduce risk of external and internal robberies

To take advantage of this terrific offer Simply call

028 9066 3311 or subscribe online:

www.ulstertatler.com

FRdEesEFR!EE

Inclu f Rapid bottle o itt from M Tan and ity Tan n Insa 24 worth £

PAGE87.indd 1

N O I T P I CR FFER S B U S O

0 2 £ T S UES!

S S U I 2 J FOR 1 87

17/08/2020 10:49

ALLSTATE NI – THE FIRST COMPANY TO BE AWARDED THE SILVER DIVERSITY MARK

REDUNDANCIES: WHEN THERE’S NO OTHER OPTION Sometimes, reducing the size of your workforce or reducing your salary costs are the only options to stay afloat in these challenging times. If cutting costs wasn’t difficult enough, redundancies and contract changes are also among the most complicated areas of employment law.

John Healy OBE, Vice President and Managing Director at Allstate NI accepts the Silver Diversity Mark certificate from Christine White, Head of Business at Diversity Mark NI.

That’s why our clients enjoy access to the Peninsula 24/7 HR support line when they need help with their toughest business decisions. And if you’re not yet a client, don’t worry, you can call Peninsula on 0800 917 0771 for instant help on how to reduce staff costs post-lockdown.

Allstate were recently the first company in Northern Ireland to have achieved the Silver Diversity Mark from awarding body Diversity Mark NI Ltd. The software company have made significant progress on initiatives to advance Diversity since joining Diversity Mark NI three years ago.

Allstate NI along with over 70 organisations from all sectors have joined Diversity Mark NI on their journey to build an inclusive and fair workplace which they see as vital in engaging and building trust with their workforce, retaining and attracting diverse talent, increasing innovation and adding to the bottom line.

To find out how your organisation could benefit from becoming a Diversity Mark NI signatory contact christine@diversity-mark-ni.co.uk or visit www.diversity-mark-ni.co.uk.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS Opinions expressed in Ulster Tatler Group publications are those of the individual contributors and do not necessarily represent the views of the publishers. 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 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.

According to recent independent Research by Ulster Marketing Surveys, the Ulster Tatler has by far the largest readership of any Northern Ireland magazine.

COMPETITION RULES

Readers are asked to note that the first entry (or entries drawn after the closing date) will be the winner(s). The Editor’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. There can be no cash alternative.

The winner may be asked to take part in publicity. Prize is not transferrable.

Staff and their families of Ulster Tatler Group and the organisation donating the prize(s) are not eligible to enter. Please note that supplying competition prizes to named winners is the sole responsibility of the company offering them and not Ulster Tatler Group.

88

PAGE88.indd 2

13/08/2020 16:35

Columnist Paul Stephens, Head of Corporate and ABL at Close Brothers Commercial Finance

CBILS: Supporting Businesses in Northern Ireland Paul Stephens, Head of Corporate and ABL at Close Brothers Commercial Finance, discusses support available to businesses in these unprecedented times.

result of the crisis. We’ll continue to offer this financial backing as the situation evolves.

CASH FLOW SOLUTIONS A good example of a business that has utilised a CBILS term loan is CM Marketing. The SME finalised a management buy-out, financed by a £1.4m invoice discounting and cash flow loan package, just days before lockdown was announced. Soon after, the pandemic impacted their operations and Close Brothers were in a position to offer additional funding.

Despite being a long-established and profitable wholesale distributor of bathroom products, Coronavirus created a challenging market for CM Marketing. They saw fewer sales as builders’ merchants closed.

While the SME acted quickly to modify processes and reduce the implications COVID-19 had on trading, forecasts projected that cash flow could be disordered, and additional liquidity was required to ensure their supply chains remained open.

CM Marketing shared their position with their dedicated relationship manager. After discussing their immediate response, ongoing strategy and finance options, they decided to apply for a CBILS term loan.

With support from Close Brothers, the application process was straightforward. They were able to access the term loan quickly, with capital deposited in their account less than two weeks after the initial CBILS conversation.

The additional finance has enabled the company to make critical decisions regarding payments and trading in the unusual landscape created by the pandemic. This means they can maintain important customer relationships and preserve supply chains where possible.

Commenting on the CBILS loan, Neville Robinson, Director at CM Marketing, said: “Applying for a loan under CBILS was a simple, painless process for us, with Close Brothers providing the capital we needed swiftly. We were delighted by how easy it was to access funding.

“The loan has enabled us to keep our supply chain open during this challenging period. Our relationships with suppliers are very important, and they are built on clear communication and trust.

The additional liquidity has given us peace-of-mind, enabling us to keep up with and discuss payment terms openly.

“It will also be a great help as the wider markets begin to reopen – we’re up for the challenge and we’re here for the long haul.”

S

ince opening its doors in Ireland over ten years ago, Close Brothers Commercial Finance has built a reputation for strong relationships, prudent lending and stability.

Now, in these unprecedented times, we’re helping businesses thrive again. As well as continuing to offer our range of specialist funding solutions, we can provide the UK government’s Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) to companies in Northern Ireland.

We’re proud to have supported numerous firms over the years and, with a FTSE250 parent company, we continue to be a reliable source of commercial funding.

IMPACT OF CORONAVIRUS I have spoken before about how proud I am to work in partnership with businesses in Ireland. Our funding specialists work with people up and down the island, enabling them to keep trading and achieve their goals. We are continually witnessing the resilience and innovation that underpins the economy, but recent months have posed new challenges.

The Coronavirus pandemic had a fast and dramatic impact across the world and the subsequent commercial challenges are ongoing. Footfall, income and our normal ways of life have been disrupted, creating cash flow challenges or uncontrollable changes to forecasts.

Through no fault of their own, many viable firms require additional help to manage working capital and continue despite the adverse conditions. For that reason, we are pleased to be accredited by the British Business Bank to offer the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme.

As part of the scheme, we can provide loans up to the value of £5m in conjunction with our asset finance and invoice finance facilities. The initiative is designed to help SMEs trade out of short-to-medium term difficulties and allows us to give additional provisions to those experiencing lost or deferred revenues due to the pandemic.

With CBILS, we have already been able to support a huge range of viable businesses whose cash flow has been interrupted as a

89

PAGE89.indd 2

14/08/2020 14:35

Columnist Brendan Drain, Sync NI

Techie Talk Time

Sync NI’s Brendan Drain looks at how Northern Ireland is adapting post-COVID-19.

Northern Ireland’s tech sector has fared surprisingly well during the Coronavirus lockdown. Here are four ways that Northern Ireland is adapting to beat the virus:

#1 – Gigabit fibre rollout supports work from home Belfast has always been highly ranked among tech-friendly cities worldwide for its great work culture and strong internet connectivity, and this year it got even better. Northern Ireland’s largest internet infrastructure developer, Openreach, recently announced that over 360,000 homes and businesses across the region now have access to gigabit ‘full fibre’ broadband.

Our local internet infrastructure held up well to the recent deluge of tech workers shifting to working from home, but full fibre isn’t yet available in every town. Northern Ireland’s rollout of gigabit broadband is set to accelerate throughout 2020, and it looks like rural areas won’t be left behind this time. Openreach revealed plans to install the technology in 94 rural towns and villages across Northern Ireland, which will help support those engaging in remote work even after the Coronavirus crisis ends.

#2 – Belfast’s universities and medical research The search for effective treatments or a vaccine for the Coronavirus outbreak is taking place all around the world, and Northern Ireland is playing a key role in the ongoing medical research. Queen’s University Belfast joined the UK-wide COVID-19 Genomics UK consortium (COG-UK), for example, which has been analysing the spread and behaviour of the virus using rapid genome sequencing.

Ulster University professors Tara Moore and Jim McLaughlin joined the UK Government’s Rapid Test Consortium that’s developing new antibody tests, and also launched a study into COVID-19 exposure and immunity levels in Northern Ireland.

Ulster University researchers even developed an app that can read COVID-19 antibody test results and a COVID-19 tracker that compares data between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

90

PAGE90-91.indd 2

13/08/2020 16:36

#3 – Local inventions help businesses adapt When the Coronavirus outbreak first hit the UK, tech and manufacturing companies across Northern Ireland saw it as an opportunity to help. Digital donation platform ESTHER began offering its services for free to all charities and community groups who had seen a marked drop in donations during lockdown, and it wasn’t the only firm to volunteer its services to help.

Belfast-based MedTech firm Axial3D launched an initiative aimed at getting businesses with 3D printing capabilities together to help with the outbreak. The company specialises in precision 3D printing for medical applications, and began prototyping everything from COVID-19 test kits, swabs, and masks, to much-needed ventilator components.

Manufacturers across the region have been retooling their equipment to make PPE for hospitals, and even local breweries started making alcohol-based sanitising gel. More recently, Antrim-based manufacturer Jans Composites Ltd has developed a new Hydropod portable hand washing station that can be installed anywhere even without electricity or a permanent water supply.

#4 – Protecting tech incubators

Shared offices such as the Catalyst Fintech hub and Ulster Bank Entrepreneur Accelerator space have become important innovation hubs for the NI tech scene, offering flexible office space to help early-stage tech startups find their feet. These spaces face a particularly difficult challenge in re-opening as staff from dozens of different companies must share facilities.

Belfast’s Ormeau Baths co-working space (home to the Ignite tech accelerator) gave us a model for how incubators and tech accelerators can safely re-open. Smart thermal cameras were installed at all entrances to check for people with potential fevers, and communal areas such as kitchens and bathrooms now use a green light system to show occupancy limits. Events normally hosted at the space have also switched to using video conferencing tech, and desks are spaced much further apart.

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

91

PAGE90-91.indd 3

13/08/2020 16:36

LIFESTYLE

Chris Rees, Head Chef at the River Room Restaurant at Galgorm Spa & Golf Resort, serves Onion “ravioli” with braised Antrim lamb, served with salsa Verde, girolle mushrooms and crispy fregola.

Dine & Wine Serves 4

This is a perfect summer dish using more affordable cuts of local lamb, which is at the height of its season. It is best served as a starter or as part of a selection of small plates enjoyed with drinks.

The dish is comprised of braised lamb shanks, slow cooked then stuffed inside a leaf of onion, served with a white onion puree and a green and flavoursome herb-based dressing, girolle mushrooms and crispy fregola.

Ingredients • 2 lamb shanks • 1500ml lamb stock • 8 onions • 200 ml red wine • 2 carrots • 3 cloves of garlic • 200g Girolles • 1 lemon • Bayleaf • Sprig of thyme • 30g flat-leaf parsley • 30g basil • 30g fresh mint • 1 small handful of capers • 1 shallot • 1tsp Dijon mustard • 1tsp red wine vinegar • 100ml quality rapeseed oil • 100g fregola • Oil, butter and salt and pepper for cooking To cook the lamb: Sear the shanks in a deep, heavy-based pan until dark brown, remove and set aside. Slice the carrots and 1 of the onions and add them to the lamb juices that have collected in the pan, along with the garlic, bay leaves and thyme.

Add the wine and reduce slightly, followed by the stock, then finally the seared lamb shanks, ensuring they are completely covered by the stock.

Place the pot on a low heat or in an oven at 140°c for 2-3 hours, or until the meat easily falls away from the bone.

Once the meat is cooked, strain the pot and place the liquid back on a high heat to reduce.

Break the meat from the shanks into small pieces and add to the liquid when it becomes dark and slightly sticky.

For the onion puree: Peel and slice 4 onions and gently sweat over a medium heat in a little butter, season with salt and allow to cook until the onions are very soft, trying not to colour. Place the onions in a food processor and blend until a smooth puree is achieved; a splash of cream can be added if necessary.

For the fregole: Boil the fregola in water with a little salt until it is very soft, then dry in a low oven (90°c) , until it is completely dry again. To crisp the fregola, fry in a sauce pan of very hot oil at least 2cm deep. Add the fregola in small batches then transfer to a sheet of kitchen paper and season.

For the salsa verde: Using a very sharp knife, chop all of the fresh herbs finely a little at a time and add to a bowl.

Chop the capers and shallot, and add to the herbs along with the oil, vinegar and mustard. Check for

seasoning and add more salt, pepper or vinegar if needed.

For the Girolles: Gently scrape the outer skin of the mushroom stalks using a small sharp knife then wash in a large bowl of cold water, ensuring the mushrooms do not get broken. Drain, then allow to dry on a clean cloth.

To assemble the dish: Place the remaining onions in the oven, keeping upright, for about 45mins at 190°c, until they are very soft. Allow to rest for around 10 minutes.

Cut the onions from root to tip so that cup or shell shaped layers of the inner onion can be removed. Place a good spoonful of the warm lamb mixture into each cup and roll up into a tear drop shape. Dress with olive oil and a little salt and pepper then set aside. Fry the mushrooms in a little butter until soft and season.

On a warm plate place a spoonful of the onion puree followed by the stuffed onion shell. Coat the onion ravioli in a good layer of the salsa verde then add the mushrooms to finish, followed by the fregola.

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 main course.

Wine Pairing: Les Jardiniers (Gardeners) Bordeaux Superieur 2015

Seventh generation Sichel brothers, Max and Alex have launched their own wine in a special project; the wine is made from organically grown Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from the Argadens vineyard in the south of the Bordeaux region. Aged in French oak barrels, there was no use of herbicides or chemical fertilizers. The first ever vintage of this wine is 2015. Les Jardiniers presents itself with a deep ruby colour.

On the nose it carries intense and aromatic notes of black fruits, with sweet spices coming through such as cinnamon and vanilla. On the palate the dry, medium-plus-bodied wine is smooth in texture with ripe, medium tannin and fine, notes of cassis, mint and cinnamon accompanied by a very nice balance with long aromatic persistence.

92

PAGE92.indd 2

13/08/2020 16:36

at Work Eileen C WW Member lost 4st, 5lb

Working from home?

Now Workshop from home.

With WW Virtual Workshops 30 minutes is all it takes to achieve success at work, at home, or on the move.

For more info Tel: 077 8788 1282 deirdremurdock@ ww.ie

028 9042 6812 WW logo is the trademark of WW International, Inc. 2020 WW International, Inc. All rights reserved.

ww.ie

LIFESTYLE

Joanne Harkness

STRIPE DREAMS DEBENHAMS

Multi coloured heart necklace

by Sydney Evan.

Ulster Tatler Woman Editor, Joanne Harkness, looks at a fashion classic that will never go out of style – stripes!

Pastel stripe linen top, £14 and striped slingbacks, £15, F&F Clothing.

Multi diamond rainbow ring by EF Collection.

94

PAGE94-95.indd 2

Rust cropped jumpsuit, £22.99, New Look

14/08/2020 14:37

Striped everyday trousers, teamed with a black vest top, Primark.

BURTON

Debenhams, Maine long sleeve shirt, £26.

Novano rucksack, £65, Dune London.

Oliver Bonas striped knit dress, £55.

Pastel striped shirt, Topman, £24.99

95

PAGE94-95.indd 3

13/08/2020 16:37

Columnist Jim Fitzpatrick, Journalist and Broadcaster

The Varying Impact of COVID-19 Journalist and broadcaster, Jim Fitzpatrick reflects on how COVID-19 will affect different people in different ways.

I’ve seen some of the evidence of that strong growth myself over the last couple of months since lockdown measures were eased. Like many, I’ve enjoyed some time closer to home for my holidays. And the North Coast has been busier than I’ve ever seen it. Even before the Government’s Eat Out To Help Out scheme was launched in August, giving us half-price restaurant meals, the venues in Portstewart and Portrush were near capacity.

The August boom has seen many restaurants increase capacity with extra outdoor seating and sittings. It prompted one wit to comment on Twitter: “IT’S OFFICIAL: Northern Ireland has run out of food.”

So is the V-Shaped recovery now likely to take us back to where we were before? Unfortunately that’s being too optimistic. The rebound may make an initial V shape in the GDP graph, but it’s likely that it will level off before it reaches the point it fell from pre-pandemic.

COVID-19 is here to stay, and its economic impacts will be lasting and very significant. What that means for the long-term health of our economy is unclear. We are learning as we go along. But our ability to survive and prosper will depend on all those factors: the underlying economic health, the genetic mix of the economy, and the quality of governance at a regional and national level.

B

y now we are all too well aware that COVID-19 affects different people in different ways. We’re just not too sure exactly why and how as we are still learning about the disease and its many different outcomes.

Underlying health conditions play a part. Age is a major factor.

Poverty and social conditions are relevant. Genetics comes into it.

Suffice to say, it’s a complicated picture.

And when it comes to outcomes for different countries and their economies, it’s clear that a myriad of factors are also in play.

The underlying health of the economy before COVID-19 hit is a significant factor. But so too is the nature of the economy, its genetic make-up. Other variables are in the mix – the quality and adaptability of its governance and institutions of government.

As I write, the news lands that the UK is now formally in recession. But the figures released by the Office for National Statistics have the headline writers tripping over superlatives. The incredible nature of the impact between April and June is possibly best summed up by Sky’s Ed Conway in a tweet.

“It’s the deepest recession in UK history. The deepest of any G7 economy. The deepest since the invention of Gross Domestic Product,” he writes.

So far, so incredibly gloomy. COVID-19 has hit the UK economy like an asteroid strike. But it’s not an extinction level event. In fact, Mr Conway uses another superlative to introduce a bit of good news into his analysis, noting that the recession will probably be the shortest in 45 years as GDP is expected to bounce back with very strong growth in quarter three.

“It’s the deepest recession in UK history. The deepest of any G7 economy. The deepest since the invention of Gross Domestic Product.”

96

PAGE96.indd 2

14/08/2020 14:38

C

M

Y

M

Y

Y

MY

K

Your audience is within

Reach. reachsolutionsireland. com PAGE9.indd 1

24/08/2020 11:55

Once the skies opened, so too did our world We have come a long way since our first flight in 1940. Thank you for coming on this journey with us.

dublin airport 1 ad.indd 1 PAGE9.indd

19/12/2019 11:54 09:56 24/08/2020