Ambition Issue 44 (February 2021) by NI Chamber of Commerce and Industry

AMBITION MAGAZINE OF NORTHERN IRELAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

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ISSUE 44 £2.95

FEBRUARY 2021

The future of energy in Northern Ireland is changing and NIE Networks is leading the way. From apprenticeships to senior roles, financial analysts to overhead lines specialists, we have career opportunities for you to be part of a green and sustainable future. Find out more today.

www.nienetworks.co.uk/careers

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MAGAZINE OF NORTHERN IRELAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

POWERING YOUR CAREER

POWERING TOGETHER Power NI’s Director of Customer Solutions William Steele on innovation and sustainability within the energy sector CIPR PRIDE AWARDS 2017 - BEST PUBLICATION

RESTORATION AND REVIVAL What was the inspiration behind starting up a vintage furniture company? D4vintage is a vintage furniture company sourcing and restoring many different styles of antique furniture and homewares. D4vintage naturally evolved over many years, it is the brain child of two brothers, one having a passion for McM furniture, whose obsession for the period was fuelled whilst working in Scandinavia for nearly a decade. The other whose passion for restoring vintage furniture took them very naturally down this path. What type of products do you sell? We sell a wide variety of furniture and homeware, the easiest way is to check out our stock is to visit our website: www.d4vintage.com. Is there a particular era of interiors that is making a comeback now? Having spent a considerable amount of time living in Scandinavia, Mid-Century modern is a big part of our obsession; this currently is going through a revival with no signs of slowing down. Where do you source your stock and do you restore items yourselves? We source stock from all over the world and we lovingly restore each individual piece if warranted and more importantly to the clients’ requirements. In a world of throw-away style, is buying vintage a better way to be more sustainable/eco friendly? Reusing furniture is not only eco-friendly and sustainable but we find the warmth and iconic styles are hard to match these days, not to mention the build quality of the past decades. Why should people choose to shop local this Christmas and beyond? Shopping local is the way forward to support the local community, there is a better customer service as the customer can interface one on one not to mention the after sales care we supply. Shopping local reduces the carbon foot print maybe only a little but if we all try it helps for future generations. Which product would make the perfect gift this festive season? There are many gifts depending on the customer, though with the current climate we have seen a rise in home office and entertaining from home, we have a wide variety of office, dining and drinks cabinets which would make the perfect Christmas gift. Where can people view your stock, do you have a studio as well as an online store? Customers are more than welcome to arrange an appointment to view their piece of furniture at our studio. Our studio is based just outside Ballyclare, full details of our location can be found on google and contact details on the website www.d4vintage.com

T: 028 9086 2777 | M: 07483133744 | E: info@d4vintage.com | www.d4vintage.com

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February 2021 Issue 44

Contents NI CHAMBER COMMUNICATIONS PARTNER

Skilling up for the future Senior Human Resources Business Partner for NIE Networks, Paula Leathem speaks to Ambition.

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

NI CHAMBER PATRONS

At a Glance

News: 6 Lidl Creates 170 New Roles 8 Eakin Healthcare Group Acquires Armstrong Medical 10 Ryobi Celebrates Multi Million Pound Contract Win 12 GM Marketing Celebrates 21 Years & Corvus Pledges to Find Right Hire 24 Bags of Style with Lidl NI 70 Barclays Report Reveals £1.3BN Opportunity 76 School leavers invited to ‘Be More’ at Tobermore & Henry Brothers completes Nottingham medical facility 78 A&L Goodbody partner with Ulster Rugby & Farmweek reaches 60 83 Encirc’s rising stars & Netflix filming at Belfast Harbour 91 Job Search impacts mental wellbeing & Launch of free mentoring

Special Focus 51 2021: The Year Ahead

Appointments: 74 Two new partners appointed at A&L Goodbody Lifestyle: 80 Business Class Motoring James Stinson 92 Dine & Wine - Chris Rees 94 Fashion - Joanne Harkness

48 Cover Story AMBITION MAGAZINE OF NORTHERN IRELAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

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ISSUE 44 £2.95

FEBRUARY 2021

Jan/Feb Ambition

Mar/Apr Ambition

May/June Ambition

July/August Ambition MAGAZINE OF NORTHERN IRELAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

NI Chamber Chief: 25 CEO Update 26 New Names on NI Chamber Council 28 Make the Most of Your Membership

FEBRUARY 2021

Columnists: 14 Bill Roy 20 Claire Clerkin 36 Robert McCullough 42 Naomi Thompson 43 Richard Ramsey 62 John Campbell 64 Kate Marshall 65 Niall Devlin 89 Brian Murphy 90 Brendan Drain 96 Jim Fitzpatrick

Features: 16 Skilling up for the future 22 Mergers and acquisitions 32 What’s in store for the housing market? 34 Work to be done 38 Adapt and lead 44 Food for thought 48 Powering together 66 New MD at the helm 72 My Ambition is to... 85 Reaching Out

Sept/Oct Ambition

POWERING TOGETHER Power NI’s Director of Customer Solutions William Steele on innovation and sustainability within the energy sector CIPR PRIDE AWARDS 2017 - BEST PUBLICATION

Nov/Dec Ambition

EDITORIAL

President’s Perspective

Rise to the Challenge A

t the time of writing, we are just over a month into 2021 and already it has thrown up a string of new and extended challenges for businesses across Northern Ireland. Since the end of the Brexit transition period, businesses have been coming to terms with new customs and international trade procedures. Our members have had to deal with a significant amount of information passed to them in a very short space of time. They have had to assimilate it and then apply it to their organisations in order to be ready for 1 January. And whilst the UK Government has recognised some of these key challenges to date, around paperwork, systems and groupage for example, GB hauliers have faced so much additional paperwork that they are refusing to take loads into Northern Ireland in some instances. More generally, there is also a requirement for greater understanding about the current arrangements amongst firms from England, Scotland and Wales. Businesses in these areas are also being put off shipping goods to Northern Ireland as they simply do not understand the new responsibilities. At the same time we are getting closer to the end of the grace period offered to firms here, where derogations on export health certificates will end on 31 March. This will see the ending of a ‘soft-touch’ approach that was negotiated with the EU for regulating supermarket goods transported from the rest of the UK following the end of the transition period. We must therefore find long-term solutions to these issues. Most concerning is that these challenges also come at a time when businesses here are also having to deal with the ongoing issues brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. Confirmation that the current COVID-19 restrictions are to be extended until 5 March will not have come as a surprise to businesses. Undoubtedly, the tighter and more prolonged restrictions which many businesses are currently coping with will weigh even more heavily on the key drivers of growth and indeed survival, in the months ahead. And while we absolutely support the need to protect public health, there is now a twin obligation on government to safeguard our future economic health too. Recently the Finance Minister announced the Draft 2021-2022 budget, which is currently out for consultation. Already, there is concern that this is another yearly budget and it will not be sufficient to cover the level of post-COVID, post-Brexit support that the private sector so urgently requires. While we must all be very realistic about the financial resources available to tackle the scale of the problem, it goes without saying that increases to budget allocations for Economy and Infrastructure would provide some much needed impetus. These are things that we have and will continue to stress to government, at Stormont and Westminster, over the coming weeks and months. We know that a vibrant private sector can, in turn, fund world class public services – and that is the position we all want to get back to as soon as possible. Ian Henry President Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry

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NEWS

SMARTS EXPANDS INTO THE US WITH NEW YORK OFFICE PR and content agency Smarts has announced the launch of its new business in the United States. The expansion into the US comes off the back of new client wins across Smarts’ UK, Ireland and global business, including Visa and Seedlip. The US office, which is based on Fifth Avenue in New York City, will be headed by Mike DaRe who has spent the past decade leading cultureled marketing plans for Diageo brands including Crown Royal, Bulleit Bourbon and Johnnie Walker.

GRAHAM COMPLETES £15M TERMINAL FOR BELFAST HARBOUR

Civil engineering specialist contractor GRAHAM has completed a £15m redevelopment of the Victoria Terminal 2 (VT2) ferry terminal ramp which services the Belfast to Birkenhead route. The existing berth has been upgraded to handle the next generation of modern RollOn / Roll-Off ferry vessels, Stena Line’s new E-Flexer series ships. This investment will allow Stena Line to increase capacity, reduce turnaround times, improve customers’ experience and enhance connectivity to one of Northern Ireland’s key markets. The project forms part of Belfast Harbour’s long-term investment strategy in Port infrastructure and future proofs Belfast’s ferry facilities.

CONSTRUCTION RESILIENT IN 2020 Another strong year for office projects helped development activity in Belfast remain relatively resilient in 2020, but there were fewer new schemes started amid uncertainty caused by the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new report released by Deloitte. The report, the fifth annual Belfast Crane Survey produced by Deloitte Real Estate, shows a total of 23 major schemes were under construction or completed in 2020, a slight decrease from the 26 projects that were active in 2019 and the 35 under way or completed in 2018. The overall total includes eleven office developments, four student accommodation projects, one residential development, four educational facilities, two retail projects and one leisure scheme. There were no new residential starts recorded in 2020, demonstrating that the wider residential market continues to develop more slowly.

LIDL CREATES 170 NEW ROLES & COVID-19 STAFF BONUS Lidl Northern Ireland will recruit more than 170 new employees this year across a variety of operational and office-based roles to support its 40-strong network of stores and regional distribution centre in Nutt’s Corner, Co. Antrim. The commitment and dedication of Lidl Northern Ireland employees has also not gone unnoticed and the retailer Lidl NI Director of Human Resources Maeve has announced a new COVID Employee McCleane pictured with the Top Employers Bonus worth £300,000 which will be Institute award. shared with all employees this year. This bonus is the third COVID bonus offered by the retailer to recognise the efforts of its staff during this period. The announcement comes after the Top Employers Institute recognised Lidl Northern Ireland as a Top Employer for 2021.

BLK BOX EXPANDING TO NEW 140,000 SQ FT FACILITY BLK BOX, the world-leading manufacturer of strength and conditioning equipment, is expanding to a new 140,000 sq ft manufacturing and distribution centre in Greater Belfast. The company, which in November 2020 announced 16 new jobs and a £2million investment in laser cutting equipment and a state-of-the-art paint line, is now set to invest over £1m to expand to the new premises in Newtownabbey. Founded eight years ago by Belfast entrepreneur Greg Bradley, BLK BOX is currently headquartered in Titanic Quarter where it employs over 70 people. As part of significant growth plans, the company will move to its impressive new facility at Monkstown Industrial Estate over the next few months. The 140,000 sq ft facility in Newtownabbey has previously been home to world leading manufacturing businesses and will provide a larger base for the fast-growing company to expand its capacity and workforce. Greg Bradley, BLK BOX.

ELECTRIC IRELAND WINS NI EXECUTIVE CONTRACT Electric Ireland has won a major 100% renewable electricity contract with the Northern Ireland Executive, playing an important role in it achieving its carbon emission targets, with the Department of Finance making savings of £31M. The contract, which is an important investment in the renewable recovery, will see Government Department Dermot McArdle, Head of Business Markets buildings and more than 50 organisations for Electric Ireland. benefitting from the multi-million-pound savings. Commenting Dermot McArdle, Head of Business Markets for Electric Ireland commented, “This is a significant renewable energy contract, as the Northern Ireland Executive seeks to achieve its carbon emission targets and make crucial savings at this challenging time.”

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NEWS

EAKIN HEALTHCARE GROUP ACQUIRES ARMSTRONG MEDICAL ABOUT EAKIN HEALTHCARE GROUP •

The Eakin Healthcare Group was originally founded by pharmacist Tom Eakin in 1974. He owned a pharmacy in Dundonald and began encountering ostomy patients on a daily basis who were experiencing problems with disposable ostomy pouches, specifically skin irritation and leakage. He formed TG Eakin Ltd and began designing and manufacturing Cohesive Seals to address these problems and since then, with his two sons Paul and Jeremy, has rapidly expanded its product base and markets around the world.

•

The Group currently operates multiple sites across the UK and in Japan and the Netherlands. Eakin Healthcare Group exports to over 30 countries through a network of 40 distributors.

Pictured L-R are Jeremy Eakin, Managing Director, Eakin Healthcare Group and John Armstrong, Chairman, Armstrong Medical.

Northern Ireland headquartered Eakin Healthcare Group has announced it is expanding into a new therapeutic area with the acquisition of Coleraine based Armstrong Medical, which specialises in respiratory care products. The deal represents a diversification for the Group which to date has specialised in ostomy and wound care products. The combined resources of the two indigenous NI healthcare manufacturing businesses will help the Group to grow its domestic and international presence. The acquisition will be supported by an ambitious investment plan to enable further development of innovative medical products in Northern Ireland to meet the needs of patients worldwide. Speaking about the acquisition, Jeremy Eakin, Managing Director of Eakin Healthcare Group said; “This is a hugely important strategic acquisition of a well-established and successful Northern Ireland family business which has already made its mark on the global stage. We believe that with the combined resources and expertise of both businesses alongside our ambitious investment plans we can take Armstrong Medical to the next level and help it take advantage of new and exciting opportunities in the human healthcare market. Both family-owned businesses share a common culture and philosophy, and we see many synergies, which we believe will underpin the continued success of both brands. We welcome the entire Armstrong Medical team

into the wider Eakin Healthcare Group and are delighted that some of the Armstrong family have agreed to stay on in various capacities to help us to continue to grow this business. “We believe that Northern Ireland has already acquired a global reputation for excellence in healthcare innovation and manufacturing and that this deal will only serve to further reinforce that reputation around the world.” Welcoming the deal, John Armstrong, Chairman, Armstrong Medical said; “We are very pleased to have completed the sale of our business to the very successful Eakin Healthcare Group and believe it will deliver an important next chapter for Armstrong Medical. The Armstrong family remain passionate about the business, its workforce and its position in the local community and are keen to see its continued success in the years ahead. “We believe that this is best achieved with the support and investment from the new owners where they now have the opportunity to realise exciting growth opportunities within the sector. “The fact that we are selling to another successful family-owned Northern Ireland business with a shared ethos and approach gives us great confidence. I and other family members will be pleased to continue to support the ongoing efforts to grow the business under the Eakin Healthcare Group banner.”

ABOUT ARMSTRONG MEDICAL •

Armstrong Medical was established in 1984 by John Armstrong MBE after recognising a need to develop critical care products, focusing on respiratory care consumables.

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Based in Coleraine, Northern Ireland, the 120,000 sq ft facility includes Product Design and manufacturing. Employing more than 200 staff, it exports to more than 60 markets including supply of a world’s first in patient safety, AMSORB® PLUS to GE health care, the Global leader of anaesthesia machines.

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Driven by its purpose to “Create Support for Life”, the Company has developed a complete range of innovative acute respiratory care products for Critical, Perioperative and Neonatal care.

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NEWS

RYOBI CELEBRATES MULTI MILLION POUND CONTRACT WIN

L-R Marco Emig (Deputy Managing Director, Ryobi Aluminium Casting (UK)), Kaz Yokosawa (Plant Manager, Ryobi Aluminium Casting (UK)), Mayor Councillor Peter Johnston (Mid and East Antrim Borough Council), David Watson (Managing Director, Ryobi Aluminium Casting (UK), Gwyneth Evans (HR Manager, Ryobi Aluminium Casting (UK)) and Sammy Wilson MP.

Ryobi Aluminium Casting (UK) Ltd has secured a significant new multi-million pound contract with an emerging transmission supplier specialising in electrified drivetrains for the automotive market. Worth almost £15m annually, the deal will see the Carrickfergus manufacturer produce 150,000 clutch and transmission cases per year for new hybrid vehicles commencing 2023. Commenting on the news, Managing Director, David Watson said. “This is an exciting project which was won against stiff competition from across mainland Europe. Ryobi’s growing reputation in the development of new technically challenging products is what sealed this deal after a lengthy bidding process. This is testament to the knowledge, creativity and skill of our engineers and the confidence our customers have in us to deliver good quality products on time.” The announcement was made during a visit to the factory by East Antrim MP Sammy Wilson and Mayor of Mid and East Antrim Councillor Peter Johnston late last year. Mr Wilson said: “I am delighted with this significant investment in Ryobi, which is rightly regarded as one of Northern Ireland’s top manufacturing firms. I commend all of those at Ryobi for securing this much-sought-after contract, which provides a very timely boost for our world-class manufacturing sector in Northern Ireland. This is a great news story for Ryobi, Carrickfergus, Mid and East Antrim, and our country as a whole.” The Mayor said: “This announcement is a ringing endorsement in Ryobi and Mid and East Antrim. Ryobi is a key member of our Manufacturing Taskforce, and its members continue to work very closely to identify and maximise all opportunities to grow the sector locally. The company is a major employer in our borough and this move will secure approximately 70 highly skilled jobs, moving forward. “The past year has seen our manufacturers operating in a hugely challenging financial environment. This investment provides hope for our economic recovery in Mid and East Antrim, and I congratulate Ryobi, which continues to demonstrate remarkable innovation, resilience and commitment.”

David Watson also expressed gratitude on behalf of all the local directors and employees to Ryobi’s Parent Company in Japan, who financially supported the £12m capital investment required to install state of the art manufacturing processes to produce these new products. This new business will secure the jobs of around 70 highly skilled people and will run for at least the next seven years. Ryobi currently employs almost 600 staff, making it one of the largest contributors to the economy in East Antrim. Ryobi was established in Carrickfergus in 1990 to manufacture aluminum castings for the European automotive industry. Starting from humble beginnings supplying Ford Motor Company, it has grown substantially and now includes VW, Skoda, Peugeot, Citroen, Jaguar, Landrover, Magna and Ford within its expanding portfolio.

“This is testament to the knowledge, creativity and skill of our engineers and the confidence our customers have in us to deliver good quality products on time.” 10

NEWS

GM MARKETING CELEBRATES 21 YEARS IN BUSINESS WITH FRESH NEW LOOK on behalf of their customers. The brand portfolio includes well-known household names such as Fox’s Biscuits, Tilda, Nando’s, Filippo Berio, and the most recent addition to the portfolio, the Costa Coffee At Home range for the GB Wholesale & Convenience channel. Commenting on the milestone, Gerard McAdorey said “It’s a fantastic achievement and one to certainly celebrate. We had originally planned to toast our 20th birthday last year, but unfortunately Covid-19 put the brakes on that. 2020 was a tough year for everyone, and every single person in the business went beyond the call of duty to ensure core food items reached shelves all over the country; I am exceptionally proud of the team.” He went on to say, “we’re now entering our 21st year stronger than ever – we have the right mix of people, experience, and expertise, with an exceptionally strong commercial team from various FMCG and retail backgrounds which ensures we understand the markets, their customers and how to effectively build brands with purpose.” With a strong presence in Irish retail, and growing share of GB wholesale and convenience channels; the business has recently completed a recruitment drive to bolster the team across sales, marketing, operations, and finance; and with established distribution hubs in both Belfast and Leeds, GM now have the infrastructure in place to support accelerated growth for their brands, in all three regions of the UK and Ireland.

Gerard McAdorey, Founder of GM Marketing

Belfast-based, brand-building distributor, GM Marketing has launched a new website to mark their celebratory milestone of 21 years in business. Founded by Gerard McAdorey in 2000, the business, which originally started in Northern Ireland wholesale, convenience, and retail channels, now spans the entire island of Ireland servicing all key customers, north and south, with a strong foothold in GB wholesale and convenience. Focusing on core grocery and non-food categories, GM Marketing have a varied portfolio spanning food, beverage, baby, household, and foodservice brands – with the addition of several own-label products

For more information, visit http://www.gmmarketing.co.uk

CORVUS RECRUITMENT SOLUTION PLEDGES TO FIND THE RIGHT HIRE Corvus Assured®, a brand new service aimed at providing companies with a solution to the consistent problem of getting the right people for the job, has been launched. This new recruitment methodology created by Belfast based Corvus, guarantees to save time, money and increase new employee retention. Corvus is confident of the accuracy of the process, and will offer a 12-month guarantee on a new hire. Research reveals that talent & recruitment are two of the biggest challenges that high-growth businesses face. 2 out of 5 new hires turn out wrong within the first 18 months and replacing those people is estimated to cost the UK economy £3 billion per year. Getting the wrong hire is expensive, a bad hire at a salary of £40k can cost a business £120k. However, getting it right can lead to exceptional growth, with superior talent proving to be up to 8 times more productive. With a combined 100+ years’ experience in the recruitment industry working with some of NI’s best known companies, Corvus were keen to help companies solve the issue of getting the right hire. The Corvus Assured® process is underpinned by an expert team of experienced consultants who are diplomats, authentic, empathetic with the ability to nuance, problem solve, whilst sourcing top talent globally including successfully working on US based assignments. The Corvus Assured® process includes assessments in skills, experience, qualifications & behavioural profiling which leads to highly accurate hires. It gives businesses the confidence to make hiring decisions based on evidence, rather than gut instinct but it also gives new employees the confidence that the job they accept is the right one for them. Corvus Assured® was originally due to launch in March 2020 but was delayed due to the first lockdown. During this time the team has successful trialled Corvus Assured® which has led to a 100% offers

accepted, 100% job fill rate and a 100% new hire retention. Officially launching, Corvus Assured®, Ian Weatherup, Managing Director of Corvus, said: “In my 25 years’ of working in the recruitment industry, I’ve always felt like there is something that as an industry we could be doing better, and I believe with Corvus Assured® we’ve found the solution. It’s a process that leads to better matches for both candidates and clients, which results in more profitable businesses and helps people avoid costly career mistakes. We’re so confident in the accuracy of our process that we offer a 12-month guarantee on new hires.” For further information on Corvus Assured® visit www.corvus.jobs/ corvus-assured

Ian Weatherup (Managing Director); Michelle Kearns (Executive Recruiter); Michael Hewitt (Director) and Sarah McGimpsey (Senior Recruiter).

LOOKING AFTER YOU! Running a business is stressful. The list of worries and deadlines can be enormous – when you are feeling great you can do all of this and even thrive on it! But at times it can become overwhelming, our ability to cope declines and our health and relationships can suffer. Sometimes we need a bit of help to find renewed enthusiasm and optimism. Thanks Jennifer, life used to be so hectic, I was struggling to prioritise, but after every session with you I am focused, energised and motivated, full of ideas. My wife has noticed I am smiling more too! Thank you!” I haven’t had a panic attack in months now, I am able to handle even the most awkward customers without breaking into a sweat. The business and staff are performing well, life is good. I am thinking of doing a digital marketing course so I can be more responsive to the marketplace – I never would have considered that 6 months ago. Thank you. LOOKING AFTER YOUR WORKFORCE! An estimated 55% of all sick absence is due to stress, depression or anxiety. A happy workforce is more productive. Being proactive with your employees mental health instead of reactive can make a huge difference. Having regular relaxation sessions or stress management classes can help enormously. I would never have thought that half an hour’s guided relaxation round the board room table would feel so good! I was so productive afterwards, really creative – can’t wait to see you again next month!! WHAT IS SOLUTION FOCUSED HYPNOSIS?

Jennifer Dunseath Clinical Hypnotherapist and Psychotherapist

It is a talking therapy enhanced by the application of hypnotherapy, which enables the subconscious mind to make positive changes. As the name suggests, it focuses on solutions for the future, rather than analysing the past. How we think can have a huge impact on how we feel, both physically and mentally. Most people don’t expect a lesson on how the brain works when they come to my clinic for the first time, but the most common response I get at the end of that session is “that makes so much sense, that is exactly how I have been feeling/ behaving.”

T : +44 (0) 7775 871119 W : solutionhypnotherapyNI.co.uk

Columnist Bill Roy Principal and Founder at BRC Partnership Ltd

Failing Forward Bill Roy discusses why failure in business isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

1. Failure keeps our ego in check. Contrition and humility can provide the basis for us to start again.

2. Failure can be a catalyst for positive change and growth. Being forced from our places of comfort and perhaps even, self-pity, provide us with the opportunity to try again, try afresh with renewed vigour and determination. Maybe to try something completely different and perhaps surprise ourselves by the capacity we have to be inventive, discovering an unknown capacity for success.

s we reflect on a year that has come to a close, we also look forward to a different, brighter landscape in 2021. Despite the pressures brought about through the festive period… and the ensuing, inevitable restrictions, there is a light on the horizon. The increasing availability of effective vaccines is undoubtably a scientific, medical and social game-changer. However, it’s worth remembering how that breakthrough came about. Towards the tail end of 2020, nine thousand volunteers were given two full doses, four weeks apart. Effectiveness was said to be around 62%. Still, a triumph as anything above 50% is considered to be useful in fighting the pandemic. But it was a group of volunteers who were given a ‘mistaken’ (or ‘wrong’) half first dose who provided the experts with an incredible breakthrough with effectiveness being around 90%. How many times have things gone wrong in business or in our personal lives – mistakes having been made that ultimately proved to open a door to breakthrough and progress? Think of the enigmatic Steve Jobs and the fact that he was fired from the very company he began. Jobs said in 2005; “I didn’t see it at the time, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have happened to me.” Long before Jobs was on the scene, Albert Einstein famously said; “Success is failure in progress.” Many of us have felt the weight and sometimes almost unbearable pressure to get it right… and right first time. Failure is viewed in a negative light. That feeling of failure may have for many of us, been cultivated during our school days, our families, our relationships etc. Some of us may have had to overcome a very real sense of not being good enough. Failure is part of us all in some way or another, it is what we do with that failure that matters. Here are three clear and obvious benefits of failure.

3. Failure can help build resilience. Sheryl Sandberg has spoken about the importance of ‘bouncing forward’ rather than just bouncing back from adversity. In her book, Option B, Sandberg discusses the challenges for so many of us when option A isn’t possible any more; when option A has eluded us she says we need to “kick the sh*t out of option B”. We all have our own demons regarding mistakes we have made and failures as we see them. Sometimes the discouragement of failure is the result of our own unhealthy or unrealistic expectations. Or sometimes it’s created by the insensitivity, judgement and criticism of others. Whatever its source, failure may never be far away. Maybe the willingness to embrace it and bounce forward is a good attitude to have in an era of uncertainty and ambiguity. Perhaps we can look forward to a post-pandemic era and as we reflect on the mistake that will save so many lives, each one of us can grasp the gauntlets of optimism and faith and be open to surprising and unexpected successes in the year that lies ahead.

“Failure is part of us all in some way or another, it is what we do with that failure that matters.”

IT’S TIME. BREXIT WILL CREATE A 300% INCREASE IN CUSTOMS DECLARATIONS WITH 150,000 BUSINESSES SCRAMBLING TO BE READY. E-CUSTOMS SOLUTIONS Do you trade with the EU? Do you move goods between Northern Ireland and Great Britain? From 1st January 2021, you’ll need to submit customs declarations and safety and security filings, VAT and tariff payments. Does your team have the tools in place to do this? ACT NOW. IT’S TIME TO MAKE THE TRANSITION SEAMLESS. Any delay in putting in place Brexit-ready systems and processes could disrupt your logistics operations and supply chain, ultimately impacting on customer service and your bottom line. Our tried and tested e-Customs and security filing software ensures compliance, safeguards customer service and protects your reputation. It’s user-friendly and fully compliant with HMRC requirements for both CHIEF and the new Customs Declaration Service (CDS). DON’T RISK DELAY. IT’S TIME. WE’RE READY.

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FEATURE

Paula Leathem, NIE Networks.

Skilling up for the future Senior Human Resources Business Partner for NIE Networks, Paula Leathem, is well placed to be an advocate for the company’s expansive apprenticeship programme, which is currently seeking applicants. Having spent over 34 years rising through the ranks of the business, she is demonstrative of the successful career potential on offer to incoming recruits.

“

I left school at 17 and came into NIE Networks aged 19, through a clerical apprenticeship programme,” Paula reflects. “Since then I have worked my way up to a senior management role which has only been possible thanks to the support of the company. I’ve been supported through a HND programme, a degree, a post graduate diploma, management development, executive coaching and much more. If you are willing to work hard and keep achieving the business is right behind you supporting your development and progression.” She describes the organisation as “vibrant and flexible”, adding: “We have to be. We are a regulated business and we need to have that agility. There are many opportunities for staff to broaden their experience within the business and progress their careers. “We look at developing staff much more holistically. We have evolved to become a more dynamic organisation over the years and actively engage with

our staff to develop them and their skills.” NIE Networks employs around 1,200 staff members across a range of disciplines and to safeguard its talent pipeline, it is seeking to hire a new cohort of apprentices. 2021’s intake is not a new initiative however, but rather a continuation and evolution of what is part of the company’s long established heritage. “We’ve had a very active apprenticeship programme for over 50 years,” Paula continues. “That’s our bloodline into the organisation. We have recruited around 600 apprentices in that time – the majority of whom have remained in the business long-term. Some staff members who are marking milestones such as 30 years in the business this year started out as apprentices. So it really can be a career for life. “A lot of the apprenticeship programmes out there can be generic but we wanted an apprenticeship to meet our specific needs and we achieved that through partnering with Northern Regional College to develop and deliver a

bespoke programme. “Our programme offers a unique opportunity in Northern Ireland, in that it combines training at our own dedicated training centre, on the job experience alongside an academic qualification in electrical engineering, as well as an attractive salary throughout the duration of the course. “It’s also important to say that an apprenticeship is not just for school leavers. We have a number of apprentices at the moment who have worked in a completely different profession until now, but wanted a career change and they found that through our programme.” Each year sees the organisation recruit for a different range of disciplines depending on the needs of the business – from cable jointing to metering electricians, overhead lines, digital cartography, planners, AutoCAD roles and more. “We identify where the gaps are, or where they’re going to be, by looking across the organisation and then we recruit and train accordingly,” Paula adds.

“This is a key aspect of our resourcing strategy. As a result we are also exploring a number of Higher Level Apprenticeships for skills we are unable to secure through recruitment.” As the apprenticeship disciplines at the organisation change annually, Paula deems the process of identifying those gaps as a continuous one that is looking at both the immediate and long-term resilience of the organisation. Despite the changing disciplines, however, the goal of the apprenticeship has always remained the same – “to find those with potential.” The company is reaching out to future employees not just through the apprenticeship programme, but through a broad range of educational initiatives including a graduate scholarship programme with Queens University Belfast. It’s a drive that safeguards its workforce of the future and promotes the roles and opportunities available within the utilities arena. But there are many other agendas at NIE Networks when initiating the search for new hires and diversity is top of that list. NIE Networks has achieved a Bronze Diversity Charter Mark from Diversity Mark NI for its commitment to driving a positive gender balance and inclusive workplace. The company has introduced a number of initiatives to achieve the Diversity Mark including creating an internal female mentor programme, developing menopause, breastfeeding and IVF guidelines and establishing internal lean in circles. Paula says: “Our aim is to continue evolving and implementing innovative methods that nurture an inclusive culture in order to help us attract and retain the very best of local talent. “Since 2015 over 20% of our graduate intake has been female. The number of females in the organisation has grown incrementally over the last five years and that is reflective of something we’re doing right,” she continues. Women are taking up more roles at the company that have, over the years, been predominantly male orientated. This includes those who are coming in at apprenticeship and graduate level, but also those already working within the business and moving into other areas such as electrical engineering and management posts. Another priority for the organisation is to ensure the volume of young people entering STEM education here is sufficient for the roles of the future. NIE Networks does this by partnering with initiatives such as its sponsorship of the NI Chamber’s Future of Skills programme, a new forum to provide members with an opportunity to feed into the new Skills Strategy for Northern Ireland. Their sponsorship, Paula says, is to encourage other businesses to tap into the skills pool through the kind of investment it

L-R: NIE Networks Apprentices Ryan Morgan, Molly Guy, Neil Freeburn and Jack Hoy.

“I’m testament to how you can come into NIE Networks at apprenticeship level and go on to have a career that will take you right to senior level. You can learn on the job, all while receiving a really competitive salary and there are so many roles on offer.” has made in training programmes such as the apprenticeship programme. “The Future of Skills programme addresses the skills-related challenges facing businesses here, looks at what employers are already doing to combat the skills shortage and what more must be done to facilitate economic recovery and growth. “We need to get employers, policy makers and schools all on to the same page, to focus on the skills gap and make sure we are working collaboratively. That’s essential if we are to nurture our own talent and keep our young people here in Northern Ireland to meet the recruitment needs of the future,” she adds. So why would Paula actively encourage young people to apply for the apprenticeship programme? “I’m testament to how you can come into

NIE Networks at apprenticeship level and go on to have a career that will take you right to senior level. You can learn on the job, all while receiving a really competitive salary and there are so many roles on offer. Roles for the future are going to be very different. It will be a whole new landscape around renewable energy and decarbonisation. Starting an apprenticeship with NIE Networks now means the opportunity to shape a green and sustainable future for Northern Ireland and that’s a pretty exciting place to be.” Intake for the NIE Networks Apprenticeship Programme 2021 opens for applications in February.

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

The Great Things 2020 has Taught Us Wiser Working’s Claire Clerkin discusses what we can learn from 2020 to make us resilient for the future.

3. Remote Working – Get the Balance Right Working from home – a blessing and a curse. What could be better than cutting on a commute and working in your tracksuit bottoms? While the upsides are pretty good, I have seen many of my clients report longer working hours and difficulty making a clean break with work time and personal time. This is even trickier when your dining room table is also your office and child’s classroom. With the benefits of flexible working here to stay, setting clear boundaries between work and home life will be essential to maintain balance. The onus here is on employers to create positive remote-working standards and for individuals to be diligent in getting regular breaks and saying no to back-to-back online meetings or late-night email replies. Top tip: Activate your Out of Office replies between 5:30pm8am. That way you set the expectation that you will not be replying to emails before the next working day.

o not be inclined to throw 2020 out with the bathwater. For all its drawbacks, there are so many learnings to draw on from the last year that it would be folly to blank out everything we experienced in the last 12 months. Out of adversity and change often comes learning, ingenuity and … more change. There are several things that happened last year that really should spur many of us on to making positive adjustment to our lives into 2021. This issue, I wanted to shine a light on what many of my clients tell me they learned during the year of hard-knocks, and how we can use those learnings to focus on building our physical and mental resilience for the future.

1. Self Care – Need to Have, Not Nice to Have If there is one thing lockdowns, home-schooling, financial uncertainty, and virtual working has brought into sharp focus, it is stress. Addressing stress levels and achieving resilience to stress is going to be essential for thriving this year. It is up to you and your organisation to prioritise this. Stress can make us sick, impact decision-making and affect moods. This year, find and commit to your self-care routine. Relaxing baths, playing a musical instrument, cooking, reading, meditating, swimming. Whatever helps you detach a little from daily life and feels like a refuge. Neuroscience tells us we need to build in a little bit during the day, every day. It is essential, not optional, for real health and wellness. Top Tip: Set an alarm for going to bed. Prioritising 8 hours of sleep is one of the best acts of self-care you can cultivate.

4. Movement – No More Excuses The one thing lockdowns have done is change the way we exercise. While working from home often means we are walking a little less, our shift to online working and living means that there are no excuses for remaining sedentary during the day. With thousands of classes and personalised workouts now available online, there is something for everyone. It has also been encouraging to see that daily physical exercise has also been prioritised during lockdowns. It is a clear signal that movement is essential to both physical and mental health. Top Tip: Try a 5-minute HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) routine between meetings to keep the blood flowing and the brain oxygenated. 5. Community – Focus Locally for Connection and Sustainability I really hope that 2021 will be the year that our communities thrive. I have seen the lockdowns bring neighbourhoods together and reveal the plethora of local resources previously unknown. People are also discovering the amazing opportunities for local travel and leisure. With the impact of Brexit unfolding, we can now focus on supporting local producers and retailers. Focusing on our smaller, local ecosystems is good for mental health, environmental health and business success. Top Tip: Find your local farm shop, greengrocer or veg box delivery service and support local producers.

2. Focus on Food – Use Your Kitchen to Feel Great From fighting fatigue to immune support, what you eat can improve how you feel. And we all need to focus on feeling good when times are tough. What we eat is one of the primary areas we have control – we can choose to eat a diet that promotes health and vitality, or one that impedes it. Start with small changes like reducing sugar, eating more vegetables, or drinking more water. Eating well does not need to be expensive, but it might need a change in the way you do things. Spending a bit more time in the kitchen can be one of the best things you do for yourself this year. Top Tip: Make sure you have a green vegetable with each main meal.

The cumulative impact of small changes can have a transformational impact on your wellbeing. Take it slow and build it steady.

M&A Outlook 2021 What’s next for dealmaking? Find out more at kpmg.ie

FEATURE

Chris Donnelly.

Mergers and acquisitions Deal making across Northern Ireland is set to rise in 2021, according to KPMG, and its Belfast-based Corporate Finance Director, Chris Donnelly, agrees that, despite the pandemic, activity will be buoyant.

hris Donnelly says pent-up demand combined with a liquid market means there is an appetite for mergers and acquisitions (M&A) this year, which is set to become apparent in the coming months. And, he says, while M&A last year was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, transactions were still being carried out. “COVID initially tempered activity but there were still deals being done in the market and this increased as the year progressed,” despite it being a very challenging time for lots of businesses and their employees,he begins. One example of a notable deal early in the year saw the firm advise Lisburn-based window covering manufacturer, Decora Blinds, on an investment from BGF Growth Fund Plc to support its expansion into new markets. “Despite the market uncertainty, BGF were willing to take a long-term view on a company with a history of growth delivery and a clear market strategy,” adds Chris, who says the tech, healthcare and renewable energy sectors experienced the most activity during the pandemic. He believes this will also be the case in 2021. “Technology has been the most active area and that’s not surprising, given the increased reliance on tech in every area of our work, home and leisure lives since the onset of the pandemic.” There is “not surprisingly, an increased appreciation for the healthcare sector” too, which has continued to attract investors and drive M&A activity in this area. “During the summer our team led the sale of digital pathology firm, Path XL, by Philips to local medical diagnostic firm Cirdan. The year then finished with the announcement of a landmark deal between leading local healthcare firms, Armstrong Medical and Eakin,” he continues. Eakin Healthcare is a Comber-based medical devices manufacturer while Coleraine-based Armstrong makes respiratory products. The renewable energy sector is also a sector that remained active in 2020 and as Chris says, “continues to keep the KPMG Corporate Finance team busy”. “This is indicative of the growing focus on the sustainability agenda, which has become a top priority for business and is now driving M&A strategy in sectors beyond energy. “The KPMG Global CEO Outlook is a great barometer of sentiment amongst business

leaders. Three years ago sustainability barely registered amongst CEOs’ priorities; two years ago it crept into the top 10 and last year it was the number one priority,” he concludes. “Investors want to see that commitment to sustainability so it needs to be embedded in company culture.” Published in recents weeks, the KPMG M&A Outlook Survey shows that sentiment for activity across all markets this year is high. The survey questioned many of the island of Ireland’s leading executive and M&A advisers and the results show that a significant majority (95%) of respondents expect M&A activity across the island of Ireland for 2021 to be at or above 2020 levels, a 5% increase in confidence from last year, “despite an extraordinarily challenging economic environment”. KPMG hosted a webinar to mark the launch of the report, attended by over 350 M&A executives across the island, North and South. Attendees were surveyed on a number of issues, and respondents indicated that the outcome of Brexit will have a positive impact on Irish deal activity in 2021, with 60% predicting an increase in activity. Just 14% are of the view that it will result in a decrease in activity, and the remaining 26% have taken a neutral view. 2021 may present an opportunity for many island of Ireland businesses as investors seek to acquire and build positions outside of the GB market. The appetite is there for pursuing M&A activity it reads, with 86% intending to pursue M&A opportunities. “From an M&A context, conditions are ripe for continued growth in 2021. It’s an extremely liquid market with a broad range of options for Northern Ireland companies seeking capital for supporting organic growth, acquisitions, or value realisation,” says Chris who is hopeful that Brexit will gradually settle and may create investment opportunities in Northern Ireland. He says, “There’s no doubt Brexit has and continues to present challenges for many businesses, particularly in sectors such as Agrifood. “The other side is that there is hope for opportunities for Northern Ireland as an investment destination. While it is still early to be definite on the potential opportunities for Northern Ireland, it may be possible to attract foreign direct investment if we can capitalise on our unique position as a frictionless gateway

to both markets.” He adds that changes brought about by COVID-19 will shape how the market continues to perform in the immediate future and longer term. “The world has changed and it doesn’t look like a temporary change. How we work, live, eat and travel are probably going to change permanently to some extent, and this is going to drive investment in new areas by private equity and corporates alike. “The past year has proven that those businesses which can truly pivot and embrace innovation have succeeded even in the most challenging circumstances. Innovators will continue to drive the market and we are certainly going to see some consolidation and acquisition in the future,” he says. While investors’ priorities may be changing, there seems little doubt that activity in the M&A market is set to increase this year, with KPMG undoubtedly at the heart of the deal making.

“The world has changed and it doesn’t look like a temporary change. How we work, live, eat and travel are probably going to change permanently to some extent, and this is going to drive investment in new areas by private equity and corporates alike.”

NEWS

BAGS OF STYLE WITH LIDL NI

Lidl Northern Ireland is calling budding young artists across the region to unleash their inner Picasso and create an eye-catching design to feature on the retailer’s brand new heavy-duty plastic shopping bags, due to hit stores later this year. Lidl is set to introduce durable, reusable shopping bags, made from 100% recycled plastic, and is calling on young creatives to give the bags a stylish makeover. Drawing inspiration from the world around them, and their own imagination, children are encouraged to get creative and submit a drawing, sketch or painting of what one of the R’s of Sustainability means to them – choosing from the themes ‘reduce’, ‘reuse’ or ‘recycle’. Angela Connan, Corporate Social Responsibility Manager at Lidl Northern Ireland, said: “We’re delighted to launch our brand new heavy-duty recycled plastic shopping bags this year, but we can’t do it without the help of young creatives across the region. We’re looking for someone with bags of style to put the finishing touches on our shopping bags and create a stylish design centred around the theme of sustainability. Whether you create a drawing based on reusing egg containers as seed pots, a painting of your family recycling glass bottles, or sharing a photo of how you have grown your garden into a haven for bees and butterflies, the creative possibilities are endless! We’ve had a lot of fun with this initiative and each bag comes with a quirky pun, voted for by Lidl Northern Ireland colleagues, offering a funny and friendly reminder for shoppers to reuse their bags. We hope that this competition will spark important conversations around the over-reliance on plastic and encourage us all to re-think how it is used and what we can all do individually to help reduce plastic in our environment. It’s also a great way to get crafty over lockdown and we wish all the young artists the best of luck!” To be in with a chance to win, pick up a colouring competition entry form in any Lidl Northern Ireland store from Monday 25th January, or download the form at www.lidl-ni.co.uk/shopping-bags and print it off at home. To submit your masterpiece, entrants can take a picture of their creation and upload it to the competition’s webpage. Entries close

at 11.59pm on Sunday 28th February. One lucky winner will be chosen to have their submission brought to life on Lidl Northern Ireland’s new recycled shopping bag range, available in all 40 stores across the region from September 2021. The winner will also receive a £500 Lidl Northern Ireland gift card. The introduction of the new 100% recycled plastic bags is the retailer’s latest move in tackling waste to protect the planet as part of Lidl’s ‘A Better Tomorrow’ sustainability strategy set in 2018 and complements a range of other in-store initiatives introduced over the last number of years. This includes the removal of plastic packaging on fruit, providing reusable fruit and veg bags and offering in-store recycling bins. Under its sustainability strategy, the retailer has made a number of Plastic Pledge commitments, which include eliminating single use plastics, using 20% less plastic packaging by 2022 and having 100% recyclable own-brand packaging by 2025. The theme of the competition is also aligned with Lidl’s REset Plastic approach, which focuses on Reduce, Redesign, Recycle, Remove and Research. “We’re proud to be leading the Northern Irish retail sector in implementing sustainable initiatives that benefit our environment, our communities and our customers. With sustainability and environmental impact continuing to be a key focus for us in 2021, we’re delighted to kick off the year with this fantastic campaign, which engages our communities and promotes a responsible approach to consumption and waste management. “Through this initiative, we will see 6.3 million ‘Bags for Life’ eliminated from circulation throughout all stores across the island of Ireland by May 2021,” said Angela. ‘Bags for Life’ are reusable shopping bags made from plastic which, although are meant to be an environmentally friendlier alternative to single-use plastic bags, can often have a large environmental footprint as they are frequently not reused. Full details and terms and conditions can be found at: www.lidl-ni.co.uk/shopping-bags

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.

ince the last Ambition magazine was published, the transition period has ended and businesses across Northern Ireland have been getting to grips with the practicalities of trade in the postBrexit world. It hasn’t been plain sailing for many and there is much work still to do, particularly around GB-NI trade. In our interactions with Government, we highlighted the challenges and experiences so far in relation to increased paperwork, increased costs and delays. We have also highlighted the potential benefit of the NI Protocol for inward investment, export and business diversification if additional stimulus is provided. At the same time, the latest set of COVID-19 restrictions have placed additional burdens on companies across all sectors. In our ongoing interactions with policy makers, NI Chamber has been clear that any support measures provided by either Westminster or the Executive, must be sufficient to cover not just those on the front line of retail, hospitality and leisure, but also firms in supply chains and the wider business community who is feeling the devastating impact of these restrictions too. Along with British Chambers of Commerce, NI Chamber is lobbying for a clear support package for the whole of 2021. Incremental interventions are not sufficient and the UK government must therefore provide long term plans which allow businesses of all shapes and sizes to plan. While the Board and Executive Team continues to prioritise supporting companies through COVID-19 challenges and new trading arrangements, the time is also right to work on our policy priorities for this year and indeed beyond. To that end, we have

recently met with a range of stakeholders to discuss the recommendations in ‘Thrive,’ our action plan for economic recovery. During meetings with Invest NI Chief Executive Kevin Holland, Minister of State for Northern Ireland Robin Walker, Finance Minister Conor Murphy and Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon, we have outlined NI Chamber’s proposals for trade, succeeding safely, skills, environment and infrastructure. This is important as our latest Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) results for Q4 2020, in partnership with BDO, confirmed that tough trading conditions have hit confidence and investment hard in Northern Ireland. Towards the end of last year, a number of members raised the issue of Trade Credit Reinsurance with us and it is something that we took directly to Economy Minister Diane Dodds. The Minister supported our call for an extension to the scheme, which has now been extended until 30 June. I would like to thank the Minister for her support on this particular issue, which should go some way to providing a level of certainty for exporters. At this time, I encourage all of our members to engage as fully as possible with all of the services and support that membership offers. In particular, any business involved in the import or export of goods to or from Northern Ireland should seek out the support of our International team. We have a team of very experienced experts in international trade, who are here to provide you with technical expertise and bespoke advice. At the moment, new customs procedures are a particular pain point for many companies and if that is you, we can help. Chamber Customs is a fast, reliable and accurate service delivered by a team of people who know the local business

landscape and who are really knowledgeable on the technical aspects of international trade. We will also be releasing details of a whole host of other digital events, workshops and training courses in the coming weeks, covering everything from leadership and sales, to sustainability and climate action, as well as the return of the BCC accredited Foundation Award in International Trade. As ever, these are open to every single employee in member organisations, so make sure as many people in your team benefit from what is on offer.

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

NEWS

New Names on NI Chamber Council NI Chamber’s Annual General Meeting in late 2020 saw ten new members appointed to its Council. They join a distinguished group representing 43 organisations, which advises and contributes to NI Chamber’s policy priorities. Here, Ambition profiles each of the new faces joining for the 2021-2023 term.

NEW NI CHAMBER COUNCIL MEMBERS Gareth Bradley, Head of Commercial Implementation, Balcas

Leigh Yeaman, Divisional Director Belfast, Investec Wealth & Investment

Gareth is a commercially driven executive who has worked at board level for the past decade, developing comprehensive business plans which effectively prioritise market opportunities. He has a track record of leading commercial teams to achieve ambitious sales and profit targets across a variety of business sectors. Gareth has led the transformation and restructure of a number of businesses post acquisition, delivering cost-effective structures that result in tangible synergies including a stable platform, ensuring that the structure is ‘right’ to allow the business model to thrive.

Leigh is Head of the Investec Wealth & Investment Belfast office, managing portfolios for private clients, trusts, SIPP’s, charities and corporate entities. This involves working closely alongside other professionals, including solicitors, accountants and financial advisers, to build and implement bespoke investment strategies for clients. She began her career at Barclays Stockbrokers in Glasgow through an undergraduate placement scheme and, on graduation, obtained a position with Stirling Hendry (now Brewin Dolphin) in Scotland. Leigh moved home to Northern Ireland in 1999 and spent nine years with Cunningham Coates Stockbrokers and seven years with Quilter before joining Investec Wealth & Investment in June 2015. She is a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment and also serves as a Non-Executive Director for a local charity.

Stephen Roycroft, Managing Director, krow Ireland

Seamus McGuckin, Head of SME at AIB

As Managing Director of a UK PLC owned advertising agency, Stephen has autonomy to run krow Ireland as a self-sufficient profit centre. Prior to his current role, Stephen worked with McCann Erickson in Belfast, London and Manchester before moving to Ardmore Advertising in 1996 for over 18 years. In his work, Stephen has been entrusted with global and local brands and lectured at both Queen’s and Ulster University. He brings vast strategic and business experience to NI Chamber’s Council, having worked with almost every sector of the NI economy during over 30 years in the advertising industry. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA), a past Chair of the NI Group, with a seat on IPA Council nationally.

Seamus is Head of SME at AIB and is responsible for delivering its purpose of ‘backing customer dreams and ambitions’ in the SME sphere. He is a qualified chartered accountant with over 17 years’ banking experience across senior roles in lending, restructuring and risk. Seamus has previous experience as a Council member, having served in 2018/2019. He currently assists in the delivery of the ‘Bringing Business Together with AIB’ series, which is run under NI Chamber’s Learn Grow Excel programme. Seamus is committed to ensuring that the business community voice is influential and his role benefits from being able to obtain a barometer of business sentiment across all sectors and NI regions.

Gillian McAuley, Group HR Director, Devenish Gillian was born in Northern Ireland but emigrated to Canada as a child, returning to live here in 2001. In Canada, Gillian qualified as a Barrister and Solicitor, working in Commercial and Employment Law. Since 2015, she has been the Group HR Director for Devenish. Prior to this, she worked within the Viridian Group in various roles for 14 years, latterly as the Group HR Director.

Gillian is married with two sons and has a strong belief in the importance of community involvement. She has just completed eight years as a Trustee with the NI Hospice and in November, was appointed to the Board of the NOW Group. This year, she will also take up a position on the Governance, Nominations and Remuneration Committee with Ulster University. Gillian currently acts as Chair of the NI Chamber Skills sub-committee and represents NI Chamber on the Department for the Economy’s Skills Strategy Advisory Group.

William Steele, Director of Power NI Customer Solutions William has over 20 years’ experience in the electricity industry; 16 of those in retail with Power NI and has recently taken up the role of Director of Power NI Customer Solutions. William’s operational and regulatory responsibilities give him an in-depth knowledge of the electricity retail supply chain. He manages a large, diverse organisation in an ever changing regulatory, policy and competitive context. William has held representative positions on numerous electricity industry groups and adopted lead roles in influencing and delivering change in both market and policy areas. Before taking up the role of Director, he was Power NI’s Settlement and Regulation Manager for over 10 years. William has a degree in Law from Queen’s University, as well as an MBA.

Stephen Staerke, Business Development Manager, Selective Travel Management

Mark Ennis, Non-Executive Chairman, SSE Ireland Mark has served over 35 years in leadership positions of Northern Ireland and International Companies. He currently sits on several Boards including SSE Airtricity, W&G Baird, and Wilson Bio-Chemicals. Mark was honoured with a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in 2016 for services to the economy and community in Northern Ireland. He has previously led both Public and Private businesses in a variety of industries including Packaging, as CEO of Boxmore International Plc, and Senior VP of Chesapeake Corp; Energy, with Airtricity as Director of Corporate and Retail; Automotive, as Materials and Logistics Director of Fisher Body Corp; Financial, with Liberty Insurance as a Non-Executive Director and Medical Devices with Intetesens as a Non-Executive Director.

Stephen is Business Development Manager at Selective Travel Management. His main role is to increase brand awareness as well as bringing new clients into partnership with the business. Having already successfully integrated multimillion-pound companies into Selective, Stephen spearheads the campaign of simplifying business travel for clients. Selective Travel Management is the largest travel management company in Northern Ireland and ranked the 19th largest in the UK, working with clients across the government, SME, university, film and charity sectors. During the current pandemic the firm has continued to assist clients with travel and duty of care whilst also acting as a support mechanism.

Lorna McAdoo, Director of Business Development and Operations NI, Version 1 Lorna is currently Director of Business Development and Operations NI for Version 1 and has over 30 years’ experience in the NI IT sector, working with many local public and private sector organisations. Lorna is also Co-Chair of the Action for Children Byte Night board, and a member of the ICT Employers and Educators Forum. Version 1 opened its Belfast office in 2012, which has since grown to over 130 staff delivering IT services to local and UK and Ireland customers. Her team, whilst focused on delivering transformational IT excellence for their customers, is also involved with NI Community projects and initiatives.

Joanne Clague, Registrar and Chief Operating Officer, Queen’s University Belfast

Joanne joined Queen’s University in April 2019 as Registrar and Chief Operating Officer, having previously been Director of Operations for the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health at the University of Manchester. Joanne is a qualified chartered accountant with 18 years’ post-qualification experience, including significant experience of leading strategic partnerships and transformational change in the higher education and healthcare sectors. Prior to her leadership role at the University of Manchester, she was Chief Operating Officer of Manchester Academic Health Science Centre. Before moving to Belfast, Joanne was also a Non-Executive Director of Aintree University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Chair of the Board of Governors at the King’s School Chester.

NI CHAMBER BOARD & COUNCIL 2021 PRESIDENT Ian Henry, Henry Group VICE-PRESIDENT Paul Murnaghan, BT BOARD John Healy, Allstate NI Paul Murnaghan, BT Vicky Davies, Danske Bank Michael Kidd, EY Belfast Brendan Gribben, Greenfields Ireland Cathal Geoghegan, Henderson Foodservice Ian Henry, Henry Group Ann McGregor, NI Chamber Andrea McIlroy-Rose, Pinsent Masons Nick Coburn, Ulster Carpets Group COUNCIL Claire Reid, 4c Seamus McGuckin, AIB John Healy, Allstate NI Gareth Bradley, Balcas Shauna Burns, Beyond Business Travel

Andrew Robinson, Boomer Paul Murnaghan, BT Gerard Armstrong, Carson McDowell Andrew Coggins, CBRE Hilary Griffith, Cleaver Fulton Rankin Vicky Davies, Danske Bank Gillian McAuley, Devenish Mary Rose Burke, Dublin Chamber of Commerce Michael Kidd, EY Brendan Gribben, Greenfields Ireland Cathal Geoghegan, Henderson Foodservice Ian Henry, Henry Group Donal Durkan, Invest NI Leigh Yeaman, Investec Wealth & Investment John Poole, KPMG Stephen Roycroft, krow Ireland Jonathan Ireland, Lanyon Group Nuala Jackson, Mercer Ltd Anne Donaghy, Mid East Antrim Council Ann McGregor, NI Chamber Roger Henderson, NIE Networks Andrea McIlroy-Rose, Pinsent Masons William Steele, Power NI Eddie McGoldrick, PowerOn Technologies Ltd

Cara Haffey, PwC Joanne Clague, Queen’s University Belfast David Watson, Ryobi Gerry Kindlon, Seagate Stephen Staerke, Selective Travel Management Colin Jess, Social Enterprise NI Natasha Sayee, SONI Mark Ennis, SSE Patrick Anderson, Translink Nigel Walsh, Ulster Bank Nick Coburn, Ulster Carpets Group Gillian Armstrong, Ulster University Business School Lorna McAdoo, Version 1 Michael Woods, Woodside Global CHIEF EXECUTIVE Ann McGregor HONORARY TREASURER Paul Murnaghan, BT COMPANY SECRETARY Ann McGregor

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.

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Tough Trading Conditions Hit Confidence and Investment Hard The latest Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) published by Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NI Chamber) and BDO shows that almost 7 in 10 members (69%) believe that prospects for the Northern Ireland economy are poor and that the economy will contract in 2021. The results come to light as the region grabbles with another strict lockdown period and new trading arrangements as a result of Brexit. The Q4 2020 findings suggest that trading conditions remain very challenging, with 37% of members still seeing little to no signs of improvement in their business performance since the pandemic (Q3 43%). Of those surveyed, 15% are planning to reduce staff numbers over the next year and 18% are planning to reduce staff working hours. 35% of respondents plan to reduce capital investment, while 1 in 5 plan to reduce work space in 2021. Around 1 in 5 members state that their business cannot survive continual changes in the government’s COVID-19 policy responses. Since the survey was carried out, new restrictions came into force which closed more sectors, including non-essential shops. In the intervening period, the Brexit transition period has also ended and practical arrangements continue to evolve. Business Performance Most key indicators improved, although Q4 suggests only a marginal improvement on Q3 and almost all key business indicators remain negative, meaning that there are still more businesses reporting worsening business conditions than those reporting any improvement. Most key business indicators

also remain significantly weaker than before the pandemic struck. In Q4 2020, half of businesses experienced a fall in domestic (UK) sales over the last three months while just 19% saw an increase. The damage to exports is significant. Employment indicators are marginally better reflecting the role of the job retention scheme intervention in supporting jobs during the pandemic. In manufacturing, all key indicators continued to improve in Q4 2020, albeit more slowly than in Q3. However, almost all key indicators remain negative. The sector’s order book is still weak, particularly in terms of export orders over the next three months. Almost all key indicators in the services sector also improved in Q4 2020 but all balances remain negative with more members reporting a deterioration in trade, jobs, confidence and investment intentions than those reporting any improvement. The services sector is showing slower signs of recovery than manufacturing, particularly in terms of domestic sales and orders. The sector’s cashflow position is weaker, as is confidence around profitability over the next year.

Responding to change While trading conditions remain very challenging for 2 in 5 members, around 1 in 5 are making positive plans including taking on new staff, increasing wages and investing more in training. And while a sizable majority felt that prospects for the Northern Ireland economy overall were bleak, 46% believe their own business will grow in 2021. Trading internationally The survey indicates that members are increasingly concerned about external customer attitudes towards businesses in Northern Ireland. Half (51%) are concerned about Great Britain customer attitudes towards Northern Ireland businesses and 46% about Irish customer attitudes towards doing business in the region. Just over 1 in 10 members are concerned about accessing workers through the new UK Immigration Policy. In terms of the practicalities of new arrangements, the main concerns expressed centered on customs processes when purchasing from Great Britain (59%), along with potential disruption at ports delaying goods movements (51%). Changes in the VAT regime are also an issue (49%).

Commenting on the findings, Ann McGregor, Chief Executive of NI Chamber, said: “Quarter 4 was another difficult period for businesses in Northern Ireland, who continue to face challenges on an unprecedented scale. If these results are the foundations for trade in 2021, then they are confirmation of another tough year ahead for many. The tighter coronavirus restrictions many businesses are currently coping with will weigh even more heavily on the key drivers of growth and indeed survival, in the months ahead. “Given these conditions and the sentiments expressed, it is clear that business needs to see a clear support package from government for the whole of 2021, not just another incremental intervention. The current drip-feed approach to business support measures is too short term. The UK

government must provide long term plans which allow businesses of all shapes and sizes to plan ahead. “Our members have continually raised concerns around the practical implications for their business of the UK’s transition out of the EU including the region’s future trading relationship with Great Britain. Our concern is that the survey suggests that the pandemic has already taken its toll on how Northern Ireland trades externally and with the added complexities brought about by EU transition, that trade outside the region could be deeply impacted. “We need consistent, timely and practical advice on a ‘real’ time basis to make sure that trade is uninterrupted as far as possible and

Ann McGregor, Chief Executive of NI Chamber.

where there are issues and concerns, that they can be raised and dealt with urgently. Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry is here to support that to happen.”

Brian Murphy, Managing Partner of BDO NI.

ANALYSIS

BY BRIAN MURPHY, MANAGING PARTNER, BDO NORTHERN IRELAND It is understandable that feelings of uncertainty and a lack of confidence about the year ahead dominated the business mind-set when the Q4 survey was live back in November. It was after all completed prior to the UK’s Trade Deal with the EU, and against a backdrop of expectation of further restrictions due to COVID-19. It is unfortunate that these feelings of uncertainty have since continued in the New Year and are likely to be with us for some time. Given the environment that businesses have been operating in, specifically over the last twelve months, it is unfortunately not a surprise that we continue to operate in the negative column. However, it is vital that we continue the momentum that has been slowly building and support companies across NI as we navigate yet another lockdown and the early stages of the new GB - NI trade arrangements. It is encouraging to see further financial support flowing via both the UK government and the NI Executive. The Department for the Economy recently announced a £10.6 million scheme, aimed at supporting wet pubs that have been significantly impacted by the pandemic. This is in addition to financial payouts due for around 10,000 businesses across the region that were forced to close under COVID-19 lockdown restrictions. An additional £200m from the UK Treasury was made available for the NI Executive’s Covid-19 support efforts before Christmas. As indicated, recovery has slowed in Q4, with 49% (compared to 58% in Q3) of businesses experiencing a fall in domestic (UK) sales over the last three months, while 19% saw an increase (17% in Q3). While both manufacturing and services key indicators remain in negative territory one manufacturing exception is around expectations for recruitment which is the only positive balance at +1%. There was also an increase from Q2 in manufacturers operating at full capacity – up to 27% from 16% (Q2). Of course, these figures are still very low – if you compared them for example to 2018 where NI manufacturing was operating at 46%, third highest across the UK regions. Context is everything though, and 2018 was a very different landscape for our business community to what we are dealing with today. As we continue to see the services

industry recruit, or at least try to recruit, several factors are impacting on the long-term success of this recruitment plan, including both the pandemic and access to the talent pool, due to changes in UK immigration policy and freedom of movement. As expected, there have been significant problems since the transition period, particularly around imports and exports from NI. The key Brexit related concerns raised by local businesses, including; customs processes in purchasing from Great Britain (59%); disruption at ports (51%); and VAT regime changes (47%), have now materialised in reality.

Around half of the respondents also stated a concern around GB and Irish customers attitudes towards NI businesses. It’s not difficult to understand why 69% of respondents believe prospects for the Northern Ireland economy are low in 2021, while 38% believe their own business prospects are actually poor for the coming year. How society, as well as the business community, respond to this latest lockdown will play a key role for our prospects in 2021. However, the business community has been through a lot in Northern Ireland, it is resilient, and we ask that the Executive continues to listen to what businesses have to say. We need to work together to get through this difficult time.

FEATURE

Jordan Buchanan, Chief Economist at PropertyPal.

What’s in store for the housing market in 2021? Jordan Buchanan, Chief Economist at PropertyPal explains.

020 was an unforgettable year. The virus had devastating impacts on our population’s health, our economy and how we all live our lives. But amid the economic turmoil and societal disruption, the housing market ended 2020 almost undeterred from the pandemic. By the end of December there were 26,000 properties sale agreed on PropertyPal, down a modest 2% on 2019 levels and overall prices continued to grow at sustainable levels in the region of 3.5%. This level of activity is particularly impressive given the market was closed for two months of the year during the popular spring period.

Indeed, since the housing market re-opened, activity has exceeded the most optimistic of expectations. The resilience is a testament to both the importance of housing to people, a trend accelerated by pandemic related behaviour shifts, but also to the industry as a whole and how it adapted to provide tangible and safe solutions to the challenges presented. Looking back to last summer during the peak of the pandemic there was little hope of a vaccine – or that it could take years to arrive. The uncertainty and resulting rolling lockdowns damaged consumer and business confidence

and subsequently, economic growth. To that end, the N.Ireland economy is estimated to have contracted by around 11% last year, the largest contraction in 100 years. At peak furlough rates there were more than 250,000 employees availing of the scheme, equivalent to one in three workers and preventing mass unemployment across society. In recent months, economic activity has rebounded faster than expected with many forecasters improving the projections for 2021. We can collectively move into this year with considerably more optimism than the majority of 2020. Scientific endeavour and

ingenuity have developed multiple vaccines at speed. Rolling the vaccine(s) out remains a logistical challenge, but of encouragement, the vaccine has already reached 160,000 people in N.Ireland – predominately our frontline health service, care home staff and residents, and over 80 year-olds. It will take several months for wider take up which means masks and social distancing are not going anytime soon. Furthermore, the UK government’s seemingly premature extension of the furlough scheme to April implies there is likely to be some form of restrictions still in place by Easter time. This will mean ongoing economic uncertainty and the potential for further lockdown measures in the short term. Consensus forecasts suggest the N.Ireland economy will experience one of the fastest rates of growth on record through

2021– expanding in the 4-6% range. The housing market is expected to display continued strength in the first quarter of this year. Demand on PropertyPal remains unseasonably high with January searchers and enquiry levels up 30% and 50% respectively compared to this time last year. Many buyers and their legal teams are working at haste to beat the stamp duty deadline by the end of March. However, the housing market is not immune from the economic damage, despite what 2020 may suggest. The second quarter of 2021 will test the underlying market sentiment as the downside economic risks unwind. The end of the stamp duty holiday may create a lull in transaction activity over the summer and the ending of the furlough scheme will risk higher levels of unemployment and lower earnings, two factors intrinsically linked to housing market activity. There also remains lots of unknowns. What impact will Brexit have in the short term? Will record public spending levels continue to support businesses and households or will there be tax increases early in the recovery phase, potentially wealth/ capital gains taxes on property? Will the vaccine rollout quickly return pre-pandemic behaviours or are working and living arrangements permanently altered? These are impossible to answer at this stage but will potentially have significant housing market implications. Banks and building societies will also play a critical role in how successful the market is in 2021. It is likely interest rates will continue to stay at low rates, which will continue to support affordability for borrowers. However, during the latter half of last year it became a widespread approach from mortgage lenders to withdraw their products at higher and more risky rates for concern of price falls and associated negative equity. Buyers without a 15% deposit found it very difficult to access mortgage finance. This was a proportionately greater challenge for the N.Ireland market as the tighter credit conditions meant fewer than half of first-time buyers had that level of savings to fund a home purchase. However, recent weeks have seen the return of 90% loan to value mortgage products across both local and national lenders. Whilst an encouraging development, these products tend to be priced at significantly higher levels compared to pre-pandemic rates which will continue to moderate demand levels and suggests lenders are still concerned about the potential for price reductions. The increase in the spread between base rate and mortgage rates will hit affordability levels for the first-time buyer market significantly more so than the homemover segment and those with greater equity in their homes. It will be one to watch whether the increased competition from lenders puts downward pressure on rates of higher loan to value mortgage products.

Overall, the economic and housing market outlook remains precarious and is dependent on the success of the vaccine program and how quickly it can stimulate an uninterrupted recovery. It is plausible the market will continue to perform well throughout 2021 but the downside risks will mitigate the scope for price rises. It is plausible to see stagnating prices if not marginal price gains or falls. Transaction levels are likely to fall by a greater extent in Q2/Q3 as pent-up demand dissipates, partly due to the distorting nature of the stamp duty tax break whereby many buyers brought forward their purchasing plans but also as government support unwinds, leaving the underlying economic potential to natural market outcomes. The conflicting balance of obstructive and supportive forces adds to the uncertainty but may mean the market ends 2021 in relatively stable position, not unlike recent years.

“The housing market is expected to display continued strength in the first quarter of this year. Demand on PropertyPal remains unseasonably high with January searchers and enquiry levels up 30% and 50% respectively compared to this time last year.”

FEATURE

Gerry May.

Work to be Done Activity within the employment sector has been reflective of the standstill that was 2020, says Gerry May, Managing Director at high level executive recruitment firm, Forde May Consulting. Now, he hopes to see business take its foot off the brake as vaccines bring new hope.

“

It’s been a strange one,” Gerry begins. “Naturally, a lot of our clients put proactive planned recruitment on hold. Some clients, in a need to service their customer base, have been more reactionary and rushed in their need to bring good people. However, there are sectors where we’re known to operate, such as aviation, that just ground to a standstill.” The recruitment chief said any activity in the high end jobs market came mainly from the public sector, with medical firms that rebalanced their offering to accommodate the newer needs during the pandemic including PPE, being just one of some organisations putting out tenders. “There was also a social impact from the pandemic that hit the appetite of many executives to make a move. Similar to the last economic downturn, many senior executives are waiting until things get better. There was and is a resistance to jump into a new role or relocate with many sticking by the mantra ``better the devil you know’, or ‘the grass isn’t always greener’,” he adds. It’s a sharp contrast to the last time Ambition spoke with Gerry back in 2019, when the challenges ahead were dominated by Brexit. Then, the firm, which has been in operation for over 20 years, was facilitating the moves for many top end executives into the buoyant Southern job market, primarily the medical device sector. “To mitigate any potential negative impact on the local economy as a result of Brexit, especially in sectors such as manufacturing and Agri-food, Forde May Consulting had been working with many companies south of the Border; pre-COVID it was certainly a region of growth. Much of this work had been generated organically through existing networks and clients, but there was also a degree of targeting and segmentation on our part on the senior tier migration,” Gerry says. “When benchmarked against comparable roles, salaries in the Republic of Ireland were outstripping those in Northern Ireland. Historically, it may have been a harder sell for recruitment firms to generate local interest in roles south of the border, but we are finding a significant increase in executives keen to explore these opportunities, and we’ve had a number of these high profile roles,” Gerry said at the time. It was something of an exodus within some sectors, where senior executives saw the advantages of relocating or even commuting to avail of the higher salaries just 100 miles down the road. “This has changed somewhat for numerous reasons, including, but not limited to, the uncertain economic backdrop compounded by the pandemic, plus the proliferation of homeworking for all sectors. Many executives are now able to avail of the higher salaries in Dublin and London, but without having

“The benefit of a business like ours, within high end head hunting, is that firms tend to be quite lean. We don’t have too many people in the business so we know when the volume of work isn’t there we are robust enough to sustain our operations...” to compensate with the weekly or daily commute,” says Gerry. He adds that despite the reluctance for high level directors to seek out new opportunities and the private sector halting developments, activity wasn’t completely void for the firm last year and early this year. “We are what you would say, ‘busy enough’, but nowhere near the levels we were in previous years. We would regularly get work from a certain number of clients but even that hasn’t been the case. Things have been more sporadic rather than fluid and that ability to guarantee a flow of jobs, knowing the firm’s growth strategy, was revised.” He says the lack of movement in many markets had something of a domino effect in all arenas adding: “Any investment we had planned over 2020 was shelved. Forde May Consulting had plans to invest in new IT systems and a server and we chose to wait. This creates a significant knock on effect on the broader business supply chain.” Gerry outlined that there has naturally been an influx of talent coming on to the job market, as a result of businesses forced to shut under the pressures of the pandemic. “There have been a few high ranking roles that were lost, for example I was speaking with a global IT director today as his role was made redundant. Last year most people would’ve classified the industry that Director worked within as bullet proof. Not that great candidates like this individual will struggle to get a new job; they will get snapped up by some of the great IT firms in the North or South.” The e-commerce world is booming, he adds, benefitting from bricks and mortar retail lockdowns and it’s here where he sees growth and opportunity. “IT certainly can do what it does anywhere and there has been a lot of movement in that sector. The ‘volume’ IT vacancies aren’t our arena, but we work with a plethora of firms recruiting senior commercial and operational staff. It’s certainly a golden time for these firms. “Some manufacturing organisations are still quite busy and we have a lot of manufacturing roles at present; one

in particular is an Omagh company, a manufacturer of disposable contamination control, infection control and hygiene products including disposable wipes and that market, as we all know has been an area of rapid growth.” Tender opportunities have been rife too, spanning the public and charity sectors with Government bodies also putting out tenders. “We’ve been quite busy working with professional and Government bodies on certain Board and Committee appointments and non-executive director roles. “It’s been a hotchpotch though,” he admits. “And that volume of steady work from our regular clients has slowed down but there has been a certain optimism with the vaccine, albeit with a heavy lockdown but we’re optimistic with what can be achieved,” adds Gerry. Among Forde May’s current listings are senior posts in the manufacturing, healthcare, finance and production arenas, with a scattering of posts in marketing and even one in retail. The governmental roles are ever-present. The pandemic has brought challenges for many sectors, not least the recruitment industry but with a “lean” makeup, Forde May Consulting has illustrated resilience. “The benefit of a business like ours, within high end head hunting, is that firms tend to be quite lean. We don’t have too many people in the business so we know when the volume of work isn’t there we are robust enough to sustain our operations, but when you have more than five people, then that’s when you would have more of an issue. “Right now we’re waiting for things to pick up. We haven’t really been in the office and we’re not getting into those crucial meeting environments to chat with our competitors and discuss what’s been happening. I think we’re all sitting tight.”

Columnist Robert McCullough, Head of Business Sector Engagement, Danske Bank

NI businesses must act quickly to adjust to new trading regime I ’m sure all of us had hoped for brighter things at the start of a new year but we also all knew that the twin challenges of COVID-19 and Brexit would continue to loom large for Northern Ireland businesses. There has been so much discussion and speculation about Brexit over several years, but the last-minute nature of the trade deal agreed between the UK and the EU at the end of last year means there are still many issues to be resolved and worked through with the government agencies. Having said that we welcome the fact the local economy has avoided the implications of a no-deal Brexit and that some of the uncertainty that characterised 2020 has largely been resolved. Danske Bank had for some time been advising customers to prepare for the end of the transition period as, regardless of whether a deal was struck between the UK and the EU or not, the NI Protocol would become a reality. We’ve heard very valid complaints from those who felt it was impossible to be ready because they didn’t know the details of the new environment they were preparing for. We suggested some steps they could take to put themselves in a better place, even in that situation. We have pointed many customers to the excellent NI Business Info website, which includes a very practical 10-step checklist of actions for trading businesses. I’d advise going to the website (www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk) to look in detail at the information provided, but at a high level, the advice includes:

• Apply for an Immigration Sponsorship Licence if you wish to hire foreign nationals.

Many businesses will already have addressed such issues but I know in the early days of the new trading system that some had not. Businesses need to learn fast and act to control what they can, making sure they clearly understand their supply chain and their route to market. Some businesses may have stockpiled supplies ahead of the end of the transition period but now is the time to get any kinks in the supply chain ironed out before those supplies run down, because any latitude customs officers have been giving in the early days won’t last. Anecdotal evidence suggests many of the issues so far are with GB businesses that are not prepared. Northern Ireland is a small market for many of them and the hold ups at ports due to incomplete paperwork indicate some don’t understand the requirements of the Northern Ireland Protocol. Around sixty percent of Northern Ireland’s external purchases come from GB so companies here must help educate those in their own supply chains to help them navigate the bureaucracy. I’m confident good businesses will adapt to new processes quickly and I know many are ready to look at opportunities that come with the new regime. Leaving any political considerations to the side, the new arrangements as they stand mean Northern Ireland could be a gateway to both GB and RoI/EU, two of the world’s most lucrative markets. We have some ability to trade in both jurisdictions, which could be appealing to inward investors and local companies alike. I’d like to see us take advantage of that.

• Register for the Trader Support Service to get free training and support relating to new customs processes. • If you don’t already have one, apply for an EORI number if you buy from GB. • Find out the commodity code for goods you buy or sell to speed up processing. • Register for the UK Trader Scheme. • Speak to your haulier and ask what specific information they will need from you. • Speak to suppliers and ask if their terms of trade remain the s ame. • Check regulations that apply to your goods and whether they meet EU requirements. • Consider your data – if you receive personal data from the EU you may need to take action. • Check if you need to apply for the EU Settlement Scheme and whether your employees are at risk of not being able to keep living and working in the EU if they don’t apply to it.

“Businesses need to learn fast and act to control what they can, making sure they clearly understand their supply chain and their route to market.” 36

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FEATURE

Michael Neill, Head of A&L Goodbody’s Belfast Office.

Adapt and Lead Encouragingly, activity in Q1, 2021 for law firm, A&L Goodbody has been busier than expected, Michael Neill, Head of the Firm’s Belfast office tells Emma Deighan. Here he talks about how the business adapted to meet the needs of clients’ new challenges.

&L Goodbody has over 100 years in the corporate legal market, serving many sectors. While 2020 may have been a challenging time for all industries, it ended on a positive note for the firm. “2020 was one of those up and down years,” Michael Neill begins, “but we came out of it incredibly strong and adapted well to the environment. That seemed to please clients who expressed how well it worked. “We’re also surprised by how strongly this year has started even though we are currently in lockdown for longer than we expected,” he continues. The corporate law firm offers a host of legal services across its offices in Dublin, Belfast, London and the US. From its Belfast office alone this includes legal expertise on the principal areas handled by a corporate law firm as well as many other specialisms such as Financial Regulation, Construction, Brexit, Energy and Media. It’s a hearty list that puts Michael in a prime position to discuss how the business world is faring during the current challenges. “Some areas have been very busy such as corporate, litigation, employment and banking,” he adds. “The second half of last year was really interesting to me in that, despite all the issues presented by Covid, the issue of Brexit came back onto the table really quickly. Now, we’re clearly seeing that behind the Brexit deal there are operational and practicality difficulties which need resolved. “We’ve been surprised at the extent and range of those issues. Businesses are clearly concerned about the implications of noncompliance with new rules and regulations. At the start of lockdown some commercial transactions were paused, particularly within the real estate sector, however, as the year evolved, activity increased. A particularly notable transaction for ALG was PwC’s move to Merchant Square. A&L Goodbody’s Belfast office advised local property development firm Oakland Holdings on the redevelopment, letting and refinancing of Merchant Square – a prime Grade A office development. The letting of the entire offices to PwC is the largest ever private sector office letting recorded in Northern Ireland and is second only in size to PwC’s headquarters in London. “It’s hard to know what will happen within the commercial property market, but, in my view, it’s not all doom and gloom as the sector will inevitably adapt. In relation to the retail sector, we’ve obviously seen that from the restructuring perspective during 2019 when we were involved in the large retail CVAs such as Toys R Us, Debenhams, House of Fraser and Arcadia – those brand names with multiple tenancies - as a means to compromise on poor performing stores.

“But then when COVID took hold, some retail brands were unfortunately pushed to formal insolvency.” Michael says he anticipates a continuation of stand-offs between landlords and tenants until restrictions for recovery of unpaid rent are lifted. “Will they do deals or will they rush to court?” he asks. “What we also have to remember is that behind many big landlords there is a funder who also needs paid. Funders have been incredibly patient to date but, at some point, the stand-off has to be unlocked. “If you ask me as a lawyer, the only way to unlock that stand-off is through compromise.” Michael references the transition to home working as “a forced experiment” and one he believes will conclude with new working patterns and lifestyles, not just at A&L Goodbody but across all business sectors. Home working has introduced a degree of freedom, flexibility and efficiency but with the added challenge of trying to maintain connectivity virtually. “One of the most interesting things is that this was a challenge for every business. For us, we had to deliver our services in an entirely different way with no physical court activity and from home. We saw that as a challenge but also as an opportunity to emerge from the pandemic as a stronger business. “One of the stand-out features of our business during the pandemic was the visibility of our lawyers in the market. By the end of the year we counted well in excess of 100 speaking engagements including specialist speaking slots for the media, business groups, the Chamber and for clients. That spoke volumes about how we responded to a market which wanted to tap into our advice and knowledge at a time when so many people were working from home.” ALG recently announced the appointment of 10 new partners, one new counsel and 23 new

associates across its Dublin and Belfast offices. It also continued to hire many new trainees “during a very difficult year when some firms, understandably, may have been unable to make that investment”. “For us, our business thrives on introducing and mentoring new talent.” It also announced the extension of its partnership with Ulster Rugby and its official sponsorship of the A&L Goodbody Premium Lounge at Kingspan Stadium. The extension will see the firm continue to sponsor the venue, which underwent a £20,000 refurbishment earlier this year as part of an overall upgrade by Ulster Rugby of its onsite conference and event facilities. “I think this news was incredibly uplifting for our clients, our staff and other supporters who use the premium lounge. Given that there were very few games played, some may have thought we would reconsider this partnership but we felt it was even more important to continue supporting the arts, sports and culture sectors during the pandemic and beyond given their contribution to our society. There was no question in our mind to renew.” In terms of the economy, he comments: “Restructuring and insolvency is not yet as busy as people might expect but the reason for the significant decline in insolvencies during 2020 compared to 2019 is obvious given the level and extent of Government support to business. The unknown is the impact on business and the wider economy when that support ends.” Nevertheless, with a positive mindset, Michael foresees opportunities on the horizon as sustainable energy takes off. He also sees increased activity in the M&A arena, adding: “Some businesses out there are very strong and are on the lookout for opportunities to acquire, not only a competitor but maybe businesses within their supply chain.”

“One of the stand-out features of our business during the pandemic was the visibility of our lawyers in the market. By the end of year we counted in excess of 100 speaking engagements including specialist speaking slots for the media, business groups, NI Chamber and for clients.” 40

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Columnist Naomi Thompson, Head of Organisational Development at Benenden Health

Prioritise Mental Wellbeing Naomi Thompson, Head of Organisational Development at Benenden Health, discusses the best ways to effectively implement a mental wellbeing policy in the workplace.

recognise the workforce is ever-changing and diverse. Failure to do this can negatively impact engagement and productivity. Don’t forget about recognition Your strategy shouldn’t solely focus on the things you need in place to help if and when your employees are having problems with mental wellbeing. Thinking about what you can do to positively encourage mental wellbeing in a proactive way pays dividends, too. In fact, it can be the support that makes the difference between happiness and unhappiness. Wholeheartedly encouraging shout-outs between colleagues and from managers to their team members makes a lot of difference. Recent research tells us that 80% of employees feel happiest at work if they feel appreciated. You may choose to formalise your thank-yous into a monthly rewards and recognition scheme, or the roll-out could look a lot simpler: how about a Monday motivation thank you in your weekly planning huddle?

f you asked employees what makes them stay in a job and what attracts them to a new opportunity, you could be forgiven for thinking that the usual answers of a good salary, free breakfast and a new laptop would top the list. However, it has been found that one of the principal reasons employees are attracted to jobs is the provision of a strong mental wellbeing policy. With work negatively impacting on the mental wellbeing of more than half of all employees, recent research from Benenden Health found that as many as 42% of businesses have seen an employee leave the business due to their wellbeing not being supported well enough by their employer. Given that 57% of employees state that a supportive mental wellbeing policy would increase their likelihood of joining a business and 54% of employees indicated that a lack of support for mental wellbeing would lead to them seeking alternative employment – ensuring you have an appropriate and effective policy in place is vital to recruiting and retaining the best talent whilst keeping productivity levels high within the business. So how can employers ensure that their employees not only have mental wellbeing support, but that it is built to be most effective for them?

Delivering change for the better To deliver an effective mental wellbeing policy, the change that must be made is attitudinal. It would appear that many employees have invested time and infrastructure into a variety of measures designed to promote better mental wellbeing. Our research revealed that UK businesses are already thinking about how to foster positive mental wellbeing in the workplace, with a number already having actions in place: • 42% offer help and support from management; • 41% regularly review workload to ensure it’s manageable; • 32% changed the working environment such as lighting, equipment; • 31% offer free counselling; • 28% have mental wellbeing days in place; • 24% lay on exercise and activity classes; • 24% have a confidential helpline; and; • 21% have Mental Health First Aiders.

Introduce a mental wellbeing strategy that works for your business The measures you choose to implement should be seen as the building blocks of your mental wellbeing strategy; but the glue that holds these blocks together is you, your management team and the tone you set – as any initiative you do is futile if the relationship between managers and their team is poor with little or no trust. Every strategic decision made on this score needs to consider the culture of the organisation and any micro cultures that some managers could be fostering. If mental wellbeing days are discussed in this process, your team needs to know that it’s OK to tell you they are taking sick leave because of their mental health, rather than physical health. How you deliver this message needs to be consistent and repeated.

Even with programmes in place, without clear communication, even the best intentions can fail. Ensure employees are encouraged to use any wellbeing programme to benefit their needs. Encourage a conversation about mental wellbeing Putting structures in place to remind you and everyone to communicate is a great way to prompt positive change. This could take shape by committing to a monthly internal roundup or newsletter, so that you have the space and time to signpost that support that is on offer for everyone within the team or by asking team members to block out an hour of their time each month to work on their own wellness plan. Working together, we can help eradicate the stigma that comes with talking about mental health and make the workplace a positive environment for all.

Ensure your policy is personalised It’s also important to tailor your policy to meet the needs of your employees. A personalised approach to building your strategy will need to be adopted to tend to the needs of employees’ different life circumstances. For example, ensure that the right support is available for all different age groups within your organisation – younger employees may value support and advice around their finances, whereas older workers may find measures that alleviate loneliness a real benefit to them. The most successful wellbeing programmes are those that

COLUMNIST

CLIMATE CHANGE TO OVERTAKE COVID AS THE CRISIS IN FOCUS? BY RICHARD RAMSEY, CHIEF ECONOMIST, NI, ULSTER BANK

ou could say that the less said about 2020 the better. But even when we look to 2021, in some respects, it’s 2020 all over again. This time last year, we were looking forward to the Olympics and Euro 2020. Once again this year, we’re (fingers crossed) looking forward to the Olympics and the Euro 2020. But that said, 2021 there are going to be a whole series of other trends that impact upon economies, countries and businesses. Here are some of them. Techcelleration will continue: 2020 was a year of huge digital change and 2021 will see further techcelleration. The trends in 2020 were towards more online shopping, more business done by conference call and public services delivered online. 2021 will see this increasingly move into other areas and across age brackets as older generations become more tech literate as a vital form of social interaction. Telemedicine for instance will become a real feature of our lives. During the pandemic, we’ve had to adapt to dealing with doctors via online means. But when the pandemic recedes, this trend likely won’t. An increasing number of us will continue to see our GP’s online, and this will become the default setting. It could be a win-win for doctors and many patients, saving time on both sides and improving efficiency. More red tape and bureaucracy, not less: Trump’s presidency has expired but the kind of trade tensions and protectionism that were a feature of his time in office won’t. Indeed, 2021

represents a landmark year regarding trade tensions, with Brexit becoming real. The reality of that will be taking back control of more red tape and more bureaucracy and the challenge for business is that they will need to get used to and adapt to new rules and regulations. All of these will be more burdensome than what has gone before, adding to cost. From a Northern Ireland perspective in particular there will be lots of new complexity regarding the Irish Sea border. In many respects, Northern Ireland will be a place apart in the UK, and it and its businesses will be treated differently. The ‘does not apply to Northern Ireland’ small print will become even more prominent. Spend, spend, spend, with taxation deferred: in 2020, we got used to UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak making jaw dropping spending announcements to support businesses, households and the economy through the restrictions resulting from the pandemic. Some expected 2021 to be a year when jaw dropping tax bombshells would replace the spending announcements, but that is premature. Indeed, the Chancellor will likely have a few more fiscal tricks up his sleeve to support the economy in 2021 and help secure a recovery. So spending will be very much on the agenda in the year ahead, with significant tax rises likely deferred until 2022 and beyond. We may also hear more talk about negative interest rates as a means to get businesses to invest and spend. I don’t think negative interest rates will happen. However, policy makers will want to see businesses spend more rather than sitting on their

cash to boost the economy. This is even more the case in Northern Ireland than elsewhere as we have seen historic underinvestment. On the consumer front, lockdowns have acted to cause many households to save cash due to the inability to spend. Indeed, by some estimates Northern Ireland households are sitting on over £1billion in additional savings as a result. With restrictions easing later in 2021, consumers sitting on this cash could start to spend, spend, spend again. Though where they spend will be key; high street, online, abroad? Climate change overtakes COVID as the crisis in focus: whilst COVID and the pandemic dominated in 2020, this temporarily crowded out the biggest issue facing the world and the economy. But unlike the pandemic, it won’t fade away and will only become a bigger and bigger issue. We’ve already heard some very big announcements in recent times about how the UK and other countries will address climate change. We will see much more of this in 2021, 2022, 2023…

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FEATURE

Fane Valleys’ Trevor Lockhart.

Food for thought Disruption to supply chains due to global lockdowns, and now Brexit, has shone a light on the importance of a strong agri-food sector, says Fane Valleys’ Trevor Lockhart as he looks to the future of food and farming here in the post-Brexit landscape.

revor Lockhart, CEO at Fane Valley, says; “Against a backdrop of considerable uncertainty, there is recognition that fundamentally, agrifood has an important role to play in the economy.” The business chief of the, almost, 120-yearold farming co-operative, employing more than 3,000 staff across NI, the South and in Europe, says the sector has adapted to accommodate the challenges of recent times and will do so again to confront the challenges of the future. “The COVID pandemic had a varying effect on agri-food businesses,” he begins. “The immediate response was to put in place measures that protected staff whilst at the same time reacting to a significant spike in demand for food products from retail customers, as consumers stockpiled in the face of the uncertainty about the duration of COVID restrictions. “Across our own group, those retail focused businesses benefitted whilst those more reliant on food service channels suffered. The latter have had to alter their product and customer mix to grow sales in retail and direct to consumers whilst continuing to support our food service customers. Encouragingly, through this shift in emphasis performance has improved. “What it shows is, the industry has proven to be quite resilient because while our routes to market might have changed, ultimately people still needed to eat but we’re just buying and consuming food in different ways.” Trevor says the priority now is to question food security in Northern Ireland and the whole of the UK, given supply chains are set to change in our new post-Brexit world. He continues: “The UK as a whole is 55% sufficient in food while in NI, we sell 75% of what we produce outside of here. We’ve witnessed the significant disruption a pandemic and trade negotiations can have on product availability and price, proving it takes very little to upset ‘just in time’ supply chains. We therefore need to be questioning the Government now, if it is happy to rely on other countries to feed our nation. Should we re-evaluate that?” He says NI is in the perfect position to address food supply matters, because it “produces enough to feed 10 times more people than we have in Northern Ireland”. He voices his concerns as the Government looks to other countries for trade deals, adding: “Looking at the long term, Northern Ireland has to sell 75% of food products outside of the region so access to new markets and the opportunity to export is crucial. Equally, we could be impacted by what extent the UK will allow access to the GB market, which is very important to us. One of our fears is that there may not be a level playing field. “NI operates to the highest levels and one of the tests is, will the UK Government be prepared to demand the same standards from other countries?” Locally, he urges the Executive to support and assist the sector more during our transition, looking to ROI for inspiration. He references the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar TD’s recent scheme announcement.

The €100m fund for the food processing sector will be distributed in recognition of its “unique exposure to the impact of Brexit”. It opened for applications in January and is just one of the ways the ROI Government is helping the agri-food sector. Additional funding has been provided over successive budgets to help the agri-food and fisheries sectors mitigate the impact of Brexit.

“The agri-food industry in Northern Ireland makes a very important contribution to the economy and it is important that agri-food changes and adapts. We’re keen as an industry that the Government continues to recognise that importance.” “The agri-food industry in Northern Ireland makes a very important contribution to the economy and it is important that agri-food changes and adapts. We’re keen as an industry that the Government continues to recognise that importance. “We need to replicate the ROI capital assistance scheme to ensure that on the island of Ireland, NI firms are not placed at a competitive disadvantage,” adds Trevor, whose next concern is helping the UK reach zero net carbon emissions by 2050. “We recognise the part agriculture plays in the overall climate change debate,” he adds.

“And the role it has to play in the drive to net zero. In our view it is possible for the agri-food industry to adapt and change in a way that it can continue its important role in feeding the nation but in a way that responds to environmental challenges. “That will undoubtedly impact the systems we use and has implications for our production methods but we have a view that a good environment is good for farming and the two can co-exist.” Despite the challenges over the past year Fane Valley has had its upbeat moments, with investment rife and more opportunity on the horizon. “In last 18 months we invested almost £40m in three acquisitions; Silver Hill Duck in Co. Monaghan, which sells duck products nationally and internationally; Smyth’s Daleside in Co. Donegal, which is a large animal feed milling businesses and in November last year we bought an agriculture merchant business in Co. Antrim,” Trevor explains. He says the current strategy for growth is focused more on increasing the value of the food products coming out of NI rather than growing total volumes. “That will present opportunities, targeting premium and highly innovative functional foods.” There is also growth, he says, in Asia and China for lower value cuts of meat. “Change in agriculture is constant,” Trevor continues. “We’ve been in existence since 1903 and we’ve been able to grow both organically and through acquisition and I have no doubt that changing policies and priorities in the sector will present more opportunities.” With opportunity, however, comes a need for manpower, which is another burning topic for the agri chief. It’s one that will face challenges as Brexit immigration rules change, impacting incoming labour. “The labour availability arising from the pressures of COVID has ensured a steady supply of staff for the business in the short term, but I do have concerns about the continuing ability of the agri-food sector to secure sufficient levels of labour,” he warns. “This concern is principally triggered by immigration changes through Brexit and we have developed a reliance on immigrant workers. The new points based system is linked to the pay and skill level of individuals and the agri industry typically has lower levels of remuneration, so this will undoubtedly present challenges in the future,” Trevor concludes.

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FEATURE William Steele, Director of Customer Solutions (NI) at Power NI.

Powering Together Power NI, Northern Ireland’s leading electricity supplier, continues to strive forward in its role as an energy expert, with a strong focus on innovation and sustainability. Guiding Power NI through a fast-changing global energy market is Belfast man, William Steele, who took on the newly created role of Director of Customer Solutions (NI) back in July.

FEATURE

fter finishing a Law degree at Queen’s University, William joined Power NI (then NIE) in 1999, embarking on the company’s graduate training programme. His early roles in customer service and relations have provided a grounding in customer engagement and communications, core values of which, William says, still resonate today. Throughout his professional journey, William has experienced the changes and challenges within the energy industry, having been involved in a range of areas from business analysis, market settlement, wholesale and retail regulation. “Both the energy industry and Power NI have evolved at such an incredible pace in a short space of time in terms of its services, markets and organisation – it really is very exciting. And, like every other organisation, Power NI has had to meet the ongoing challenges of the global pandemic. “When lockdown started last March, a significant number of staff were able to switch to ‘WFH’ immediately. With around 200 contact centre staff based across Antrim, Omagh and Belfast, we needed to quickly facilitate remote call-handling. Thanks to the incredible efforts by our Service Operations team and our Group IT department, 50% were securely and fully operational working from home by June with the remainder up and running by September.” As a result, Power NI recently received a nomination for Best Home Working Programme at the Contact Centre Network NI Awards, as well as being crowned the winners of the Community Team of the Year and Agent of the Year categories. Employee wellbeing has always been a priority at Power NI, but in 2020 the long-term remote working meant extra initiatives from the HR team and Power NI’s staff volunteers to keep everyone feeling involved, supported and engaged. “We are lucky to have our Connect Staff Engagement Forum and Blues Busters volunteers to keep morale up whilst we all continue to be physically apart,” says William. “With competitions and virtual events it is a great way to keep us all connected during these challenging times.” Staff retention is high and, like William and his 22-year tenure, many stay with the company for the majority of their careers, so it’s not surprising that Power NI features on NIJobs.com’s 2020 Most Attractive Employers List. Power NI services over 500,000 customers providing 55% of the domestic and 54% of the commercial market’s electricity needs, and has, for the ninth consecutive year, topped the Consumer Council NI’s customer service league

“The first step any company can make towards reducing their impact on climate change is to choose to be powered by green energy and we are glad to be able to help businesses on that journey.”

table with the lowest number of complaints per 10,000 customers amongst energy suppliers. Once only known for supplying electricity, Power NI is evolving to be more than just your local energy supplier. Partnering with innovative business concepts and projects is high on the company’s agenda. William continues, “As part of the Belfast Maritime Consortium led by Artemis Technologies, we are delighted to be involved in helping to develop a zero-emissions hydrofoil ferry between Belfast and Bangor. This project follows our most recent launch of NI’s first hydrogen-powered double decker buses alongside Translink and Wrightbus through our parent, Energia Group.” The company’s commitment to sustainability is evident through its achievements as a 2020 Responsible Business and Climate Champion with Business in the Community NI and having achieved a Silver Level in the BITCNI Environmental Benchmarking Survey. As William explains, “The first step any company can make towards reducing their impact on climate change is to choose to be powered by green energy and we are glad to be able to help businesses on that journey. Recently, one of our customers and fellow NI Chamber member, CDE Global in Cookstown, chose a green energy contract. As a leading wet processing equipment company, this will save them approximately 630 tonnes of carbon over the next year due to their electricity now being sourced from 100% renewables.” William concludes, “Our commitment to our communities is part of our DNA, as people are such an important part of our business – whether within the Power NI team or the homes, businesses and farms that switch on

their lights with us daily. We strive to serve all of our customers with the best customer service and protect the most vulnerable in our society, going to great lengths right across our business to look after those when they need us most.” A father of two, William is an avid football fan and is also a ‘behind the scenes’ volunteer Board member of charity Street Soccer NI. “It’s a brilliant charity and I truly admire the team who really make a difference to men and women who have experienced challenges in terms of homelessness, mental health and unemployment. It helps bring about positive change in people’s lives with free weekly football sessions offering help, community and hope for the future. “To quote a football legend, and to sum up our Power NI approach to business, as Pele said, ‘Success is no accident, it is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and, most of all, love what you are doing, or learning to do.” To find out more about why 40,000 local businesses trust Power NI, visit: www.powerni.co.uk/letsgrowtogether

2021:

AMBITION SPECIAL FOCUS

Diane Dodds MLA - Minister for the Economy

THE YEAR AHEAD

Conor Boyle

Andrew Jenkins

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Mark Crimmins

Maeve Monaghan

Andrew Coggins

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Niall Harkin

John McGrillen

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2021: THE YEAR AHEAD

Diane Dodds.

Diane Dodds MLA, Minister for the Economy In the midst of a pandemic it is sometimes difficult to see beyond the immediate challenges, but we must. Whilst my Department continues to support thousands of businesses severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic through various financial grant schemes, we are also looking ahead and planning for Northern Ireland’s economic recovery.

Despite the difficult start to the year I am hopeful that 2021 will see a return towards normality. I look forward to a time when all our businesses can reopen, people can get back to their jobs and guests can once again enjoy our hospitality in Northern Ireland. Businesses right across Northern Ireland have shown great resilience and innovation, and I know they will continue to do so. To date, we have provided over £362million in lifeline support to over 36,000 businesses. Grants from our COVID-19 business support schemes have kept businesses open and secured jobs. Without this support, alongside the unprecedented measures

from our national Government, I am in no doubt that our economy would not have got through. Unfortunately, we are not at the end of providing this lifeline support yet, and I will continue to support businesses through these schemes as long as it takes, but in parallel we have begun to look to the future and make the preparations to rebuild and refocus our local economy. The closure of our high streets and hospitality sector has meant we could not deliver the High Street Voucher Scheme in the timescale originally envisaged, but this intervention remains

DIANE DODDS MLA – MINISTER FOR THE ECONOMY

a cornerstone of our economic recovery to stimulate demand for our ‘bricks and mortar’ retailers, and we intend on rolling the scheme out whenever appropriate. The tourism voucher scheme also had to be deferred as it was clearly not appropriate to encourage people to avail of local tourism facilities at the start of 2021. The intention remains for it to proceed at a later date when conditions are more conducive. Last month, I launched a £4.1million scheme to support tourist accommodation businesses severely impacted by COVID-19. The Bed and Breakfast, Guest House and Guest Accommodation Scheme will support around 900 providers to continue to deliver much needed tourist accommodation in 2021 and beyond. I also unveiled details of a new £26.1million support scheme for larger hospitality and tourism businesses significantly impacted by the pandemic. This will help these businesses survive and will protect jobs. The Economic Advisory Group is also playing an important role in the development of a long-term economic pathway for Northern Ireland. We need to be bold and ambitious in our long term plans, focus on the areas where Northern Ireland can be genuinely world-class, and ensure our economic recovery is relevant to meet the big economic and societal challenges that lie ahead.

Having a highly skilled workforce is extremely important. We need to ensure we have the right people, with the right skills at the right time to fit with the capacity of our businesses to deliver innovation driven growth. Last year Northern Ireland universities and further education colleges rapidly introduced a range of skills interventions to support people impacted by COVID. Over £6million was allocated to support the delivery of training to 5,000 people whose livelihoods were affected by the pandemic. This training will be of great benefit as they seek to re-enter the labour market. Assured Skills has also continued to deliver Academies, creating excellent upskilling opportunities leading to new careers in growing sectors. Since moving to online delivery in April, Assured Skills is on-track to deliver its annual target of 16 Academies. A virtual award ceremony is also due to take place in April to recognise excellence across Northern Ireland in apprenticeships. Work on our new Energy Strategy continues to progress at pace with an options consultation to be published by the end of March. This strategy will play a key role in addressing climate change and growing the green economy. Among the issues being considered are opportunities in renewable energy including increasing our renewable electricity target, ambitious energy efficiency targets and leveraging our engineering strengths to lead in innovation in renewable technologies including hydrogen production and battery and hydrogen-fuelled transport. Our renewable electricity success to date has helped to support a low carbon and renewable energy economy made up of 3,500 businesses, 5,400 jobs and £269million of exports. I want this sector to grow even further and even more rapidly. The pandemic and the restrictions we have had to live under have strongly highlighted the importance of broadband connectivity so I am following the roll out of Project Stratum closely. This £165million project, secured as part of the Conservative/DUP confidence and supply deal, will bring next generation broadband services to tens of thousands of premises across Northern Ireland currently unable to access speeds of 30 megabits per second or greater. Implementation will run until March 2024 and will make Northern Ireland the most connected part of the UK. Businesses are adapting to the changes emerging from the exit of the UK from the EU. There are both opportunities and challenges ahead and my Department will continue to provide support and advice. I will push for further clarity from the UK Government where it is needed. This is also an important year as we mark the centenary of Northern Ireland. I have set up a steering group to coordinate the Department’s work on this and look forward to promoting Northern Ireland business and our tourism potential on a global stage during 2021 in a positive, inclusive and forward looking way. I would like to take this opportunity to thank NI Chamber of Commerce and Industry members for everything they have done for the local economy in recent months. I know it has been difficult and I want to reassure you all that there will be better days ahead. Take care of yourselves, your staff and your families.

2021: THE YEAR AHEAD

RETAIL Conor Boyle, Regional Director of Lidl Northern Ireland and regional distribution centre in Nutt’s Corner, Co. Antrim, taking our headcount to over 1,200 employees. As we continue to deliver for our customers, suppliers and employees, we remain focused on investing heavily in the region to ensure more Northern Irish shoppers have access to our market-leading value and high quality, award-winning products for many years to come.

What have been the notable grocery retailing trends during the pandemic and how have they shaped the business here? At Lidl, providing fresh, high-quality produce at market leading value to communities across Northern Ireland will always be a notable trend for us, and it’s what continues to differentiate us from retailers across the region. With more than 300,000 weekly shoppers across our network of 40 stores in Northern Conor Boyle. Ireland, the trend for ‘supporting local’ has grown significantly over the last year. As such, we have continued to add more local suppliers and their produce to our shelves, and with a network of more than 50 local producers at present, we are proud to say that we spend close to £300 million each year on sourcing quality products from across the region. Due to our global presence, we also have the capacity to showcase quality Northern Irish produce on the global stage, facilitating export deals with our counterparts in Europe, including a £24 million deal with Crust & Crumb that saw fresh premium pizzas crafted in Fermanagh on the shelves of thousands of Lidl stores across Europe. Throughout the pandemic we have continued to see the sales of our fresh lines including meat, poultry and fish and fresh fruit and vegetables soar, likely due to more shoppers looking to cook healthy, nutritious meals at home for their families. Locality and traceability are key considerations for shoppers keen to have the ‘farm to fork’ experience and we predict this trend will continue into 2021.

How would you sum up Lidl’s corporate culture? Since 1999, Lidl Northern Ireland has led the way in retail employment, consistently outperforming in the sector and offering employees the most competitive compensation and benefits package on the market, award-winning learning and development programmes and progression opportunities within the business. Over the last decade we have doubled our workforce, today employing more than 1,000 team members. We’re proud to pay salaries which are 30% higher than the retail average and run a number of local programmes to support staff development and employment opportunities including much sought-after bursary and apprenticeship programmes. As a local retailer, community is at the heart of all we do. Our charity partnership with NSPCC Northern Ireland has delivered fundraising of more than £400,000 through a range of employee and community initiatives. Through our Lidl Community Works programme, we have invested almost £300,000 into local sports clubs and schools across Northern Ireland, encouraging more young people to take part in sport with a focus on the importance of sport and exercise for both physical and mental health. We’re also champions for sustainability and protecting our planet, a key focus of our corporate social responsibility programme, ‘A Better Tomorrow’, which recently received CORE accreditation from Business in the Community. Additionally, we have signed up to become a climate champion and retail sponsor of the Business in the Community Climate Pledge. By signing this we will be one of the first companies in Northern Ireland to commit to reporting GHG emissions, reviewing our progress towards targets and implementing a strategy to meet these targets. After more than 20 years in Northern Ireland, Lidl is proud to positively contribute to the region and to the communities in which we operate, providing a safe and nurturing environment for our employees and delivering on our promise to be good stewards of the environment to help build A Better Tomorrow. Sourcing locally has been high up Lidl’s agenda, but has any other stock been impacted by Brexit? We’re pleased to confirm that all our stock is moving to schedule at present. Over the past three years, we have been scenario planning and preparing for all Brexit outcomes. At Lidl NI, we have the advantage of having an executive team on the ground in Northern Ireland who have the ability to make quick decisions based on their expert knowledge of the market, as well as providing support for our suppliers with the Brexit preparation process. This has meant that we have had comprehensive plans in place to ensure there has been little impact on supply in our stores relating to Brexit to date. These measures, in addition to our advanced local sourcing network, has meant that we remain confident that our customers will be able to continue to shop all of their trusted Lidl products in our stores across the region.

What are the future plans for your stores here? After more than two decades in Northern Ireland, we’ve secured our position as the region’s fastest-growing supermarket and our ambitions for 2021 will build further on this momentum. In December 2020, we opened our 40th store in Northern Ireland and were thrilled to announce an investment of £32 million into developing our store network in the Greater Belfast region in 2021. Beyond this, we want to have 50 local stores by the end of the decade. Our growing store network has also enabled the growth of our team and we have significantly increased our workforce over the last year. We recently announced that we will recruit an additional 170 employees this year across a variety of operational and office-based roles to support our 40-strong network of stores

Andrew Jenkins, HM Treasury Fintech Envoy for NI and Director at Arity, a Company founded by Allstate Andrew Jenkins.

How has the pandemic shaped the sector? It’s difficult to think of any sectors that haven’t been impacted by the pandemic. Clearly some sectors have borne the brunt heavier than others. The tech sector certainly hasn’t been immune, but it has demonstrated a level of resiliency and adaptability that many other sectors haven’t been poised to avail of. I see two main factors that are influencing how the tech sector is responding to the pandemic. The first is about consumers. Consumer behaviour and expectation has changed dramatically over the last 10 months. Here are a couple of examples. If we consider car insurance and how people have been moving (or not) during the pandemic, current driving habits are having an impact on transportation and will continue to do so. Companies operating in these markets will need to adapt their products and services or create new ones to meet those changing needs. We see this where insurance companies offer money back to their customers due to reduced miles driven. Consumers will continue to demand more for their premiums. Through the pandemic more consumers have been turning to digital/on-line services like mobile banking and it’s hard to imagine that people will go back to more ‘traditional’ ways of accessing financial services, post-pandemic. This trend isn’t just limited to financial services. We see it across retail, social media, and workforce tools and productivity platforms. Which leads onto the second factor. Prior to the pandemic many companies in the tech sector already offered remote working or working from home options for their employees. The pandemic has meant thousands of people are now working at home – a subtle but important difference. For many in the sector, the workplace of the future is going to look very different from the workplace of today. At the centre of all of this is people. How is the sector performing currently, and what is its potential in 2021? Broadly speaking the tech sector has been performing well but that doesn’t detract from the challenges that many companies are facing. We have seen continued investment into the sector even during the pandemic, and the recently published Northern Ireland Fintech Ecosystem Report found that nearly 70% of Fintech companies in NI had plans to hire in 2021. Furthermore, data recently compiled by Tech Nation showed that tech companies here raised £45.6 million in 2020, a record figure despite the ongoing pandemic. I’m hopeful that those trends will continue into 2021.

In terms of talent, what is the pool like in NI? Is there still more work to be done to attract newcomers to STEM roles? Yes – we must attract more people, particularly females, into STEM roles. We have a highly skilled and talented workforce in Northern Ireland so it’s no surprise that demand is strong. That is just one element of the job ahead. We need to look at developing talent and skills as a ‘whole system’ approach. Our talent pool is our greatest asset. What are your plans for 2021? From a personal perspective, I need to get outside more – within guidelines of course! My focus in 2021 is supporting my Arity teams as we work towards our organisational goals. There is a lot of disruption within the transportation industry. However, with disruption comes opportunity, and we have to be ready to seize those opportunities. If we do that, we will continue to make transportation smarter, safer, and better for all. Which areas of growth can we anticipate in the year ahead? We must continue to invest in our strengths both in terms of what we see as our high growth sectors (Fintech, life and health sciences, clean growth) as well as our tech clusters including cyber, AI, big data, and advanced analytics. Doing so will position the sector for further growth. I think the Belfast Region City Deal provides a great opportunity to further develop and showcase NI’s innovation and digital capability potential.

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2021: THE YEAR AHEAD

TECH

2021: THE YEAR AHEAD

BANKING Mark Crimmins, Head of Ulster Bank in Northern Ireland Mark Crimmins.

support local companies through the pandemic and to support investment and the recovery of the economy. What investment trends are you noting with customers? The trends that we are seeing are very varied across business segments and size. On the whole, larger businesses have stronger cashflows and balance sheets and are therefore able to look more to the future and to consider investment and growth. SMEs are more likely to be in containment mode, focusing on getting through the pandemic rather than on investment. But there is a big divergence between sectors. Understandably, the sectors most impacted by the pandemic, including retail, hospitality and leisure, are in a very different place than the likes of food production, food processing and the pharmaceutical industry, and are clearly reluctant to take on more debt whenever they aren’t able to operate as they normally would. Overall though, one of the significant trends we have seen in the past year is one of adapting and pivoting. Many businesses have demonstrated an ability to change their business models to suit the changing landscape and we have been able to move at pace to support them. How would you expect the economic recovery timeline to play out? It is a moving picture with the pandemic and the latest restrictions will of course impact on the timeline for recovery. However, I think recovery will begin in earnest this year and the speed at which companies recover will vary. Some sectors have been largely unaffected by the pandemic, some will have recovered fully within three years, and other sectors will have a longer road to getting back to where they were. You could say that we will see something of a two-speed economy during the next five years. (Some people have categorised it as a K-shaped recovery.) In overall economic output terms, our view remains that it is probably a three to five year recovery period for Northern Ireland. Given that we have seen a second wave, the current likelihood is that it will be more towards the latter.

How is capital at banks now CBILS and other support schemes have been availed of? There are no constraints on capital that would preclude us from supporting our customers through the pandemic and to recovery in due course. How has accessibility to funding been impacted by the pandemic? Prior to the pandemic, corporate indebtedness in Northern Ireland had been high and many companies were going through a process of deleveraging. The pandemic has meant that many businesses have taken on additional debt simply to survive (rather than to invest and grow). It should become clearer later this year what impact this debt taken on during COVID-19 has on firms and the economy, and what the appetite of companies for investment funding is. Unsurprisingly, demand for non-COVID related lending from businesses was lower during 2020 than in previous years due to the uncertainty in the economy. However, finance is available and will continue to be available. Ulster Bank has lent over £350million to Northern Ireland companies through coronavirus support to assist customers through the pandemic. We are also working with customers to fund investment, particularly in areas such as the food industry, agriculture and manufacturing. For instance, we recently supported our client Learning Pool to acquire US-based company Remote Learner as part of its ongoing expansion. The fact that Ulster Bank is very well capitalised means that we can lend in a responsible way to

What Ulster Bank’s plans and goals for 2021? During the pandemic our priority will continue to be the health and wellbeing of our staff, our customers and wider society. We will continue to play our role in helping deal with the health crisis by operating our business in a responsible way, and we will continue to support our customers financially as they deal with the impact of the restrictions on their business with appropriate forbearance. We also recognise that we have a very important role to play in the economic recovery. This will include enabling investment and growth with our financial support, but we are also committed to harnessing the influence, knowledge and expertise of the NatWest Group to contribute to the discussion around securing an economic recovery in Northern Ireland.

Andrew Coggins, Director, Investment Properties at CBRE Andrew Coggins.

2020 saw significant changes to the way we use commercial buildings; from offices to retail spaces and more. What kind of lasting impact do you think the WFH culture will have on commercial property demand? COVID-19 and the ongoing lockdowns have brought immense challenges to the Northern Ireland commercial property market. With the vaccine roll out, we are starting to see some light at the end of the tunnel which gives us the opportunity to push for recovery but importantly incorporating lessons learnt in 2020. Changing work patterns have been accelerated, as working from home became the norm for most occupiers in 2020 and this has continued into the start of 2021. Whilst many businesses are keen to get back to the physical office, a hybrid model that includes greater opportunity for agile working will be a feature going forward. Even more businesses will need to be in better quality, innovative, sustainable and adaptable workspace to promote their culture, creativity and collaboration. Offices will very much remain a space in demand, however it will evolve into a different space to what has gone before. This is not new and was talked about pre pandemic. There is no one size fits all approach and the journey will be different for each business. The high street has lost many retailer players,;do you foresee the makeup of our high streets changing as a result? Our high streets have been arguably been suffering the most as a result of the pandemic. This sector above all other sectors has experienced a dramatic acceleration of trends already present in the UK prior to the pandemic. The rise of online will continue to have a major impact and our local high streets must adapt if they are to survive. Our local councils, in consultation with landlords and occupiers will need to lead the way so that there is a collective approach going forwards. High Streets will become smaller and will be more convenient and leisure orientated mixed with good quality diverse retail. The resilient high streets will be the ones who make positive change quickly.

see progress in 2021 include Tribeca and Belfast Waterside all helping to compliment Belfast city centre as a more cosmopolitan city to live and work in. How has activity at CBRE been over the past year and what is your outlook for the year ahead? CBRE has been at the forefront of a number of high profile deals in 2020. We represented the purchaser of the new Amazon last mile delivery facility in Titanic Quarter as well as acting on behalf of Aviva on the sale of Holywood Exchange Retail Park. The Northern Ireland Investment Fund managed by CBRE Capital Advisors has gone from strength to strength with £60m committed and a further £25m of funding in legals. We are continually looking at new projects and are excited about the future development pipeline. Generally we are positive about the year ahead and prospects for Commercial Real Estate. Northern Ireland in terms of location has a very unique place in Europe following Brexit and we hope this will present new property opportunities for our clients and occupiers as the year progresses.

What are the biggest projects on the cards in 2021 for the commercial property market? There are a number of exciting projects that are coming to realisation in Belfast. In the office sector, there are four major office developments currently on site to include, The Ewart on Bedford Street, Paper Exchange on Chichester Street, Olympic House in Titanic Quarter and City Quays 3 in Belfast Harbour. These projects, along with a number of other smaller office schemes, are very exciting and provide much-needed Grade A space for the city. Longer term, the new Weavers Cross transport Hub and adjacent development plots will provide over 1.3 million sq ft of mixed use space helping regenerate the area to the west of Belfast City Centre. Other new regeneration sites we hope to

2021: THE YEAR AHEAD

PROPERTY

2021: THE YEAR AHEAD

SOCIAL ENTERPRISE Maeve Monaghan, Chief Executive, NOW Group Maeve Monaghan.

been hit very hard by the pandemic. We’ve been able to move our pottery business online and have seen a 300% rise in sales year on year driven by a greater social media presence and a real desire from people and businesses to ‘buy social’. How have NOW participants been impacted? Some of most vulnerable participants needed help with accessing healthy and nutritious food and we have been providing food boxes for them. We’ve been extremely focused on supporting our staff that are working from home by flexing working hours to allow for caring commitments and home schooling. The team that has been impacted most is at Loaf where we have had to furlough staff. Some of our participants have found it easier to engage in the virtual world and we have all learned a lot about Zoom and Teams!

How do social enterprises such as NOW collaborate with NI businesses? NOW Group supports people with learning difficulties and autism into jobs. We work with people who face barriers to employment and work with employers to support them when they take on an employee with a neurodiverse condition. We are also responsible for the JAM Card which allows people with communications barriers to ask for ‘just a minute’ of patience in social or business situations. We now have over 60,000 users and a range of businesses from banking to transport providers have signed up to our training that equips their staff with the tools to best support their customers – whatever their needs. We also run a corporate catering business and six cafes (Loaf) and an evaluation and research company (Gauge Impact) that helps companies evaluate and measure their impact.

What are your plans for 2021? We will continue to put the health and safety of our staff and participants at the heart of our plans. That said, we have ambitious plans to continue to grow JAM Card across the UK and Ireland. We will carry on making and selling beautiful pottery – and watch out for some additions to that range. We will focus on our food education programmes – equipping people with the ingredients and skills to make meals from scratch is such a huge part of alleviating food poverty. What benefits does a business get when partnering with NOW? We think 2021 is the time for businesses to think differently about who they partner with and how they make an impact. NOW Group has developed a range of services to enable businesses to connect with purpose. Working with NOW Group will put your business at the forefront of breaking down barriers to employment for a wide range of talented people. Becoming a JAM Card friendly business equips your staff with the essential skills they need to support all your customers. And, buying from Loaf puts a sustainable, award winning social enterprise in your supply chain.

How have your services been shaped by the pandemic? We pivoted overnight to online delivery of all our face-to-face services for participants. The team has done a brilliant job of continuing to deliver training, support and coaching in job search and interview techniques and a wide range of events for families on our Family Service, all online or over the phone. Between April and Christmas last year we had 22,699 interactions with our participants. It was so important to offer some stability at a time where everything was different and changing. Our corporate catering and café businesses have obviously

Niall Harkin.

These changes will undoubtedly shape the future of the industry, as they change the sponsor and patient profile as we know it. What are Almac’s plans for the year ahead? We have experienced significant and sustained growth over the past ten years as we continue to reinvest all our profits into developing the business. This year is no exception as we look forward to growing and advancing our wide range of innovative service offerings and investing further in our facilities, equipment and resources globally to meet our clients’ expectations in 2021.

The spotlight has been on pharma for the past year. How has this benefitted the sector and Almac in particular? In 2020, our clients have faced enormous pressure to deliver lifesaving therapeutics and vaccines within unprecedented timelines and whilst this has been a challenge, the pandemic has also served as a catalyst for pharma companies and their supply chains to adopt new tools, technologies and innovative clinical trial models as a means of necessity. Under this landscape, our clients have shown increased propensity to “think outside the box”, and we too have successfully implemented a number of new adaptive strategies to enable us to continue supporting our clients as they meet their goals. Our ability to deliver results under increased pressure and complexity has only strengthened Almac’s reputation as a collaborative, adaptive and reliable partner to our global base. What areas are the big focus in pharmaceutical circles this year? Based on our experience, we expect that inroads in cell and gene therapy will continue to impact the industry. Since these therapies have the potential to cure, not just treat, serious illnesses, the demand for this kind of innovation will only continue to grow as drug developers become increasingly successful in this area. With the currentCBE market the global cell and gene Dr Peter FitzGerald FREngestimations, DL. therapy market Credit: Innovate UK.is projected to grow over $8.95 billion by 2025.

How has Brexit impacted pharmaceuticals and you directly? In order to reassure our clients that the impact of Brexit will not affect them in any way, Almac took a very proactive approach immediately after the referendum in 2016. Additionally, as result of the NI Protocol, all of our manufacturing and associated QP certification for both clinical supplies and commercial product conducted at our Craigavon facility continues to be recognised by both the UK and European regulatory agencies. Therefore, our operations are not experiencing any setbacks. In fact, we are in a unique position offering our clients seamless, uninterrupted and flexible access to both the UK and European marketplaces, a position which has provided much needed clarity and confidence to our global client base throughout. What opportunities exist at the company? Almac firmly believes an exceptional vision requires exceptional people, which is why we continuously strive to attract and secure the best talent. We are always looking for new talent to join our growing organisation. Generally speaking, our most plentiful opportunities are in the manufacturing/operations, logistics, scientific/R&D, project management, quality, and regulatory affairs job categories, but we encourage all those interested in Almac to keep visiting our career site to see our real-time vacancies.

2021: THE YEAR AHEAD

Niall Harkin, Executive Director, Almac Group

BANKING

MANUFACTURING & PHARMA

2021: THE YEAR AHEAD

TOURISM

John McGrillen, CEO Tourism NI Resort, Dunadry Inn and the Europa Hotel being examples of that.

John McGrillen.

How do you anticipate Brexit impacting tourism and hospitality? Historically the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland markets have generated around 75% of all tourism spend in Northern Ireland so the Common Travel Area is very important for us in terms of making it easy for people to travel between and across our two islands. From a tourism perspective Brexit doesn’t present any significant barriers to travel into Northern Ireland either directly or via the Republic of Ireland. There are however a few issues for people intending to travel from GB with pets which DAERA are working to resolve as families are increasingly taking their pets on holiday. Consumer research conducted by Tourism Ireland would suggest that there are some perception issues which need to be addressed in overseas markets and they are doing this through their consumer communication channels. The greatest impact of Brexit has undoubtedly been the flight of experienced foreign nationals employed in the hospitality sector prior to the arrival of COVID-19. It will be important that there is a dedicated skills development programme in place to ensure that the skills supply required by the sector to grow again is readily available when the pandemic begins to recede.

Do you see 2021 as the year of recovery for the industry as the rollout of the vaccine ramps up? I think that entering into the New Year with further restrictions is testing the resilience of the industry to its very limits. We had all hoped that the arrival of the vaccines would have seen the industry re-open in early 2021 with a busy early spring period but that no longer appears likely. Realistically we are probably looking at the tourism sector beginning to re-open around Easter time. I see the first half of the year as an ongoing period of survival and it will be important that the UK Government and the Executive continue with the Job Retention Scheme, the 5% VAT level and a rates holiday until businesses can get to a position of profitability because reserves are exhausted at this stage. Hopefully we will see recovery begin over the summer period as the vaccine programme takes effect. I expect that we will be dependent on the domestic and Republic of Ireland markets for much of next year with GB visitors beginning to return in late summer and autumn. It will take some time before we see a return to the number of flights onto the island of Ireland reach the levels we had in 2019, with short haul routes returning much quicker than those from North America and the Far East. We anticipate tourism activity reaching a level of about 80% of that which we had in 2019 by the end of 2022 and a full recovery by 2024.

Where do opportunities lie during the year ahead? I am very optimistic about the future potential of the industry and expect to see it begin to rebound in early summer. COVID has seen people’s habits change and some trends which were already taking place accelerate. Last year saw many people stay at home and discover the beauty and variety of experiences here on their doorstep and we expect that trend to continue this summer. We also experienced a huge influx of visitors from the Republic of Ireland; during the month of August we saw hotel bookings from across the border increase by 200% in comparison to the same month in 2018. In fact we’ve had double digit annual growth in visitor numbers from the Republic of Ireland since 2016 and I think there is a real opportunity for that growth to continue next year. COVID has given us the opportunity to reposition Northern Ireland as a world-beating tourism destination of the future which can deliver economic growth, have a positive impact on our natural and built environment, contribute to vibrant towns and cities and create sustainable rural and urban communities right across Northern Ireland. We are however operating in an increasingly competitive marketplace where every destination in the world is attempting to recapture those visitors lost during the pandemic. If we are prepared to commit to the investment required to grasp this opportunity I have every confidence we can succeed. If we are not, there are many other destinations that will.

Were there any investment opportunities during the pandemic, with players using time off to redevelop? It has been very difficult for the sector to invest during the pandemic. Tourism is a very seasonal business and the industry came out of the traditional low season in March 2019 and into a period of total lockdown through to the beginning of July. The industry has for the most part been unable to trade for around nine months in the last year so when you are in a position of trying to cover fixed costs whilst unable to trade it is very difficult to invest for recovery. The challenge for many businesses has been survival rather than investment however there have been a number of operators who have taken the opportunity to extend facilities or refurbish their properties during the downtime, the Galgorm Spa and Golf

Kieran Hegarty Credit: Daily News, Route One Publishing.

ENGINEERED FOR LIFE H360 created by Hutchinson Engineering has launched its first ever complete product. The HanSan range, a foot-operated dispenser of hand sanitiser, has been designed and manufactured at the company’s headquarters in Kilrea, Northern Ireland. Made of durable, hygienic stainless steel the HanSan 1000 is both stylish and functional, and enables users in high traffic areas to quickly sanitise their hands without physical contact. Designed by the in-house engineering team, the product was developed from a prototype,

tested and marketed, and went into production within 10 days. A new e-commerce shop has been added to the company’s website to process enquiries and orders, and they are in the process of forming some Agents to sell the product throughout the UK.

Mark Hutchinson, CEO, said, “We are delighted to present our hands-free sanitiser unit, The HanSan range. Smartly designed in high-quality stainless steel, this foot- operated dispenser is now ready to go to market. We will produce and sell this ourselves, which is a new and different way of working for us. This health crisis has shown us how innovative, responsive and effective our team can be when we have clarity of purpose. We plan to add other new products over the next few months.”

We would like to offer Chamber Members a FREE personalised logo with every purchase, simply enter H360NIC at the checkout. t’s & c’s apply offer ends 30th March 2021

For further information please visit our website h360products.com or email sales@h360products.com

Columnist

John Campbell Economics & Business Editor, BBC Northern Ireland

How to Square a Circle BBC NI’s Economic & Business Editor, John Campbell, discusses the effects of COVID-19 and Brexit as we approach the March budget for 2021.

ost things of consequence in our economy in the coming year will flow from Brexit and COVID. For economists, these are fascinating natural experiments. What happens when a country chooses to erect significant new barriers with its major trading partner? What happens when governments try to keep significant parts of their economy in suspended animation? For people trying to run businesses ‘fascinating’ is not the word: gruelling, traumatic and stressful will be closer to the mark. However some recent business surveys suggest there is some optimism that things will improve in the second half of this year as the COVID-19 vaccination programmes take effect and so allow reopening. There are still difficult weeks and months to come. Reopening is not going to be rushed. When that reopening does come there will be a moment of great risk for some businesses and their employees. It has been clear since the summer that the Treasury wants to wrap up the furlough scheme at the earliest possible opportunity. The Chancellor has had to u-turn more than once when it was clear business needed more support. The March budget is going to be vital in this respect. The risk is that the support will be turned off prematurely and that businesses will not be given time to get their operations back to something like full capacity. For those businesses that have been fully, or partially, closed for most of a year costs have continued to accrue and they will need to be phased back to normality rather than thrown in at the deep end. The March budget will also give us the first real sense of the government’s response to the huge increase in public spending and debt necessitated by the pandemic. The consensus among economists is that although debt is at historically high levels it is sustainable in the medium term and that reducing it as a proportion of GDP is absolutely not a short-

term priority. However that consensus may stop at the doors of 11 Downing Street. A rise in corporation tax from 19% to 23% is being floated as a possibility. The Chancellor also seems set on reducing the emergency £20 a week uplift to Universal Credit. Meanwhile some of his media outriders look determined to push a wrongheaded narrative about the necessity of the austerity. One policy area, which should be explored is how to encourage those people who have not lost out financially during this period to spend locally. Potentially some of the savings of better-off people will go on lavish foreign holidays or just show up in house price inflation. The Department for Economy’s high street voucher plan seemed like a reasonable way to try to lever some of that money back into local services and it is promised the policy will return when the time is right. The opening days of the Irish Sea border have been an additional challenge for many businesses. Brexit has been with us for a long

“One policy area, which should be explored is how to encourage those people who have not lost out financially during this period to spend locally.”

time now but it is hard to overstate what happened on 31 December. The UK’s single market it as we knew it came to an end. The haulage industry has borne the brunt of the changes with food and horticultural retailers also facing a difficult adjustment. Some of the initial problems will be fade as businesses get used to the processes. But Brexit has permanently added to the cost of doing business between GB and NI and between GB and the EU. One thing I will be watching with interest is the extent to which these changes deepen all-island economic relations. For retailers and manufacturers it is now going to be simpler and cheaper to get some products from the Republic and the wider EU, rather than from the rest of the UK. There is already some tentative evidence of that happening. There should be import substitution opportunities too. We have already seen the Henderson Group and its suppliers benefit from its relationship with Sainsburys. Look out for import substitution opportunities in GB too, once the UK implements its full agrifood border with the EU in April.

What has not been made clear yet is what the Executive’s strategic economic response to Brexit and the NI protocol will be. Remember that local manufacturers now find themselves in a unique position with unfettered access to the UK and EU markets. Invest NI is already quietly talking this up to potential inward investors. But we haven’t yet had a full throated endorsement of this opportunity from the Executive. Courtesy of a document obtained by Brendan Hughes at Belfast Live we know that officials have produced a working paper, which describes how “this could be particularly attractive to businesses with global supply chains requiring access to GB and EU markets.” It will be hard to persuade investors to commit large amounts of capital on the strength of the NI protocol if you are also committed to unwinding that protocol at the earliest opportunity. It will be fascinating to see how that circle is squared.

Columnist Kate Marshall, Speaker, Coach, Author

Head and Heart Courageous Leadership Kate Marshall, speaker, coach and author discusses what makes a great leader.

moving into the world of Coaching and Leadership development. I continue to learn all I can about how to lead in business with head, heart and bold clarity to achieve extraordinary results.

What lessons have I learnt that have helped me most?

ho are you? This is the question I ask at the beginning of my work with leaders and often it seems to create anxiety or even confusion. Of course, who we are isn’t defined by who we say we are, its defined by how others experience us. We don’t see the world or others as they are, we see the world as we are. In my early days as a leader, my team often shared I had very high expectations, which they felt they could not always live up to. I had a tendency to put work before relaxation, have initiative and self-management as an expectation. I expected my model of how to work, the story I had told myself of how one succeeded in work, to become theirs. Who had I become? The past 10 months has been a challenge and perhaps also a blessing. It’s enabled us to question ourselves and think about who we and what really matters in life. As the child of parents who gave me lots of opportunity to watch as they grew and developed businesses, it was inevitable that one day I would want to follow their footsteps. They worked hard for every success and picked themselves up and just got on with it when there was challenge or failure. My childhood taught me if you want something to happen, you make it happen, don’t wait for others to show the way. It taught me self-leadership. It gave me a very strong work ethic, which I am grateful for and a strong sense of independence which has served me well. It’s also a challenge! In the early days of my leadership experience, my benchmark for others was often determined by how hard they worked and how much of that independence they demonstrated. Our stories, patterns and filters, engraved from early childhood, shape how we make sense of this world. We see the world through our own truly magnificent neural pathways, primarily formed in the first two decades of life. However, as adults, we have choices, once we become aware of those patterns, we can choose who we are and how we show up for others. At the age of 32 (with three children and by now Company Director,) I encountered a transformational moment. You know them when they appear – they interfere with your life’s path. I had a leadership coach working with me and I realised I had worked my way into a role that I could do well, but did not love. With his help, I began to explore who I was, why I had made the choices in my life so far and importantly, to realise I had no clarity on what I wanted in life. That transformational moment took me to where I am now, very clear on who I am and my purpose in life. I changed career,

1. In leadership, nothing is more transparent than how you lead y ourself. 2. Humility releases leadership that transforms people and o rganisations. 3. The need for clarity is paramount. 4. Great leadership of you, your life and your business, requires continual self-awareness, and a willingness to learn and grow. 5. Who you are on any given day or moment has impact on your own performance, and your teams’ performance. 6. Too many times I’ve allowed my response to negatively impact the outcome. 7. Too many times I’ve argued to be right, when it was more important to be loving or kind. 8. How many of my old habits and patterns come from the need to be independent, in control, I am a recovering controller. 9. Old habits die hard. They still show up… But I have a choice. So here we are, early days 2021- you will have set goals for the year. I encourage you to check you have set goals for not just what you will achieve, but also for who you will become along the way. I have met many leaders in my time in business, if there were a formula for becoming a great leader, I’d have had it bottled. However, what I know, above all is that who you are, matters. A Great leader? Their character is deeper, ideas fresher, spirit softer, courage greater, leadership decisions better, concerns wider, compassion more genuine. They give away power and ask great questions They understand the key role of a leader is to create other leaders. They strive for clarity, leading from within with great selfawareness, operating both head and heart leadership. – Who are you?

COLUMNIST

Bank of Ireland Encourages Local Business Financial Wellbeing: Revisit Funding and Cash Flow Needs BY NIALL DEVLIN HEAD OF BUSINESS BANKING NORTHERN IRELAND

021 brings new hope with the reality of a vaccine roll out, but so too has it brought renewed COVID-19 restrictions alongside some additional requirements as a result of the Brexit deal. There is no question that throughout last year Northern Ireland businesses demonstrated their characteristic resilience which will be needed for some time yet. The first quarter of 2021 continues to pose challenges with any reduction in restrictions only then enabling many businesses to return to some trading normality. As local businesses face into this continued period of disruption, we want to remind them of the broad range of supports available from Bank of Ireland. These include provision of additional working capital support and payment flexibility on loan facilities, new term and cash flow funding solutions and availability of the Government backed COVID business funding schemes. We know business owners need to protect their financial wellbeing by balancing the day-to-day financial demands of their business whilst also building financial resilience. For business owners, both large and small, good planning is essential to increase the chances of achieving this and so to help, we’ve pulled together eight areas to work through in preparation.

should review cash flows in detail for at least the next three months and identify mitigating actions which can be taken in the short and medium term. Review your supply chain: Understand your suppliers, any exposures or new opportunities and agree actions with them to address these e.g. sourcing new or alternative suppliers locally or in other regions. Talk to your finance provider: Review your current arrangements and speak to your finance provider if necessary to learn about bank funding supports. These may include working capital and payment flexibility on loan facilities, tailored products and of course specialist funding supports such as the Government backed SME Schemes (including the Bounce Back Loan Scheme, Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme and the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme). Engage Key Stakeholders: Continue to remain in contact with key stakeholders. Businesses should communicate regularly with stakeholders including their finance provider and investors in order to address any current or anticipated challenges. Review contractual obligations: This step may provide you or your partners with opportunities to shore up, and clarify existing arrangements, or opportunities to renegotiate and change arrangements. Review insurance cover: Your business may have insurance coverage for issues and impacts that may arise from COVID-19. Understand Business supports: Whether COVID or Brexit related there are a variety of supports available and worth understanding to help identify what these are and importantly if and how your business can avail of them. To access further information on these please visit Bank of Ireland Business hubs. Our local team continue to engage closely with customers, industry and local government to understand and support the needs of customers by working with them to provide the most relevant supports.

Business Financial Wellbeing for 2021 Stress test financials: Reforecast trading and cash flows making sure to test and challenge all assumptions. Ensure trading and cash flow forecasts are integrated. Model a downside scenario to understand actual/potential needs should such a scenario arise. Review and understand your cash flows: Some businesses’ cash flows will continue being impacted by COVID or Brexit and in some cases both. Businesses

GES GROUP ANNOUNCED AS THE AUTHORISED DISTRIBUTOR FOR NIDEC (LEROY-SOMER) MOTORS IRELAND Established in 1972 as Grants Electrical Services (NI) Ltd, the Company has grown and developed into GES Group, a leading Electrical and Mechanical Engineering entity, now serving commerce throughout Ireland, the UK and Europe. An award-winning industry-leading organisation, the company provides power, energy and drivetrain solutions for SMEs and large multi-nationals across a range of industries in the UK, Ireland and beyond. The group has a strong and long-standing trading history extending in growth across a significant number of industry sectors, in their drive to develop the Nidec (LeroySomer Motor) market throughout Ireland. GES will stock and distribute the range of Nidec (Leroy-Somer) motors, and the new cloud-based condition monitoring systems FORECYTE, from its new base in the Republic of Ireland. GES Group Chief Executive, David Moore, commented: “To enable the growth and future proofing of our energy market in the digital transition we have taken a bold step to further develop our collaborative portfolio in Ireland, developing further our product, skills and network structure within a collaborative group through the development of the Nidec Partnership deal programme. We are

delighted with the opportunity to extend our all-Ireland market and with ambitious plans through collaboration within our industry. “That said, we want to identify and tackle the underlying issues, such as digital skills and innovation through outreach with our new and existing clients, which is an excellent example of our focus on delivering and implementing actions to address the key challenges facing our future development in the Motor & Drive digital energy revolution”. Colin Ditchfield, Nidec’s UK & Ireland Sales Director, added: “In terms of GES commitment to quality and their long standing reputation in the industry GES more than match the high standards required by our company to represent our product portfolio as an authorised distribution partner. “Having already enjoyed a successful partnership for the distribution of Leroy-Somer products in Northern Ireland since 2018, it’s a perfect fit to now expand into to the Republic of Ireland. “With a large investment from both companies in terms of staff and product inventory I am sure this new synergy will provide our customers with a first class customer service experience.”

FEATURE

Trevor Magill, Managing Director, Musgrave Northern Ireland.

New MD at the Helm

After taking up his new role as MD last year, Trevor Magill talks to Ambition about the year ahead and reflects on an unforgettable first six months at the helm of Musgrave in Northern Ireland.

FEATURE

n August, Musgrave announced the appointment of Trevor Magill as the retail and wholesale group’s new Managing Director for Northern Ireland. Having joined the business in 2012, Trevor held the roles of MACE Sales Director, Wholesale Director and more recently Director for Retail Operations. “2020 was a year that none of us will forget and now in January 2021 we are still very much navigating the pandemic at what is such a critical time. Our retailers and teams across the Musgrave network have continued to work tirelessly for the communities of Northern Ireland and now we are relying on them once more to provide a safe shopping environment.” COVID RESPONSE This time last year, the first deaths of COVID-19 were being announced and over the coming weeks and months, we were to witness a global pandemic erupt. Trevor recalls the initial response from the business and is quick to praise his colleagues and partners for their agility. “As a group, we were quick to react. Protecting our supply chain and ensuring we were able to put food on our shelves for our customers was imperative. Across the business, our independent retailers and suppliers as well as our colleagues – in our stores and branches, on the road and in our warehouses had to adapt dramatically, adopting new ways of working as a result of our robust COVID protocols and processes. Our head office colleagues were asked to work from home, and continue to do so, which also involved great agility with many having to adjust how they work. “Our people are the lynchpin of our whole organisation, without whom we wouldn’t be able to keep serving the local communities that rely on our SuperValu, Centra and MACE brands”. Community is a big focus for Musgrave with stores and branches located across Northern Ireland and Trevor stressed the pivotal role they play at a local level. “Our stores are the cornerstones of so many local communities and now, more than ever, are focused on continuing to provide a safe environment as we trade through this critical period. We have been working with our retail partners – revisiting all safety measures currently in operation and reinforcing COVID-safe shopping messages to customers.” While community-based stores have experienced increased footfall with customers choosing to shop local, city centre stores face a continuous challenge with their customer base disappearing overnight, as many businesses rightly follow the instructions to keep their workforce at home. “Ensuring these businesses are supported during the lockdown period is critical to their survival,” stresses Trevor, who also points to the challenges for the wholesale arm of Musgrave with the closure, once again, of the hospitality sector.

Carlisle’s SuperValu Ballynahinch.

CONTINUED INVESTMENT Despite a challenging year in 2020, the Musgrave team has worked hard to ensure that their plans did not get shelved even as the businesses navigated through the biggest crisis to the economy and the health sector we have arguably ever faced. “As the world shut down around us, we looked at where we could invest and support the local economy, that is why we’re especially proud of the continued development of new stores, the refurbishment of existing stores and continuing to innovate when it comes to product lines.” Notable store openings included Centra A1 at Banbridge which was a landmark first for the brand with the island’s first Frank and Honest Coffee Drive-Thru facility as well as Centra Mallusk which opened its doors just before Christmas. In addition, the group opened MACE Cloughmills and two new SuperValu stores in Ballynahinch and Garvaghy Road, Portadown – all great additions to the Musgrave portfolio. The brand investment will continue – adapting to consumer trends, shopping behaviours and with a focus on value and COVID-safe shopping. “We continue with our plans and commitment to providing quality, choice and range in terms of our offer, value for money and exceptional levels of customer service.” CHARITY AT THE CORE For Musgrave, CSR is a big focus and the business has valued partnerships with Action Cancer and NI Chest, Heart and Stroke. 2020 was a difficult year for charity

sector therefore being able to support their partners when it was needed most was extremely important explains Trevor. “Our charity partners featured prominently last year through various fundraising initiatives including the sale of NHS support stickers, Halloween pumpkin donations and charity Christmas decorations to our MACE stores. Our Action Cancer face masks, currently available in SuperValu and Centra stores, have been a great success with our target to raise over £30,000 for the charity.” BREXIT MANAGEMENT January 1st brought a new way of working for businesses in Northern Ireland as a result of the UK leaving the EU and Musgrave has been planning extensively to minimise the impact of any disruption. “We are working closely with our suppliers, many of which are NI based, to ensure continuity of supply. A high percentage of our product range is sourced locally – a value which is at the heart of the Musgrave business strategy. Our supply chain is strong with our pre-Brexit stockbuild and contingency plan helping to ensure our stores are receiving orders.” Despite a challenging few months ahead, given the current COVID-19 restrictions, Trevor is optimistic. “We are committed to our ambitious growth strategy, set against a backdrop of COVID-19 and Brexit – both of which are challenges that require agility and foresight, but neither are challenges that are insurmountable. We have proven that already.”

NEWS

BARCLAYS REPORT REVEALS £1.3BN OPPORTUNITY FOR NI MANUFACTURERS SELLING DIRECT TO CONSUMERS A new report from Barclays, A Direct Approach, examining the growth of manufacturing businesses selling direct to consumers (D2C), has revealed that Northern Ireland manufacturers have the potential to grow sales by almost £1.3bn by 2023. One Northern Ireland business which has benefited from selling direct is Belfast-based BLK BOX, which has seen a 500% increase in e-commerce sales in 2020 and created almost 40 new jobs. Established in 2012, BLK BOX is one of the leading manufacturers of strength and conditioning equipment in the UK. It specialises in the design and fit-out of professional training facilities for athletes, teams and gyms around the world, including the IRFU’s €6 million training facility in Dublin and a 20,000 sq ft installation at Adidas’ new global HQ in Germany. One of its key customers is the UK’s biggest gym chain, PureGym.

this we’ve been able to build our customer database and create a community around our brand. “As part of our original model, we’ve made a name for ourselves with some big sports clubs such as Bristol Bears, Sale Sharks and Aston Villa FC so hopefully that makes our brand attractive to own at home. “We haven’t by any means forgotten where BLK BOX started – our professional gym fitouts are still core and we can’t wait to get back to it. We’re planning to close this loop by introducing a Trade Pass, whereby gym members can get access to special prices for our equipment. “BLK BOX’s COVID pivot has been a very steep learning curve, but we’re massively excited going into 2021.”

Lockdown Pivot When lockdown hit last year, BLK BOX accelerated its plans to develop an e-commerce channel to sell direct to customers. Company founder Greg Bradley said, “Pre-COVID, e-commerce accounted for around 10% of our revenue. The initial phase of our growth involved me knocking on doors to build relationships with sports clubs, gym chains and fitness businesses, so we knew there would be limits to our scalability. “With lockdown, people were desperate to get their hands on home workout equipment, so with e-commerce set up, we were in a great position to meet this demand. “Since focusing on our online business we have seen a five-fold increase in direct sales up to December. We’ve sold around 11,000 barbells and just shy of 17,000 dumbbells.”

Full details of the Barclays A Direct Approach Report can be found here: https://www.barclayscorporate.com/insights/industryexpertise/direct-from-manufacturer/

BLK BOX founder Greg Bradley.

Growth Opportunity John Mathers, Corporate Development Director with Barclays said, “D2C is a sales channel that has really grown in recent years and there’s no doubt that the pandemic has accelerated this. Barclays research suggests it’s a trend that is set to stay. “There is a significant growth opportunity for Northern Ireland manufacturers and the wider economy, however we shouldn’t ignore the challenges, such as logistics and the requirement for new skills sets. BLK BOX successfully navigated a high-speed business model pivot, adapted to the changing marketplace and delivered significant growth, through an impressive D2C approach. They can now continue to grow a strong and diversified business model.”

“Since focusing on our online business we have seen a five-fold increase in direct sales.”

Logistics Challenge “Although we do all the welding, powder-coating and laser-cutting aspects here in Northern Ireland, we source our Hex Dumbbells and rubber products from China, so the supply chain was definitely a challenge! “We opened up markets as far afield as Australia, the US, Canada, Singapore and Hawaii, delivering 45,000 parcels to 52 countries. “With e-commerce comes the added challenge of logistics. Shipping kettlebells and dumbbells to Australia and the US was a new challenge we needed to solve quickly. “However, the experience has given us a good tailwind in the European market and we’re now looking at the possibility of setting up our own distribution centre in mainland Europe. “When COVID hit, we really feared we might have to close our doors. We need to come out of this a better company and the development of our online business has allowed us to take on 39 new staff. “One of the best innovations we introduced was our app. Through

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FEATURE

My Ambition is to...

KANNEN SINGELEE, SALES DIRECTOR, NI TESTING LTD

“

y parents were both very entrepreneurial, so I always knew I wanted to run my own business from a young age. I was born in Mauritius, and my parents were instrumental in introducing Information Technology to the local communities and training them, so they had access to skilled jobs. That early experience of technology, training and building relationships with people has certainly shaped my career choices in life. My first job was in recruitment in London, for the commercial and technology sectors. I worked across several conglomerates, delivering key transformation programmes at EasyJet, Monarch Airlines and Gatwick Airport. That’s when I met Ellen, my partner in business, and in life! We went on to set up our own recruitment business in 2017 and grew it very successfully over three years. Building the business from the ground up taught me a lot, and I could see how I could apply that learning to different sectors. In early 2020 we were looking for new business opportunities and supported one of our personal friends in setting up and recruiting for a PPE distribution company. This led us to looking for other ways in which we could add value to health and safety for businesses, particularly to help ensure business continuity throughout the current pandemic, but also beyond that. We established a relationship with Fortress Diagnostics, a leading manufacturing and diagnostics firm based in Co. Antrim, which

has developed two of the highest performing, UK Government validated, rapid COVID-19 lateral flow testing devices. We were appointed the sole authorised distributor of the Fortress COVID-19 testing kits in Northern Ireland and developed capabilities to set up fully functional testing sites on business premises. A key part of our service offering is our ability to train existing first aiders within companies, so that they can manage the tests inhouse in a safe, accurate and cost-effective way. Our free accredited training programme, delivered by Emergency Medical Services (EMS), enables first aiders to upskill and become first responders. Local businesses have been inundated with companies selling various types of COVID-19 testing kits from over the world, and feedback shows that many businesses aren’t sure which test is right for them and feel overwhelmed by the choice. What sets NI Testing apart is that we are providing a government approved test, manufactured in Northern Ireland, and we very much work in partnership with our clients to identify what solution is right for them, providing fully accredited training and setting up testing facilities. We recommend that businesses use antigen tests to reactively test when people display symptoms, and antibody tests to proactively monitor their workforce. A comprehensive approach combining testing, social distancing and PPE will help to ensure business continuity by minimising the risk of infection, safeguarding employees and

mitigating the loss of earnings. We are taking the guess work out of it for businesses – providing testing solutions which meet all the relevant regulatory requirements and quality standards. Our customer-centred ethos has led to early contract wins in the food manufacturing and food service sectors, where we are working closely with our customers to ensure their businesses can continue to operate in a safe and secure way. More than ever, we are working within a fast-changing environment and businesses must be adaptable and flexible, while controlling the things that they can. The companies that we are working in partnership with to establish regular testing on site have reported huge benefits from an economic and wellbeing perspective. Being able to rely on accurate, rapid testing means that employees feel safer, supply chain partners and customers are reassured, and business interruption is minimised. Setting up a business during a pandemic has not been without its challenges, but our focus on establishing solid business relationships based on trust and integrity has enabled us to grow our business significantly over the last six months. Looking forward our ambition is to become the diagnostics partner of choice for businesses in Northern Ireland, not only for COVID-19 testing, but for other relevant testing solutions in future. Personally, I look forward to a time when COVID-19 is not an issue and we can safely go about our daily lives, but until then it is about managing and containing it as best we can.

“We recommend that businesses use antigen tests to reactively test when people display symptoms, and antibody tests to proactively monitor their workforce.”

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appointments

NEW

PPOINTMENTS IN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY

EMMA POLLOCK

SAM MCKNIGHT

CHRISTINE BROWN

CLAIRE BEST

Chief Technology Officer at FinTrU

Senior Developer at 3EN

Vice Principal for Teaching and Learning at Northern Regional College

General Manager at Clearbox

CORMAC MCGREEVEY

DARREN BOWMAN

EMMA LOUISE HANNIGAN

DAVID WHITE

Business Development Manager at BeyondHR

Partner at Baker Tilly Mooney Moore

Education Sector Lead at HLM Architects

Partner at Arthur Cox Belfast

TWO NEW PARTNERS APPOINTED AT A&L GOODBODY’S BELFAST OFFICE

Pictured: L-R are: Greg Martin, Partner, Commercial Property; Michael Neil, Head of Office at ALG Belfast and Chris Jessup, Partner, Financial Regulation.

Corporate law firm A&L Goodbody (ALG) has announced the appointment of two new partners at its Belfast office.

investors, developers, pension funds and property companies in relation to all aspects of real estate transactions.

Greg Martin has become a partner in the Commercial Property team. He advises a wide range of clients including institutional

Chris Jessup has been promoted to partner in Financial Regulation. A fintech specialist, Chris works with organisations such as banks,

payment service providers, payment systems, investment firms, fund managers, and other financial institutions and fintech businesses on UK and EU financial services regulation.

NEW YEAR, NEW CAREER WITH TEREX Terex, a manufacturer of lifting and material processing solutions, is offering jobseekers – including those working among sectors hardest hit by COVID-19 – the chance to kick start 2021 with a new career at its global organisation. The company is currently recruiting for a variety of roles across its manufacturing sites in Northern Ireland, including Dungannon, Omagh, Ballymoney and Campsie. There are opportunities in production roles, many of which include training schemes linked to local colleges that require no previous experience or qualifications, as well as roles for graduates, salespeople and engineers. Kieran Hegarty, President of Terex Materials

Processing explains, “Following a difficult and challenging 2020, we are now seeing a positive improvement in our order books across our various manufacturing sites. As we continue to ramp up production, we are recruiting for experienced welders and fitters but also seeking trainees for our Welding and Fitting Academies, which offer the opportunity to start a career in engineering and learn valuable, employable skills. These academies help us address the ongoing shortage of skilled welders and operators, build a pipeline of skills within our company and improve our ability to meet demand. “There is no qualification or experience required as we offer a training period followed

by placement within our operation. Whatever your vocational area, if you have drive and determination to succeed and a positive attitude to take on new challenges, you can have a successful career at Terex.” Academy participants will receive a fully blended practical training package and upon successful completion of the programme, will achieve an NVQ Level 1 Award in MIG Welding and a permanent position with Terex. To learn more about the programme or any other opportunity at Terex visit/contact: terex.com/production.

FEATURE

Dr Julie Humphreys

Reaching Out Publisher Reach has appointed Dr Julie Humphreys as its Group Head of Diversity and Inclusion, a move, she says, is embedding workplace diversity into the firm’s culture and will “redefine D&I life”.

r Julie Humpreys’ new post at Reach, Head of Diversity and Inclusion (D&I), is a newly created role, established to produce a “truly diverse and inclusive workforce across the UK and Ireland” that reflects the firm’s and customers’ values and there is no better person for the post. Dr Humphrey’s timeline boasts a number of high level D&I and HR roles at some of the world’s biggest businesses including Compass Group and AIG. And the subject of diversity and inclusion is a passion for the business professional. “It’s important to me that my work reflects my values, I need to believe in the core beliefs of the organisations I work for and I need to believe that inclusion is a priority. I was struck by Reach’s authenticity in its ambition and how it placed D&I as a business priority, hence I am directly reporting into the CEO, Jim Mullen,” she begins. In Northern Ireland you’ll associate Reach with the Daily Mirror and Belfast Live news brands. After joining the company in January, Dr Humphreys praises the firm’s existing D&I work and looks forward to broadening its reach: “There is some amazing activity already taking place – there are ethnicity, gender and

LGBTQ+ workstreams, diverse hiring projects and a network of diversity champions - my immediate aim is to bring all this together into a cohesive framework so we all going in the same direction.” D&I is, rightfully, taking increasing priority at businesses today. In fact global searches for ‘diversity and inclusion manager’ roles spiked with interest last year, growing by 122% since 2010 according to search trend data sourced by Instant Offices. Its report also stated that jobs in Diversity and Inclusion in the UK have increased by around 20% in the last 12 months and in the UK, there was a massive 106% rise for online job postings for diversity and inclusion roles. Backing these statistics is one of Glassdoor’s top hiring trends for 2020, which showed a greater focus on diversity jobs. And the job site company predicted that there will be a wave of hiring for leaders and managers that are able to drive more diversity and inclusion in the workplace, adding that between August 2018 and 2019, online job postings for diversity and inclusion rose by 106% in the UK alone. Dr Humphreys says indeed, in its various guises, D&I has had something of a presence in the workplace for many years, but today it is being felt more than ever. She continues:

“The work has been around for years. 20 years ago I was working on equal opportunities, fast forward and it’s called diversity, inclusion, belonging. There’s lots of names for what is essentially; aiming to have an engaged, representative employee base and leadership teams all working in a respectful environment.” Her immediate priorities in her new role will include “completely rethinking diversity” and going back to basics she says. “Reach is redefining what D&I is. We are working closely with our employees and directly involving them in the creation of the new strategy and direction. 2020 saw tumultuous changes across the world and our strategy needs to reflect those changes and their impact on our employees and ultimately, our readers.” Further research has shown that the number of consumers making their purchasing decision based on personal beliefs and values is also rising, another reason why D&I is important for business. In 2019 over half of consumers (64%) were belief-driven buyers across eight highly influential global markets and an Edelman report on brands and trust has revealed that 69% of consumers want to support brands that express their values, and are more likely to trust brands that are more committed to being involved in societal issues. More recent research on brands and belief showed that 53% of buyers agree that every brand has a responsibility to get involved in at least one social issue. Dr Humphreys says another one of her imminent priorities will be to assess the impact COVID has had on society. “We want to look at how COVID has impacted the D&I agenda, in many cases we have seen D&I expand to include wellbeing, whereas previously this usually was an add-on to other HR areas but

it has become increasingly linked to D&I since COVID. But interestingly this pandemic is not currently being linked to disability – i.e. with the Equality Act connection. I do wonder what challenges long COVID will bring to HR, there are so many implications, including for D&I,” she says. “There is lots of passion around the topic in Reach - my role is to guide that passion and with the senior executive’s support, create a real focus on inclusion that we can all be proud to be part of. When we, eventually, come out

It’s a culture Dr Humphreys says should be a priority in every business, and one which can help attract and retain talent, but, she says, more needs to be done on a wider basis. “We have made some great strides, but there is more to do. A great inclusion strategy understands and reflects national and local nuances and I will be working with local leaders. And there can be synergies with the other areas of the business (HR, L&D etc.) when it comes to creating a fairer world of work post pandemic. And where should we

“...20 years ago I was working on equal opportunities, fast forward and it’s called diversity, inclusion, belonging. There’s lots of names for what is essentially; aiming to have an engaged, representative employee base and leadership teams all working in a respectful environment.” of this crisis, we want to ensure we move to a workplace that is more genuinely inclusive. We need to learn the lessons of the pandemic and continue to invest in our employees’ wellbeing. We also need to take a holistic approach and stop seeing inclusion as a ‘programme of activity’ and instead embed it into the core of the organisation.”

focus our energies? On getting measurement back on the agenda – ie the gender pay gap reporting along with ethnicity gap reporting. I would also like to see social mobility included in legislation,” she adds.

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